Grin and Bear It

By Jenika Snow

Even the strongest fall...

Mason’s always lived each day like it was his last, but everything is nearly taken from him when he’s injured. The only thing he can focus on is making sure the ones who hurt him pay with their lives.

Ryeissa can feel the wall Mason has built around himself. Being his nurse means she’s there to give him support, but she can see the darkness festering inside of him and fears he’s lost to his anger.

As the two become close, and Mason’s bear demands he take Ryeissa as his mate, he struggles with the need to shelter her not only from the violence and revenge he has to exact on the men who attacked him, but also from himself.

Can he push away his need for vengeance in order to be with her, or will he end up ruining the only chance he has of making her his?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evernight Publishing
• Release date: Oct 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781772335354

Book preview

Published by Evernight Publishing ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2015 Jenika Snow

ISBN: 978-1-77233-535-4

Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

Editor: Karyn White

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

To all the readers that have rooted and shown their support for the Grizzlies!

GRIN AND BEAR IT

The Grizzly MC, 11

Jenika Snow

Copyright © 2015

Author’s Note

This novella is a look into the lives of the next generation of the Grizzly MC. Although it is written so it can be read as a standalone, it is highly suggested that you read the previous Grizzly MC books in this series, as well as Reckless, the first book in The Sons series, to better know the characters, their lives, and the world they live in.

Prologue

You’re cheating, you motherfucker, Mason said, teasing, and grinned over at Link. Link grinned back and flipped him off.

Don’t blame your piss-poor poker skills on me cheating. Link grabbed his shot glass and tossed it back. Do another shot with me, man, Link said after he finished his liquor.

Nah. I’m sober and need to head home soon. I got shit to do for the club tomorrow. Mason rubbed his face with a hand, felt damn tired, but was also having a good time.

Link flipped him off again, but was smiling. They were partying at one of the bars the Grizzlies owned in Steel Corner. The place was closed off to the public because of the hour, and a few of The Brothers of Menace MC kids and The Grizzly kids were all getting trashed.

Shouting from the guys off to the side playing darts had Mason looking over his shoulder and seeing Jakob and a few of the other Grizzlies standing around drinking. He stared at Jakob, the bear shifter he’d practically grown up with, and thought of as a brother. They were both Grizzly members, both brothers in arms, and although they’d been friends for a long fucking time, an altercation weeks ago had caused this rift between them.

Hey, I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, Link said.

Mason turned back around and faced the Brothers of Menace member. Whatever you’re about to say is probably better left unsaid. He grabbed the water he’d been nursing for the last hour and finished it off. He wouldn’t mind getting shitfaced, but he’d been getting drunk and high enough lately, and the feeling of just being … normal, held an appeal at least for tonight.

Link grabbed his beer he’d been drinking in between taking shots, and finished it off. He lifted his hand for the barmaid to get him another, and looked over at Mason. You know what I’m going to ask?

Come on, man, Mason said, lifting his eyebrow as he stared at Link. I’m not a mind reader, but I know damn well you’re going to ask what the deal was with me and Jakob. Lincoln Link Roberts was a Brothers of Menace member, and Kink’s son. Link might not be a Grizzly, but this kind of shit spread like wildfire, especially through the MCs. Rumors had a tendency to also get warped in the process, and Mason was sure that’s what had happened with the deal between him and Jakob.

Link didn’t respond right away. There was another round of laughter and swearing from Jakob and the other guys playing darts, and then the barmaid gave Link another beer. When they were alone again Mason exhaled and leaned back in his chair, scrubbing a hand over his hair.

I just want to know what’s fact and what’s bullshit. Link took a drink of his beer and set it back on the table. I mean you know the shit going around about why you guys fought, right?

I don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks, and what you’ve heard is probably bullshit anyway. It is what it is. Mason was about done with this scene and this conversation, because talking about it was just pissing him off even more.

So it was about you making a move on Jakob?

Mason straightened, surprised that the rumor had twisted that much. What?

Link nodded. One of the things going around is that you want Jakob, but when you came on to him he turned you down. Link looked so serious. You got pissed and that’s how the fight started.

Mason grunted and relaxed against the back of the chair again. Listen, ain’t nothing wrong with a man wanting another man, but I don’t fly that way, brother. I like pussy too much.

Link shrugged, picked up his beer again and took a swig. He set his bottle down, and when they stared at each other for a few seconds, neither speaking, Mason cursed internally. He might as well clear the air, because he knew Link would just keep speculating.

Listen, I was drunk the night all this shit started. Mason had his hand in a tight fist on the table, knowing that although what had happened wasn’t the biggest fucking deal in the world because it had been a huge mistake, it also had been some bad shit. I fucked a girl he wanted, and that’s why we fought.

Link lifted a brow. You knew before you fucked her that Jakob wanted her? Link asked, sounding a little shocked.

Mason exhaled. I’m a motherfucking bastard, I know, but I was wasted, man, and when I went to my room to crash she followed. It was dark. I couldn’t even see the chick well enough to know it was the same one Jakob was hard up for. He leaned forward and scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling the day-old stubble on his cheeks.

