Page 27 of Gunner

Chapter 13

Gunner stoodmotionless watching the woman he at this moment realised he loved, walk away with Liam a look of betrayal and disappointment on her face.

“How could you, Blake?” Gunner turned to Pax who had grabbed hold of Blake’s arm. “We both know he had no choice. If he’d intervened, they would have killed Milla, and she, unlike me, was completely helpless.”

“He should have found a way.” Blake looked less confident now, but Gunner didn’t care. He closed down every emotion he had, allowing nothing to penetrate his now broken heart. He should go after her and try and explain, but Blake was right, he’d done those things. There was no defending himself. The best thing he could do for Lacey would be to stay away from her and let her live her life. If there was a child from their night in Germany, that would be different, but if not, he should walk away.

“Jack, I need to talk to you.”

Jack was watching from the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and a look of anger on his face. Gunner didn’t know if it was directed at him or not, but right now, he didn’t care. He just wanted to relay this information about his father and update him on the contact with Bás, and then he was going to find a bar and get blind drunk.

Lacey would be safe with Liam and Waggs. He trusted them to keep the woman he loved more than his own pathetic life safe from harm.

“Sure, follow me.” Jack glanced at Alex. “Get everyone in the gym in twenty minutes, and I mean everyone except Liam and Waggs. Leave them on Lacey.”

Alex dipped his head in agreement, and Gunner followed Jack back to his office.

“I’m sorry, Jack.”

Jack leaned back on his desk, crossing his arms, and watched Gunner. “Why do you do that? Take the blame for everyone else when it isn’t on you?”

“I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Well, that was my fault.”

“No, it wasn’t. Blake has every right to be angry, but he doesn’t have the right to do what he just did.”

“He’s hurting. I understand it, Jack. I would be the same if it was Lacey.”

“Maybe but there are ways of doing something, and that fucking ambush wasn’t it.”

Gunner didn’t know what to say to that, so he waited it out.

Jack sighed and uncrossed his arms. “What did you want to tell me?”

“I was in town with Lacey when your father approached us.”

Jack’s face turned to granite; the emotions impossible to read. Only the vibe of fury he was throwing off allowed any insight into how he was feeling.

“And what did dear old dad have to say?”

Gunner could hear the control and the strain in the simple, almost jovial sentence and braced. “Just that he was glad I was working for his sons again and that I should keep Lacey safe as the world was a dangerous place.”

The air in the room suddenly seemed sucked of oxygen and then came the explosion.

“God damn motherfucker. I’m gonna kill him.” Jack spun and swept everything off his desk in a rare show of temper. Gunner stepped back not sure what to do as Jack went on a rampage, throwing the chair across the room. The office door flew open, and Astrid stood in the doorway, looking shocked.

“What the fuck, Granger?”

“Get out, Astrid. I can’t be doing with you right now.”

“Tough shit, because I’m not leaving.”

Gunner stepped up as Alex came running.

“What the hell happened?” Alex glanced at Gunner with a frown, seeking answers to why their boss looked ready to commit murder.