Free Bearly Consenting: Russet Falls Series by W.H. Vega Page A

socialite.
    “Thank you. Avery and I grew up together,” he turned to look
at her, fixating on her big brown eyes. “She’s very, very special to me.”
    He saw Avery blush and it only made his desire for her grow.
    Elsa chatted with them for another moment and then they
moved on, stopping to talk to two more benefactors before Drew looped back
around the room and began heading back to their table.
    “Doing okay?” he asked under his breath, as he nodded at
people he knew.
    “Yes. I think so.” She was still hanging on to his arm, and
Drew felt slightly bad, he should have prepared her better for an event like
this.
    “So, everyone is going to take their seats in a few minutes
and there will be some introductory remarks. Then we’ll be served the first
course and then there will more than likely be a break for some mingling and
dancing.”
    He looked down and saw Avery’s big eyes peering back up at
him.
    “So far so good?” he asked.
    She nodded.
    “Then we will be served the rest of our food, there will be
a little bit of speaking, and then it will break into more dancing and the
silent auction.”
    He guided her back to their seat, and just as they were
about to sit down, Drew was tapped on the shoulder.
    He turned around to see Marcus, a businessman he had dealt
with for Seraphina.
    Marcus was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Not to mention, a
prick. Drew didn’t trust him at all.
    “Marcus,” he said tightly. “What brings you to this event?”
He wondered how the hell Marcus had ever gotten a ticket to the gala.
    It had to be Seraphina’s doing.
    Marcus gave him a slimy smile. “Guess I just got lucky.”
    “Apparently. What can I do for you?” Drew wanted to be
finished with him as quickly as possible.
    “I was hoping we could discuss business,” Marcus said
smoothly.
    No fucking way.
    Besides, there was no more business for he and Marcus. He
had done as Seraphina asked, and now Marcus was free to wreak havoc as he chose
to do so.
    “I don’t believe we have any more business together,” Drew
said, his tone short.
    “I think we do,” Marcus smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“And you haven’t introduced me to your lovely date,” he said peering around
Drew’s shoulder and looking at Avery who was now seated at the table.
    Drew’s bear was on edge, which made Drew even more worried.
His bear seemed to pick up on things better than he could, and if his bear was
on edge, that meant that Marcus was up to no good.
    “Avery, Marcus,” Drew said shortly. “Marcus, Avery.’’
    Avery stood up and gave Marcus a small smile as she extended
her hand. “Nice to meet you,” she said quietly.
    “Likewise,” Marcus drawled, “I didn’t know that Drew kept
such lovely company.”
    The meaning wasn’t lost on Drew.
    Avery laughed politely and sat back down.
    “How lucky of you,” Marcus said looking Drew directly in the
eye.
    His bear roared.
    Drew didn’t know what the hell Marcus was playing at, but he
wanted no part of it.
    He practically grabbed Marcus by the elbow and dragged him
out of earshot.
    Marcus cursed and yanked his elbow back.
    “Why don’t you tell me what the fuck is going on,” Drew
growled.
    Marcus shot him a dirty look, fixing his collar. “I told
you. I have business I want to talk about.”
    “Bullshit. We have no more business to do.”
    “I have a product and I want to get it out on the
international market.”
    Drew practically laughed. “And you think that I’m going to
do that for you?” he asked incredulously. He leaned in close to Marcus’ face so
that Marcus was the only one that could hear him. “I helped you one time, and
that was because I had no choice,” he growled. “I made your problem go away and
now we are finished working together.”
    Marcus stood there staring at him, his eyes narrowing and
his mouth turning up into a sneer.
    “We’ll see about that,” he spat, before shaking out his
arms, fixing his sleeves and stalking