by L. Wilder
She relished the feeling and wanted to stay there in that moment, but fate had other plans. The lights flickered several times until they eventually came back on. Gavin took a step back and the moment was gone.
“I’ll walk you back to your room.”
Feeling more than a little disappointed, she followed him down the hall and to her door. She looked over to him, wishing that he wouldn’t leave, and feigned a smile. “Thanks, Gavin.”
She opened her door and as she stepped inside, Gavin said softly, “Sunny.”
She turned to face him. “Yeah?”
His eyes were dark and intense as he stood there staring at her. Warmth washed over her as he continued. “I meant what I said. You were wrong. One day you’ll see.”
Before she could ask him what he meant, he turned and headed down the hallway. She wanted to call out to him, but she knew it was no use. If he wanted to tell her, he would have already done it. She closed the door and pulled off her jeans before crawling into bed. When she looked down at her phone, she saw that she’d missed several messages from Katelyn.
Katelyn:
Justin is an asshole. A complete and total asshole.
Katelyn:
I’m done with his sorry ass.
Katelyn:
“Out with friends”! Bullshit. What an asshole!
It was late, and Sunny figured her best friend had already gone to bed. But she still responded.
Sunny:
What’s going on?
Seconds later, Katelyn replied.
Katelyn:
He told me that he was going riding with some of his stupid friends. He knew I couldn’t go because of work. Asshole. Turns out he’s been messing around with some chick named Kim.
Katelyn had always been a bit dramatic and never trusted any man—ever. She thought they were all lying, cheating assholes. Sunny couldn’t blame her. They’d both had their share of rotten men, but Sunny really thought Justin was different.
Sunny:
Are you sure? I thought they were just friends or something.
Katelyn:
I’m sure. He took her to the damn mall. Guys don’t go to the mall unless they want to get laid. Everyone knows that. But I’m over it. He can screw that stupid old cow all he wants.
Sunny:
I’m sorry. I really thought Justin was one of the good ones.
Katelyn:
Nope. He’s a typical jerk. Just like all the rest.
Sunny:
There’s a good guy out there. You’ll find him.
Katelyn:
I’m about to give up all together. I’ll be that cat lady out in some trailer by the lake.
Sunny:
Haha! That’s not going to happen. Besides, you hate cats.
Katelyn:
I guess I better learn to like them, because they’ll be all I’ve got.
Sunny:
It’s late. Just forget about this for tonight and get some sleep.
Katelyn:
Wait. What about you? You doing okay?
Sunny:
I’m good. I’ve been studying.
Katelyn:
Well aren’t you the party animal? Ha!
Sunny:
Don’t you know it lol
Katelyn:
Let’s meet up Tuesday after you get out of class.
Sunny:
Sounds good. Later Gator.
Sunny tossed her phone on her bed and picked up the book she had to read for her Lit class. She stared at the words on the page, but they all just blurred together. Her mind kept drifting back to Gavin, and the way she felt while wrapped in his arms. She liked it, more than she ever thought she could, and she wanted more. But the fear—the heart-pounding, earth-shattering fear—was holding her back. It haunted her day in and day out. She just couldn’t get past it. There were days when it seemed to be getting better, but when she crawled into bed at night, the dreams would come. The nightmares would play out like a movie, only there were big chunks of time missing, making it impossible to remember everything that had happened that night. The memories were right there in the corner of her mind, but she couldn’t reach them, no matter how hard she tried. She just hoped that in time the nightmares would stop, and she’d be able to move on. She’d accepted that she couldn’t erase what had happened, and that it had changed her. Almost dying had made her realize just how fragile life was, and now she wanted to focus all of her energy on the future and its infinite possibilities.
Gavin was sitting at the bar staring down at the black and white kitten he’d just bought for Sunny. He was just about to take it down to her room when he was suddenly overcome with doubt. Early today, as he’d driven by the animal shelter, the idea had popped into his head and he didn’t stop to think it through. Now that the kitten was sitting in his lap, he started to wonder if Sunny even liked cats. He lifted the tiny kitten up to his face, looking her right in the eye as he asked himself, “What the hell was I thinking?”
She reached out her paw, placing it flat against his nose, and he quickly realized that her foot looked oddly large for an eight-week-old kitten. After closer inspection, he discovered that she had several extra toes—three of them on each paw. He groaned, thinking that he’d picked the one kitten that had something wrong with it. Berating himself for being such an idiot, he decided there was no way he could give it to Sunny—not now. He was just about to take it back to the pet store when Sunny walked into the bar. Her eyes widened with excitement when she spotted Gavin with the kitten in his hands. She rushed over to him and ran her hand over the kitten’s head.
“Oh my goodness, that is the cutest kitten I’ve ever seen!”
“Yeah… well… umm.” He watched as she took the cat from his hands and held it lovingly to her chest. “There’s something wrong with its feet.”
“What do you mean?” She took the kitten’s paw in her hand and examined the extra toes. Her face lit up with curiosity as she said, “That is so wild! Where did you find her?”
