“Must run in the family,” Cash muttered, a comment I chose to ignore as he looked over at me. “Alright, Em, if we’re doing this, let’s jet. I want to be home to tuck Riley in.”
I nodded in agreement. “Just need to pack up some food for them.”
As I drove home, both dogs’ tongues lolling from the bed of the truck, I realized that gaining some furry company did wonders to lighten my mood.
The jury was still out how Gunner would feel about me taking care of them. That was, if he ever came back.
Chapter 6
EMMIE
A few days later, I stood in ankle-deep mud as Grace shot me an exasperated look. “Remind me why we’re doing this again? I thought we weren’t on Team Gunner?” she complained as she sat on Gunner’s back patio stairs outfitted in leggings and rainboots.
It had rained the night before, and the property was muddy—not that she’d actually get dirty.
“Sports references? I didn’t think you were capable,” I teased. “And I told you, Marta needs the help so the dogs stop escaping.” I didn’t know much about fencing, but I was determined to do my best. “And what are you complaining about? You’re not doing anything, and I brought you coffee!” I exclaimed in indignation.
“Hey, why don’t we trade, and I can play spectator for a while?” Wren put in with a teasing grin.
We both knew there wasn’t a chance in hell Grace was going to mess up her manicure by repairing fencing.
“I’m good watching,” Grace replied predictably. “And you missed a spot.” She grinned, pointing toward the grass where Shadow had just taken a massive shit.
I groaned. “You’re right, why the hell am I doing this?”
Wren put a hand on my shoulder, her blue eyes knowing. “You’re worried about him. And you want to help. There’s no shame in that. Em, you care about him.”
Her expression challenged me to argue as I had for so many years. I swallowed against the emotion her comment incited. “You’re right, I do. But it’d be a hell of a lot easier if I didn’t.”
Grace came to my other side, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, recognizing the importance of my admission. “Have you heard from him?”
I bit my lip and nodded. The truth was that Gunner had texted several times, even tried calling once or twice. “He’s texted a bit. Now, let’s get this shit cleaned up, literally, so we can get out of here,” I replied evasively.
“Do you think he’s going to move back here permanently?” Her eyes scanned the expansive property with its now empty pen for the mini pigs, chicken coop, and kennels for the dogs. Gunner’s mom had a passion for breeding, and though I loved animals, I was grateful she’d found good homes or taken the rest of them with her when she’d moved down south recently.
“Who knows,” I huffed. “He’d have to come home first.”
“And still no idea why you have to have a chaperone?” Grace wondered.
“No.” I sighed. “And if Max or the guys know, they’re not saying,” I added in frustration. Max had been our chaperone over here and was currently in the house on the phone.
“Are we going to keep Shadow and Ripper until Gunner gets back?” Grace asked hopefully.
As I’d expected, she’d been thrilled when I brought them home. Ripper had slept in bed with her last night.
“If that’s okay.” I nodded. I knew it wasn’t a coincidence that I’d slept better than I had since being back in Hawthorne with Shadow sleeping in my room.
“You all ready? I gotta get to the club,” Max shared as he stepped out onto the porch.
“Such convenient timing now that we’re done,” Wren muttered as he wrapped an arm around her and kissed her head.
“Not an accident.” He grinned, earning a slap on the stomach from his wife.
Even years later, I was still elated at seeing them together. They’d loved each other forever, and it had been a long road to come together. Now that they were married, I’d never seen either of them happier. I’d begun to wonder when they’d be making me an aunt. I was pretty proud of my restraint in not having asked them yet.
“I’ll drop you and Grace at home,” Max told me as we all followed him out, Shadow and Ripper included. “Tatum’s on deck and can meet you there.”
I nodded and turned to Grace. “I want to get to the hospital to check in on Frannie and the babies.”
“I’ll come with,” Grace agreed readily as we piled into the SUV.
“Remember that we’re still on for the weekend,” Wren called as we jumped out of their SUV twenty minutes later.
