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He smiled sadly at her. “He’s fine. It was a graze. Ritz and Skinner took him to Kat. Bull was swinging by there too. I sent Tank and the others to drive a bit, maybe head over to Hanks for a beer.”
“Smart,” Crow agreed. “All in different places, can’t have done much in one.”
“Exactly.” Bear said.
I knew better than to ask for specifics; that was club business. I hoped Gunner would tell me the rest when we were alone, but I asked what I needed to know at the moment. “Is it over?”
Bear smiled softly. “You’re safe, Maggie. He’s never gonna touch you again.”
I closed my eyes and let the sweet relief of freedom wash over me. I hadn’t felt it in a long time, maybe not ever, and I knew better than to ever take it for granted.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
MAGGIE
Sitting at the bar, I listened to Gunner and Bear laughing together, and I smiled to myself. It was nice to hear, especially when I had the feeling they hadn’t laughed that freely in a long time.
“How you doin’, girl?”
My head snapped from where I was watching Gunner behind the bar to the stool beside me, and I smiled when I saw Bull sitting next to me. “I’m good, great actually.”
He smiled, another contradiction when a dimple popped out in his cheek. He flicked his fingers at the prospect Dutch who was behind the bar tonight and tipped his chin when he passed a bottle of beer down. He took a long swallow before focusing back on me. “You look good.”
I felt heat tinge my cheeks. I still wasn’t used to compliments, especially the ones these guys gave. “Thank you.”
“Heard Gunn got one hell of a welcome home tonight.” My eyes widened, and I knew my cheeks were red, thinking of these guys talking about what I did. I ducked my head, but he bent his head until he could see my eyes again. “Loved that, honey. Said without words how much he means to you.”
I lifted my head. “I didn’t think about it. I was just so relieved he was home safe.”
He grinned. “First time I heard that from you.”
My brow furrowed. “Heard what?”
“Heard you call here home.”
I jerked back, sure I had before, but maybe I hadn’t, at least not around the guys. “I guess maybe it finally feels that way to me.”
He winked. “Glad to hear it.” He turned on his stool so he could face me fully. “I like having you here.”
I giggled. “You do? Why?”
He shrugged one of his big shoulders. “You class up the joint a little.”
My smile dropped, and I thought about where I came from, where Snake had found me, and what I’d done. “I’m not classy.”
He frowned. “Yes, you are.”
I looked down at my shirt and picked up the hem, rubbing my fingers along the stitching. “You don’t know me all that well.”
“Maggie,” Bull called out, and I looked up. “Classy isn’t where you come from; it isn’t how much money you have or where you went to school or who you know.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s who you are and how you treat people.”
I considered that for a moment and thought of my mom. That was exactly something she would’ve said. I tapped his arm with my hand. “So you like classy girls, huh?”
“I like all girls, sweetheart, but classy girls keep me on my toes.” He smirked.