Page 15 of Gunner
“I’ve never wanted anything more than to be an old lady, but . . . is it too soon? We just met. We haven’t even . . .” Her whispered words trailed off softly, spoken only to me.
I leaned over, kissing her, before answering, “When a man knows, he knows.”
Her eyes glistened and her gaze fell to her lap when Bullet yelled, “Hounds! Church!”
I stood along with the other brothers at the table. Sadie looked over her shoulder to the clubhouse and turned her attention back to Jacob. Piper sat down at the end of the table and winked at me, somehow sensing my apprehension at leaving her. I knew Sadie was safer here than anywhere, but her vulnerability last night was still playing in my mind.
“I’ll be back. Bear, stay with Sadie.” He laid down at her feet, and I kissed her softly, rubbed my hand through Jacob’s hair, and sauntered into church, feeling like I owned the world.
The club officers wanted a meeting with Devlin Callahan, and Skid and I were told we were attending. I wanted to meet the man who saved my girl’s brother and see for myself if he was the type of man that could be trusted. Just because he supposedly killed Marco didn’t mean he was honorable. He saved Jacob last night, but his motives were unclear, so when I was invited along, I nodded my thanks to Smokey for his trust in me.
After I got Sadie and Jacob settled into my cabin with Bear, we rode out of the compound, twelve members strong. The group of loud bikes took up the lane as we rode side by side through the no man’s land leading to the Flats.
The MC never terrorized citizens, but the club’s reputation proceeded us. If you fuck with us, we will fuck you up. Period. No second chances.
I watched as people scurried into their houses and felt the power from my patch as we traversed the streets. From outward appearances, some of the drug houses and a few of the whore houses were no longer operating, and a couple of houses seemed to be in various stages of repair.
We pulled up to an older house that was well maintained and parked our bikes in a row along the curb. I set the kickstand and stood from my bike, feeling the power of my brothers surround me. Usually, a prospect would be left to watch our bikes, but no one would touch them here out of fear and respect. As a group, we walked to the front door, and Smokey knocked with force.
I looked around from my position on the sidewalk and saw a camera mounted on every corner of the house. Nudging Skid, I tilted my head up, and he turned toward the camera. With a single head nod, we fell silent as the door opened, and a man answered with a looked of disinterest at the wall of Death Hounds staring him down.
“We’re here to speak with Callahan,” Smokey explained to his bored expression, and he stepped to the side, allowing us to enter.
Heavy boots and leather filled the room, and shortly, a man entered, wearing black flak pants and shirt with two guns tucked under his arms. He took in the scene and extended his hand to Smokey with outward respect.
“What can I do for the Death Hounds?” he asked, leaning against the wall.
“You kill someone last night?” Smokey inquired, and he tilted his head, rubbing his hand along his beard-covered jaw.
“Some asshole was trying to jack a little kid, so I ended him. Was he one of yours?” His interest seemed limited, but I could see the wheels turning in his head.
“The kid belongs to us. The asshole . . .” Smokey shrugged and let the sentence die.
“So, what’s the problem?”
“No problem, we just wanted to find out what your reasoning was behind it and to say we’re in your debt.”
“There’s no debt to be paid. Some people need to be put down like the dogs they are, and I was in the right place at the right time.” He shrugged.
The man who opened the door stood off to the side, watching but never engaging, and I could see a level of darkness behind his eyes that shocked me. He looked like a college frat brother with brown hair and green eyes that were cold and dead. Devlin looked to the nameless man, and he shrugged, appearing bored.
“The boy was my brother, and I owe you a debt of my life. Whatever you need, I’ll do until you feel the debt has been paid,” Skid remarked, and my gaze snapped to his.
He met with Smokey and Bullet earlier this morning, and it shocked me he was willing to distance himself from the Hounds to help this man. Family was paramount to him, and it worried me that Sadie and Jacob would be away from him if Callahan took him up on the offer. Rumors were just that, rumors. And the rumors of Callahan worried me for my friend, but I had to trust him to do what he felt was right.
Smokey glanced at me and nodded slightly before turning back to Callahan. He looked over his shoulder to the man observing and asked, “What do you think, James?”
“I think it’s a great idea. We can help each other out when needed and we all win.”
“Then it’s settled. What’s your name, kid?”
“Dalton, but my brothers call me Skid.”
Callahan walked to Skid and extended his hand to him. Skid locked arms to the elbow with him and they both nodded. With no additional conversation, we left the house and, as a group, rode out of the Flats and back to the clubhouse. I kept casting glances at Skid as we rode back to the clubhouse.
When we arrived, I saw Sadie and Jacob tossing a ball for Bear and I stopped Skid before he walked away. Something else was going on with him besides what happened with Jacob last night.
“Are you sure this is what you want to do? You’re leaving them vulnerable when you’re not with them.”
