Page 58 of Bleeding Blackheart

By the time he’s through, I’ve cried like a baby, and my hand is full, just like my heart.

When the sun starts to disappear, Gunner takes me back to the car, pressing me against it while he cups my face. “I may be a miserable bastard, but I’ll do whatever I can to make you happy, Montana Elizabeth.”

He strokes my cheeks softly, and my skin tingles pleasantly. Standing on my toes, I press a kiss to Gunner’s lips, accepting his offer.

When we get back to the house, Colt’s out, giving us the place to ourselves. Gunner feeds me ice cream, and once we’re done with dessert, we head upstairs and get naked, cuddling in the big bed we’re borrowing.

I feel so safe being held by Gunner that I find myself wanting to open up more. With my back to his chest, I lacemy fingers through his. “When you sang me to sleep, I was having a nightmare.”

He presses a kiss to my neck, pulling me closer. “I know. I’ve sang to you a few times. It scares the hell out of me when you start screaming. I just want to make the pain go away.”

I close my eyes, not knowing how to process his words. No one’s ever offered to take my pain away. And I’m not sure if he can or not, but the fact that he wants to makes me feel at ease. I kiss his palm and run my finger over his silver ring. “Thank you for comforting me. It’s a pretty bad nightmare, so I need all the soothing I can get.”

His voice lowers while he brushes his nose against my hair. “Tell me about it. Tell me what happens in it. If you want to. Maybe it’ll help it go away.”

I get a chill just thinking about it. The dream. That day. Maybe he’s right. Perhaps if I talk it out, I can get it out of my system, and the memory won’t torment me for the rest of my days. I keep my eyes open while I walk him through it, scared that I’ll slip into slumber if I close my eyes. “The dream is about the day my father found me. The day that he locked me in that shed.

“It’s so awful, because it’s the exact moment I lived in real life, playing again over and over each night. Well, I think it didn’t happen one night. But still. And—and itmakes me feel like he’s got me again. Like I never got away, and he’ll have me forever.”

He rubs my arms when my voice shakes, giving me the comfort to resume my horrible tale.

“It was a Friday night, and I was visiting Colorado for my friend Charlotte’s thirtieth birthday. My apartment, where all my shit is now, is in Washington, and I’d just landed in Denver right before I went to her house, bringing nothing with me because I was coming back home first thing in the morning.

“I was the first to arrive at her party, and I styled her hair, and we made plans together. Shortly after, everyone else arrived, and things happened so fast. My father knocked on the door right in the middle of things, and Charlotte . . . Charlotte answered the door.”

I wipe my wet eyes and take a breath. “And as soon as that bastard stepped in the room, he shot her in the head. He killed my best friend, Gunner. And he killed every single other person at that party, blasting them right in front of me, and when I was the last one standing, he approached me.

“I was so scared. More scared of him than I’d ever been in my life. I knew he’d killed people, even seen him do it before, but nothing like that.” My voice cracks. “I had myown piss running down my leg, and he told me I was his. That I belong to him, and that I’ll never leave him again.”

25

Gunner

Ihold Montana close to my chest with her face pressed against it while she sleeps, singing to her softly. She fell asleep shortly after she told me her nightmare, and I’m not waiting for the damn thing to shake her up again tonight, so I’m singing before it even gets going, hoping to override it.

I thought I’d been dealt a shitty hand, but this girl has been through it. My little fox isn’t even thirty, and she’s had enough suffering for a lifetime. I can’t bring her any more suffering. I can’t cause her to feel any more pain. After I saved my little bunny, I never got to see it live a happy life. But I can see Montana live one.

I’ve never felt homesick before, but lying here in Colt’s room, I wish I was back home with my horses sleeping with Montana in my bed. I hate feeling like I have to hide and hope we can get out of here soon. I’ve done enough running in my life, and I’m tired of living in fear.

Montana stirs beside me, but I keep her close, squeezing her hair through her little satin hat while I keep singing. I’ll sing to her all night long if it’ll keep that horrible day out of her head. I didn’t realize how horrible it was until she told me about it tonight.

The man not only killed his child’s friend but committed mass murder. And for what? To prove a point? I think Montana was already aware that the man’s insane.

And now he’s coming for her. For us. But he can’t have her. Montana is mine, and I won’t be letting her go.

I don’t know when I drifted off, but I must’ve got some sleep as the light from the windows is shining through, nearly blinding me.

I tense up when I see my arms are empty, but when I roll over, Montana’s there, sleeping on her stomach with her face turned to the side. Her sleep hat has somehow vanished again, so I take the opportunity to sniff her hair that smells like strawberries and cream. After I washed her hair last night, I stole some leave-in conditioner and hair oil from Colt’s shit to coat her strands with, and the scent is amazing on her.

My girl is always beautiful, but I’ll never get over how angelic she looks asleep. Her brown cheeks are molten hot, and I just want to wrap myself around her and steal all of her heat. But when I see one of her nipples peeking out from under the blanket, I realize there’s something I want more.

I shouldn’t do this. It’s weird, and I feel like a creep for even wanting to. But she told me it was alright. And I may not even want to do this ever again, I’ll just start and see where it goes.

Taking another glance at the bedroom door, I make sure it’s locked, and when I see it is, I slide closer to Montana, moving her hair off her shoulders so I can kiss her slender neck. I wait a second for her to stir, and when she doesn’t, I peel the blanket off her slowly. Her body shivers from the cold air, so I climb over her and kiss down her spine, hoping that my body heat will keep her comfortable.

When I get to her ass, I freeze, just so I can admire it. I want to fuck every inch of her body and mold her to fit me.

I know she’s asleep, but I still want her to feel cared for, so I slide my hands down her back slowly until I get to her butt cheeks. Pulling them apart, I lower my face to drag my tongue over her clit and lick her from front to back.

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