Bucking Bear (Pounding Hearts 3)

Ethan can be kind of a sore loser.

* * *

“This is all your fault, Avery,” Ethan growls at me and crowds me into the wall.

I walked into Ethan’s room knowing he would be pissed off after the fight, but I didn’t expect him to take it out on me. After I walked into his room, he shot me a glare over the heads of at least other dozen people. Not wanting to deal with his attitude, I’m tired and just want to go home, I tried to make a quick exit. I wasn’t fast enough though. He caught up with me in the hall.

“Look Ethan, I know losing sucks,” I try to reason with him. “But you fought well. I’m sure you’ll win the next one.”

Ethan’s hands slap against the wall, leaving me trapped on either side by his big meaty arms.

His head leans down and his baby blue eyes glare at me as he says, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have lost this one.”

Now that’s not fair. I frown as I meet his glare. He’s being completely unreasonable.

“How is this my fault?”

Ethan growls and his glare drops to my mouth. “You didn’t give me my kiss for good luck.”

It’s so absurd I almost laugh. His superstition has gone up a whole new level. “I’ve never had to kiss you before.”

Ethan’s face comes closer, stopping only a hair away. “You do now.”

What? I don’t think so. “No,” I say. “I’m not kissing you.”

“Yes, you are,” Ethan snaps and presses his mouth against my mouth.

At first, I’m so shocked I don’t do anything. Then Ethan moans and he must take my lack of action as acceptance and that just pisses me off. I shove at his chest and must catch him by surprise because I successfully push him off.

“Stop!” I scream at him. “Think about what you’re doing!”

“You owe me!” Ethan roars and shoves me hard into the wall.

My head slams back and I see stars.

Chase

“You owe me!” I hear a man bellowing as I exit the small curtained off area where Doctor Miles was checking over my jaw. My jaw is slightly swollen from a punch I took. It’s not as serious as I thought though, just tender and in need of the cold compress I’m pressing against it.

Dale laughs beside me as he steps past the curtain. “Someone must have...”

I’m not sure what he was going to say next, I don't hear much beyond the blood rushing in my ears as I see the raven-haired hottie's head slamming back into the cinder block wall.

I am a man who is more often than not able to keep the calm. The one who breaks up the fights, the one who doesn't yell or scream when I’m mad. I am the one who keeps the dark lizard part of my brain in check. Somewhere deep and dark in my body, I have that beast locked up in shackles tightened down, never allowing him to escape.

Not during my fights. Not in any relationship. And never when I am dealing with anyone except for myself. I do not allow the beast out, and he stays buried inside and chained to a steel wall of self-discipline.

I have no excuse at all for the next forty-five seconds.

I snap after witnessing Ethan shove the girl into the wall. The beast is in control now and he's got one chain off with only one more barely restraining him…