Released: MC Secret Baby Romance (New Adult Contemporary Biker Romance) (4 page)

Gunner's face darkened and his eyes trailed off into the distance. He was no longer listening to Hannah. Hannah frowned as she followed Gunner's gaze. Behind them, she could see two youths approaching, wearing cuts from a rival club. Their club was small, but their members were ruthless, and they had been after the James Brother territory for as long as Gunner could remember.

"Gunner," Hannah started. The last thing this town needed was another club war. Atlas was still reeling from the devastation that the two clubs had wrought only a few short years ago when the streets had run red, and the body count was high on both sides.

"They stitched us up, Hannah," Gunner said through gritted teeth. Hannah gently laid her hand on Gunners arm.

"But, you're out now and that's all that matters," she whispered. Gunner's eyes drifted back toward Hannah and, for the first time, he saw a glimmer of hope. From their position, they could see that the two youths had now noticed them, their pace quickening as they made out the members of their enemy club.

"Get out of here," Gunner warned Hannah. She shook her head.

"I’m not leaving."

"We don’t want any trouble," Gunner called as the two men approached, spreading his palms.

"Then, you shouldn't have come over to our side of town. I thought the rules were pretty clear," the older of the pair sneered. They showed no finesse; they were simply thugs. Gunner's contempt for their club was shared by the people of the town, but in public, they steered clear of choosing any sides.

"Yeah, you’re right, man," Gunner said through gritted teeth.

Hannah raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. His response surprised her. Usually, Gunner's comments were smart-mouthed, aimed at provoking the young men to respond with their fists.
Maybe he has changed
, Hannah thought.

"Well, now we have a problem," the older youth spoke again. Gunner could feel Bolt and Kit tense behind him, ready to defend their president at a moment's notice. He flicked his finger casually in their direction, ordering them to stand down. These youths didn't need any provocation to throw the first punch.

"We don’t have to have a problem," Gunner said, casually. "Me and my men can simply be on our way. No harm, no foul."

"Pussy," the younger youth sneered.

Gunner's jaw tightened. Had this been the Gunner of a few years ago, he would have put these two in their place. Now, he was trying desperately to prove he could go straight and win a place in Hannah and Charlie's lives. He could feel Bolt and Kit's eyes burning into his back, their leader's response perplexing them. In their eyes, these boys deserved to be put in their place with a few well aimed punches. Gunner rose from his position, leaning against his bike. He was taller and more muscular than the pair, and they knew it.

"The way I see it is that it’s three on two. The odds are in my favor, not yours," Gunner growled. "Thing is, we’ve just come out of three years in prison, so we’ve had a lot of time to be pissed off." Behind them, Kit and Bolt followed their president's lead, switching their bikes off and rising.

The rival duo considered their chances; neither one wanting to be the first one to back down. The oldest of the pair had more smarts. He had heard of Bolt and the damage he could do with his fists.

"I suppose we can overlook a simple trespass this time, but next time, it won't go unpunished," he said, eyeing up his younger companion.

“You do that,” Gunner said evenly, taking out his sunglasses and putting them on. The pair hesitated before turning back the way they had come and walking slowly away. They didn’t look back, but Gunner knew they were watching them to make sure they left. Gunner looked back over at Hannah.

"Now, can I give you a ride home?"

Hannah shook her head and snorted. "Nice try, Gunner, but I'm walking home." Picking up her shopping bags, Hannah once again began the short trek back to the apartment. Thoughts of Charlie, Gunner, and the club plagued her, and she wished she knew what to think. Has Gunner really changed, or was all that just for show?

Chapter Seven

Charlie squealed in delight as the giant biker threw her once more up into the air, catching her as she plummeted back down toward earth. Hannah watched the pair as she stirred the pot on the stove, the gentle aroma of tomatoes and garlic filling the tiny apartment. She didn't know what had made her agree to this, to having Gunner over for dinner so he could spend some time with Charlie. Gunner had caught her at a weak moment, the desperation evident in his voice.

He had pleaded with her this afternoon at the diner. "I need something good to hold onto, Hannah. Charlie can be that something good – something that can keep me straight."

She was too tired and too confused to argue. Gunner had been back in town less than a week, and already, he was running away with Hannah's heart all over again. Every fiber in her being told her she needed to run, to get out of Atlas as fast as she could, but all the things that had kept her here for so long still remained, and Hannah knew deep down that the reason she had stayed was for this moment, as much as she denied it. The kitchen timer buzzing brought Hannah out of her thoughts and back into the present. Draining the pasta, she set out three plates of spaghetti, spooning a steaming pile of bolognaise on top.

"Go wash up for dinner, Charlie," Hannah called from the kitchen.

"Smells good," Gunner said, turning his attention from the toddler and coming up behind Hannah. The kitchen was tiny, barely enough space for Hannah, let alone Gunner, and they stood pressed tight against one another.

