Page 13 of Gunner

“Come here, Lacey.”

He’d thought she’d refuse, but she made a tentative step towards him, and he moved the rest of the way, opening his arms up to her and feeling ten feet tall when she moved into his embrace.

Her scent surrounded him, wiping out all the doubt that had slithered through his mind like an ugly serpent. As her arms came around him and she settled against him, everything seemed right with the world. He wanted to stand there and bask in the moment, freeze time so they could stay this way and not face the questions and recriminations he knew would come when she found out what he’d done.

He felt her shiver against his chest and rubbed her arms with his hands before kissing her head. “Let’s sit down for a minute.”

Lacey seemed fortified as he let her go and instantly hated the distance between them. Everything in him wanted to take her to bed and reaffirm the connection they’d shared in Germany, but he was loathe to push her into anything further without the facts.

“Would you like a drink? Tea, coffee?”

Gunner shook his head. “No, thanks.” He followed her into the kitchen where she poured herself a glass of water and then sat at the island facing the back of the house. He thought about the men watching her home and was glad she’d closed the blinds.

Sitting on the stool beside her, he turned her to face him, capturing her legs between his knees.

“I owe you an explanation.”

Lacey shook her head. “You don’t owe me anything, Gunner.”

He blew out a frustrated breath. “Okay, I want to explain.”

“I was out with my friends tonight and when I wasn’t drinking, Skye pinned me with her ‘mum’ look and demanded to know why.”

Gunner took her wrist in his hand and rubbed the pulse point gently, just needing to touch her in some way. “Did you tell her?”

“Yes, and then she and all the girls wanted to know whose it was and when I said your name, it was like I had dropped a bomb on the place. Everyone looked at me with pity, and I had to get out of there. I was walking home when Waggs pulled up. Skye had called Nate, who called Waggs and he gave me a lift. When I got here, I got spooked, and he offered to check out the house for me.”

Gunner pulled back at her admission, running his hand through his hair in frustration. He hated that everyone’s reaction to him had blindsided her. He looked away before making eye contact with the woman who was giving him a reason to live, and not because she might be pregnant but because he suddenly had the urge to want a life again. For the first time in more years than he could remember, he wanted more.

“You know about Milla, but what you don’t know is about two years ago some people kidnapped her.” He heard her indrawn breath and saw the compassion on her face, feeling her fingers on his thigh made him continue past the lump in his throat.

“A man I didn’t know knocked on my door and said they had my sister, and if I wanted her to stay alive, I would do as they asked.”

“What did they want from you?”

“To sabotage Eidolon, to feed them information that would weaken the team. They said if I didn’t, they would kill her, but first, they would rape her. I wanted to kill him, still do but I had no choice. If I told Jack or the others, they said they would know. I had to wear a wire at all times, and if I took it off, they would hurt her.”

“You did what any brother would do, Gunner. You protected your sister. She was weaker than Eidolon. They could protect themselves, but she only had you.”

“You don’t understand. I betrayed my friends, the men who’d had my back.” He stood and began to pace as his shame leaked out between them like a pool of tar.

Lacey stayed him with her hand. “You did what you had to do. My guess is none of them blames you for that. Any brother would’ve done the same thing. They’re probably butt hurt and feeling slighted.”

Gunner smirked when he would never have believed humour possible in this situation. “I’m not sure butt hurt is something I would use to describe their reaction.”

“Where is Milla now?”

“Jack and the boys rescued her with Fortis but made it look like they killed her. Now the people who were blackmailing me think I’m working for them because I hate Eidolon.”

“But in reality, you’re working both sides of this, aren’t you? Trying to please everyone and keep everything together and nobody has your back.”

“I don’t deserve what they’re giving me, and that’s a chance to redeem myself.”

“Bullshit. You made a mistake, probably some bad ones but you did it for the right reasons, and you’re trying to make it right.” Lacey paced, her arms crossed, looking fucking beautiful. “Tell me something, if Jack or Waggs had done the same, how would you feel?”

Gunner shrugged. “What does it matter?”

“Humour me.”