Not ready to admit what he’d done, he turned and looked in the other direction. “She just wandered up. Found her out by my truck.”
“Do you mind if I keep her?”
“She’s all yours.”
“Thanks, Gavin.” He watched as she cradled her new pet in her arms and headed back to her room. The kitten was just a start. After seeing that smile on her face, he knew he’d move mountains to keep it there. Feeling satisfied with the impulsive purchase, he reached for his phone and sent a message to Sheppard.
Gavin:
Headed to the garage. Don’t forget to grab the new plugs.
Sheppard:
Damn. Forgot about that. I’ll be there when I can.
Gavin:
Everything okay?
Sheppard:
Will be. Gotta see about something, and then I’ll head that way.
Gavin:
Here if you need a hand.
While Gavin headed into the garage to get to work, Sheppard was still at home. He’d overheard his wife, Ana, talking on the phone. He could tell by the sound of her voice that something was wrong, and he wouldn’t leave until he knew she was okay. It was just the way he was. Sheppard was always looking out for the people he cared about. It was nothing for him to put his life on the line for his family. He’d proven that the day he took a bullet for Bishop. The club was under attack, and when he saw that Bishop was in trouble, he stepped forward, took a shot to the chest, and fell into the river. He would’ve died if Ana hadn’t found him. She saved his life and stole his heart in the process.
He looked over at her, seeing her stare out the kitchen window as she listened to someone talk on the other end of the line. He stepped closer, trying to see if he could find out what was wrong. After several seconds, she finally said, “I really hate to hear that. I thought he was doing better last night.” She paused, then continued, “I’ll talk to them as soon as I get there. I’m leaving the house now.”
Sheppa
rd could tell by the tremble in Ana’s voice that something was wrong, so he waited patiently for the conversation to end. Once she hung up, he asked, “What’s wrong, Angel?”
“It’s the boy I was telling you about. We got the results back from his brain scan, and it doesn’t look good. They’ve decided to call the family in.”
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as he held her. “I hate to hear that, sweetheart. I know you were hoping he’d pull through.”
Tears streamed down her face as she told him, “He’s so little, Dillon. His parents are going to be heartbroken. It’s going to be so hard to tell them.”
“I wish there was something I could do.” He held her tight, trying to comfort her as she cried. She was one of the strongest women he’d ever known. She’d proven that the day she pulled him out of that river and saved his life. He knew this would be hard for her, but she’d find a way to get through it.
“Being here and loving me is enough. Just keep doing that, okay?”
They’d spent the last year making their new house a home and building a life together. He loved her more than he ever dreamed possible and looked forward to their future together. When the time was right, they’d start their family, but for now, he enjoyed having her all to himself. He kissed her tenderly before he said, “I will always love you, Angel. Nothing will change that.”
“I love you, too.” She wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed him once more. “I guess I better get going. They’re waiting for me.”
“I’ll be here when you get off. Call me if you need me.”
“I will. Have a good one, sweetheart.” She kissed him on the cheek and headed for the door.
As soon as she’d gone, Sheppard grabbed his cut and headed for his bike. He had a long day ahead in the garage, and he wanted to be home by the time Ana got off work. After a quick stop in town, he pulled up to the clubhouse. When he got to the garage, most of the brothers were already there. It was their busy season. Christmas was just around the corner, and they had more orders than ever before. The brothers would do whatever it took to get it done, even it meant working overtime. When Sheppard walked into the garage, he took the plugs over to Gavin and then headed over to help Goliath. He was busy working on the hood of one of the old trucks they were restoring.
“You about to get her done?”
“Getting there. Could use a hand.”
With a nod, Sheppard set to work. They’d been working for almost an hour when Sheppard looked to him and said, “You never told me what Lily thought of the truck.”
“Can’t get her out of the damn thing. She loves it. Keeps going on and on about it. Couldn’t believe we kept it a secret for so long.”
“Good. I’m glad she likes it. Knew she would. Hell, who wouldn’t? That truck is badass.”
“It is. And it turned out to be a pretty good gift for me, too,” Goliath said with a smirk. “She looks hot as hell driving that damn thing.”
“I bet she does.” He glanced over at the back of the garage and spotted Gavin busting his ass trying to finish an engine breakdown. Sheppard motioned his hand in Gavin’s direction. “You think he’s ready for tonight?”
“Figure he’s feeling a little anxious, but he’s gotta know which way we’re leaning. He’s done what needed to be done to prove himself.”
Goliath didn’t miss the mischievous look on Sheppard’s face as he leaned against the hood of the car and said, “So, he thinks he’s got it in the bag, huh?”
“Shep. What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Thinking we oughta have a little fun with him, that’s all. You know… keep the guy guessing.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Just follow my lead,” Sheppard told him as he headed in Gavin’s direction.
Goliath followed close behind and almost felt sorry for Gavin as he heard Shep say, “We know.”
