“What’s the obvious?” he pressed.
I wrinkled my nose. “I think we’ve had enough show and tell for one night.”
He rolled over me, looking down into my eyes, his gorgeous mouth quirked into a smile. “Oh, I don’t know. Based on what you just gave me, I don’t think I’ll ever have enough.”
I squirmed, not sure if I wanted to get closer or farther away. Thankfully, his cell phone ringing repeatedly from the other room saved the day.
His head dipped down, his lips skimming over mine before he knifed off the bed. “Saved by the bell.”
“Yep.” I smirked.
He shook his head at me as he stalked from the room to answer his phone.
When it seemed like he’d be a while, I took a shower, dressing in a pair of his boxers and tee, and though I desperately wanted to get into my house and get some of my things, I couldn’t say I minded being all wrapped up in Gunner for the time being.
After finding a spare blanket and pillow in the hall closet, I settled onto the futon in the guest room, needing some space and not wanting to assume we’d be sharing a bed.
A quick glance at my phone showed texts from nearly every female in my life, their excitement almost frantic as they wondered how things were going with Gunner. I wasn’t quite sure how to answer and settled on not answering at all, instead pulling up a book on my phone and settling in to read. I figured I’d be up late, having slept most of the day away. but before I knew it, was nodding off into sleep.
Chapter 9
GUNNER
I stared at the security cameras in my office, phone pressed to my ear as Ruston King, president of the Royal Bloods MC, gave me the latest.
Ruston and I had the same vendetta to fulfill and had been working together for the past few years.
“Word is, Carrillo’s moved south,” he shared, referring to the man who had changed my life forever. The man we both hunted.
“He was in my woman’s house,” I snarled. “This ends now.”
The fact that he’d threatened Emmie only increased my need to end him.
“There’s chatter that he’s in Colorado. You up for a road trip?”
I ran a hand over my face. I’d barely convinced Emmie to stay the night. A road trip was something else entirely. But I wasn’t leaving without her.
“Yeah. Gotta get some things in order here first.”
“Sounds good, man. Would be good to see you.”
“Likewise,” I agreed.
I made a few other calls, checking in on business I’d left unattended while being on the road. My last was to Luis.
“Everything is good,” he shared in accented English. “I’m feeling much better.”
My brow creased in concern, guilt lancing through me that I hadn’t checked in. “Were you sick?”
“Oh, didn’t Emmie tell you? I was down and out with a bad flu. Marta was trying to take care of things, but she got a bit overwhelmed. Emmie stepped in and helped us out.”
My chest constricted with dueling feelings of guilt and warmth. Emmie might be hesitant to voice her feelings, but her actions spoke louder. “She did?” I murmured with a pleased grin.
“She did. Wouldn’t take no for an answer. Even took the dogs. They kept running away, but once they were with her, they seemed much more content.”
Because they know she’s fucking mine, I thought to myself.
“Thanks for letting me know, and glad you’re doing alright,” I shared sincerely. “I need to head out of town again for a few days, Em’s coming with me this time. Would you be okay to take care of things for me?”
“That would be fine,” he assured me.
“Thanks, Luis. And I’ll be sure to check in this time.”
“Only if you want to. We’ve got it covered.”
“I know you do, thanks.” I ended the call, intent on getting back to Emmie. I assumed she’d be in the living room, and after not finding her there, I tried to ignore the irrational concern that lanced through me. It wasn’t like she’d gone anywhere. I shook my head at myself. I’d never felt so protective, so worried about another person before. I’d spent so many years trying and mostly failing to ignore those urges with her. Now that I’d stopped trying, they’d only intensified. I could try to control them but found I didn’t want to. I liked having the right to worry about her.
When I found her snuggled on the futon in my spare bedroom, fast asleep with her phone on her chest, for a second all I could do was stare at her. She was so fucking beautiful and tasted even better. My dick throbbed at the mere memory of my mouth between her legs. I couldn’t wait to have all of her, but not until I was sure she was with me.
The fact she’d fallen asleep again after we’d slept all day only proved how exhausted she was. She’d been through a hell of a lot, and I was going to make it my mission to make sure she slept soundly from here on out. And that started with her being close to me. She might fight me on it, but there was no fucking way she wasn’t sleeping in my bed. I strode toward her, leaning down to lift her in my arms.
Discovering that she was wearing my clothes had every one of my primal urges swelling to the surface. But now wasn’t the time. “Come on, baby, let’s get you to bed,” I murmured, carrying her toward my room.
“Hmm?” she mumbled drowsily. She was so fucking cute when she was half asleep. It was a side of her I’d never seen, and I couldn’t wait to discover everything there was to know about her.
I tucked her into the side of the bed farthest from the door, and she promptly snuggled deeper into the covers.
I left her only to make sure the house was secure, double checking the cameras and alarms and commanding the dogs to their beds in the living room. They were a better alarm system than anything else I could have. They’d alert me before an alarm could even trip.
I checked my bedside table, finding the two loaded guns I kept there, before heading for the bathroom to get ready for bed.