“Sounds good,” I agreed as I opened the back hatch, letting both dogs out.
“Tatum’s five minutes out,” Max added. “Keep the door locked and be smart.”
“We always are.” I rolled my eyes, waving goodbye as he pulled away from the curb.
It was only minutes later that I regretted my casual response.
When I walked into my bedroom, for a minute my brain didn’t comprehend what I was seeing. Then it registered, along with the horror. There was a giant red target spray-painted on my wall with the words:
He thinks he can hunt me. Two can play this game. It’s cute he thinks he can keep you safe.
“What the hell?” I murmured through numb lips.
Grace’s gasp behind me announced her presence in the room. “Let me go see if Tatum’s out there yet,” she said immediately.
I was still staring mutely at the threat on my wall when heavy bootsteps sounded behind me.
“What the fuck?” Tatum snarled when he got a look at my walls.
Tatum, Grace’s younger brother and another member of the Knights MC, was as protective as the rest of the Jackson clan.
“Pop? Yeah, we got a situation at the girls’ house,” he stated into his phone. “I’ll send you a pic.”
Grace and I shared a look. Cole was guaranteed to lose his ever-loving mind. The only reaction worse would be when word got around to my pop. Thankfully, my folks were out of town and they could hopefully be spared this news for the time being. They were worried enough about me as it was.
“Right,” Tatum stated after ending his call and turning eyes to Grace. “Pop wants us at the club. Let’s go.”
We both sighed in resignation, knowing any argument was pointless.
“Should we pack?” Grace wanted to know.
Tatum shook his head. “I want you two outta here. We can deal with your shit later. I’m on my bike, so I’ll have to follow you. Let’s leave the dogs here for now; they’re a good deterrent if someone decided to come back.”
We nodded in agreement, recognizing the severity of the situation, and followed him out to my pickup.
When we pulled up to the club not long after, Cole was in full prez mode, standing out front waiting, his arms crossed at the chest.
“Shit,” Grace muttered. “Freedom was fun while it lasted.”
We piled out of the truck and headed for Cole, where he wrapped Grace and me into a hug. “You two alright?” he demanded when we pulled away.
“Fine,” I assured him as we followed him inside, unsurprised to see Sal, Axel, Wes, Hank, Mack, Tag, and Ryker. The first-generation members of the club were my brother’s right hands, and he kept them close when things turned upside down.
Which was often enough.
“So much for getting to go home,” I muttered when I spotted Max and Wren. They must have just turned around when they heard the news.
Grace wrapped an arm around me in solidarity as we awaited news of our fates from our very overprotective MC family.
“So he’s here,” Cole surmised darkly, his blue eyes troubled.
“Who’s here?” I demanded.
Cole and Max shared a look that only frustrated me further. I was so goddamn tired of being left in the dark.
“Gun off the grid?” he continued as though I hadn’t spoken.
Max shook his head. “He’s been checking in. Especially on Em.” He gave me a loo
k that said he’d heard about my lack of responses to Gunner’s texts and calls. “I shot him a text about what’s goin’ on but can’t tell if it went through.”
“Right,” Cole muttered. “Gracie, you’re with your mom and me until further notice. Em,” he continued as Grace groaned her disapproval loudly, “you can stay with us if you want since Pop’s out of town. Or—”
“Or she can stay with us,” Wren put in.
I perked up slightly at the offer. Max was slightly less protective than Cole, especially with Wren reining him in, so it was a better option.
I shot a questioning look at Max, who shrugged. “Fine by me.”
“What about the dogs?” I wanted to know.
Max looked to the ceiling as though searching for reprieve. “Gunner owes me a huge fucking favor whenever his ass turns up. Yeah, they can stay too,” he grumbled.
My brother was an animal lover at heart, but they already had a full house with two mastiffs of their own and a mini pig they’d adopted from Gunner’s mom. I tried to forget how sweet Gunner had been to surprise Wren with the baby piglet when she’d been in desperate need of a distraction.
