Gunpowder and Lead (Savage MC book four)

Chapter One- Undo it

Grace
Three months ago

Zip pulled his bike into the little cottage. He had no sooner stopped the bike before he rose from it and pulled me with him towards the front door. We'd just left the compound following the invasion of Hammer and his MC brothers. If I had known calling Kayla would give my position away and put us all in danger, I would have never dreamed of ringing. But I couldn't go back, the consequences of my actions had already begun.
Zip brought us inside the cottage before backing me against the wall by the door.
"Don't move." he whispered right in my face before he disappeared into the four doors down the little hall, checking that the house was empty. Only when he was certain we were the only two in the house did he return and lock the door.
"Zip-" I started but he hardly spared me a glance.
"Second door on the left is a bathroom, directly across from it is a bedroom. You take that, I'll be on the couch in here." he gestured to the livingroom on the left as he walked into the last remaining room on the right. I followed him in to see it was a tiny kitchen. Like the house, it was old and basic but cute nonetheless.
"Zip-" I started but he interrupted me once again.
"The windows are locked so don't bother trying to open them. You don't move from the house unless I okay it. Welcome to the foreseeable future until this shit is sorted." he opened the fridge as he spoke, grabbing a beer.
"Zip, I just wanted to say-" I stepped forward to speak again. He spun to look at me.
"I'm not doing this with you. I don't want your excuses. You put the whole club in danger ringing your friend today. Hammer and his men are scum, worst than most and he's claimed you as his. I don't judge, to each their own but it's your fault some of my family got hurt today, you're lucky no one was killed." his face showed his distaste.
"I didn't mean to cause harm, I just wanted to speak to a friend. Hammer was nice to me but I'm not his, not anymore." I added lamely trying to justify my relationships with him.
"At our expense though. You're safe here and you will be kept safe but you've put our home right in the red zone for Hammer." He replied and it felt as though I had been slapped.
"I'm sorry." I whispered but he hardly spared me a glance.
"Maybe but it doesn't make much of a difference now." he snapped back and I felt my anger rising.
"Excuse me, no need to be rude. I've apologised." I said back with a slight undertone he no doubt noticed.
"Got that, babe. But apology or not, shits still messed up now." he strugged pushing past me to settle into the couch in the livingroom.
"How long will we be here? Who owns this place?" I asked looking around the tiny livingroom before glancing back his way. He drank from the bottle between his fingers, turning on the T.V. in front of him.
"Don't know. How ever long it takes. It belongs to a distant family member, it won't be traced to the club." he answered and I felt myself blanch.
"Seriously? And we can't leave? what the hell are we going to do out here by ourselves and why is it you here?" I spoke not caring if I insulted him.  Since I had arrived here he had made it extremely clear he didn't like my presence. The feeling was mutual.
"Jesus. Yes we can't leave, for some reason people want you alive, babe, so we'll do that. I'm not exactly thrilled about being here either. You want something to do, you could sit down quietly and watch the T.V. because it's been a long day and I'm wiped. Or you could go to bed and be quiet. Either way I don't care as long as you do it quietly." his eyes didn't move from the screen.
"You're an asshole." I commented and watched as he tipped his beer bottle at me in acknowledgement. After a few moments of debate I settled myself on to the couch beside him.
"Thank you for keeping me, and everyone else, safe today." I said quietly after a few moments of staring unfocused at the T.V.
"My job." was all he responded but it wasn't an unkind response. Once again we settled into silence as the T.V. played an old looking film on it. My mind began to drift, thinking over the last few months and how my decisions had brought us to now. Uncle Tony wouldn't be happy if he was here.
"Zip?" I called keeping my eyes on the screen as he answered.
"Yeah, Grace?"
"You'll be able keep me safe here?" I whispered knowing I sounded vulnerable.
"Yeah, babe." he said back quietly, bringing the bottle to his lips, taking a pull of his now nearly empty beer.
"You promise?" I whispered out unable to stop myself. I saw from the corner of my eye the bottle freeze a breath away from his lips. Silence hung between us.
"I promise, Grace." his voice was so sincere and honest.
I believed him.