When I climbed into bed a few minutes later, I pulled her close, knowing I’d never held anything more precious, more important. Despite knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep, not yet, I relished her weight in my arms, the smell of her hair.
She was so relaxed in sleep, so trusting. It was only when she woke that she eyed me with a wariness laced with hope. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
If I wanted to earn her trust, I needed to do something I’d avoided for years.
I needed to let her know me. And to start, I needed to tell her everything.
Chapter 10
EMMIE
When I opened my eyes the next morning, I found Gunner lying on his back staring up at the ceiling, looking as though he’d been awake awhile.
I vaguely remembered him carrying me to his room, my drowsy brain briefly considering a protest. But then he’d tucked me into his soft sheets with such tenderness, I was helpless to do anything other than snuggle deeper.
Now, awake and feeling more rested than I had in months, I wondered if he’d slept at all.
His head swiveled to mine, his dark eyes pensive for reasons I didn’t understand.
“You know those scars my mom has on her face? On her neck? You know the ones on my back?” he demanded quietly.
And with that, I was wide awake. This moment, so long in the making, was too important to not be fully alert for.
Gunner’s mom hadn’t ventured into town much, but when she did, she’d been shy, reserved. She didn’t engage much, and the scars on her face had always been evident, clearly old, but deep. I’d always been curious about them but had never asked.
I nodded mutely, needing him to continue.
He looked back to the ceiling, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. “Before we moved to Hawthorne, when I was in second grade, my father was murdered. He was shot and the house was set on fire. Nearly took me and my mother with it,” he shared solemnly.
My heart hammered at his words as I tried to make sense of the atrocity he descr
ibed. Max had just said Gunner’s father had died when he was little but had never shared the details.
“She and I escaped with one of our dogs. I think it’s part of why the dogs became so important to her afterwards,” he mused, as though in his own world. “It was like she and I and that little mutt were all that were left of my dad. She doesn’t talk about it, but I know it nearly destroyed her to have to leave him in there.”
Tears blurred my vision. “I’m sorry,” I managed hoarsely.
He offered a sad smile, his eyes glinting with an intent I didn’t yet understand. “You shouldn’t be sorry. ’Cause as soon as I was old enough, as soon as I knew who’d lit that fucking match, I became a hunter. It’s what I’ve been ever since.”
“I don’t know what that means,” I admitted quietly.
“You wouldn’t,” he acknowledged. “Because I’ve kept it from you. I’ve kept it from all but a few. But now this shit has blown wide open.” He scrubbed a hand over his face.
“You find people; it’s what you do,” I murmured, repeating a similar statement he’d made after my kidnapping, one I believed.
He snorted. “Not this slippery fuck. Been trying for a decade.”
“Who is he?” I wanted to know.
“Silas Castillo.” Gunner said his name with disgust. “He and my father were business partners once, joint founders of their shipping operation. They were friends. I remember him coming over for dinner, bringing my mom flowers.” He growled. “But at some point, Silas started using the company as a front to run contraband. All kinds of illegal shit. I didn’t learn this until later, once I started looking into things on my own. At some point, my dad must have found out what he was doing and threatened to expose him.”
“Did he go to the police?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know if he planned to, but he never got the chance. And after he was killed and my mom and I were out of the hospital, my mom told me not to talk to the police. She finally admitted years later that Silas had threatened our lives if she did. So she moved us to Hawthorne, and we started over.”
“Why have you kept this a secret?” I asked gently.
“Because I didn’t want anyone to talk me out of getting my vengeance.”
“And you think I would have done that?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. But that’s not why I kept this from you. Once I started looking for him, it became some sick game to him. So I kept my distance from you. I knew the minute I revealed any kind of attachment, any kind of weakness, he’d try to take advantage of that. But as it turns out, he figured out you were mine anyway. Hell, I shouldn’t be surprised; not like I’ve hid it well.”
He looked over at me, his eyes full of sincerity. “Emmie, you gotta know, all these years, I was only trying to protect you. And I’m sorry as hell that I hurt you in the process. I know it’s a lot to ask, too much maybe, but if you feel even an inkling of what I feel for you—I’m asking you to believe me that those days are over. To believe that I want you more than I’ve wanted anything in my life. Regardless of how I may have acted, that’s always been true.”
My heart hammered in response as tears filled my eyes. “I believe you,” I whispered hoarsely.
He offered a sad smile. “Whether or not you can forgive me is another story.”
“You were a little boy and you lost your dad, nearly your life as well. There’s nothing to forgive. And it’s not like I’ve made it easy between us,” I admitted. “But,” I continued when it looked like he might argue, “as for being your source of weakness, I’ll never be that. If I don’t make you stronger, then as far as I see it, we don’t have much more to talk about.”
He rolled over me, a handsome grin lighting his gorgeous face. “Damn, woman, how I stayed away from you so long, I’ll never know.”