Gavin’s eyebrows furrowed with confusion as he stood up to face Sheppard. “Know what?”
Sheppard watched with amusement as Goliath stepped over to Gavin and gave him an angry glare. “We fucking know. And it’s all gonna come out tonight. You can count on that.”
Gavin’s mind started to race as he tried to figure out what they were talking about. He couldn’t think of what he might have done wrong. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t,” Sheppard barked. “You think you can pull that shit and none of us would find out? You got another thing coming, Knuckles.”
They both turned and walked away, leaving Gavin dazed and confused. He couldn’t imagine what he’d done to make them so angry. He ran his hands over his face as his mind raced with a million thoughts. He’d walked a straight line and tried to do whatever was expected of him. He couldn’t think of a time when he’d screwed up, even when it came to Sunny. It took all his restraint to keep from kissing her the other night. If she was ever that close to him again, he didn’t think he’d have the strength to hold back. He wanted her. There was no denying that, but he couldn’t act on his feelings. At least not yet.
A sly smile spread across Goliath’s face as he watched Gavin start to pace back and forth. He chuckled under his breath as he picked up his sander. “You know he’s going to worry about that shit for the rest of the day.”
“That’s the point. Gotta keep him guessing.” Sheppard chuckled as he looked over at Gavin. “Did Maverick make it in yet?”
“Yeah. They got in late last night. Lily’s with them now.”
“Good. It’s going to mean a lot to Gavin that they’re here. Anything I can do to help?”
“I think we’ve got it. They’re planning to head back tomorrow afternoon. Maverick’s gotta get back.”
“And everything is set for tonight?”
“Yeah. Brandy and the girls have a big blowout planned, not that Gavin’s going to go for that. He’s got it pretty bad for Sunny, and once he gets that patch, maybe he’ll actually do something about it.”
Goliath turned on the sander and while he finished prepping the hood, Sheppard started working on the side panels. Bull and Renegade worked together to break down the engine piece by piece, making a list of parts they’d need replaced as they went. Renegade was only gone on his honeymoon for a couple of weeks, but his time away had been costly. His brothers fell behind without him, and Renegade was determined to get them caught back up. With Gavin and Bull’s help, he knew it would only be a matter of time before they were back on track.
While they were all working on their next project, their president was in his office with an unwelcome guest.
Bishop leaned back in his chair as he looked over at the sheriff. “So, what brings you out here today, Paul? You finally gonna do something with that old Harley of yours?”
“I’ve been aiming to bring it out here, but something always seems to come up. I’ll get around to it before long.”
“So, what can I do for you?”
“Been looking over Sunny’s case. After a year, we still haven’t had any leads on Drew Cartwright’s whereabouts. His parents and the DA are pushing for some answers. They’re pressing hard on this, and I’ve gotta give them something. I need to talk to Sunny, but before I do, I thought I’d check in with you. See if you remembered anything else from that night.”
Bishop reached into his pocket for a cigarette, lighting it before he replied, “Already told you everything, Paul. Not much else to say. And she’s told you everything she knows. There’s no sense in stirring things up with her.”
“I figured you’d say that. I’m not trying to upset the girl, but I need some answers. You gotta admit, it’s strange that no one has seen him after all this time.” Bishop shrugged his shoulders with no response. “His folks are adamant that they haven’t seen him since the night he attacked Sunny—to the point that they are worried that something happened to him. It’s like the guy just disappeared.”
“Really, I figured that was a good thing.” Bishop cro
ssed his arms. “If the guy has any brains whatsoever, he’ll never show his face around these parts ever again.”
“You said there was no sign of him when you got to the bar that night. Is that right?”
“It is. Sunny was there alone, beat all to hell, so I got her to the hospital. That’s all I know. I’ve got no idea where the motherfucker is.”
“I’m not giving up on this. He’s gotta pay for what he did to that girl, Bishop.”
“Agreed, and you know, if I had any idea where he might be, I would’ve already told you.”
The sheriff stood up and extended a hand. “I won’t keep you then. You know how to reach me.”
Bishop shook his hand and followed him to the door. “I’ll give you a call if anything comes to mind. And you bring that bike in soon. Let us fix her up for ya.”
As soon as he was gone, Bishop walked back over to his desk and dropped into his chair. He sighed as he ran his hands through his hair with frustration. He knew that Sunny talking to the sheriff wouldn’t be a good idea. A lot of time had passed, and it was almost behind them. He knew if the sheriff talked to Sunny, there would be a chance it might dredge up memories that she’d locked away during the night of the attack. He couldn’t let that happen. Her memories needed to remain exactly where they were: forgotten.
Katelyn was sitting at the foot of Sunny’s bed with her makeup sprawled across the comforter and a mirror in her hand. She batted her eyelashes as she applied another layer of mascara. She was still staring at her reflection when she asked Sunny, “What is it with you and Gavin? Do you like him?”
“Maybe, but I’m not so sure he feels the same way. It doesn’t really matter. I’m not ready to get involved with someone right now.”