presence of Rio, and it wouldn’t be long before he figured out where she was living with her father.
She finally reached the shady building where she was staying and slowly made her way toward her room. She sighed in relief when she walked in and found her father safe and sound.
“I am home,” she said, sitting down.
“You look a bit sad,” her father said, slurring his words. Pearl realized that he was drunk again, and she sighed.
“Nothing for you to worry about,” she replied.
“You are my daughter,” he said. “Of course, I worry.”
“I wish you had thought of that before you signed me off as someone’s slave,” Pearl snapped. Her relationship with her father hadn’t been good in a long time, but she had been trying to keep him safe despite all he did.
“I am going to sleep,” she said, heading to her bed and thinking of Rio once again. Even though they had barely known each other for two weeks, she had really started to like him, and she felt very sad to leave him. She had a sinking feeling that she had found the one, but she knew that couldn’t be true. So, she suppressed it and turned over in her bed, eventually drifting off to sleep.
*
It had been a week since the incident, and Pearl had been working all day and then planning her escape at night. When she told Rio that she would be leaving and he should find another nanny, he had just grunted in response. He had been ignoring her ever since, barely even acknowledging her presence. It was hurtful, but Pearl knew that it was because of her rejection.
There was no point talking about it now, anyway. She would be gone soon, and the more detached they were, the better. She finally managed to put Laura to sleep and glanced at the clock. It was way past Rio’s time to come home and she was starting to get worried. She sat down in the living room, waiting anxiously, and wondering what had happened. When another hour passed by and he didn’t show up, she started to panic.
It was midnight when the door finally opened, and Rio walked in. Pearl jumped up to her feet, her eyes instantly noticing the blood on his shirt.
“You are bleeding!” Pearl shouted, running towards him. “Oh, God, how did this happen?”
She let him lean on her for support and helped him toward the sofa. He collapsed on it, groaning in pain.
“The first aid kit,” he said. “It’s in the kitchen cupboard.”
Pearl ran as fast as she could to get it and then sat down next to him. She quickly unbuttoned his shirt and despite the situation, she couldn’t keep her eyes off his smooth, sculpted chest. She could see his chest muscles bulging as he continued to breathe hard and she licked her lips. He had very light chest hair, which trailed down into a single line that disappeared into his pants.
Pearl returned her attention to the injury and slowly started to clean it with a disinfectant.
“I think you should go to the hospital,” she said, as she tried to do the best she could.
“It’s not that deep,” Rio said. “Bears heal much faster compared to humans. It will be just a scar by tomorrow morning. You don’t have to worry about it.”
“How did this even happen?” she asked, concentrating on the wound.
“I will tell you how it happened,” Rio said through clenched teeth. “It was Slade.”
Chapter 17
“Slade?” Pearl said, going pale.
“He attacked me when I left work today,” Rio said, gritting his teeth in pain. “I didn’t have my men with me today, because I have them hunting for Slade. He tried to sneak up on me and managed to injure me before I fought back. He ran off after that.”
“Why would you do that?” Pearl asked. “Why would you send all your men away! That was reckless and foolish-”
“I am the alpha of this clan,” Rio said, cutting her off. He leaned forward and grabbed her chin gently, making her look into his eyes. “I am the strongest bear among all the bears, and even if I was all alone. I could take Slade with one hand tied behind my back. I have great power and strength, Pearl James. Power and strength that send even the bravest cowering in fear.”
She was looking at him with wide eyes, her lips slightly parted. He could hear her heart beating fast and her rapid breathing. He could smell the