Gunner: Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis, page 11
“I’m Gunner, and this is August James, Samantha Travers, and the little one on the end is Harper.”
“Good to have y’all here.” Viper gave them each a half-smile as he said, “Wish the circumstances were better.”
Cade nodded. “Yeah, I think we’re all in agreement there.”
“I don’t want to get into the details of everything now, especially with the kid in the room. I just wanted you all to know that we’ll do whatever we can to help with the situation.”
“I’m sure Gus will be pleased to hear that.”
“I figure you’re going to be here a while, so I’m getting some rooms lined up for you,” he said, then glanced down at his watch. “In fact, they should be ready now.”
Hawk stood up and offered, “I’ll take them down and get them settled.”
“Appreciate it, brother.” Viper then looked over to Cade. “I’ll have one of my boys come and get you when Gus arrives.”
“Sounds good.” Cade nodded as he stood up.
I picked up Harper, and Mom and I followed Cade and Hawk out of the room. He led us down a long hallway lined with doors and stopped when he reached our destination. As he opened one of the doors, he said, “These three rooms are all yours. You can decide who goes where.”
“Thanks, brother.”
“No problem.”
Once he was gone, Mom motioned her hand to the door across from us as she said, “I’ll take this room across the hall. You two and Cade can have the two adjoining rooms.”
“I can take the room across the hall,” Cade offered. “I’m sure you want to be with August and Harper.”
“No. I’d actually feel better if you were closer to my girls.” She reached for Harper and said, “If it’s okay with you, I’ll put her down for a nap while you two get things settled.”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
“But Momma … I no haf Fwoppsie,” Harper whined.
I kneeled down next to her and gave her a quick hug, “I know you don’t, sweetie, but it’s going to be okay. Just go rest with Gammy for a while, please?”
“Kay.”
“Come on, sweetheart.”
Mom reached for her hand and led her into her room. Once she closed the door, I walked across the hall. After I tossed my purse onto the bed, I turned to Cade and said, “We’re supposed to be in here getting things settled, but what’s to get settled? I don’t have any clothes … or even a toothbrush!”
“I know. Don’t worry about that.” He sounded cool as a cucumber as told me, “We’ll get whatever you need as soon as Gus and the others pull up.”
“This is so insane.” I sat down on the edge of the bed and tried my best to fight back my tears. “Why do you think those men were at my house? Do you think they were there to kidnap Harper again?”
“No.”
“So, you think it’s just me they’re after?”
He didn’t have to answer. I already knew the answer.
“But why would they want me. David could care less if I’m alive or dead.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew the answer to my own question. “Oh, god. They hadn’t come to kidnap me. They were going to kill me!”
“August …”
“I can’t believe that this is happening. It’s just not fair. I’m not the one who broke the law. I’m not the one who got involved with the mob!” I shouted.
“August … everything is going to be okay.”
“Do you really think these men will be able to help us?”
“We wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” He took a few steps towards me and placed his hands on my hips as he said, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, August. You have my word on that.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
He leaned forward like he was about to kiss me but stopped himself. He took a step back and said, “I’m going out in the hall to give Gus a call. Wanna see how far out he is.”
“Okay.”
When he walked out of the room, I laid down on the bed and tried my best not to obsess over the fact that my ex-husband was the scum of the earth. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The longer I lay there, the more reasons I found to detest him, and I was furious with myself for ever thinking I could trust him. It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen the signs. I’d just chosen to ignore them, hoping that he’d change once he’d made it to the top, but deep down, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. I should’ve listened to my gut and steered clear of him from the get-go. At least there was one good thing out of my time with David—my sweet Harper. She gave me the strength to keep moving forward, even when things were at their worst—just like today. For her, I would pull myself together and face whatever was coming head on.
It had been hours since Cade left to call Gus, and I was starting to get concerned. I was just about to step out in the hall to check on him when there was a tap on my door. As he stepped inside, he announced, “They should be here soon.”
“Okay … so, what happens now?”
“We’ll talk with Viper and make a plan,” he said then stepped towards me. “This is going to take some time, August. You need to prepare yourself for that.”
“Are we talking about a couple days or longer?”
“It’s hard to say, but I’d say longer. Probably much longer, but we’ll know more when we talk to Gus.”
My gaze dropped to the floor with frustration. Seeing that I was upset, he reached for me, pulling me against his chest. The bristles of his day-old beard brushed against my cheek when he lowered his mouth to my neck. Goosebumps pricked against my skin when his lips softly grazed against my flesh. Having him so close set my mind at ease, and I was just starting to relax a little when there was a knock at the door. “They’re here. Meet us in the bar.”
He immediately released his hold on me and started to leave. “I’ve gotta go.”
“Wait!” I demanded, stopping him in his tracks. “I’m going with you.”
A serious look crossed his handsome face as he stated, “Not a chance, August.”
“Cade, I’m going,” I pushed. “If Gus wants me to leave, then I’ll leave.”