Cole nodded, appeased there was a solution for now, and turned to his daughter. “Gracie, we can go get whatever you need tomorrow. For tonight, I’ll take you home. You know your mama wants to see you.”
“Emmie, you can borrow whatever you need for tonight,” Wren added, and I knew they just wanted to get home.
“We can just grab the dogs and head home,” Max put in.
I nodded in agreement, not wanting to put up a fuss when I was already putting them out.
“So, is anyone gonna tell me what the hell is going on?” I demanded once I was in the back of Max’s SUV. Tatum had promised to bring my truck over the next day.
“I told you, it’s Gun’s story to tell. I’m gonna honor that, Em,” Max replied.
“His story to tell?” I replied incredulously. “When? He’s not even here!”
“Don’t look at me.” Wren held up her hands from the passenger side. “I don’t know shit about this. I’d tell you if I did.”
“Exactly.” Max nodded as though that was a perfectly non-fury-inducing response.
“All the men in this family are fired,” I muttered, looking out the window, watching the familiar landscape shoot by.
It didn’t take long to collect the dogs or for us all to quickly determine that four mastiffs and a mini pig in one house made for a chaotic equation.
Once the bedlam had quieted and I was as settled as I could be in their guest room, my mind became its own source of chaos.
The image on my bedroom wall came unbidden to my mind, its gleefully dark promise sending chills down my spine.
Finally, I drifted off, too exhausted to keep up with my racing thoughts.
* * *
I wasn’t sure what had awoken me when I came to with a start, but the telltale sound of a tail thumping against the hardwood immediately provided a clue.
It took my foggy brain a minute to make sense of the image in front of me. Gunner, seated in the corner chair, his dark head hanging low as he stroked a clearly besotted Shadow as she lay at his feet. Ripper remained at the foot of my bed, though his gaze was locked on his master.
“Whaaaa?” I struggled to formulate a coherent question.
He looked up at me, his dark eyes gleaming with intensity in the dim light.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded finally, scrubbing a hand over my face. “What time is it?” I asked in confusion.
“I should tan your ass for not responding to any of my texts,” he declared by way of answer. “Had to work through your brothers to make sure you were safe.”
“I wasn’t aware I was required to be at your beck and call,” I retorted, proud of my quick response so early in the morning.
The silence weighed heavy in the air as we stared at each other. Despite how tired he looked, if it was possible, he was more gorgeous than the last time I’d seen him.
“So you’re back?” I hedged finally.
“I’m back,” he confirmed, his fingers stroking Shadow’s ear.
I flopped back on the bed and flung an arm over my eyes, determined to shut him out and all the angst he’d caused. “Okay, good. You can take care of your house and your dogs and stop everyone from worrying about you. And you can let me get some sleep.”
I shut my eyes, knowing there was no chance in hell I was going back to sleep but needing some way to block him out, no matter how fruitless.
“Don’t know, seems like my dogs are pretty damn happy,” he muttered, sounding bemused.
“They were just hungry for affection, that’s all,” I grumbled.
“Seriously doubt it,” he murmured.
I sat up, exasperated. “So, it doesn’t seem like you’re going to let me go back to sleep. Are you going to tell me what you’re doing in here then?” I demanded.
He raised a brow, his gorgeous mouth quirking into the semblance of a smile. “Never did take any shit, did you, Em?”
“Only from you,” I mumbled under my breath.
He sat forward, no doubt having heard me, his elbows braced on his knees. “I deserve that.”
His quiet admission stunned me into momentary silence before I shook my head, needing to clear it. I licked my lips, my heart hammering as his gaze locked on my mouth, his eyes lighting with what could only be described as hunger. In a futile bid to deflect him, I blathered, “Listen, I’m glad you’re back safely. Everyone was worried. But I think you should take the dogs, head home, and—”
He cocked his head to the side, assessing me with a near predatory gaze. “Everyone was worried? Were you one of those people?” he cut in.
