Bears of Burden: HUTCH Read online

  Table of Contents

  Bears of Burden

  HUTCH

  CHAPTER 1: Veronica

  CHAPTER 2: Hutch

  CHAPTER 3: Veronica

  CHAPTER 4: Veronica

  CHAPTER 5: Hutch

  CHAPTER 6: Veronica

  CHAPTER 7: Hutch

  CHAPTER 8: Veronica

  CHAPTER 9: Hutch

  CHAPTER 10: Hutch

  CHAPTER 11: Veronica

  CHAPTER 12: Hutch

  CHAPTER 13: Veronica

  CHAPTER 14: Hutch

  CHAPTER 15: Veronica

  CHAPTER 16: Veronica

  CHAPTER 17: Hutch

  CHAPTER 18: Veronica

  CHAPTER 19: Hutch

  CHAPTER 20: Veronica

  CHAPTER 21: Veronica

  CHAPTER 22: Hutch

  CHAPTER 23: Veronica

  CHAPTER 24: Hutch

  CHAPTER 25: Veronica

  CHAPTER 26: Hutch

  ENJOY A FREE SNEAK PEEK

  KODIAK ISLAND SHIFTERS

  COLTON: BILLIONAIRE BEAR’S BRIDE

  Chapter one

  Chapter two

  Chapter three

  Chapter four

  Check out these other books by Candace Ayers

  RANCHER BEAR SERIES

  BEARS OF BURDEN SERIES

  SHIFTERS OF DENVER SERIES

  FREE BONUS BOOKS SECTION - STORY DESCRIPTIONS INCLUDED

  LOVING THE ALPHA

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  EPILOGUE

  HAUNTED WHISPERS

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  EPILOGUE

  HONOR

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  BEAR’S (mail order) BRIDE

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  GIVEN TO THE VAMPIRES

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter 1: Dimitri

  Chapter 2: Anna

  Chapter 3: Dimitri

  Chapter 4: Anna

  Chapter 5: Dimitri

  Chapter 6: Anna

  CLAIMED BY THE NEW ALPHA

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  DRAGON’S CLAIM

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  SHADOW SPECTER

  DEPARTMENT 99

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  part 1

  NOWHERE TO HIDE

  part 2

  CHACHI’S GHOST

  part 3

  THE DEAD OF NIGHT

  part 4

  LOVE AT LAST

  THE LION’S CLAIM

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  HOME IS WERE MY BEAR IS

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Epilogue

  MOST VALUABLE PANTHER

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  FULL MOON LOVER

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  EPILOGUE

  RANCHER BEAR’S BABY

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  CHAPTER 1: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 2: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 3: Alex

  CHAPTER 4: Alex

  CHAPTER 5: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 6: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 7: Alex

  CHAPTER 8: Alex

  CHAPTER 9: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 10: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 11: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 12: Alex

  CHAPTER 13: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 14: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 15: Alex

  CHAPTER 16: Elizabeth

  CHAPTER 17: Elizabeth

  SCREWED

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter 1 CLAIRE

  Chapter 2 JETT

  Chapter 3 CLAIRE

  Chapter 4 JETT

  Chapter 5 CLAIRE

  Chapter 6 CLAIRE

  Chapter 7 JETT

  Chapter 8 CLAIRE

  Chapter 9 JETT

  THE VAMPIRE’S MUSE

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

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sp; Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  DRAGON KEEPER

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  SNOWBOUND WITH THE ALPHA

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  UNINVITED STRANGER

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  MY VALENTINE WOLF

  STORY DESCRIPTION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  Copyright © 2017 by Candace Ayers.

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

  This book is intended for adult readers only.

  Any sexual activity portrayed in these pages occurs between consenting adults over the age of 18 who are not related by blood.

