Released: MC Secret Baby Romance (New Adult Contemporary Biker Romance) Read Free Page A

tried to shove them all in her mouth at once. Wiping her face, Charlie struggled under Grace's furious attack. She couldn't help but laugh. Charlie was fiercely independent.
    Just like her dad , Hannah thought sadly. She could see so much of him in Charlie; her vivid, green eyes with yellow flecks and mass of blonde curls were all the same features that made Hannah fall in love with him in the first place. A silent hush came over the diner, and from behind her, Hannah could hear the sound of boot-clad feet approaching.
    "Someone told me I could find you here," Gunner said.
    Hannah’s heart sank as she noticed him. Turning to face him, she saw him standing there in full club regalia. He looked fierce but handsome, and every inch the man she had fallen in love with so many summers ago.
    "And, that's my cue to leave," Grace said, hastily heading back toward the safety of the counter.
    "Hey, no cuts or patches in here," Steve called from behind the till. Gunner turned to face him, his eyes narrowing.
    "I’ll only be a minute," Gunner promised. Steve considered this for a moment, and then shrugged; the last thing he wanted was trouble with the James brothers. Gunner slid into the booth opposite Hannah and, for the first time, his eyes drifted over to Charlie.
    "Hey, who’s this?"
    “Warlie!” Charlie exclaimed proudly. She seemed fascinated with the man who sat before her, unperturbed by his leather-clad uniform. Gunner's eyes lifted from Charlie's face and met Hannah's who looked away.
    "This is Charlie." Hannah was acutely aware that every person in the diner was looking at her and Gunner. Gunner nodded slowly,
    “Want to go for a walk?” Gunner asked, and Hannah blew out a sigh of relief.
    Conflict strived on in Gunner. Here he was, sitting opposite a child that was his spitting image and the woman he loved, and all he wanted to do was scream and demand the truth from Hannah. But that was what the old Gunner would do, and that was someone he no longer wanted to be.
    “Outside!” Charlie exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the door. Hannah hesitated, but she knew her time was up. Wiping the ketchup stains from around Charlie's mouth, she lifted the toddler down off the seat and held her hand firmly as they headed to the door.
    “You gonna be alright?” Steve called from behind the counter. Hannah turned and smiled at him. She would be okay. Her relationship with Gunner was complicated, but she knew he would never raise his hand to a woman.
    "I'll be fine Steve. I'll see you tomorrow."
    They walked in silence until they reached the park on the nearby corner. Charlie swung on Hannah's arm, recharged from her lunch, and she was ready to play. The day was warm and bright. The sun shone bright in the sky, forming a dappled pattern on the ground as it peeked through the trees and onto the grass. Charlie ran and skipped ahead, oblivious to the tension between the pair.
    "How have you been, Hannah?" Gunner said, finally breaking the silence.
    "I'm good, Gunner. It took a long time to get here, but I'm finally good." Hannah said, looking up toward Gunner who nodded slowly.
    "I missed you, Hannah. Being away from you all those years was the hardest thing I have ever had to do." His words tore at Hannah's soul. This was her Gunner – soft, kind, and the complete opposite to the Gunner he was in public. If only he could be this Gunner all the time , Hannah thought, then we might have stood a chance .
    "Gunner," Hannah started. "You left, and I had to pick up the pieces of my broken heart. I had to move on with my life. I’m seeing Rich and I'm happy." And she meant it. She was happy enough.
    "Don't you think it tore at my very soul, having to leave you behind? This time, it wasn't my fault!" Hannah stopped and turned to face Gunner, keeping a close eye on Charlie who played up ahead.
    "It's never your fault, Gunner. You chose this life and I respect that, but that doesn't mean it's my life. I have Charlie to think about