I scoffed. “I was about as worried about you as you were about me.”
With the stealth of a panther, he crossed the room, and before I could react, his arms were braced on either side of me as he leaned into me. “Crossed two state lines to get back here the minute I knew you’d been threatened. So, safe to say I was pretty fucking worried.” My eyes popped wide in surprise as he continued, his nostrils flared. “I know I have a lot to explain to you. All these years, I was trying to protect you by keeping my distance, but all that seems to do is hurt us both. So, I’m done. I’m done pretending you’re not mine—that you haven’t been since that day you asked me all those years ago, your gorgeous eyes wide, lips so fucking pink, why I didn’t swim.”
I stared at him in muted shock, his lips just inches from mine. I remembered that day on the shores at Hawthorne Lake. I’d been sixteen or so. He’d showed up with Max and, as usual, scared any boys that hovered around away. He’d sat next to me, and in a rare moment of calm between us, I’d wondered why he came to the lake but never swam.
“So, you’re telling me for all these years you wanted me?” I demanded.
At his nod, I tried to shove him back in frustration, but he didn’t budge. “What makes you think I would want to go there with you? After everything?” I challenged.
Before I could get another word out, his lips were on mine as he pushed me back into the mattress, his strong body pressing into mine.
My traitorous body didn’t even put up a fight as I lit up for him, our tongues tangling, my legs wrapping around his waist.
He pressed himself between my legs, causing a nearly painful ache as he emitted a deep rumble of approval, his teeth grazing my neck. “You smell so fucking good. Want to eat you up,” he growled, his tongue tracing a path from my neck up to my mouth, where his full lips once again took mine in a heady onslaught.
When he pulled back slightly, our breathing labored, he nuzzled into my neck, kissing behind my ear. “This is why you’ll go there with me, baby. Because you light up for me. Only for me. I’m yours. And you are fucking mine,” he growled.
I put a hand to his chest, trying to push him away, frustrated with the overwhelming lust I could scarcely control. “I don’t understand the sudden change of heart.
I seem to recall fairly recently you walking out on me after I threw myself at you.” I moved my head to the side, unable to look at him.
He cupped my jaw gently, guiding my eyes back to his. “Em, you gotta believe that was the hardest fucking thing I’ve ever done. As for my reasons, we’ll get there. I know I have explaining to do. And once you’re with me, I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you don’t regret it.”
Both dogs jumped up, their collars jangling at the telltale sounds of Max and Wren moving around.
“Come on, let’s get up. I’ll go get the shit you need from your place. You’re staying with me.”
I held up a hand to stop him. “I think I’ve had enough bombshells dropped on me for one morning. I haven’t even had coffee yet.”
He smirked, rising and pulling me up with him, swatting at my ass. “Alright, coffee first.”
“Does my brother even know you’re here?” I wondered as he handed me a sweatshirt to put on over my tank top.
“Of course. He let me in.”
I raised a brow. “And he was okay with you coming into my room?”
His gaze softened as he leaned into me. “Yeah, because I promised him the same thing I’m promising you. That I’m done keeping you at arm’s length. That I’m claiming you as I should have done a long time ago.”
“Men.” I rolled my eyes as he opened the door, and we walked out into the main room, the dogs in tow.
We found Wren and Max in the kitchen, coffees in hand. Wren raised a brow, attempting and failing not to grin when she spotted us.
“Morning,” I greeted awkwardly. “World’s upside down,” I added as Gunner let his dogs out into their backyard, where they joined Max and Wren’s dogs.
“Or maybe it’s finally right side up.” She winked.
Chapter 7
GUNNER
“You slept at all?” Cole demanded later that morning. I’d brought Emmie to the club, where she was currently catching up with Grace and Wren out in the main room while the guys and I took a meet.
“Nope. I’m good though,” I assured him as Max looked on. Truth was, I was fucking exhausted, running on pure adrenaline. I needed to get the details sorted with the club, get Emmie and me settled, and then I could crash.
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