Gunner is at his regular table, where he frequently received visitations from his uncle—someone outside his crew. As I take the chair across from him, my gaze catches on the one I met Aspen at, when she showed up in her cute dress, prey in a room full of predators, and smiled so innocently at me.
“She was a pretty thing, wasn’t she?” Gunner’s drawl takes me away from the memories, which is fine since I have the real thing waiting for me at home. “Wherever did you find her?”
“I’m not here to talk about my wife.”
“Oh?” Thick heavyset brows lift towards a receding hairline, lined with a tattoo of a skull. “Congrats. I’d have come, but you know…” He jiggles the cuffs, echoing years of the identical noise from my end.
“No ceremony yet, so there’s still time. She’s yet to realize she will be my wife.”
He laughs loudly, thumping his hands into the metal table. “Boy, you remind me a bit of myself sometimes.”
Game. Set. Match.He lined that up perfectly.
“And here I assumed accepting this visitation request might be a stupid move. You’ve gotten funny since you’ve been out.” He shakes his head, still chuckling.
“Don’t laugh ’til you know why I’m here. I remind you of yourself, because you too have a darling woman you’d burn the world for.”
Ice freezes his expression, all the amusement gone as he looks at the metaphoric cards I’ve laid on the table. “What did you do?” he hisses, leaning forward.
“You hid your past well, Gunnar. So well, you never had either of them visit you because you didn’t want word getting back to me or anyone else who could hold them over you. That’sa guess, by the way, but based on the horror in your expression, I’m gonna say it’s a correct one. You have a good woman by your side as well, don’t you?” I retrieve my phone, open the messages from Bones to find the picture of his woman and their child, and then the second one of a much younger version of Gunner holding her hand. “You’ve kept her away since your arrest, only to then learn she was pregnant with your son.” I swipe the pictures to the one with the child. His intake of breath is louder than a gunshot. “You were scared to link them back to this life until you were free to protect them.”
“How did you find them?” he hisses, reaching for the phone I keep out of reach.
“My guys are good when we’re looking.” And speaking of looking, his gaze won’t leave the screen, devouring his little boy. Man to man, I sympathize, not that I have children out there to sympathize with in the same manner. After a few seconds, I lock the screen. “You’ve yet to meet him, have you?”
His jaw tics. “Cade, show me again.”
“Play nice and I will. I know you told your brother about my visitor. He threatened her. I know you both want me to pay for your imprisonment, but don’t forget what I have access to that you don’t.” I unlock the phone and slide it back his way, but the tap the woman’s face to make my intent clear.
I’d never hurt an innocent, but he doesn’t know that. And in this way of life, one can never be too certain.
“We’ll leave the boy alone. His grandparents, whom he visits each weekend, will be able to finish raising him, but her…”
His teeth snap together. “What do you actually want?”
“Victor’s location and any other information about your crew that you have, which may still be useful. Betray your own to save your future. Decide within the next twenty-four hours, Gunner. Police will be here tomorrow to offer you a deal.” They better beafter this. If he doesn’t take it, Aspen is in even more danger. But considering he’s yet to look away from the phone, he’ll play ball.
“You’re a fucking asshole.”
“I’m a winner, and we both know it. Save yourself the argument.” I reclaim my phone, sliding it into my back pocket. “Don’t hand over the info, and she’s free game. You’ve gone after mine, so I’ll hit back at yours. Or cooperate and take the deal. I’ll call my guys off, and you’ll be released sooner so you, too, get your happily ever after.”
I walk away while he’s seething, knowing who really gained retribution today.
SIXTEEN
ASPEN
There hasn’t beena sign of Cade all day, but his note from this morning has shadowed me like an ominous warning of what’s to come. The note…and his friend, Bones, who’s trailed me during my adulting chores on one of my days off. Or is it, co-worker? Crew member?
As we approach my house, Bones falls even farther back. “Cade’s inside. See ya around, Aspen.”
Of course he made himself at home in my place.
Bones turns away once I shut the door. I kick off my boots and coat, immediately going to greet Millie…who isn’t here like she normally is. She’s probably distracted by our visitor.
After dropping my bags, I wander down the hallway, following the scent of something mouth-watering that wraps its smoky tendrils around me and propels me into the kitchen.
There, standing by my small round table is Cade, holding Millie in his arms. The lights are low, and candles are scattered all around the kitchen, giving the room quite the ambience.
