Damaged Billionaire Daddy Bear - Leela Ash Page 0,21

gonna remain vermin.” He punctuated ‘vermin’ by pointing one of his ring-encrusted fingers at Theodore each time he spat it.

Anger suffused Theodore and he felt his bear begin to growl inside of him, struggling to be free as he clenched his fists, fighting for control. He couldn’t remember when last he had been this angry. He could control his shifting form, but when he got this angry, it was that much harder.

Jessica stepped in front of him, her small body forming a shield as she stared Roy down and said, in the snootiest voice possible, “Listen here, Roy, I realize you helped the kids and myself the other day, and I am eternally grateful to you. But that doesn’t give you a right to say such horrible things to both of us. Now, unless you’re looking for a slander suit, I suggest you apologize, this instant, and back off.”

Roy’s face went beet red, “I meant no offence, ma’am. It’s just that yer a purty little thing and shouldn’t be mixin’ with the likes of this here … creature.”

Jessica was so enraged; she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. His tone was as derisive as though he thought Theodore wasn’t even qualified to be called a human being. Angrily, she grated, “I don’t know what your differences with Mr. Cooper are, and for the record, I’m not interested. But last I checked, you’re not my dad and you cannot dictate whom I can or cannot mix with. So, back off!”

Roy’s gaze met hers in surprise, scanning her eyes as though searching for something. His look was so deep and piercing that she almost felt as though he could see straight into her soul. She couldn’t be certain what he saw but his faded blue eyes had a glint as he murmured, “So that’s the way it is, huh? Well, see you around. And good luck on yer suicide mission.” Roy had seemed a bit in a hurry to leave from the moment they had bumped into him, and with that last hit, he slapped some money on the counter, squared up with the attendant and hurried out the door.

Jessica realized, just then, that she was actually shaking. Her anger had apparently been so much that she had been shaking with the force of it, despite clenching her fists at her sides to control herself. She looked over her shoulder at Theodore. He was watching her with a strange, almost tender, look on his face.

Jessica’s throat went dry, “Why … Why are you looking at me like that?”

His eyes were almost scalding as they stared into hers, their expression unreadable, “No one has ever defended me like that. Thank you, Jessica.”

Then, he turned away hurriedly and started for the front of the store. Jessica stared after him aghast. In that brief second before he had turned away, she could have sworn she had seen a sheen of tears in his eyes.

He had used her given name for the first time as well, she realized, feeling tears sting her own eyes. There was just something absolutely delicious about the way his deep voice caressed her name. It had felt like a sultry stroke between sheets.

Oh Jess, you’re becoming a sentimental fool, her subconscious sneered.

As she followed him out the door, Jessica felt absolutely miserable. She had thought the worst of him from the very moment they met, and now, she was starting to get the nagging feeling that maybe, just maybe, she had been wrong in her assessment of him.

There was definitely more to Theodore Cooper than met the eyes. For the first time, she acknowledged the stir of interest deep in her chest. She wanted to know more about him.

No, she wasn’t attracted to him, she assured herself. He was fast becoming a fascination, and the sooner she knew all there was to know about him, the sooner the novelty wore off. He was just different from most men of her acquaintance that was all.

Chapter 9

Theodore couldn’t get those two minutes out of his mind. Jessica had been in her element, placing herself in front of him like a mother hen protecting her chicks and letting fly with her tongue. He had known Roy Davison for twenty years, and in all that time, whenever their paths crossed, Roy could be depended upon to be thoroughly nasty and mean to him. They had come to fist-fights a few times in the past, when Theodore was younger and more hot-headed, despite the fact that