She could feel the heat of his breath on her neck as he leaned over her shoulder.
It would be so easy to reach up and kiss him
, she thought. She pushed the thought firmly out of her mind, though her body already ached for his touch.
Rich is a good man, Hannah
, she told herself, but her heart lacked conviction.

"It's nothing much, really," Hannah said, laughing.

"Well baby, I've spent three years in prison. There's no describing that."

"Gunner, I'm not sure that's a compliment. Besides, have you ever eaten dinner with a toddler before?" Gunner raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure it's going to be a priceless experience."

"Let me put it this way. Have you ever eaten spaghetti with a toddler?"

Gunner laughed, the deep, throaty chuckle that Hannah loved and missed. His hands moved onto her waist, holding her tight against him. "Hannah, I–"

"Finished!" The spell was broken, and Gunner quickly dropped his hold on Hannah. She slipped past Gunner through a small gap, grateful for the distraction, as she lifted Charlie onto her special chair and pushed her toward the table. Gunner made his way over to the table balancing two plates of spaghetti in his hands. Charlie happily banged away on the table with her fork and spoon filling the air with toddler-like music. They looked every bit like a family getting ready for a normal family dinner.

It did not escape Hannah how quickly they had settled back in with one another or how quickly Charlie accepted her father’s presence. She saw the way Gunner looked at Charlie; his eyes held nothing but love for her.

Did I misjudge him
? Hannah thought to herself, but she knew she hadn’t. He has changed, she admitted, but has he changed enough for me to take another chance on him?

Cleaning the spaghetti off the walls and Charlie's face, Hannah looked around at the devastation that now surrounded the small dining room. The walls were splattered orange and red, and Charlie sat in the middle of it all, covered head to toe in spaghetti and sauce.

"She was showing off, you know," Hannah said as she stood, ushering the toddler off toward her bedroom to get changed. "And, so were you," she accused over her shoulder, as she followed Charlie down the hall.

Gunner grinned, but said nothing. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't be angry at her. God knows he tried, but he knew that her instincts were to protect Charlie from people like him. Hell, Gunner himself would protect Charlie and Hannah from people like him.

"Say goodnight to Gunner," Hannah called from Charlie’s bedroom, as the toddler sleepily ran down the hall, wrapping her arms around Gunner's legs and holding them tight.

Emotion coursed through his veins.
I have missed so much
, he thought, shaking his head.

"Night!" Charlie exclaimed as she broke away from Gunner, smiling up at him once more. Gunner leaned down and ruffled her hair.

"Goodnight, Charlie," he said, as he watched Charlie turn and run back down to her room and into her mom's waiting arms. Gunner stood thoughtfully for a moment before wandering over to the sofa and taking a seat. Gunner's giant frame filled the tiny apartment, and all around him, he could see family photos of Hannah, Charlie, and her grandparents on every surface.

"She's finally asleep," Hannah said tiredly, as she came into the living room and turned toward the sofa.

"Do you think she'll ever call me dad?" Gunner said. Looking up toward Hannah, he saw her hesitate.

"Maybe in time, Gunner, but right now, it's too new. I have to think about Charlie and what this means for her. God, she already thinks the world of you. Imagine what it would do to her if something happened to you," Hannah said.
It wouldn’t just kill Charlie
, she thought,
it would kill me
.

Sitting on the couch next to Gunner, she felt inexplicably tired; she was tired from looking after an energetic toddler and working full time, but mostly, she was tired from feeling conflicted about Gunner.

"I should go," Gunner said, turning his body toward Hannah. His eyes searched hers, looking for a reason to stay, but she gave none. Nodding her head, she agreed.

"Now that Charlie's asleep, you should head home." If he kisses me, I’m doomed, she thought, but she wanted him to kiss her; she wanted to feel him against her, his hands exploring her body. Gunner considered this for a moment before quietly rising from the sofa.

"I had a really good time, Hannah," he said, leaning down and kissing her gently on the forehead. He still smelt the same: a mixture of earth and wood. Hannah closed her eyes, letting the memories of stolen kisses rush over her when no one else was looking.

"Me, too," Hannah said, pulling away from Gunner, her eyes meeting his. "Goodnight," she whispered. Gunner wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the words. Instead, he nodded silently and headed toward the front door without looking back. Every fiber in his body told him to turn back and kiss Hannah, to kiss the woman he loved.

Chapter Eight

The minutes since Gunner had left seemed to tick by slowly. Hannah's thoughts wandering to Gunner and Charlie and the family she so desperately wanted. Gunner seemed to have changed after getting out, but was that just a knee-jerk reaction, or would it last? He had done this before, before he went to prison. He promised Hannah it was time for the club to go straight. Every time she had things clear in her head, Gunner would come along and do something that made her fall right back in love with him. A knock at the door startled Hannah out of her thoughts, and she padded down the stairs, cautiously opening the front door.

"Hannah," Gunner whispered.
What was he doing here
? Hannah thought,
hadn’t he left ten minutes ago
?