Free Bearilicious - Collection by Ashley Hunter

didn’t want to open my eyes. I didn’t want to be dead.
    A swift, but gentle, hand slapped me on the face, “Lorelai?”
    I opened my eyes to the cold blue of Oliver Mathan. “What is going on?”
    “What were you doing here?” his cool voice asked.
    “I was delivering the bear report,” I responded. “I was told to bring it as soon as I could.”
    “Didn’t Vance tell you that the third Friday of the month didn’t count?”
    “He didn’t come by for me to ask.”
    “Naturally, he didn’t have anything to stare at.”
    I nearly fully woke up, my eyes widening to my surroundings. “What is going on?”
    He leaned in close to me, his breath smelling of clover and mint, “That’s what I’d like to know.”
    I tried to free my arms, but my arms wouldn’t budge. My hands were tied to the chair I sat in. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t escape. For all the awful jobs I’d had before, I never felt so scared.
    “You can’t kidnap me.” I said. “I didn’t see anything.”
    “You saw a man transform into a bear, did you not?”
    “I don’t know. I… don’t know.”
    “Don’t lie to me. You know what’s going on."
    “I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve never had a boss kidnap me before. I quit, by the way.”
    “You’ll need to give me your two weeks’ notice in writing.”
    “Oh, okay. I’ll just do that with my hands that are tied.”
    He sighed and started to pace, “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
    “I don’t either.”
    “All right, look. I’ll call my lawyer…”
    “That sounds like a great idea.”
    He stopped pacing and gave me his trademark look. “I will call my lawyer and have him write up a non-disclosure agreement. Once he gets that written up, you may go. I will pay you for your time here, as well as for your silence. Does that sound acceptable?”
    “Why do I have to stay here? I’m not going to tell anyone. I have no one to tell.”
    “It’s just a security measure.”
    “This is crazy! I can’t believe this is happening to me right now! By the way, shouldn’t I see a doctor or something since I was knocked unconscious?”
    “I’m a doctor.” This time I gave him a look. “I went to medical school, I just decided I’d rather go into business than be a doctor. The job was too sad.”
    “I guess that makes sense,” I replied. “Well, if I’m going to stay here, can you at least untie me?”
    “Do you agree to stay here until my lawyer can get me the non-disclosure agreement?”
    “Yes.”
    “Then I can untie you.” He moved around the chair to untie me.
    “I’m still quitting.”
    “I understand.” He finished untying me. “It’s too bad, you’ve been doing a great job.”
    I attempted to stand, but the move made me dizzy. “You sure had me fooled then with all the criticism you had.”
    “I like things a particular way. Would you like some breakfast?”
    I shrugged. He nodded and moved to the kitchen. The cabin had a nice, updated open concept. In other circumstances, this would be a very enjoyable short vacation. I guess the brighter side is I probably won’t have to work again since, you know, I’ll be paid off. It could be worse.
    I rose slowly, this time able to make it (though my head was killing me.) On the fireplace mantle were several family pictures, seemingly of Mr. Mathan and his parents, he and his brother, his parents on their wedding day.
    He looked alarmingly like his father, though it appeared he got the cold look from his mother. Each picture - besides the wedding portrait - looked to be in a green, hilly area. Perhaps Ireland, as his accent suggests.
    “How do you like your eggs?” he asked.
    “Scrambled,” I replied. “You have a lot of pictures of your family.”
    “My parents still live in the old country, so I like to keep reminders of them.”
    “Your brother too?”
    “He’s my lawyer. He lives across town. We moved here together. Do you have any siblings?” he turned to me. “Do you eat