Page 97 of Burning Bridges Duet

“No, I’m a bad friend and I nearly punched your guy for upsetting you. Where are you? Should I come and get you? I can still head over to that fancy fitness studio and kick his ass,” he grumbles, and I chuckle at the thought of Chase getting his ass kicked by Gunner.

“Are you at home? I just finished my classes. I have some ice cream in my freezer we could eat, and I’ll tell you everything.”

“I’m here,” he says.

“On my way,” I tell him before texting the guys my new plans and heading home.

Gunner is waiting in front of the apartment complex when I pull up at the curb. I’m not even fully out of the car when he snatches me up and pulls me into his arms, my feet dangling above the ground.

“Gun, I can’t breathe,” I mutter into his chest, so he eases up a bit but doesn’t let me go.

“Don’t do that shit to me ever again,” he says, his voice breaking, and I feel so bad for not considering his feelings in this whole mess.

I couldn’t even send him a short text to let him know that I’m okay? I’m the bad friend in this scenario.

“I’m sorry I worried you,” I say as he sets me back down on my feet. “Let’s go upstairs and talk about everything. I’m sorry I didn’t check in with you earlier. Was there something going on with your dad again?” I ask, studying his face. It looks almost normal now.

I consider telling Gunner my entire story, like I did with the guys. I want to, but I don’t think I can do it right now. Telling the guys already took everything out of me, and I don’t think I have the strength to share all of it again so soon. I’ll tell him, just not right now. We have time. For now, I’ll explain the misunderstanding with Chase.

“No, I haven’t heard from him, but I have to go back to work tomorrow,” he says, and I feel a pang of guilt again for not keeping in touch with him.

“Will you be okay?” I ask.

He nods, but I can tell he’s not entirely convinced himself.

“Please text me from time to time to let me know how you’re doing,” I say.

“Like you did?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.

Oh wow, he’s really mad. We get to my apartment, and I let him in.

“Gun,” I murmur, pulling him into an embrace. “I’m so sorry.”

He lifts me by my thighs and walks to my bed, sitting us down, his back against the headboard and me straddling him. I want to look up at him, but he squeezes me tight, so I relax into his bear hug.

“What did the fucker do? Do I have to get a gun without a serial number?” he asks, completely deadpan, and I laugh into his chest.

“No, stop it. We don’t need to murder any of them, clear?”

He eases up his embrace, so I lean back and look at his face to find him smirking.

“Crystal,” he says, and I smile. “I’m better with my fists anyway.”

“Gun!” I hiss, playfully punching him in the chest, but I quickly pull back, my knuckles hurting. “Fuck, you’re like a wall,” I say with a groan.

“Livy,” he starts, his eyes sad. “What did he do?”

I take a deep breath before answering.

“It was all a misunderstanding,” I say, and his brows furrow.

“How come?” he asks.

I sigh heavily. “I went into the studio to bring the guys coffee, but just when I got in, I found him kissing one of his students.”

Gunner shoots upright, and I have to grab onto his shirt to avoid falling off his lap.

“He did what?” he nearly shouts in disbelief.