Billionaire Boss Bear: Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance (Bad Bears Book 1) Read online

  Billionaire Boss Bear

  By

  Natalie Kristen

  Copyright © 2017 Natalie Kristen

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the author's written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the author's written permission.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are used fictitiously or are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual locales, events, establishments or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  The author does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.

  About this Book

  Renee Goodwin is trying to rebuild her life from the fragments of her divorce. She doesn’t really have time to date, since her demanding, arrogant, hot-as-sin boss has her working long hours almost every day. Renee is determined to keep their relationship strictly professional, despite the simmering attraction and chemistry between them.

  Zack Howell knows that his beautiful, curvy PA is trying her damnedest to keep him at a distance. The more he tries to get closer to her, the more walls she builds around her heart.

  Renee is smart, capable, sexy and sweet as honey.

  And she is his.

  Seeing her every day at the office and working together with her has become both a joy and a torment.

  When a dare turns into something more, all bets are off.

  But there are those who will stop at nothing to destroy Zack.

  Has Zack found his mate only to lose her?

  Love is a dangerous game, and the game has just turned deadly…

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER ONE

  Renee Goodwin slipped off her heels once she walked through the door of her apartment. She was already unzipping her skirt as she padded to the kitchen.

  Absently, she undid the top button of her blouse as she opened the fridge.

  She blew out a breath and closed the fridge. There was nothing in there. Not even leftovers.

  Ah well. She wasn’t really hungry anyway. She had already gobbled down her dinner at her desk.

  Renee frowned, trying to remember the last time she’d sat down to a nice, relaxing dinner away from her desk.

  Her exhausted mind drew a blank. Renee shrugged. Must have been before she started working for Zack Howell.

  Zack usually got her to order dinner for the both of them. There was usually no one else in the office by then. Renee has mastered the art of typing with one hand while she brought a sandwich or burger to her mouth with the other.

  Talk about multitasking.

  Any personal assistant worth her salt would be able to multitask. But being the PA to Zack Howell required a whole new set of skills. Renee was pretty sure that after working for Zack for six months, her speed, discipline and focus could rival that of the deadliest ninja. Oh, and she had also developed the ability to read her boss’s mind and moods.

  Zack Howell was a perfectionist, a hard, demanding taskmaster. He worked his staff hard, but he rewarded them handsomely. Renee wasn’t complaining. This was the highest-paying job she’d ever had. And the grueling, challenging workload stimulated her and gave her little time and energy to dwell on anything else.

  Good.

  Because the pity party was over.

  She wasn’t going to think about the past. Her marriage had crashed and burned, and she just had to accept it and move on.

  She hadn’t always been so calm about it though.

  Renee had cried, screamed and raged at everything and everyone, including herself, after her divorce. Her younger sister, Kimberly, had stayed with her during that difficult time and acted as her punching bag, her anchor and her shoulder to cry on.

  It was a while before Renee finally got all that pain, anger and guilt out of her system. With no more tears left to cry, she felt empty and...incredulous.

  She almost couldn’t believe how stupid and gullible she had been. How could she have been so blind? How could she have allowed Vincent to do that to her?

  She thought she had found The One when she married Vincent. Her giddy little head had been filled with girlish hopes and dreams. She dreamed of the rosy future they would have, and she pictured them living happily ever after.

  Just a year into their marriage, the cracks started appearing but Renee continued wearing her rose-tinted glasses. Marriage wasn’t a bed of roses, they would love and hold each other for better for worse, for richer for poorer, blah blah blah. She just had to keep the faith.

  But she was the only one being faithful in that marriage. It was only when she was presented with incontrovertible proof that Vincent was having an affair with his colleague that she finally acknowledged what she had known all along. Her marriage was over.

  So here she was, divorced and starting her life over at thirty.

  Renee pushed all thoughts of her ex-husband out of her mind as she peeled off her work clothes and stepped into the shower.

  Vincent was out of her life forever. Her life was her own now. And she was doing pretty okay.

  She had a good job, a nice apartment, and...no life.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Renee closed her eyes as she worked the shampoo into her hair.

  She realized that all she did these days was work and go home. She usually managed to watch some TV before bedtime but she just didn’t have the energy to do anything else. Even on weekends, her boss would call her into the office to finish up some urgent work.

  Ah well, work was the only thing keeping her occupied and sane. In fact, working with her boss was challenging, exciting and stimulating.

  Renee found her thoughts drifting to her sinfully handsome, domineering, formidable boss. Zack Howell might be the boss from hell, but the man himself was hotter than the flames of hell.

  Zack was rich, successful and insanely good-looking. The man was tall, broad and had the ripped, defined physique of a model. With his wealth and rakish good looks, Zack Howell was one of the most eligible bachelors in the city. He’d dated starlets, models, socialites, heiresses, all stunning beauties. Even before she started working for Zack, Renee had already seen countless photographs of Zack in the tabloids and gossip magazines.

