Page 3 of Marked By the Obsessed Biker
I listen to Pres talk about the compound he plans to build here. He wants a place to build houses for members and a new clubhouse. I do my best to pay full attention, but my mind keeps going to Alice. I know she’s safe; there’s no doubt about that. Besides Ben being with her, I’m sure there are a few other club members or recruits at the bar. Her being safe is my number one priority. But no one is going to protect her like I do.
If she wants to dance with another man, no one there will stop her. If she wants to sit and have a beer with someone, they’re not going to care. I’m the only one that has become completely obsessed with her.
“Gunn,” Pres says.
I jerk my gaze to his. “Yeah, yeah, sorry. I like it. Clubhouse, houses, it’s perfect.”
He turns, arms crossed, and stares at me. “What’s going on with you?”
I shrug and look anywhere but at him. “Nothing.”
He just stares at me, and finally I look at him. “You don’t want to know.”
He juts his chin at me. “Gunn…”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. I ram my hand through my hair and start to pace. “I’m all fucked up, Pres. She’s got me all… ugh, I don’t even know what this is. We can’t even be in the same room together without her getting mad at me. Anything I do, hell, everything I do, I piss her off.”
“Who?” he demands.
I stop pacing and look at him. “Princess.”
He rears back. “Alice?”
I nod slowly, waiting for him to tear into me. He’s not going to be happy with the fact that Alice and I are having our issues. Pres hates this kind of drama and doesn’t want any part of it.
He puts his hands on his hips. “What exactly are you talking about here, Gunn? Why are you pissing her off?”
I point at him. “I’m just doing what you asked. I’m keeping an eye on her. I’m keeping the guys away from her, and let me tell you, that’s harder than you’d think. I mean, she’s a beautiful woman and?—”
Pres cuts me off. “Wait. Which brother is bothering her?”
My forehead creases. “Oh, no, no one with the club. They all know she’s off limits. I mean every other man in Whiskey Run.” I throw my hands up in the air. “Hell, the woman gets hit on everywhere she goes.”
Pres tilts his head, looking at me. “She does, does she?”
I nod my head vigorously. “Yes! It’s irritating as hell. And fuckin’ exhausting.”
Pres crosses his arms over his chest. “So let me ask you, has she asked you to save her from every man in Whiskey Run?”
I pinch my forehead. “Well, no, but you said…”
He laughs. “I said that her father had died and I didn’t want her to come here and have to deal with a bunch of men hitting on her. I wanted to give her time to heal. I didn’t mean that I wanted you to keep every man away from her.”
I just stare at him silently.
He lifts his shoulders again. “It’s no wonder you’re pissing her off.”
My jaw tightens, and I’m about to tell him that there’s no way I’m going to just stand by and watch Alice get hit on, but he starts talking again. “She’s twenty-five, Gunn. If she wants to go out with a guy, you need to stand by and let her. Everyone in Whiskey Run knows that she has the club at her back, and only a fool would mess with her.”
I tense up and jut my chin at him. “You want me to stand down?”
He eyes me. “That’s something you should talk to Alice about.”
I growl, and Pres raises his eyes in surprise.
I tense up. “We done here, Pres?”
He nods. “Yep. You going into town?”
