Page 78 of Gunner

By the time we arrived at the clubhouse, I’d pushed my unresolved feelings for Witter from my mind. More bikes than usual were parked in the yard, some were the rides of the new prospects we’d attracted so far. Not as many as I’d hoped had signed up, but more than we had previously, so still a win.

Whether from his training or pure instinct, Zeus trotted beside me, looking left and right, curious about his new surroundings. He seemed alert, with his ears perked up and his nose twitching at every scent wafting through the crisp morning air. The newness of the place didn’t unsettle him; instead, it appeared to invigorate the dog, adding a spring to his step and a heightened eagerness to his movements.

I let him wander around and piss on a tree just like I wanted to mark his owner. Laughing at the thought, I guided him toward the clubhouse.

The mess hall was buzzing with people. When we entered, Chris, who’d been sitting with Max, shot to his feet.

“Oh my god.” He came over but stopped a couple of feet away. “Can I pet him?”

I shrugged. “Sure.” Witter hadn’t said anything about that, and it wasn’t like Zeus was still a working dog.

“Thanks.” Chris dropped to his knees and tentatively reached out for Zeus to sniff. Zeus approached calmly, his tail waggingas he assessed the new person. His nose quivered as he took in Chris’s scent.

After a moment, apparently deciding Chris was friend rather than foe, Zeus nudged his hand with his nose, an unmistakable invitation for affection. Chris grinned, a wide, genuine smile, and scratched behind Zeus’s ears. The dog leaned into the touch, his eyes closing in contentment.

“And here I thought I was special.” I sighed. “Turns out you’re a softie for anyone who rubs your belly.”

Chris laughed and did just that. “Who’s a good boy?”

He had come a long way after being rescued from sex trafficking. Seeing him with Zeus reminded me of why I’d made the effort to sober up. Maybe I could have prevented what had happened to him if I’d been more vigilant. A lot of things could have been prevented.

“Do you mind watching him for a bit while I change?” I asked Chris.

“Sure. I’m not letting him out of my sight.”

While Zeus stretched out on his back for Chris to rub him, I headed to my room. Shit. The place was once more a disaster zone. I sent a quick message to Candace that I needed her services. Then I hit the shower. Red scratches from Ben’s nails marred my stomach but were nothing compared to those I’d left on him. Seeing them was way more satisfying than it should be, but they were evidence of what we’d done last night. Of Ben wanting more than his dislike for me.

“We got a mascot for the club now?” Tango asked me when I entered the mess hall. Zeus scrambled to his feet, yapped at Tango, and trotted over to me. Tango scowled. “We’re not seriously letting a dog stay here, are we?”

“He’s a guest. For as long as he’s here, you’ll treat him like one.”

Tango scoffed. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“Hardly. In fact, I need you to get him a bowl of water.” I scratched behind Zeus’s ear. “You’re thirsty, aren’t you, boy?”

“I draw the line at being a dog’s errand boy, Gunner.”

“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow, and the air crackled with tension between us. With a huff, he stormed off to fetch the water. What other choice did he have? He had to obey me or never carry anything again in his life. Lately, he’d been getting mouthy and needed to be knocked down a peg or two.

Just as I took a seat next to Chris, since Zeus had taken a liking to the boy, Grimm stalked up to me, his face set in a determined line.

“Gunner,” he barked. “We need to talk.”

“Can’t even sit for five minutes.” With a huff, I stood and walked with Grimm out into the hall, Zeus trotting after us. The way he followed me around could get annoying, but it was nice too. “What’s up?”

“We have trouble at the casino,” Grimm said.

“What trouble?”

“The missing pregnant convict was found dead.”

My body went rigid. “What does that have to do with me? You think I killed her?”

“Her body was discovered in the dumpster out back at the casino. The police have shut down operations, and they’ve held Bay for questioning.”

The phone call Ben received had to have been about this. Goddammit, why hadn’t Ben told me? Did he think my club was responsible for the death of this woman?

“How did that body end up in the dumpster?”

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