  But once she stepped into the role of his PA, Renee saw that the playboy facade was just that—a facade. Nobody took a playboy seriously. That was the mistake many of his competitors made. Once they let their guard down, Zack pounced. Behind that pretty face was a very sharp, astute business mind.

  Zack was only thirty-one years old, but already he was reputed to be one of the toughest negotiators in the corporate world. His investment firm, Howell Holdings, had only twenty staff but the firm was highly profitable and nimble.

  Zack was a very savvy investor and he was quick to pounce on the latest investment opportunity. He acted swiftly and decisively, and he expected his staff to keep up. Zack kept the company small and ran a tight ship. He chose his employees carefully, and he trusted them to do their jobs well. Staff who cut corners and slacked off had no place in his company.

  As his personal assistant, Renee had gotten used to the long hours. She worked late almost every day, sometimes even on weekends. When her boss wanted something done, he almost always wan
ted it done right away.

  Renee knew that Zack had fired at least a dozen personal assistants before her. The previous PA had been asked to leave barely two weeks into the job. Zack had caught her trying to unlock his phone to pry into his personal messages and photos.

  Some personal assistants took the word “personal” in their job title out of context. There should be nothing personal in the relationship.

  Renee had worked as a PA for quite a few bosses, and she had been asked to order flowers, engagement rings, sometimes even lingerie for her bosses’ significant others. She did all these tasks as part of her job. Her job afforded her a glimpse into her bosses’ personal lives, but she never stuck her nose into her bosses’ private affairs.

  So far, Zack hadn’t asked her to order flowers or jewelry for any female friend. Was he taking the time and effort to personally choose thoughtful gifts for a very secret, very special woman?

  Renee frowned as a strange sensation bloomed in her chest. Why was she feeling...annoyed and jealous?

  Could the billionaire playboy have met his match and was preparing to settle down?

  Renee growled and scrubbed her skin with more force than was necessary. Why was she feeling all hot and bothered? It was none of her business.

  No, no way. She couldn’t be jealous. She had no right to feel jealous.

  But come to think of it, ever since she started working for Zack, she hadn’t seen a single photograph of Zack in those tabloids and magazines. He didn’t seem to be dating anyone. All he did was work.

  She should know. Because she had to work alongside her workaholic, demanding boss almost every single day of the week. There was no secret girlfriend or fiancee. She was pretty sure of it.

  Renee stopped scrubbing her skin raw and turned the water on at full blast.

  She had to stop thinking of Zack.

  To do that, she needed to take an ice cold shower.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Stepping out of the shower, Renee grabbed the towel and examined herself in the bathroom mirror.

  Her wet, brown hair clung to her face, and tired, hazel eyes stared back at her. She had lost a bit of weight but her figure was still full and curvy. She would never be svelte and slim. She just wasn’t built that way.

  Renee smiled wryly at her own reflection. She thought she would be a mother by now. Nope. That dream was dead. She was a divorcee with no kids, and no life.

  At least she had a job. And a very well-paying job to boot.

  Work was the only thing keeping her occupied and sane. The work was demanding and the hours were long, but it was worth it. She was being paid very well, and she could afford to rent this nice, spacious apartment. The apartment was actually big enough for two, and she had asked her sister to move in with her. But Kimberly liked living where she was. It afforded her the convenience of walking to work.

  Renee thought about her non-existent social life and shrugged. It didn’t really bother her, but all work and no play couldn’t be healthy for anyone.

  Kimberly was always nagging her to go out and mingle. “Don’t give up on love, Renee,” Kim always made it a point to remind her. “Coz love hasn’t given up on you!”

  Renee wasn’t so sure. The thought of dipping her toes back into the dating pool made her shudder. And she was simply too exhausted to pretty herself up and go on a date after a long day at the office. After work, she just wanted to go home and flop on the couch with a tub of ice-cream. She was too exhausted to do much else except watch TV for a while before crawling into bed.

  Renee heard her phone ring and she winced. Her boss called her on her mobile phone when he needed to locate a file urgently. Zack was still in the office when she left. His sleeves had been rolled up, exposing his powerful, muscular arms. His tie was loosened and his blond hair was standing up at odd angles after he’d repeatedly raked his fingers through it. It made him look a lot younger, more boyish and less intimidating. Unfortunately, it also made Renee wonder what he looked like in the bedroom. Disheveled, unshaven, undressed...

  Renee shook her head hard. This was no way to be thinking about her boss. Her mind was in cahoots with her body.

  Lately, her body had been misbehaving at the most inappropriate moments. When Zack came up behind her at her desk and bent over her to read the letter she was typing, Renee had felt a warm, wet heat bloom low in her belly. She’d had to clench her thighs together to stop that maddening ache in her core. And when Zack’s hand brushed against hers, the jolt of desire coursing through her was both thrilling and terrifying. She had never felt such a powerful physical attraction to any man before. She had to try and leash her lust and libido before she made a fool of herself.

