Page 26 of Gunner
“Do you think you deserve her forgiveness? After making her see that, knowing she’s struggled with intimacy her entire life? She shattered, and I had to pick up the pieces, taking care of Jacob, and trying to fix your fuck-up. It took over a week before she stopped crying, and even then, I knew she was still hurting in private.”
“I’m so sorry, Dalton. I’d do anything to change what happened, but I can’t. I can only promise that it will never happen again. And to answer your question, I wouldn’t blame her if she never spoke to me again. I deserve the pain of seeing her happy with someone else, knowing I lost her because of my own selfish actions,” I admitted quietly, and he chuckled.
“She’s not seeing anyone. Well, not until tomorrow afternoon.” My gaze snapped to him, and he had a smug smile on his face as he explained, “She finally accepted a date with a boring accountant after months of the guy asking.”
“How do you know that?”
“One of the girls from the bakery where she works keeps me in the loop on what’s happening with my sister.” He winked, and I shook my head, knowing he got his information by using his dick.
“Bakery?”
“Oh man, you are so out of the loop,” he replied with laughter, and for the next thirty minutes, he filled me in on Sadie’s new job, her graduation and promotion, and her intensive counseling to help deal with her issues.
“So, she finally talked to you about . . .” I left the word to linger in the air, and he glanced down before nodding.
I swallowed thickly, realizing the significance of her admission. My sweet Sadie was stronger, and she got there without me. Separately, we sought help, and together, I hoped we could heal.
“How do I get her to talk to me?” I asked, and he leaned over, explaining his plan.
In hindsight, I shouldn’t have followed her to the lake. I could see how defensive she was when she first saw me, and I knew the pain I caused her would take years to fix. If she ever gave me the chance to fix it.
I found myself back at the compound, and when I got to my cabin, I got Bear from Piper, and he ran to the front door of my cabin, scratching against the wood. Using my key, I opened the door, walked inside, and tossed my keys onto the small table near the door. Bear sniffed around the floor, and I saw the place was clean and smelling fresh. A note attached to the fridge drew my attention, and I walked across the living room into the open kitchen. Taking the note off the fridge, I smiled as I read it.
Kade,
Welcome home! I spruced the place up and stocked some basic groceries for you. Bear’s food is in the cabinet, and I got him some new toys. If you need anything, let me know, and I’ll get it taken care of! We’re happy you’re home, Gunner.
Piper
Gaining the approval of the club’s first lady meant there was a chance Sadie would forgive me. I just had to find a way to get her to talk to me again. I pinned the unopened letter to her on the front of the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. After changing into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, I settled onto the couch and picked up my tablet.
During therapy, reading became a way to escape the intense bombardment of feelings. Opening up the latest suspense thriller from an up-and-coming indie author I started following last year, I settled into my book. Sadie always had her tablet in her hands, reading some steamy romance, and I finally understood the addiction to books.
Bear crawled up on the end of the couch and laid his head on my legs, so I put the tablet down and reached down, scratching his head. I looked around the room as the sound of brothers moving around in the yard filtered through the open windows.
Life in the MC was hard and being tough all the time was draining. There was blood that needed to be spilled from time to time, and I accepted that fact when I prospected with the club. Smokey said he wasn’t putting me back in the gun range for a while, so I needed to find a job with one of the club’s other businesses so I could contribute. Wherever they put me, I would prove my worth to them, and myself, all over again.
A knock on the front door had me lifting my head, and Bear yawned leisurely before putting his head back down and closing his eyes. I shook my head at the sleeping animal and stood from the couch. When I opened the door, I wasn’t prepared to see Sadie standing in front of me. Bear jumped from the couch with his nails clacking on the wooden floor and pushed past me. He whined and shimmied around Sadie, and she knelt with a smile on her face before scratching his face and back as he licked her face in sheer joy.
“Hey, buddy. Did you miss me?” she asked as him, and he licked her again.
She stood and wiped her hands on her blue jean shorts before looking up at me. I stood frozen in the doorway, unsure of what to do next, when she asked, “Can I come in?”
“Yes, please,” I replied and stepped to the side to allow her to walk in. Bear followed closely, and when she looked at me, I offered, “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Do you have any sweet tea?” she asked, and I smiled.
“Piper made a gallon for me. Let me get it, and you can sit down if you want to.”
She nodded, with some hesitation, and I walked quickly to the kitchen and made our drinks. She was sitting on the edge of the couch with her hands clasped together in her lap as she swung her gaze around the room. The personal touches she had put into the cabin were long gone, and I could see the sadness in her eyes.
I handed her the glass and sat down on the opposite end of the couch, giving her as much space as I could, when all I wanted to do was pull her into my arms and kiss her breathless. I fought the urge to beg for her forgiveness, knowing a Death Hound begged no one. For Sadie, I would beg in front of the world for one more chance at her amazing love.
Jesus, where the hell did this sappy shit come from?
My eyes were filled with little hearts and flowers just being close to her, and I questioned if the medication was fucking with my perception.
She took a sip of her drink and set it on the small table in front of the couch before turning her attention to me. “Why did you do what you did so that I could see? Was it to show me what you were missing or what you’d been doing all along?”
