Page 29 of Gunner

You can’t just walk up and tell a guy a woman is yours, without at least asking the woman if she wanted to be owned.

No woman wanted to be owned.

Ok, so a few women wanted to be owned.

I could think of four off the top of my head.

There was Beck. She wore a property cut with Blade’s name on it. Blade was Micah. They both went to school with me, though they were a couple of years behind me. Then we thought Micah died in a car accident. Turned out his family was in witness protection and they had to move them. He came backwith the MC five years ago, but they only recently got together. I didn’t know the entire story, only the rumors going around.

Then there was Sam. She used to work in the diner. She was sweet, funny. Apparently, if the rumors were true, Sam and Jack hooked up five years ago in Arkansas, where the club originated from, and had a child. They also only reconnected recently.

Ellie, of course. She came to town recently to do a book signing at the bookstore, and Ryder snatched her up quick. They had a bit of a rocky start. Ryder got shot, and again I didn’t know the whole story, only the rumors. But she also wore a cut like Sam and Beck, now that Ryder had joined the club. She seemed happy though.

Then there was Rachel. She was friends with Blade, Ryder, and Beck. The four of them were always together growing up. She’d had an extreme makeover while I was away at college. I almost didn’t recognize her when I came home. She wore Cash’s cut. They seemed like they loved each other, but the Rachel I knew when we were kids was not the Rachel who snagged herself a biker.

I wasn’t sure what changed while I was gone. I knew her mom passed away and that could have a major impact on someone.

Now I would never have the opportunity to find out. She was gone.

Wait.

Thinking about these women and their stories, I had to wonder why I was doing online therapy. Coming home, I didn’t think there would be enough people around to support myself with counseling, so I did it online.

However, I realized now that there was a lot of dysfunction in this town. Maybe I should look into getting an office. Or I could create an office in my home.

I walked down the street toward my car, thinking about the possibilities. My mind pushing all thoughts of the sexy biker the town would soon believe claimed me out of my mind.

Who was I kidding?

Thoughts of Gunner were always front and center in my brain. No matter how hard I tried, I hadn’t stopped thinking about him since I moved home and saw him for the first time.

I had no real reason to be mad that I now wouldn’t be able to get a date, because any dates I had, I compared to him. And believe me when I say this.

No one compared to Gunner.

Chapter Eight

Gunner

Shit.

What the fuck did I just do?

I think I just claimed Haizley Walker.

Seeing that punk ass kid Brian Castor touch her had me losing my mind. That was the only explanation.

Pulling into The Diner, I backed my bike into a spot. It was still too fucking cold to be on the bike, but I needed to clear my head. Today was the warmest day we’d had in months, and while the wind was frigid against my face, thanks to the sun, the temperature was almost at fifty. It was worth braving the cold wind after months of being stuck in a cage.

I should have sat at the counter, since I was alone, but I wanted the comfort of a booth, and Joellen never denied me that, given how long my legs were.

“Hey, Gunner. What can I get for you?” Julie asked, her pen and pad in her hand.

“Coffee and the lunch special.”

“You got it.”

She bounced away and I admit, I watched her ass as she did.

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