Stone Cold: A Bad Boy Romance (58 page)

Adrenaline still coursed through my veins as I parked my car at the club. The cops weren't close to catching me, but all it took was one mistake and I was headed back to the slammer. There was no way I was going to waste another year of my life sitting in a cell. Not after all I sacrificed for this country. If worse came to worse, I'd use my nine millimeter. I swung the keys around my finger as I walked inside.

Jail was hard but not nearly as hard as living in Afghanistan for four years. The cops charged me with carrying a concealed weapon. The judge wanted to make an example of me and gave me a year. Another year that was lost to me. Doing the year was easy but sitting alone with my thoughts was tough. Having to remember everything I did during the war every night.

Never again.

Wyatt greeted me and gave me the usual talk about the cops putting bracelets on me one day. Over my dead body.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted someone new. She wasn't the usual fare we got here at the VA: shoulder-length brunette, brown eyes, and innocent. You can tell the difference between the bad guys and the good guys—she was a good girl.

She had a gravity about her that pulled me in. I didn't even wait to ask who she was before I found myself walking her way.

“Name's Gunner,” I announced. Talking to women was like second nature to me. I could strike up a conversation with anyone.

The woman stared up at me from the table, not saying a word. I couldn't tell if she was frightened or just didn't care. She closed her eyes and gulped. “I'm Veronica.”

Her voice was heavenly. I glanced down at her cleavage and felt a pang of desire in my pants.

I shook her hand and felt a jolt of electricity zap through me. A feeling I'd never experienced before. I'd been with a lot of women—too many to count. But this one was different.

“What are you doing in a place like this?” I asked.

“I'm an anthropology major and I'm doing a paper on veterans.” I had no idea what anthropology was but she sounded very smart. Her eyes averted my gaze—I just needed one more look at that beautiful face.

I put my finger and thumb on her chin and lifted her head until her eyes met mine. I lost my breath as we stared at each other for an eternity. I wanted this woman—
fucking needed her.

“If you need help with anything, just ask me.”

“I actually need to interview a member—basic questions about the Veterans Association. Don't worry it's nothing too personal.”

“I could do that.” I sat down across from her. The tension between us was palpable.

Wyatt screamed from across the room. “Gunner, get your ass over here! Time for the club business.”

Fuck...

I wanted to forget all about my brothers and spend forever with this girl.

I snapped back to reality—why was I letting a woman affect me so much?

I never told anyone my secret. Not even to my best friends. It was too embarrassing—too weird.

Here it goes...I have never been with a man before.

I had some boyfriends in middle school but the farthest we ever got was hand-holding. It's not like I didn't want to go further. They were all too good for me. Once I got to high school and college, I was so busy that I had no time to find a man.

This one just plopped into my lap and I had no idea what to do with him. All that studying for school wasn't going to help me in a real-life situation. Gunner was different than any other guy I'd met; something about the way he held himself. He was cocky and strong—he could get anything he wanted, including me.

Wyatt screamed from across the room. “Gunner, get your ass over here! Time for the club vote.”

“I'm sorry Veronica, we'll have to put that interview on hold. Got to go vote.”

“What's a club vote?” I asked, gazing at him from behind my lashes. The alcohol was still knocking at my front door.

Gunner leaned back in his seat. “The brothers vote on different issues impacting veterans in the community. Everyone gets an equal vote and majority wins.”

It was hard to focus with all the desire pooling between my thighs. I quickly jotted down as much as I could. This stuff was actually interesting!

“Can I come in and observe?” I muttered. I didn't know if I was overstepping my bounds or not.

Gunner smirked. “I wish you could, honey.”

Oh my! Honey? When did I become honey?

“Club votes are for members only. It's a very sacred tradition. Life and death happens in that room.”

I wrote down all the juicy details he was spilling. I didn't want him to stop talking.

Gunner stood up. “I'll be back later and we can talk.”

No! Don't go yet!

“I hope so,” I replied.

“Don't worry, I won't leave a beautiful girl like yourself alone for too long.” He winked.

My cheeks flushed with all the red in the world.
Beautiful?
What was this man doing to me?

After the vote, I came back to the main hall to find Veronica gone. I asked around and nobody saw her leave. She wasn't the first nice girl to escape when she had the chance. My muscles and inked body weren't for everybody.

Grunts like me were the bottom of the barrel. Prostitutes and sluts were in abundance—but a genuine woman. They were hard to find.

A week later I'd forgotten all about that pretty brunette and moved on. My brothers and I were moving on a major deal that could gain us some serious cash.

John found me in the basement one morning pumping iron on the bench press. “Isn't that too much weight?” he asked, rushing over to spot me.

I strained as I lifted the two hundred bar of weights above my chest. A few years ago in the army I was only able to do under one-fifty. After leaving the army, I had a lot of time on my hands and working out was the natural way to pass it. Add a prison sentence and weight training was all you knew.

John grabbed the bar and helped me lift it back into place. I sat up and grabbed a white towel to wipe the dripping sweat from my face. “Where are we with the Russians?”

John started lifting two free weights. “We have a meet set up with them for later this week,” he grunted.

“You think they're going to go through with the deal?”

John strained his bicep as he brought the weight to his shoulder. “Should go smoothly. The Russians are in dire need of cash.”

