Tank's Property(14)

“Come sit down, Bunny.”

She glanced over her shoulder at him, licked her lips, and finally moved toward him. Once she took a seat across from him, the chair scraping along the floor as she pulled it out, he told himself his priority was getting her safe, not remembering how much he missed and loved her.

“How did you know I’d be here?” she asked, her voice tight.

“I didn’t. I mean I knew you were in Thorne from Lila, but figured this was as good a place to start as any.” He leaned back in the chair, trying to seem relaxed when he felt anything but.

She was looking at him, and he wondered what she was thinking. “You look the same … but not.” She had her hands on top of the table and was twisting her fingers together, clearly nervous.

“You’re bigger, and I see you’ve added more tattoos.”

He nodded. They could talk about all of this once he had her back at the clubhouse.

“Lila’s been trying to call, and I tried a few times, but the last time I tried it said the line was no longer in service.”

She looked down at the table and ran her finger along the rim of the glass. “Yeah, I lost it, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway because I couldn’t afford the bill.”

Tank was getting antsy to get the fuck out of here, to get her to the safety of the MC. But right now he needed to explain some things, and hope she wasn’t stubborn.

“I’ll just get to it, because I know seeing each other after all this time is weird as fuck.”

She nodded once, her hands curled around her glass of juice.

“I know you’ve spoken with Lila in the last year, and I’m sure you know the motherfucker she’s been around.”

Bunny nodded again. “Yeah. We haven’t spoken in a while, though. I figured she was in deep with that guy she’d been seeing.”

His anger over that motherfucker rose. But now wasn’t the time or place for that. “She’s run from him … brought her baby with her to seek protection with me and my club.” For a second Bunny just sat there, not moving, and not showing any expression. She finally blinked a few times and leaned forward in the chair.

“She’s had a baby?”

He nodded once, and Bunny looked down at the table again, her brows knitted. “And what do you mean by a ‘club’?” She looked up at him again.

“An MC, Bunny. I’m a Patch in a motorcycle club, and that’s where Lila is with the baby. It’s the only place I can ensure they are protected.”

Bunny just stared at him. “Is she in that much danger?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

She was silent for a moment. “Okay, but if she’s safe why would you come all the way out here to tell me that? Wouldn’t you stay there with her if she’s in trouble?” Her brows were still knitted in confusion and worry.

Even though he’d thought to just spit that shit out, actually saying all the things he needed to tell her was harder than he thought. He wanted to just wrap Bunny in a bubble and make sure she was safe, even from the words he’d say that could put fear in her.

“Bunny, Lila thinks the man she was seeing might come after you in retaliation for her leaving him.” He gave her a second to process that, but she didn’t move, didn’t even speak. “She thinks if he can’t find her he’ll go after anyone she cares about, and since he knows about you, and that you’re in Thorne, you’ll be an easy target.”

She had her hands on the edge of the table now, gripping the wood hard enough her knuckles were white. “What do you mean?” she asked, but although she asked the question, he could see on her expression she knew what he meant.

“Lila got involved with some bad people, Bunny, and because of that she ran away with her baby. She thinks the fucker will come after her, which is why I have her at the club. It’s the only place I feel they will be safe.”

She nodded slowly.

“I came to Thorne, looking for you, because I believe what she says, and that you may be in danger.” He leaned forward and braced his forearms on the table. “And I’m not about to let anything happen to you.”

She didn’t speak for several seconds, but finally licked her lips and breathed out. “You came to Thorne to warn me, to tell me I should leave town?”

She closed her eyes and rubbed her head, looking defeated. He didn’t speak, knowing she was faced with a lot right now, and giving her a moment to just process it all. When she opened her eyes and looked at him, he felt like someone had punched him in the gut as his emotions rose up.

“Brendan, I have no place else to go.” Her eyes started to water, and her face turned pink as she was on the verge of crying.