  Bears of Burden

  HUTCH

  By Candace Ayers

  Note from the Author:

  I am currently recruiting readers for my review team. If you would like to participate by volunteering to read advance copies of my latest books, and leaving an honest review on Amazon, please sign up for my email list here: JOIN NOW! I contact subscribers through email when each book is ready for review. You will be under no obligation, and can accept or decline on a book by book basis.

  ~ Candace

  CHAPTER 1: Veronica

  I was drunk. No, I was beyond drunk. I was wasted, trashed, blitzed, besotted...ugh! My head swam and I grabbed the back of a chair to steady myself, ignoring the man sitting in it. I tried to gauge how far I was from the table where I’d been sitting earlier in the night, before dancing. Ten feet? Maybe fifteen? I closed one eye to stop seeing double. I could do it. If I just propelled myself, using the chair I was leaning on, I could make it to the table. Probably. Then, I could sit there until I felt less like I’d been riding in one of those little tea cup rides for hours.

  I counted down from five and then made my move. I pushed off as hard as I could manage, but the guy who’d been in the chair must’ve stood up at the last second because the chair was suddenly weightless. It went flying across the room and I fell flat on my ass.

  It probably wasn’t as funny to anyone else, but there I was, sitting on a dirty, sticky bar floor, giggling my butt off. This was so unlike me. Normally, I’d be embarrassed by drawing any attention to myself, but in that moment, I couldn’t find shame. Instead, I just found the whole thing funny. I was wasted, and not in a cute way. Was there a cute way to be wasted?

  Allie’s face appeared in front of me, sporting a big grin. “Looks like you took a tumble.”

  I waved it off. “I just decided to have a sit-down for a few seconds. You’d be surprised how comfortable this floor is… this nasty, icky floor.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “I believe that’s the first time I’ve heard two sentences back to back from you, Ronnie.”

  Ronnie. The ladies had nicknamed me. I’d never been nicknamed before, unless you counted when the mean kids in high school called me Virgin Veronica.

  “I like Ronnie much better than Virgin Veronica.” Did I say that out loud?

  Thorn, Allie’s mate, appeared behind her, looking tired. He owned the bar and I could only guess why he was tired. We’d been causing quite the ruckus lately. Just the night before, I’d fallen off the bar after a handful of us were playing Coyote Ugly, but I caught myself, momentarily, on a light fixture. Then, it and I had crashed to the floor.

  I’d been more embarrassed about that earlier. I’d even written him an apology. I patted my body, looking for the card, but I couldn’t find it. “I have a card for you, Thorny. It’s an apology for breaking your bar.”

  Allie started laughing so hard that she fell over next to me. She might’ve been a little drunk, too. “Virgin Veronica?”

  I made a gag face and rolled my eyes. “That’s what the kids in high school called me. They were such troglodytes.”

  Thorn sighed. It was a big sigh. A sigh meant to show those around him that he was getting fed up. He looked up and then a flash of relief lit his face. “Hutch, give me a hand, man.”

  My body froze over, then fire burned through my loins in a flash-thaw. I shook my head and rolled to my hands and knees. “Nope. I’m fine. I’m going to crawl over to my purse and find your card. I’ll sit there until the room stops spinning, then I’ll walk home. Thanks, though.”

  Allie grabbed the back hem of my dress and tugged it down. I’d borrowed it from her best friend, Georgia, and it was much shorter than I was used to. She giggled and patted my butt. “You’re flashing the bar, Ronnie.”

  I looked back at her and let a goofy smile tilt my mouth. “It’s okay. I wear really cute panties.”

  She fell back, clutching her stomach in laughter. Thorn sighed again. I just continued crawling away—anything to get away from Hutch Mallory. Just thinking the name made me stumble, and I was on my hands and knees. It wasn’t exactly easy to stumble when you were that close to the ground already.

  A pair of boots and heels crossed in front of me and I held up a hand in a wave. “Don’t mind me. Just crawling here.”

  A growl sounded from behind me and I felt the sound reverberate through me, straight to the tips of my toes. My body reacted the way it did anytime I was within fifty feet of Hutch. Which, to be fair, had only ever been a couple of times. The man was expert at avoiding me—and I was great at taking a hint.