Damn, man.

Mason nodded. Jakob walked in on us, and that’s when I saw, after he turned on the light, that I’d just had my dick in the sweet-butt he’d been jonesing for.

Fuck, Link said.

Like I said, I’m a motherfucker, but I honestly didn’t know who I was in bed with. All I knew was that it was a chick from the party, and she wanted my cock. Damn, that made Mason sound like a dirty bastard. Jakob left when he caught us, and the next day was when the fight broke out. He was drunk, as was I, and shit hasn’t been the same since.

Have you tried telling him that it was a mistake, a fucked as hell mistake, but one nonetheless?

Mason looked at him like he was fucking crazy. Yeah, man, of course I tried telling him right after the fact, but he was too pissed, and rightly so. Mason had pushed all this shit behind him because he didn’t want to dwell on it. He’d screwed up big-time, and a man he considered family hated him for it. I just stopped talking to him about it, or trying to, after the second time he let into me. I can’t blame him for hating me. Hell, I hate myself most of the time. And he felt like a bigger asshole for even saying that out loud, admitting that to Link. I don’t know if he wanted her as something more than a piece of pussy, because hell, he could have tapped that, and maybe did, but he fucking hated me. Mason paused a moment. He still does.

Man, don’t talk like that.

Mason shook his head before Link could continue. No, I do, Link. I fucking hate myself a lot of the time because of the shit I do. I could have avoided this if I paid a little more attention. But it’s not just the Jakob shit. I’m a bastard. I start in on members of both MCs, thinking it’s funny when it’s not. I just almost went at it with your brother because I was drunk and high, and giving him crap over that girl he’s into. Mason was a punk, drank and smoked more than he should, and because he’d lived that kind of life, one that was on the edge and didn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself, he was a lowdown prick.

He had no siblings, and being an only child to Court and Lilly shouldn’t have made him feel lonely. He had a family, blood and extended family within the club that had always been there. His old man and mom loved him, and had raised him to be the man he wasn’t acting like.

You need to talk to Jakob again, straighten this out, Link said.

Before Mason could have responded, even if he would have, the sound of footsteps moving closer to them had his bear coming alert. He scented Jakob, knew that the other guy was drunk, that he was probably high, too.

Talk to who, me? Jakob said in a deep, slurred voice.

Mason tensed, knowing what was going to come even if he ignored this shit. But he was not about to go at it with the other bear shifter. He stood, turned and faced Jakob, and saw that his instincts and senses had been right. The man was drunker than shit and high as well. His eyes were bloodshot, and he reeked of alcohol. I’m not doing this with you now, Jakob.

No? Jakob asked.

No. Mason grabbed his jacket he’d slung over the chair he’d been sitting in, fished his keys out of the front pocket of his jeans, and went to move past Jakob. But the MC member obviously wanted to start a fight, and Mason wasn’t going to go there. He’d tried to apologize, tried to sit down more than once. Jakob wasn’t having that, and Mason didn’t want to make the already bad blood between them worse.

But before he could move past Jakob the other bear grabbed his arm, spun him around, and the two faced off.

You running your mouth about what a backstabbing motherfucker you are?

You’re drunk, Mason said, pulled his arm free, and took a step back. His bear was right there, rising up on instinct, ready to protect himself at all costs. Yes, this was a man he considered a brother, but he was also a threat right now.

I’m not going to do this, not only because I care about you, know I fucked up, and want to make amends, but also because I’d tear you up right now. His bear flashed across his face, and he felt the beast rise up and growl and snap, a warning, a threat. I’d fuck you up because you’re drunk, Jakob, and would be sloppy in a fight.

And before Mason could leave, Jakob reared his arm back and punched him in the side of his jaw. Mason’s head cocked back, blood erupted in his mouth as his teeth cut into his inner cheek, and pain consumed him.

Chairs scraped along the floor as everyone came forward. The front door opened, and he scented Marcus step inside.

What the fuck… Marcus said and trailed off, obviously seeing the shit going down.

Cain and Bodhi pulled Jakob back; Gabriel and Maverick went to stand beside Mason, and the whole room grew still. The rest of the club members and even some prospects were watching with worry but also with anticipation. Mason stared at Jakob, saw the other man’s jaw clenched tight. His bear was trying to push forward, but Jakob was keeping it back with what little control he had.

Mason turned his head and spat out a mouthful of blood and spittle, stared at everyone, and cursed internally. Fuck all of this. He turned and left, and walked by Marcus, who tried to stop him.

Mason, man, Marcus said, but Mason just wanted out of there.

He left the bar, got on his bike, and then he was shooting off down the road, just wanting everything to disappear, for the world to just swallow him up.

He increased his speed, took the corners sharp, and didn’t give a fuck if he broke any laws in the process. He was going faster and faster, the world around him a blur. Mason entered the square of town, slowing slightly, only because he knew that if he did get pulled over right now he wouldn’t be able to get this steam out of him. The intersection in town came up.

Just as he went to turn to head down the back roads, the sound of tires squealing had him looking over to the side. And then he saw it, a pickup truck barreling toward him from the other direction, an arm out the passenger side window, and the