“Why are we buying guns? We have plenty.”

“We need a relationship with the Russians. They're flooding into this town and soon they'll be running it. We don't want to be left out.”

John's explanation made sense. But I still had a nagging feeling that this was a bad move. But I'd never question John.

John set down the free weights. “You seen that chick that was supposed to be interviewing us around here?”

He was talking about Veronica. I hadn't seen her but she had been on my mind since that first meeting. I shook my head. “Haven't seen her since that first day.”

“Do a favor for me then. Track her down and make sure she completes her assignment. Professor Capshaw is a good friend of mine and I don't want to disappointment.”

Finding Veronica wouldn't be too difficult. Just needed to get her address from the school.  “You got it, brother.”

I sat at a lunch table in the middle of school, daydreaming about Gunner. His tight shirt and shredded muscles were so damn hot. How could a man affect me so much? I could barely think straight. I needed to focus on my Anthro paper.

I couldn't stay at the Veterans Association. Something about the place scared me. I don't know what it was exactly. But after meeting with Gunner, my instincts were to run for the hills. That left me in a precarious situation. Do I go back and finish my paper with them or go to Mr. Capshaw and ask for another club?

“You going to stare at that wall all day?”

That voice snapped me out of my head and I looked up to find Gunner standing there, his arms crossed and a giant grin across his face. My heart fluttered. “What are you doing here?”

Gunner sat down at the table across from me. “You ran out on us last week. John wanted me to come find you and convince you to come back.”

I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eyes. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave like that. I don't even know why I did it.”

“We have a pretty tough exterior. Can't blame you for getting out of there.”

I looked up and into his eyes. My whole body warmed as I stared into his brown globes. “Can I still interview you guys?”

Gunner smiled. “Of course.”

I brought out a pad of paper. “Can I start with you?”

Gunner checked the watch on his wrist. “I have a meeting I need to get to.”

“Can I come with?” I don't know what came over me or where that burst of confidence came from.

Gunner narrowed his eyes at me.

“I promise I won't get in the way.”

“You can't write about what you see.”

I nodded. “You got a deal.” I shook his hand and felt that same spark from before shoot through me.

“Meet me at the VA and we'll leave from there.”

I came to a row of cars at the VA. John, Wyatt, Hudson, and Bryce were all there, checking their weapons. I instantly realized that this wasn't the type of meeting I thought it was going to be.

Bryce bent over and hugged his knees as he vomited all the whiskey he just consumed.

Hudson let out a hearty life and slapped Bryce on the back causing him to throw up even more.

“Which one is yours?” I asked Gunner.

Gunner pointed to the classic red Ford Mustang at the end of the line. I'd only seen one of those in old movies.

“Ever ridden in one before?”

I shook my head.

“You're going to like it.” Gunner shot me a devil-may-care smile that made me melt into a puddle of desire.

Wyatt came over and pulled Gunner to the side. “You're taking her along?” They spoke in hushed tones but it was still easy to overhear.

“Yeah, why not?” Gunner whispered.

“She's not one of us—this is no place for her kind.” Wyatt glanced over at me and snarled.

“I'm taking her with us. She can watch us in my car from a safe distance.”

John pointed at Gunner. “You make sure she's away from all the action.”

Fear bubbled in my chest, raging through my system. Where were they taking me? If it was so dangerous, maybe I shouldn't go. My anthro paper wasn't more important than my life.

Gunner escorted me to the Mustang and opened the door for me. “Don't worry, it'll be fine.”

I smiled. He instantly put me at ease. His strong presence and soft face made me feel safe. I could definitely fall for a guy like this.

Gunner climbed into the driver seat and started the engine. The car rumbled to life. The vibration beneath my thighs was exquisite. “Ready, Veronica?”

My heart pounded in my ears. I'd never felt this excited and scared before. I nodded. I looked for the shoulder seat-belt but couldn't find it. Only a lap belt. I snapped it around my waist.

“This baby was built before all those seat-belt regulations. But don't worry. You'll be safe.”

I laughed. “Good to know.”

Gunner put on a pair of black Ray Bans that made him look so cool and sexy. “You might want to wear sunglasses.”

Gunner switched gears and we lurched forward. We followed the gang out of the abandoned business complex and onto the street. I'd never felt like this around a man before. Dirty thoughts invaded my mind of Gunner taking me the backseat.

Gunner gripped the steering wheel and we launched down the street. The wind blasted around my body and face. My hair whipped back and I inhaled the clean air. Gunner shifted gears and we picked up speed. My heart was beating faster and faster. The adrenaline rush was addicting.

We weaved in and out of cars, following the rest of the group. I recognized the road as Ortega Highway as we swerved around the corners and bends. We slowed down and turned off onto a dirt road. We stopped at a gate blocking our way and Hudson got off and unlocked it for us.

Gunner looked behind. “You're enjoying this aren't you.”

I smiled and nodded.

“Hold on tight because we're going off-road now.”

Yes sir!

The ride was so bumpy and rocky. I felt like I was on a bucking bronco. I gripped onto Gunner's arm harder to keep myself from being thrown out through the open roof.

So many emotions were rolling around in my stomach that I didn't know what to feel.
I was falling hard for Gunner.