“I’m not done,” I continued sternly, eliciting an even wider grin in return. “I respect your vengeance; I understand it. But if we’re gonna do this”—I gestured between us, the very idea so exhilarating that my voice hitched—“then no more secrets. No more solo missions without checking in.”
Any trace of amusement left his face, replaced with sincerity. “No more,” he swore, rolling over me, his arms braced on either side as he stared down at me. “And you?”
I gulped at his nearness, at the feel of his powerful body over mine. “And me what?”
“You gonna let me in? You gonna let me take care of you?”
It was our history that prevented me from saying yes. “I want to,” I told him instead.
A knowing smile lit his face. “You took care of my dogs, baby, and helped Luis, which means you probably had to get your hands dirty.”
My cheeks warmed with a blush. “Well, yeah. Luis was sick, and Marta was overwhelmed….” I trailed off.
His head dipped low, his lips skimming mine. “You did that for me,” he murmured against my mouth.
When he pulled back to look at me, his expression full of tenderness, I spoke the truth before I could think better of it. “I did,” I admitted quietly.
“Even if you couldn’t admit it to yourself, you’d already claimed me.” He dipped down, taking my mouth in a soft kiss. “I’m yours, and you’re mine. I’ll prove it to you every day.”
Part of me had expected him to boast, to prove a point. The Gunner I’d known would have. What I got instead was support, and with that, I felt the trust he was asking for begin to grow.
“I want to take you somewhere, but first…” He trailed off, his mouth skimming over mine in a teasing caress. “…you’re gonna kiss me to seal the deal.”
“Seal the deal?” I laughed against his lips.
Then he took my mouth in earnest, and all trace of laughter was forgotten.
* * *
An hour later, coffee in hand from Francesca’s Sweets and a duffle bag of my clothes in the bed of his truck, Gunner pulled up to a familiar curb.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, staring up at Layla and Cash’s house with a mixture of fear and regret.
The last time I was here, I’d been kidnapped.
He cut the engine, and I could feel his eyes on me as I stared out the window.
“Em, you slept all day yesterday and all of last night, which tells me you have a lot of catching up to do. I might be part of the reason for that, but we both know I’m not all of it. I’ll be the first one that’ll tell you facing your fears is the best way to let them go, and I’m gonna help you with that.”
Damn, but he was right. I shouldn’t let my fear keep me from visiting one of my closest friends—or her daughter, who I adored beyond measure.
I didn’t know how long he let me sit there silently processing my next move before the front door opened and Layla stepped out, walking toward us, a soft expression on her beautiful face.
“Come on, baby,” Gunner coaxed, sliding out of the truck and coming around to my side, opening the door. He gripped my hand in his, giving me a nod that both assured me and pushed me forward.
I’d only made it a step before Layla wrapped me in a hug, and I squeezed her back, some of my trepidation melting away just in seeing her. “Something tells me you’re not just admiring the house,” she murmured gently, pulling back to look at me with concern.
I shrugged, embarrassed. “I know logically the same thing isn’t going to happen if I go inside, but....”
“I felt the same way,” she was quick to assure me. “When we first got home, I had a really hard time. It was really hard to be alone. Not that Cash was too keen on letting me out of his sight anyway.” She snorted affectionately.
Of that I had no doubt. All the men in the club were overprotective, especially when it came to their women and families.
“But day by day it got easier. I hope for you it will too.” She reached out a hand and started to guide me inside, offering a grateful smile to Gunner over her shoulder.
I followed her up the front walkway and through the front door. My eyes immediately slid to the l
iving room where I’d been attacked, and an involuntary shudder passed through me.
Layla squeezed my hand reassuringly as Riley came barreling down the steps, squealing in delight. “Auntie Emmie!”
I caught her in my arms, her enthusiasm doing wonders for my dark mood. “Hi, sweet girl.” I kissed the crown of her head.
She looked up at me. “You were gone for like a year,” she accused.
And in five-year-old land, it probably felt that way. “Not quite that long, sweetie.” I grinned. “But I missed you.”
“Missed you too. Are we going to do our nails?” she asked hopefully.
“Not today, honey. But soon.” I smiled as Cash came into view, moving to Layla’s side and wrapping an arm around her as Riley moved from me to her dad.
“Gun.” He greeted Gunner with a chin lift before his eyes turned to me. “Doing okay?”
“I’m fine.” I offered my standard response. “But much better now that I got to see my girls.” I grinned.
He smiled. “I feel the same way every day.” He looked down at Riley, placing his hand on the crown of her head. “Come on, bean, let’s give Mama and Emmie some time to catch up. Let’s go play some catch out back. Gun, you comin'?” he prompted, kissing Layla’s temple before he guided Riley out of the room.
Gunner wrapped an arm around me, pulling me to his side. “You good?”
I nodded. “I’m good.”
He squeezed me, kissing the top of my head before letting me go. “All right. Won’t be gone long.”
I watched him stride from the room, still grappling with the one-eighty our relationship had made in such a short time.
“Earth to Emmie.” Layla laughed.
I shook my head. “Sorry. Still trying to figure out what planet I landed on.”
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