Chapter Ten
Gunner
I knew the moment I heard the bell over the door that it was her who had entered. The air in the room thickened, heated to a choking, sweltering temperature.
Any time I was near her, I felt it. I didn’t recognize it for what it was at first. I assumed it was lust. My body wanted her. Now I knew the truth. My soul wanted her.
She was mine.
Mine to love.
Mine to protect.
Mine to consume and control.
An involuntary smile spread across my face. I couldn’t stop it. Unfortunately, the bitch sitting in the booth across from me thought it was for her.
Penelope Ridgefield had been after me for years. I’d discovered she had gone to school with Haizley. Penelope was pretty in an obvious way. She could have been a supermodel with her long blonde hair and long shapely legs. That was if she had been born somewhere other than the Midwest to someone other than a couple that was poor as dirt.
A few years ago, when she started her campaign to be my old lady, I had Nav look into her. There was something that didn’t sit right. Something about her that had the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.
Nav never found anything.
I wasn’t convinced, though.
The absence of proof didn’t mean she wasn’t a fucking bitch.
I felt Haizley’s eyes on me the moment she noticed I was here. I felt the blaze of anger once she realized who I was sitting with. Our souls were connected. I didn’t know how, and I didn’t know why.
But she was fucking mine.
Casting a glance toward the door, I locked eyes with her. I didn’t smile. I kept my expression blank, waiting to see what she would do. She hadn’t accepted my claim. Fuck, I hadn’t accepted it myself until just now. It was only right I gave her time to catch up.
Still, it didn’t stop me from willing her to stomp her pretty little ass over here and stake her own claim. I wanted to see the jealous side of her. I wanted to see the passionate side of her.
Hell, I wanted to see all sides of her. Everything. She had no idea how much her very existence consumed my mind.
She would.
One day.
And I was a patient man.
I could wait.
Confronting Brian the other day, combined with Simon overhearing my declaration, ensured the entire town would know Haizley was mine.
I knew that was what prompted Penelope’s little ambush today. The woman prattled on, oblivious to the fact I was ignoring her every word. I was too focused on the goddess that had entered my life.
I watched the emotion flicker across her face. Starting with shock, then anger, then something that I hoped was jealousy before she shut it all down and looked away.
I sighed in disappointment as she walked to the counter, planted her ass on a stool, and ignored me.
Don’t worry, my little lamb, the wall you’re hiding behind is no match for the wolf.
“Gunner, are you listening to me?” The angry voice of the woman sitting in front of me tore my attention away from the object of my desire.
For that she was done.
“No, I am not fucking listening to you. I have told you repeatedly, I am not fucking interested,” I snarled.
Standing up, I reached for my wallet. Throwing a couple of bills on the table, I turned away, and Penelope grabbed my arm.
“Gunner, you don’t get it. We were made for each other. You have no idea what I can do for you.”
“Do you know how to shut your fucking mouth?” I asked. “Since the moment you sat down, uninvited I might add, you haven’t shut the fuck up.” My voice rose with every word.
I knew I was making a scene, but this chick just didn’t get it.
She wasn’t my type. I didn’t like strong and independent. I liked meek and mild. I wanted someone who would obey. Someone who relied on me.
I know what you’re thinking. That isn’t Haizley.
But it is.
To everyone in town, Haizley was the girl who had grown up too soon and taken care of herself since she was sixteen years old. The girl who put herself through college and became a therapist with the strength to shoulder everyone else’s problems. Everyone else’s troubles.
I saw the real her.
The woman who was tired. The woman who needed someone to hold her up under the weight of everything she felt she had to do herself, and for everyone else. She needed someone who put her needs before their own.
I was that someone.
“Gunner.” Penelope’s lip quivered, her eyes watering. She thought I would cave at the display of emotion. She didn’t realize I saw what really hid behind her fake pout.
For sure, her manipulation tactics worked on so many others, but I wasn’t falling for it. My mother used tears to get her way when I was a kid. Convincing me that she needed just one more drink. One more hit. I fell for it time and time again until it started to affect Mellie.
That was where I drew the line.
This bitch was a great actress; she just wasn’t good enough.
“Stay the fuck away from me, or else,” I warned.
Her loud gasp had the few remaining heads turning our way.
I walked over to the counter. Pressing my chest against Haizley’s back, I caged her in, resting my hands on the counter on either side of her, feeling her body stiffen beneath me.
“You disappoint me, little lamb. When you were accosted, I made sure that boy knew you were mine. I expected the same in return.”
Running my nose along her cheek, I felt her shudder.
“I should punish you for leaving me unprotected. But we haven’t gone over the rules yet, so I’ll let this one slide. But next time, when that jealousy overtakes you, you better fucking stake your claim. Because make no mistake, Haizley, we belong to each other.”
