Page 95 of Gunner

Ben had warned me he wouldn’t show up. A motorcycle recruitment event wasn’t exactly a place for a man in blue, and he wore the bluest. While I understood his reason, his absence still left a shadow over what was otherwise a good day. The turnout at our BBQ was impressive and, with it, the hope I hadn’t completely ruined the club but could restore it to its former glory.

Saint elbowed me. His cheeks were flushed from all the drinking, or maybe it was from Dove’s tits. In a rare occurrence,Dove was wearing a fishnet mesh crop top with no bra underneath. They’d covered their nipples with pasties, which I figured was only for the kids’ benefit. The few times I’d met them, they’d always been topless.

Saint was a brave man. Had Ben walked in without pants on, I’d have locked him in my bedroom until everyone left.

“We’re heading over to the barbecue pit,” Saint said. “You want anything?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

When he left, I dumped the beer in my Solo cup into a shrub. I wasn’t going to fuck up my sobriety this time. Had I not been sober, I wouldn’t have landed someone like Ben, and I’d be damned before I did anything to fuck that up. I was having too much fun with him—and not at his expense either. We spent a lot of time talking and screwing—but the former left me impressed. I hadn’t had this sort of intimacy in such a long time, and every day I didn’t mess up, I was relieved.

I didn’t want to lose Ben.

“Hey, congrats on the turnout.” Grimm walked up to me, puffing on a cigarette.

“Yeah, not bad,” I said, acting all aloof as if I wasn’t surprised. “You didn’t have anything to do with this, did you? Because I don’t need your interference to grow my club. I can do it on my own.”

“You’re still full of shit, I see.” He blew out a gust of smoke. “But no, I didn’t interfere.”

Could I believe him? But I had no evidence to support my suspicion, so I dropped it. “Wouldn’t have thought I’d live to see the day our clubhouse is full of Reapers.”

“Still not the most bizarre shit I’ve seen recently.” Grimm looked me up and down. “You look good.”

“I’m not interested in your ass, Grimm. That was ages ago.”

He laughed, the sound reminding me of our childhood. The three of us—him, Mason, and me—fucking around and being the terrible trio of Smoky Vale. We’d done everything together from stealing to wanking off.

“We were such arrogant shits back then. Now look at us. Time has flown, but I can’t even be sad about it.”

“Why would you be? Time’s been on your side. Mason’s kid grew up and landed in your bed.”

“Hey, I kept that kid away from me for years. He was just damn persistent.”

I shook my head. “Still can’t believe Mason let you fuck around with his son.”

“Believe me, he was not a fan. Jamie wasn’t supposed to return to Smoky Vale. He was just too damn stubborn about the whole thing. Mason even took him back to the airport when he got here.”

“You don’t regret keeping him around?”

“I used to. Not anymore. I’d die before I let anything happen to that boy.”

“We owe it to Mason to look after him. I know for sure Mason didn’t want Jamie being in this lifestyle.”

“But he’s happy. Speaking of happy, you seem a lot less cranky these days. How are things going with Witter?”

I raised an eyebrow. Why had Grimm mentioned Ben? Was he referring to the case or something more personal?

“Not much luck,” I said. “I suggested he have your tech guy look into the notes he got from Paddy, but Ben being Ben, he has to do everything by the book.”

“For someone in his position, that’s not a bad thing.”

“Except he’s not getting anywhere because he won’t step outside the lines a little.”

“Is that what you’re doing with him? Stepping outside the lines a little?”

I frowned and cocked my head to the side. “What is it you want to say, Grimm?”

“Come on, Gunner. There’s not a biker here who hasn’t heard about you and the chief of police. Of course they’re saluting you for fucking him. It seems that’s all it took for them to forget their homophobia—you sticking it to a man like Ben so high up in the police force.”

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