“Damn you’re as stubborn as he is,” he grumbled as he walked out into the hall. When we got to the bar, we found Gus sitting at one of the larger tables with several of the brothers sitting beside him and several more standing behind him. They were all talking to Viper and his crew. As we made our way over to them, I heard Viper ask, “You got any idea why Polito’s men would be after August?”
“No way to know for sure. If I had to guess, it has something to do with her ex-husband, the mayor. When we were looking for her daughter, we found proof that he was taking bribes from Polito,” Gus explained.
“But you got the kid back. Why does that matter now?”
“Because I threatened to expose him,” I announced. “He called last night … tried to make excuses for what happened with Harper, but I wouldn’t listen. I was just so sick of listening to all of his stupid lies. I told him that I was going to tell the world what he’d done.”
“Yeah, that would do it.”
“This is all my fault.” I hated that my actions had not only put me in danger, but now, so many others. “Maybe I can talk to David … persuade him to let it go.”
“It’s too late for that.” Gus’s expression grew fierce as he said, “But don’t you worry. We’re going to handle this, and David James? He’s done.”
“Thank you, Gus.”
“Why don’t you go back to your room and see about Harper? We’ve got some things to sort out.”
“Okay.” I knew he was looking for an excuse to get rid of me. As I’d promised Cade, I didn’t argue. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
When I turned to leave, Cade leaned over to me and said, “I’ll be down as soon as we’re done.”
I nodded, then headed out of the bar and down the hall. I tapped on the door, then eased it open. When I stepped inside, I found Mom sitting at the foot of the bed watching Harper sleep with a concerned expression. My mother had always been strong, always finding the courage to face whatever came her way, but I was beginning to think this was all too much for her. Harper being in danger and now me—was a lot for her to contend with, and I wished there was something I could say or do to ease her mind. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could say that would give either one of us peace of mind. I tiptoed over to her and asked, “How do you think she’s doing?”
“This is a lot to take in, and she’s really upset about leaving her bunny at the house.” She glanced over at Harper as she said, “But she’s tough like her mother. She’ll be fine.”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. Besides, we’re in good hands. This will all be over soon.” A concerned look crossed her face when she asked, “Have Gus and the others made it here yet?”
“They got here a few minutes ago. They’re meeting with Viper and the others now.”
She nodded. “Good. He’ll know what to do about all this.”
“I’m really sorry you got pulled into this, Mother. If I had known David would pull something like this—”
“There’s no reason for you to apologize, August,” she interrupted. “None of this is your fault.”
“Of course it’s my fault. I’m the one who brought David into our lives. This is all my fault, and I hate myself for it.”
“August …”
“Don’t, Mom. I’m just frustrated.” I let out a deep breath. “I’m going back across the hall to wait for Cade. Let me know if you need me.”
I stepped out of her room, carefully closing the door behind me, then walked to my room. There was no sign of Cade, so I turned on the TV and laid across the bed. I felt so useless lying there, flipping through the channels. I wanted to do something to help resolve the situation with David and the men he’d sent after me, but there was nothing I could do. Gus had made it clear that he didn’t want me involved any more than I already was, so I had no choice but to wait. I went back and forth from Mom’s room to mine, doing my best to entertain Harper, but with each hour that passed, it was becoming more and more difficult. She was hungry and irritable, and so was I. Just as things were starting to get unbearable, Cade appeared with several large shopping bags filled with clothes and toiletries. When he placed them on the bed, I asked, “What’s all this?”
“I got a few things. It’s not much, but I thought it might help get us through the next couple of days.”
I looked into the bags and was surprised to see that he’d bought clothes for all of us, and from what I could tell, he’d gotten all of our sizes right. “How did you do all this?”
“I had a little help, besides it’s just a couple of pairs of jeans and t-shirts.”
“Well, thank you, Cade. It was very sweet of you.”
“No problem.” His expression grew serious as he asked, “Did you happen to bring your cell phone with you?”
“I’m not sure.” I reached for my purse, and after I searched for several minutes, I looked back to him and said, “I must’ve left it at the house.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want anyone to be able to track it. You’ll need to make sure your mother doesn’t have hers either.” He reached into one of the bags and pulled out two burner cell phones. “These are for you and Samantha. Use them if you need to call me. I’ve already added your number, Samantha’s, Gus’s, and mine to each of them.”
“Okay.”
He took the bag that belonged to him, then started for the door. “I’ll be back in a minute. I’m going to put these away, and then we can head down to the kitchen. They’ve got dinner ready for us.”
“Okay. I’ll let Mom know.”
When he walked out, I went across the hall to Mom’s room. She and Harper were sitting on the bed playing with a deck of cards when I asked, “Do you have your cell phone with you?”
“No. I left it in my car. Why?”
“Cade wanted us both to use these.” As I handed her the burner, I told her, “They already have our numbers added to them.”
“Oh, okay.”
