Jade Crew: Captive Bear (A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (Ridgeback Bears Book 4) Read Free Page A

ask you to leave.”
    “I don’t need an invitation,” Nash said haughtily. “Do you know who I am?”
    “No sir, I do not. I’m sorry, should I? I was quite positive I knew everyone to whom I extended invitations. Did you receive one?”
    “I’m with her,” the liaison said angrily, trembling with rage at the polite treatment he was getting. Darren was doing his best to conceal his laughter, though he wasn’t succeeding very well.
    Gwen followed the angry jab to see who Nash was talking about. Darren glanced over as well, though the woman was turned away, preventing him from seeing if he recognized her. Gwen, on the other hand, clearly did.
    “You’re Ms. Valcke’s date?” she asked incredulously. Darren snorted as he heard the insult hidden in Gwen’s voice, as if she thought Nash was far too substandard for Ms. Valcke, whoever that was.
    “No,” Nash gritted out. “I’m her escort. The LMC has decided that all candidates running for mayor shall be escorted by a liaison when they attend events with a heavy shifter presence. Now, if you’ll excuse me?” He stormed away as Gwen turned to face the Ridgebacks, a huge grin on her face.
    “That was fun,” she said excitedly, then looked over her shoulder. “I should really go say hi to Kierra though,” she told Russell, kissing the top of his head where he sat seated in front of her.
    Kierra.
    The name and her occupation piqued Darren’s interest. He knew the election for mayor was soon, but he hadn’t paid a whole lot of attention to it, because LMC-employed shifters were not eligible to vote. Only residents of Origin, the only town in Genesis Valley, were eligible.
    “Hey Gwen,” he said, rising and using his long legs to catch up to her before she had gone more than a few steps.
    “What’s up Darren?” she asked, stopping to look up at him, then falling in step as he continued to walk toward her original destination.
    “Do you think you could, uh, introduce me?” he said awkwardly, still completely unsure of why he was doing what he was.
    “To Kierra?”
    “Yes please,” he said, feeling his cheeks heat slightly under her gaze.
    “Sure,” she said slyly.
    “No, that’s not what I... come on Gwen!” he said awkwardly as she grabbed his arm and pulled him forward.
    “Kierra?” Gwen said, entering the conversation.
    Oh shit. Here we go.

Chapter Two
    Kierra
    She turned as a voice she recognized called her name. Her eyes glanced first at Gwen, whom she knew from their weekly yoga class. But it was the person next to her that drew her immediate, unfocused attention.
    “Hi Gwen,” she said in automatic greeting, glad her brain could at least function on autopilot for a few seconds. Because she was going to need it, Kierra realized. Her eyes were locked, unwavering, on to the steel-gray orbs looking back at her. Her mouth suddenly dry, Kierra realized that Gwen was talking. The only reason she knew that was from the vague sound of a voice in her ears. It sounded off though, as if Gwen were talking from the other side of a long metal tube. It made her voice sound tinny, and gave it an odd echo.
    “Kierra, this is Darren,” the voice said.
    Kierra nodded, sticking out her hand. She fell back upon her political training, allowing the ingrained responses to flow to the surface. It made her voice sound fake and uninterested, but it did allow her to respond. Which was critical, she knew. Kierra couldn’t afford to be seen getting struck dumb by a shifter, no matter how handsome he might be.
    “It’s a pleasure to meet you Darren. Is this one of your normal hangouts?” she managed to eke out, surprised at her ability to add an original question to her response.
    He nodded. “We come here probably too often for our own good,” he said with a grin, his cheeks dimpling ever so slightly under the slight scruff he was cultivating on his face. It was short and well-groomed. It looked good on him.
    What wouldn’t look good on him? He’s