Page 17 of Gunner

I was watching over her. She kept herself locked inside because she was afraid of something. She needed someone to protect her.

That someone was me.

“Any news on Sypher?” Blade asked.

“Nothing. Fury said he’d call when he had something. I got a call from Steele, though. Freeway’s getting out. He wants to send him up here.”

“What the fuck? Why?”

“Too much shit goin’ on down there. With his... history, Steele thinks it would be best if he had a new place to land.”

“King,” Blade whined. “Freeway is an asshole.”

“I know, but he’s a brother.”

“Have you told Dec yet?” Cash asked.

Declan was the one who put Freeway in jail for drug dealing. He went to Steele after the fact and worked it out. Dec had caught Freeway dealing at one of the elementary schools in Arkansas. Steele had understood, and if I had to guess, that was why he was sending him up here.

Freeway had become a liability back home. He didn’t always follow the rules, and by sending him up here, he knew that Declan wouldn’t think twice about tossing his ass back in a cell if he stepped out of line.

“No, and I’m not going to. Not until he’s out and on his way here. Steele assures me he has spoken with Freeway and explained everything. We aren’t a 1% club anymore, and if Freeway wants to stay in, he has to act accordingly.”

“This is a bad idea.”

I agreed with Jingles.

Having Freeway here wasn’t the best idea. But when the president of the Mother Chapter gave an order, you followed it.

We would just have to make it work.

Chapter Five

Haizley

The subzero temperatures of January in Nebraska had me hiding in my house most days.

There wasn’t much of a reason for me to brave the cold. I didn’t have family to visit or friends to hang out with. And of course, no boyfriend to go on dates with.

So, I hibernated like a bear.

Except unlike a bear, I had to venture out occasionally to do things like buy groceries or get a drink at the bar. Or do something wild like try to get a piercing.

How the hell did I not know Gunner owned the tattoo shop? I guess I never really looked into them beyond the surface. I knew the Silver Shadows owned it, but not specifically Gunner. So, when I found him there, any notion I had of doing something crazy flew right out the window.

Dammit, I really wanted that piercing.

I had never done anything crazy. How could I? I had been on my own since I was sixteen. I had to be responsible.

My phone began to ring, and I looked down to see the number for the Ink shop. It was likely Indigo calling to reschedule. But what if it wasn’t? What if it was Gunner?

Why would he call me?

That was a valid point.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Haizley, it’s Indie. I’m calling about your piercing appointment.”