“And he wanted me to let you know that dinner’s ready.”
Harper jumped up and said, “I wanna eat.”
“Me, too. Cade will be here in a second to take us down to the kitchen.” When I looked over to Mom, I noticed she didn’t seem as excited about the idea. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I’m fine. I think … I’ll just grab a bite to eat later. You two go ahead with Cade.”
“Mom … you haven’t eaten anything all day.” I could tell from her expression there was a reason behind her lack of appetite. “Is this because of Gus?”
“It’s been a long time, August. I’m not sure I’m ready to see him.”
“We’re going to be here several days, Mom. You can’t just hide out in this room the entire time.” I reached for her arm and gave her a gentle tug. “Come on. I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” she mumbled under her breath.
Cade came and led us all down to the kitchen, and just like he’d promised, Viper and his brothers had fixed a big meal for us. They were all gathered around the table talking with Gus and the brothers he’d brought from Memphis. We followed Cade over to the table and sat down in the empty chairs next to Shadow. They each took a moment to greet us, then everyone continued talking and eating, except Gus. From the second my mother sat down, he hadn’t taken his eyes off her. Eventually, Mom broke his silence by saying, “It’s good to see you, Gus.”
His eyes were still locked on hers as he replied, “Good to see you too, Samantha.”
“I really appreciate everything you and the guys have done to help August.”
“Glad we could help.”
Her voice was filled with uncertainty as she suggested, “Maybe we could talk later … catch up on old times.”
“Oh, we’ll definitely be doing that. Sooner than later.”
There was something about his tone that sent a chill down my spine, making me wonder if Mom was right to be nervous about seeing him.
Gunner
It had been a long day, and it had taken its toll on all of us, so as soon as we were finished eating, I walked the girls back to their rooms. When we got to August’s door, I was surprised when Harper turned to her mother and said, “I wanna stay wit Gammy.”
“Harper, Gammy’s tired and needs to get some sleep.”
“It’s fine with me, August. I’d love to have her stay with me, but only if it’s okay with you.”
“Pweez, Momma,” Harper pleaded.
“Okay, sweetie. You can sleep with Gammy, but I want you to be a good girl and get some sleep. No staying up late watching cartoons.”
“Kay.”
August knelt down and gave Harper a hug and kiss as she said, “Good night, sweetheart. I love you.”
“Wov you too, Momma.”
Samantha took her by the hand and led her into the other room. Before she closed the door, she told August, “Obviously, you know where I am if you need me.”
“Same here.”
When the door closed, August and I were left standing alone in the hallway. I wanted to grab her up, carry her to my room, and spend the night making love to her, but unfortunately, that wasn’t an option. “I’ll let you get some sleep.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll see you in the morning,” she said, as disappointment flashed through her eyes.
Once she’d gone into her room, I headed to my own, quickly closing the door behind me. After I got undressed and climbed in the bed, I tried to fall asleep, but as soon as I closed my eyes, my mind drifted to August. It wasn’t something new. Lately, it seemed like she was always on my mind for one reason or another. I couldn’t help myself. Over the past few days, I’d enjoyed the times I’d spent with her, getting to know her and seeing what made her tick, and I wanted more of it. I glanced over at the bathroom door that connected her room to mine, and I had to fight the urge to go to her. Silently cursing myself, I turned over and tried once again to fall asleep. I had no idea how long I’d been lying there when I heard the bathroom door ease open and the soft sound of footsteps coming towards the bed. When I rolled over, I found August standing at the edge of the bed. She looked absolutely stunning as she stood there staring down at me. “I’m sorry to wake you, but …”
I eased up on the bed and told her, “I wasn’t asleep yet. You okay?”
“No, not really,” she confessed. “I just don’t want to be alone right now. Do you mind if I lie down with you for a while?”
“Of course not.” I moved over and pulled the covers back. Once she’d made herself comfortable, I asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, I just want you to hold me. Can you do that?”
“Yeah, I can definitely do that.”
I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close. We lay there for several minutes, silently lost in our own thoughts, before she said, “The Sinners seem like nice guys and their clubhouse is pretty decent, too, but for some reason, I liked it better at yours.”
“You did?”
“Um-hmm. I felt safe there. Like I do when I’m at home.” She paused for a minute, then said, “I’m not sure I’ll ever feel like that again.”
“You will. I’ll make sure of it.”
She nestled a little closer, then stilled. It wasn’t long before she fell fast asleep. For the first time that day, I felt the tension in my muscles subside, and as I lay there listening to the soothing sound of her breathing, everything felt right in the world. I knew it was crazy, especially considering how long I’d known her, but at that moment, I realized I wanted more than one night with August. I wanted a lifetime full of them. There was only one way that was ever going to happen. I had to talk to Gus. It was time for him to know that I was falling for his daughter, and I had no idea how I was going to tell him. I must’ve thought of a hundred different ways as I finally drifted off to sleep.
