53. Gunnar

Chapter 53

Gunnar

M y nerves are getting the better of me. I can't stop pacing, can't stop worrying, can't stop desperately looking toward the little cabin with lights shining from the windows. The curtains are drawn, and she hasn't come out. I'd tried taking food to her, but she hadn't answered the door, so I'd left it. It still sits on the porch, untouched.

"She wouldn't talk to me," I rasp, running a hand through my hair.

"Do you blame her?" Trent asks, watching me as I pace back and forth. "We put her in danger."

Of the four of us, he's the calmest, as if he knows she was always going to leave, as if he wanted her to. I understand why he feels like that. He never wanted to grow attached in the first place, and of the four of us, he's the one most ready to admit that he's no good for her. But I could be good. I could be anything if given the chance. I really fucking want that chance.

"It's a risk to let her leave," Colt growls, his face pinched with agitation at my frantic pacing.

I whirl on him, anger white hot behind my eyes. " You put her in danger. This is all your fault!"

Colt grins. "So what if I did? Someone had to take action."

"You asshole!" I snarl, rushing forward. Before I can think better of it, I swing, clocking the smug bastard across the jaw. He doesn't try to stop the hit. His head snaps to the side, his hair falling across his face. Slowly, he turns to look back at me, his jaw flexing.

"Do it again," he threatens. "I dare you."

"Enough," Rhett snarls. He's sitting at the desk, his eyes frantically running over paperwork. Since he'd talked to Fable, he's been here, trying to find a way to make enough money to buy our way out of two gangs' pockets. There's been no success. "What's done is done. We deal with it now."

But my anxiety threatens to overtake me. I've managed to keep Callie safe all this time. It should have been easy to do the same with Fable. We could have been better. We could have done this, and Colt went and fucked it all up.

Why does this not feel right? Why is my heart in my throat?

"Tell her you love her and maybe she'll stay," Colt spits at me, his fingers coming up to touch his jaw where a bruise is already forming.

"Shut up," I tell him, frustrated with him. We've been friends since we were kids, but dammit if I don't dislike the fucker right this moment. He's always done what he thought was best, but he's gone too far this time.

"Maybe I should tell her then," he replies with a shrug. "Someone should." He looks around at all our silent faces and shakes his head. "Idiots. I'm clearly the only one willing to do any work to keep our girl here."

I bristle. "She doesn't belong to us."

"Like hell she doesn't," Colt snarls, getting in my face. "That woman might as well have the Circle Bee logo branded into her ass! She belongs to us."

"I won't be her cage!"

His lips curl up. "But I will!" he snarls. "I don't mind being her fucking cage as long as it means she's here." He slams his fist against the wall beside him. "I love her! Don't you?"

I swallow, my chest tight. "Yes," I admit.

"Then fucking fight for her!" he yells. "Fucking fight! Do something for once in your fucking life! Doesn't she at least deserve that?"

I take a step back, my eyes hard on Colt. "She deserves to be happy and safe. She can't be that here, Colt. And I ain't gonna be the one to clip her wings."

Colt's face hardens. "You're a coward, Gunnar Hall." He hits the wall again, leaving behind a dent where his fist hits, and storms upstairs.

I watch him go, the anger puttering out at his disappearance.

Rhett throws down his papers and cradles his head in his hand. "We can't," he rasps. "There's no way."

I nod, suspecting as much. "Yeah, I know." I hang my hat on the peg by the door. "So, we get used to the idea of losing her. That's our only option."

That's our only fucking option.