My lips latched on to her neck, sucking with the slightest pressure before I released her. Kissing her neck, I whispered, “I’ll see you later.”
I pulled away quickly. Not giving her enough time to clear her head from my onslaught. Strolling out the door, I walked to my truck with the biggest fucking smile on my face.
If Brian and Simon hadn’t spread the word already, everyone in The Diner would be talking about it within the hour.
I sat in my truck and waited while she ate her dinner. When she left, I followed, staying just far enough back so that she wouldn’t spot me. I would have to talk with her about being aware of her surroundings.
When she pulled onto her street, I shut off my lights before I followed. I had just pulled up a few houses down when she stepped out of her car and walked into her house.
Just like every other night, I watched over her until all the lights went off and she was in bed. Then, I drove back to the clubhouse. And like every other night, I jacked off in the shower before going to bed myself.
Early mornings in the shop were my favorite. I was the only one here for a few hours.
It was quiet and peaceful.
“You gonna finish this fucking ink?” Freeway barked as he walked through the door.
“You gonna show my employees respect?” I fired back despite us being alone.
Freeway grumbled something I knew he didn’t want me hearing, and I wanted nothing more than to kick him out again. But I knew he would just keep coming back until I finished the piece I started twelve years ago. Instead, I had him up at the ass crack of dawn to work on him before the others came in.
“If you can keep your mouth shut, I’ll finish your tat.”
He grumbled some more, but he removed his cut and shirt and sat in the chair. For the next three hours, I sat bent over my brother, and I used that term loosely. I wasn’t giving him a reason to come back soon. I wanted this piece done and his ass back at the clubhouse.
Lunchtime rolled around, and I swung through the only fast-food joint we had in town and drove to Haizley’s. I ate my lunch while I watched her house. Her car parked safely in the driveway let me know she hadn’t gone out today.
By closing time, I was exhausted. I wanted to drive to Haizley’s house and bang on the door until she let me in. It had been three days since I had my mouth on Haizley in The Diner. One taste and I was done. The briefest touch of my lips on her skin started a craving that would never be satisfied.
Parking my truck on her street, I focused on her house. Her car wasn’t in the driveway, and I wondered where she was. I couldn’t watch her all damn day. Not when I had to be at the shop.
Where the fuck was she?
For forty-five minutes I sat glaring at her empty driveway. I’d considered driving all over fucking town until my phone started ringing. Looking down, I saw King’s name.
“Where the fuck are you?” he barked when I connected the call.
“What’s going on?”
“Where. The. Fuck. Are. You?”
I closed my eyes. He wasn’t going to let it go. Not when he sounded like that. My guess was Nav had ratted me out. “Outside Haizley’s house.”
“The shrink? The one I told you to stop following?”
“I’m not following her. I’m not even moving.”
I heard his growl over the line, and I was glad I wasn’t standing in front of him.
“Get your ass to the Diamond,” he ordered gruffly, and then the phone disconnected.
I looked at Haizley’s driveway. Then up at her dark house. She wasn’t home. I didn’t know where she was. And now I had to abandon my post and go to the fucking bar.
I sat for five more minutes, hoping she would pull in. When she didn’t, I angrily threw the truck in drive and peeled off. Haizley and I would be having fucking words about this.
I pulled into the bar in town, surrounded by flashing lights. Running to the door, I yanked it open just as the paramedics were wheeling out the stretcher carrying Aspen Winters, the owner of The Flower Shoppe.
I held the door and slipped in after they left. The music was off, the lights had been turned up, and Grace was talking to the sheriff.
“What the fuck happened?” I asked, standing beside Declan.
“Another drugged female. Passed out in the bathroom. Not sure if she was raped or not yet.” Declan’s angry look said he’d had enough. “You need to find this asshole. And fast,” Declan whispered so only I heard him.
Nodding, I looked at Grace. Pulling her into my arms, I asked, “You ok, babe?”
“I’m good. Sally Jensen was here tonight. She immediately took over until the paramedics got here. She saved Aspen.”
“Tell King I need the camera footage tonight. I can’t wait until tomorrow.”
“Will do.”
I looked around the room. Women were huddled together, some with their men, some with their friends. There were a few guys standing around. I watched them to see their reactions. None of them looked guilty. Not enough to warrant suspicion.
“Nav needs a list of everyone here tonight.”
“I’ll send it over in the morning, once we have the report from everyone.”
I hung around the bar until Declan and his deputies left. Johnny made sure Grace got home, and by the time I drove by Haizley’s house, it was almost one in the morning. Her car was in the driveway and all her lights were off.
I was glad she was home, but I still needed to know where the fuck she was tonight.