Free Tempting The Bear: Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (Gray Bears Book 4) by Natalie Kristen Page A

to
see her.”
    “ Yes, yes, of course.”
The manager bowed lower. He turned to Harper and hissed, “What
are you still doing here? Get out!”
    “ I want her gone,
permanently,” Stephanie said, tugging at Christoff's hand.
“Look what she did!”
    “ Of course, darling.”
Christoff turned to the manager and said, “Howard, we have
been coming to your restaurant for years. We like your
restaurant...”
    “ Thank you, Mr Caldwell.
Thank you very much. You and Miss Stephanie are our most valued
customers,” Howard said, almost prostrating himself before the
haughty couple. “It is our privilege and pleasure to have you
in our humble restaurant.”
    “ We will visit your
restaurant again, Howard,” Christoff said with a thin smile.
“And we don't want to see her on our next visit.”
He jerked his chin in Harper's direction. “Is that clear,
Howard?”
    “ Y-yes, Mr Caldwell.”
    Howard spun round and glared
at Harper. He pointed to the door.
    “ You are fired! Get out
now!”
    “ But Mr Howard...”
Harper stammered. She blinked hard to try to focus, but the only
thing she was really aware of was the tightening pain in her body.
It felt as though her guts were being squeezed and twisted and
wrenched out of shape. She had to clench her teeth hard so she
wouldn't cry out in agony.
    She couldn't even find the
words or the energy to defend herself.
    “ Please...” she
managed to whisper before the manager grabbed her by the elbow and
marched her to the door.
    “ Out!” he barked.
    Harper stumbled out the door
and fell onto the sidewalk. She turned back and saw her bag being
thrown out of the door after her. Mr Howard poked his head out and
threw a fistful of dollar bills at her. “Your pay for today,”
was all he said before the door slammed in her face.

CHAPTER
TWO

    Harper crawled to her bag and
stuffed the money hurriedly into her bag. She looked around and saw
only a single car zooming by. The restaurant was situated on a
rather quiet street and the shops beside the restaurant were already
closed for the day.
    There was no one around to see
her humiliation.
    Harper picked herself up and
careened towards a lamp post. She clung to the lamp post for support
and forced herself to take deep, steadying breaths.
    “ What's happening,
baby?” she whispered to her tummy.
    She cradled her baby bump
protectively and closed her eyes, willing the pain to go away. She
wasn't ready to give birth. She had just lost her job. She wouldn't
be able to provide for her baby.
    And she'd heard that shifter
babies had bigger appetites than human babies. How could she afford
to feed him?
    But she would find a way. She
would protect her child and provide for him. Her child would live
and grow big and strong. She would not let anyone hurt him. No one
would harm a hair on his head. No one!
    Harper stroked her stomach and
hummed a soothing lullaby. She closed her eyes and sang softly to
her baby, letting her child know that he was loved and cherished.
    When she opened her eyes
again, the pain had diminished to just a dull ache in her side. She
smiled and patted her stomach. “Good boy. We're going home
now, okay? All that noise and shouting must have upset you, little
one. Don't be afraid. Everything is fine. Mummy's here. Always.”
    Harper adjusted her bag on her
shoulder and trudged homeward. No one in the restaurant had come to
her aid. No one even knew she was pregnant. She had only moved to
this little town about a month ago, and she had been working in the
restaurant for only two weeks.
    She didn't know anyone in
town, and she didn't trust anyone enough to tell them about herself
and her past. She wanted to stay hidden for as long as possible.
She couldn't let Douglas find her. He would kill her baby.
    Harper tried to push all
thoughts of Douglas out of her head. She didn't want her baby to
know that his own father wished him dead.
    She'd thought that Douglas
would be thrilled at the news of her pregnancy.