Gunn

It was good I hadn’t had time to drink more than I did. I didn’t want to charge over to Susan’s just as drunk as Tim. Maybe going at all was a bad idea, but I had to see for myself. I had to try and get her to understand.

I pulled into Susan Rose’s driveway on Donnelly Street just before dusk. It was like walking into a fucking time capsule. Sure, I’d driven by here over the years but never gotten close. I could feel Scotty’s presence everywhere. Shit, I could almost still smell him.

Sweat trickled down my back as I parked my bike and dismounted. My engine had made enough noise to draw notice from a couple of Susan’s neighbors. Curtains flapped shut in the window next door as I turned to look. Steeling myself for whatever I might find, I walked up the front porch and rang the doorbell.

I should have changed. I shouldn’t have charged over here wearing my cut. Though I wasn’t ashamed, I also wasn’t a dick. This patch might still cause Susan pain and that’s the last thing I wanted.

My heart flew into my throat as the door opened and Brenna stood there, cheeks flushed. She wore her hair back in a ponytail and shifted her weight as she leaned against the door. I took her in. She had on a tight pair of jeans and her tits filled out a little black tank top with gold lettering.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered, looking over her shoulder. “You can’t be here.”

She stepped out on the porch. I towered over her in my boots. She had on a pair of her own, blue suede cowboy boots.

“Your old man stopped by the club,” I said. “He’s on a bender and he’s pissed. Your ma needs to know.”

The color drained from Brenna’s face. “She must have told him,” she said.

“Shit,” I muttered. “So she’s let him back in.”

Brenna shrugged and I saw tears glisten in her eyes. More than anything, I wanted to take her in my arms and get her the hell away from all this. She didn’t deserve the old man she got. Neither of us did. She couldn’t save her mom, it seemed. But I’d be damned if I’d let either of them drag her down too.

“He’s going to show up here,” I said. “You know that.”

“I know.”

“I don’t want you here when he does. Switch drove him back to his house and we’ve got some probies keeping an eye on him. She’ll be safe enough tonight, but if your mom really wants to see him, she will.”

“Brenna?” Susan’s voice cut through me from inside the house. “Did I hear the doorbell?”

“It’s okay, Ma!” Brenna yelled back. “Just some kids selling raffle tickets. I’ve got it.”

“I just bought some from the girls’ softball team!” Susan said.

Brenna grabbed my arm. She led me down the porch steps. “You’ve gotta go,” she said. “If she sees you here …”

“I don’t want you here either! Brenna, I mean it. I know your old man. I know more things than you do.”

She reared back as if my words physically struck her. I hated hurting her but it was true. Scotty had tried to protect Brenna while he was alive. The club stepped in after he died and made sure Tim stayed away. It had lasted for almost seven years. Now all bets were off.

“She’s coming,” Brenna said. “Please, Gunn.”

I put my hands on her upper arms. The urge to pull her close burned through me. I wanted her in my arms. I wanted to shield her with my body and protect her from all the ugly things swirling around her. More than anything, I just wanted her. Damn my soul for it all.

“Come on,” I said. “I’m not taking no for an answer.” I led her away from the front steps. Brenna’s jaw dropped, but she didn’t pull away.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m getting you out of here,” I said. “For my own peace of mind. At least for a little while.”

We stood in the middle of the driveway. I tossed her my helmet. Though her face turned white, Brenna didn’t say no. I put her on the bike and climbed on in front of her. My blood turned to fire as she wrapped her arms around me and pressed her breasts hard against my back.