  I crawled faster and then pulled myself up the table, without managing to tip it over. I plopped myself into a chair, my back firmly turned to Hutch, and made a big show of dusting my knees and hands off. “Thorny, you might want to sweep more often. It’s probably not code to have so much trash on the floor.”

  More laughter from Allie on the floor. “Help me up, Thorny. Thorn. Hawthorne, Hawthorne-y.” Yep, she was drunk, too.

  I grabbed my purse and looked through it with rubbery hands that didn’t seem to want to fully cooperate. When I felt the card, I grabbed it, meaning to just pull it out and hold it in the air. It had other plans. It went sailing across the bar and vanished. I giggled and held up empty hands. “Sorry, Thorny. I seem to have misplaced your apology card. I think I can remember what I wrote, though, if you’d like me to recite it.”

  Allie appeared in the seat next to me, via Thorn’s big arms. He looked down at me, fighting the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Sure, Ronnie, go ahead.”

  I nodded and thought about it. I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to work backwards to the moment I’d written the card. My brain usually worked marvelously. I was super sharp, top of my graduating class, but it seemed to have lost its edge when it was soaked in liquor. I slumped in my chair and pouted. “Well, shoot. I can’t
remember a single word.”

  He laughed, actually laughed. “Not a single word?”

  I waved my hands and grinned. “No, I remember part of it!”

  He crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. “Okay. Let’s hear it.”

  Just as fast as the thought entered my head, it flew out. I made an annoyed face and sighed. “It left.”

  “What left?”

  “The part I remembered.”

  He was laughing so hard that his large body was shaking and tears pooled in his eyes. Allie wasn’t much better. “Where did it go?”

  “No clue,” I shrugged, “It flew across the room somewhere when I tried to get it out of my purse. When it migrates back home, I’ll let y’all know.”

  A few of the other girls showed back up at the table, including Marley Dunham, the only friend I’d had in Burden, Texas, until a few days ago, when Georgia had found me in the library. Marley sat beside me and touched my hair. “You look so pretty like this, Veronica, you’re going to drive all the men crazy.”

  Thorn snorted and then whispered something to Allie that had her blushing before he walked off. She watched him go and fanned herself.

  I tugged my lip between my teeth and then leaned into her. “You’re so lucky.”

  She glanced back at me and nodded. “I am. My man is hot.”

  I shook my head. “I mean, you’re lucky that he wants you like he does.”

  She frowned and tugged on my new short hair. “There’s someone out there for you, too, Ronnie.”

  I chanced a glance over my shoulder to see Hutch’s massive form hulking at his table, looking stiff and angry. There was someone out there for me alright, I knew that, but he didn’t want me. I turned back to Allie and nodded. “Right. Maybe. Maybe there is someone out there for me.”

  CHAPTER 2: Hutch

  Black fucking lace, and little. Teeny-tiny. So fucking tiny there was barely anything there. My brain was burning itself up over the image of Veronica Maddox’s panties. Every time I blinked, I could see them, barely covering her perfect, heart-shaped ass wiggling back and forth as she crawled on hands and knees across the bar floor. It was sheer torture.

  My dick had hardened the moment I’d stepped into the bar and scented her, but seeing her like that… Fuck, I was sporting a steel hard-on that didn’t seem to have any desire to fade. I should’ve turned and walked out as soon as I realized she was here. I should’ve run back to my house and barricaded the damned door.

  Why was she even here? She never came to the bar. The bar was mine—my territory. Over the past year, we’d silently negotiated who got what. She got the library, the salon, and the girly shit like that. I got the fucking bar. She was breaking all the rules by being there.

  I was sitting as close as possible to the table so no one noticed the embarrassing erection threatening to rip through my jeans. My mood had soured beyond belief and all I wanted to do was get the hell out of there. Well, that’s not all I wanted to do… those damned tiny panties.