Sold to the Hitman by Logan Chance
Thirteen
Titan
I move closerto Gunner and my heart nearly beats out of my chest. So many emotions rush through me all at the same time.
Confusion.
Sadness.
Worry.
And anger.
Why did he walk away all those years ago?
He scans the club, his eyes zeroing in on me and widening as they do. His face says it all. He’s not expecting me here tonight.
“Titan, is that you?” He holds out his arm, extending his hand for me to shake. “How the hell are you?” He acts like nothing’s wrong.
“Gunner.” I shake his hand.
“This is Steele.” Smart man. He doesn’t offer up any reason they know each other.
“How’d you two meet?” Of course I’m going to ask.
Gunner smiles, his piercing grey eyes lighting up as he does. “He’s a very good client of mine.” He slaps Steele on his shoulder. “Isn’t that right, Steele?”
Steele mumbles a ‘yes’ under his breath, as if he’s not happy with the arrangement at all.
It makes me pause. Something’s going on here. Something more than I’m seeing. “Can we talk alone?” I ask him. “Catch up on old times.”
“Of course, I have a private room upstairs.”
I glance back at Blue, not really wanting to leave her here alone. Especially with Steele nearby. “Can I bring my woman?”
Gunner nods. “Sure, the more the merrier.”
I wave at Blue, gesturing for her to come with us. She gets off the bar stool, making her way across the floor.
She steps up next to me, and I wrap an arm around her and smack a kiss on her lips. It may be a little overboard, but I need to let this whole fucking place know she’s mine.
We follow Gunner up the stairs to a private room. He gives me a look like he wants to speak freely without Blue’s ears listening to the conversation.
“Wait right here,” I tell her. “Knock if anyone comes up here.” I give Blue a kiss on the forehead as she nods her acceptance.
I step into the room with Gunner, and he shuts the door. I’m not happy that I had to leave Blue behind, but it’s better than leaving her downstairs with all the sharks. Besides there’s a small window and I can watch her while inside.
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” Gunner starts. “I have a lot of questions myself.”
He’s much older than when I last saw him. The years haven’t been kind to my dear friend.
His dark hair looks grayer now, and the crow’s feet crowning his eyes deepen as he smiles.
“I do have a lot of questions. Starting with, where the fuck have you been?”
He stuffs a hand into his suit jacket pocket and pulls out two cigars. “Something personal came up.” He hands me a cigar and I take it.
“Personal?” I take the cutter from his hand and clip the tip.
He smirks like the Cheshire Cat, like everything is normal. Like he didn’t vanish for over ten years. “Yeah, personal.” He hands me the lighter after lighting his own cigar. “How’ve you been? Still working for Rogue?”
I shake my head as I light my cigar. “I’m retiring.”
“Rogue must have hated that news.”
I lift my shoulders in a slow shrug. “I guess. I’m trying to get my own thing going.”
“What’s that?”
“Herbs.”
“Like marijuana?”
I crack a grin at his assumption. “No, like herbs. Ya know, for cooking and shit.”
This makes Gunner nearly buckle over from laughter. “You always surprised me, Titan.”
I don’t laugh as I suck on the end of my cigar. “Why are you back?” I ask once he’s done laughing and the room’s gone quiet.
He puffs on his own cigar, stalling to answer. “I, too, started my own thing.”
“I hope it’s not selling women.”
Gunner’s piercing eyes sear into mine. He chuckles, like he’s trying to hide the fact that I just hit the nail on the head. “Nah, nothing like that. Actually, it’s complicated.”
“Care to uncomplicate it for me?” Should I tell him someone ordered a hit on him?
Should I tell him that his life is in danger? From me.
“Titan, you know I would if I could.” He stamps out his cigar in an ashtray on a nearby table. “It’s compli…”
I cut him off before he can finish the word, “Complicated. I got it.” But I have nothing.
Is he in trouble? Besides the obvious trouble of someone putting a hit out on him. “There’s a hit out on you, man.”
“Oh, yeah?” He smiles. “Who took the job?”
I don’t answer, and puff on my cigar, rolling it in my fingers while I do.
“Is it you?” he asks.
“It is.”
“Thought you were retiring.”
I stamp out the cigar and then stuff my hands in my pockets. “I am.”
He blinks at me, and it’s a fucked-up situation. I can’t even explain it.
“Who ordered the hit?”
I shake my head. “Rogue’s looking into it.”
Gunner stares at me with fire in his eyes. “Don’t bother. I think I already know.”
