Loving The Bear

By Vanessa Devereaux

This book was first published by Evernight Publishing in 2014. It’s been re-edited and formatted.

Single mom, Lilly Banks escaped an abusive marriage and is starting a new life in Kalispell, Montana. She’s working as a waitress at a local café and also has her own house cleaning business. The only problem is her first and only customer isn’t answering the door.

When Christopher Renner hears a commotion outside his condo, and goes to investigate, he sees the most beautiful woman calling through the mail slot of his neighbor’s door.

Lilly and Christopher discover that Mrs. Nelson, Lilly’s customer, has died in her sleep. What begins as a loss for Lilly, turns first into a friendship with Christopher, and then a romance with this knight in shining armor.

Christopher’s head over heels for not only Lilly, but also her two year old daughter. Can he mend her broken heart and get her to trust men again? Or will the fact that he just happens to be a bear shifter put her end to their storybook romance?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susan Palmquist
• Release date: Jul 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463654743

Vanessa Devereaux

Vanessa Devereaux is the bestselling author of erotic romances and erotica including Cater to Me, The Rake, Who's the Boss, and The Pleasure Room. She's also pens three ongoing series, Perfect Pairing, Big Sky County and Kalispell Shifters.

Book preview

Loving The Bear

Kalispell Shifters

Vanessa Devereaux

Published by Coldstream Publishing at Smashwords

Copyright 2019 Vanessa Devereaux

Smashwords Edition, License Notes.

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Table of Contents

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

Thank You

Social Networks

Back to Top

Chapter 1

Lilly fell to her knees before struggling toward the door with Katlin secured tightly in her arms. If she couldn’t keep herself safe, at least she’d protect her daughter with her life if she had to. She rested the side of her head against the wall, hoping to get some time to think about her next move.

Her temple began throbbing like there was a pulsating machine implanted within it. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it would pass.

She guessed she’d taken so many beatings that her body had grown numb. Today she hadn’t realized just how much damage he’d done to her body until she stopped to think and the pain had finally made itself known throughout every muscle, nerve and cell of her being.

A tear rolled down her cheek. It stung and she guessed it was passing over one of the open cuts on her face. She’d always been so sensible, so how she found herself in this awful situation was beyond her.

Bloodied and battered yet again.

She was a complete idiot to have stay this long in what she’d known for a long time was a downward spiraling relationship. Now she was paying the ultimate price.

Katlin began crying again. She clamped her hand over her daughter’s mouth, noticing the blood stain on her fingers and the fact that she’d transferred some of it onto Katlin’s tiny cheek. The baby was hot and flushed and no doubt had the flu that was spreading around town.

Bile rose in Lilly’s throat as his footsteps got closer to the door. She reached out and gripped her fingers around the handle making sure it was secure. Judging by the angle of both her pinkie and ring fingers, she was pretty sure he’d broken them in his last attack on her.

Bang, bang, bang.

Lilly jumped, convinced that his fists would break through the thin wood of the nursery door.

Lilly, this is stupid because you can’t stay in there forever. Come out now and I promise you your punishment will be a lot less severe than if I have to break this door down and come in there to get you.

She didn’t want to even take a breath just in case he heard her. She knew it was stupid because he knew she always took refuge in their daughter’s room just in case one day he decided to add their daughter to his list of victims. Another tear ran down her face, stinging so bad that she almost cried out this time.

He was right. He was always so damn right. She and Katlin couldn’t stay in this room forever.

She eyed the window. It was on the second floor, but it wasn’t so high that jumping from it would be impossible. She could lower Katlin down to the ground using some blankets and then hopefully she’d be able to squeeze through it and jump to safety. She lifted herself up off the floor, doing her best to ignore the pain in her ribs. She would not cry out and give him any gratification, not today.

It’s okay honey, I’m going to get us to safety, she whispered in her daughter’s ear.

Lilly put Katlin in her crib and set about tying together all the blankets and baby clothes she could find. If she looped them securely together, made a sling then she’d place Katlin inside it and hopefully it would be strong enough to hold her.

Not that he’d ever touched the baby before, but he was in a bad mood with all the crying their daughter had been doing so who knows what he’d do in his current bout of rage.

Ignoring the pain in her fingers, Lilly began tying the blankets together, tugging on them to secure the knots tight enough to hold the baby. She then took the last one out of the crib and made a harness, tying it to the ends of the makeshift rope she’d created.

Lilly lifted Katlin and placed her inside it. The baby gave a little whimper.

Floorboards squeaked on the other side of the door.

Don’t think I’ve gone away. I’m sitting here waiting for you. You’ve disobeyed me for the last time, Lilly. I gave you your chance.

She swallowed. She had to escape because she had the feeling that if he touched her again, he’d either kill her or maybe she’d kill him. And he wasn’t worth the jail time.

She carried Katlin and the escape rope over to the window, pushing it open with her free hand.

Damn, it was stuck. She pushed harder, this time making a creaking noise.

Now you wouldn’t be thinking of using that window would you Lilly, honey? Your ass is way too big to fit through it and I’d hate to see you get stuck.

Whether it was or not, it was her only hope and way to escape.

She put Katlin down and took out the screen and then looked out of the window at the ground below. Luckily there was a bush directly underneath the window so she could lower Katlin onto it for a softer landing.

Okay, honey, it’s going to be okay. Mommy will be right behind you.

She kissed her head, feeling the heat of the baby’s skin against her lips. She was burning up and once she got to safety she’d get both of them to the nearest ER.

She lifted her over the edge while keeping a firm grip on the homemade rope. It hurt her hands and arms to hang onto her, but she’d do it. She gently lowered her down, watching Katlin get closer and closer to the bush.

Lilly released the breath she’d been holding when she saw her safely resting on top of it. She tied the rope to the metal band on the window and climbed up on the chair, knowing all she had to do was get herself down to safety and they’d be home free.

She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of getting stuck in the window so she pushed her way through the frame, feeling the metal bit into her hips and thighs. If only she’d lost more of her baby weight but the odd cookie or chocolate or two had been her escape from the reality of her of pitiful life. Lilly pushed again, this time freeing herself until she balanced precariously on the ledge. She grabbed the makeshift rope and slowly pushed herself off using her legs, hanging onto the rope, knowing that both their lives depended on it holding.

Lilly knew it wouldn’t be safe much longer so she hurried down and then jumped the last few feet. She rolled onto the grass, got up as quickly as she could, and grabbed Katlin who was now screaming at the top of her lungs. She was about to stand when she saw Matt standing there with his blue metal baseball bat in his hand.

I’ve always told you we can do things the easy way or the hard way. Why do you always have to pick the way that’s going to hurt you the most?

Please, Matt, just let Katlin and me leave, and I promise I’ll just tell everyone that I fell down the stairs. I’ll make up a story like I always do, but I have to get Katlin to a doctor because she’s burning up. It’s why she’s crying.

You put her first, you always put her first, and I’m the one who needs your attention, me and my supper.

Lilly swallowed as he headed her way, raising the bat. If he swung it down now, he’d catch Katlin’s head. She couldn’t let that happen. Knowing an attack from him was imminent, she raised her arm, feeling the bat snap her bone in half.

She cried out and then covered Katlin with her body as another blow fell