  Renee had caught Zack staring at her on a few occasions. His blue eyes seemed to be glowing with a raw, primal heat and hunger. But Renee told herself that she shouldn’t let her imagination run wild. Fantasizing about her handsome, sexy boss in the privacy of her bedroom was one thing. But letting her fantasies affect her professional life would get her fired.

  Renee grabbed her bag from the foot of the bed and located her persistently ringing phone.

  Besides her boss, there was only one other person who was this persistent.

  Renee gave a lopsided smile when she saw the number.

  Her sister would keep ringing until her phone battery died if she didn’t pick up.

  “Hi, Kim,” Renee answered breathlessly.

  “Hey, watcha doin’?” Kimberly asked cheerfully. “Your boss from hell isn’t working you to death on a Friday night?”

  Renee laughed. “I got home not too long ago.”

  “You had dinner?”

  “Yeah. I ate at the office.”

  “Sheesh, Renee. You need to get a life.” Her sister clucked her tongue. “Wanna go catch a movie?”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Now?” Renee peered at the clock on her bedside table. “It’s almost ten.”

  “We can have supper and catch a midnight movie. I can hop into a cab now and pick you up. It takes me just half an hour to get to your place. Come on, what do you have to do on a Friday night, huh?”

  Renee shook her head. “I need to work tomorrow...”

  She heard Kimberly huff over the phone. “Ah, Bastard Boss is making you work on a Saturday. Again. You deserve a raise, Renee. Hell, you deserve more than a raise. Go tell your boss that...”

  “I’m paid pretty well, Kim,” Renee reminded her sister with a chuckle. “In fact, I think I’m the highest paid personal assistant in the whole city!”

  “Well, for the amount of work you’re doing and the hours you’re putting in...”

  “Zack is a very generous boss,” Renee said, jumping to Zack’s defense. “He pays his staff well.”

  “Zack.” Her sister repeated slowly and whistled. “Who would have thought that you’d end up working for Zack Howell, playboy billionaire and one of the sexiest, richest men in the city? I used to see his photos all over the tabloids. Wasn’t he dating the daughter of the Mayor...”

  “Yes, yes,” Renee snapped irritably. For some inexplicable reason, she didn’t like being reminded of her boss’s playboy reputation.

  There was a slight pause. “But—your boss hasn’t been photographed with any woman for...let’s see, six months now.”

  “I haven’t been keeping up with the gossip magazines,” Renee answered tersely.

  “I have,” Kimberly said gleefully. “And I pay particular attention to any news about your boss. If I see anything, I’ll definitely cut out those articles and show them to you! You have to know who you’re working for, Renee. The tabloids also report that he’s a bear shifter. Have you seen his...”

  “No! I haven’t.” Renee took a deep breath. Why was she raising her voice at her sister?

  “I haven’t even finished my question,” Kimberly huffed. “Anyway, where was I? Ah yes. Six months...that’s exactly...” There was a stifled giggle. “How long have you been working for Zack Howell, Renee?”
r />   “Six months.” When Kim laughed delightedly, Renee rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated, long-suffering sigh. “Just what are you trying to say, Kim?”

  “Nothing.” Kimberly whistled and said, “So are we going out for a movie tonight or what?”

  “I can’t. I told you I have to work tomorrow.”

  “It’s the weekend, Renee...”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Renee said with a shrug. “When Zack wants something, he won’t stop until he gets it. He’s working on an acquisition deal and he wants me in the office with him tomorrow.”

  “Hmmm. No one else is working on Saturday. It’d just be you and him in the office tomorrow, right?” her sister said slowly and Renee could hear the sly smile in her voice.

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, here’s what I want you to do. I dare you to do it!”

  “It’s a dare?” Renee laughed. What was her sister up to?

  “Yes. A dare! Right, I know you have dozens of those professional-looking pencil skirts,” Kim plowed on excitedly. “So listen carefully, Renee. I dare you to wear your tightest, most body-hugging pencil skirt tomorrow...”

  “Easy-peasy,” Renee said triumphantly. “That’s what I wear every day...”

  “I’m not finished,” Kim said. “You can’t wear any underwear.”

  “What!” Renee sputtered.

  “Yup. No bra, no panties. Just your skirt and top!”

  “Kim, I...”

  “When’s the last time you did anything outrageous or exciting, Renee? You work, you go home, you sleep. That’s all you do. Fine, if you don’t want me to set you up on dates, then do this. Otherwise, I’m dragging you out on a double date next week. I will do it, Renee,” her sister threatened.

  Renee sucked in a deep breath. “Kim, you...”

  “A dare...or a date,” her sister sang.