Page 11 of Gunner (Iron Sentinels MC #3)

O ne Month Later

Dawn stirred, warmth cocooning her as the soft morning light filtered through the bedroom curtains. She stretched beneath the covers, reaching out instinctively, and found nothing but cool sheets beside her.

She cracked one eye open, smiling as she caught the scent of coffee in the air. Gunner was already up. Their apartment—their home—still felt new in some ways, but in others, it felt like she’d always been here.

A month had passed since she’d left behind her old life, stepping fully into Gunner’s world, and she didn’t regret a second of it. The club, the brotherhood, the family—she was part of it now. And most of all, she was his.

Sliding out of bed, she padded into the kitchen, where Gunner stood shirtless, sipping from a mug of coffee. His tattoos stretched across his broad shoulders, his muscles flexing as he turned, his sharp eyes softening the second they landed on her.

“Mornin’, baby,” he greeted, setting down his cup.

Dawn wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing herself against his solid frame. “Morning.” She sighed contentedly. “You ready for this weekend?”

He smirked. “Been packed since last night. You?”

“Almost.” She looked up at him, excitement flickering in her eyes. “It’s gonna be perfect.”

He kissed her forehead, then smacked her ass lightly. “Damn right it is. Now, go get dressed. I wanna hit the road before the sun gets too high.”

The wind whipped through Dawn’s hair as she clung to Gunner’s back, the rumble of his bike vibrating through her bones. A month ago, she might have been afraid of the ride, of his world, of everything he represented. But now, she wasn’t just along for the ride. She belonged here.

The open road stretched ahead of them, the scent of pine and fresh air growing stronger as they neared the campsite. She held onto Gunner a little tighter, pressing her cheek against his back, feeling the steady, reassuring beat of his heart beneath his cut.

She was safe. She was home. When they reached the site, Gunner parked the bike and swung his leg over, immediately turning to help her off.

“You okay?” Gunner asked her.

She smiled, nodding. “More than okay.”

They worked together to set up camp, the ease between them effortless. The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows as the sun began to dip behind the trees. It was peaceful—just the two of them, no noise, no distractions.

But Dawn’s heart raced, her pulse thundering in her ears. She had news, big news. Dawn twisted her hands together in a nervous dance as she sat on the edge of the blanket they’d laid out, watching Gunner add another log to the fire.

The crackling flames cast flickering shadows around them, but all she could focus on was him—his broad back, the way his muscles flexed, the steady rhythm of his movements. When Gunner turned back to her, his brow furrowing in concern, her breath hitched.

There was no easy way to say this, but she couldn’t keep it in any longer.

“You good, baby?” Gunner asked.

Dawn swallowed hard, her stomach in knots. Now or never. She took a shaky breath, staring at her hands as they fidgeted in her lap.

“I need to tell you something,” she managed.

Gunner stilled immediately, his eyes sharpening. The warmth in them shifted to something else—concern, curiosity—and he dropped to a crouch in front of her, his hands gently settling on her knees. The moment felt too heavy, too important to rush.

“Talk to me,” he said.

She could feel the weight of his gaze on her, his fingers warm on her skin. Her pulse thundered in her throat. This was it.

“I ... I found out a few days ago. I wanted to wait for the right moment to tell you,” she whispered, her heart hammering in her chest.

His grip on her knees tightened, his eyes flickering with confusion, then worry. “Tell me what, Dawn?”

Dawn took a deep breath, steadying herself as best as she could. She met his eyes, her voice trembling as she finally said the words she’d been holding in. “I’m pregnant.”

Silence crashed down between them like a tidal wave. For a moment, it was all she could hear, her breath ragged in the stillness. Her stomach twisted in knots as she waited for his reaction, the uncertainty of what came next choking her.

Then—

Gunner inhaled sharply, his eyes widening, and before she could even process what was happening, he surged forward, cupping her face in his large, calloused hands.

His lips crashed against hers with a force that took her breath away. Dawn gasped against him, her hands instinctively gripping the sides of his vest as he pulled her closer, his breath shaking as he kissed her, deep and frantic, like he couldn’t get enough of her.

When he pulled back, his thumb brushed over her cheek, his voice a raw, broken whisper. “You serious?”

Her chest tightened, tears welling in her eyes as she nodded. “Yeah. I’m serious.”

His face broke into a slow, incredulous grin, a sound escaping his throat that was part laugh, part disbelief. “Jesus Christ, Dawn...” He shook his head, as though trying to process it, but his hand moved instinctively to rest over her stomach, his palm warm and protective. “We’re having a kid?”

Dawn nodded again, her heart swelling in her chest as tears slipped down her face. “Yeah. We are.”

Gunner’s jaw clenched, his eyes suspiciously glassy, and without a single word more, he scooped her up into his arms, lifting her easily and sitting down on the blanket with her on his lap.

He held her so tightly she could barely breathe, but she didn’t care—not when he was holding her like this, like she was everything to him.

“You have no idea how happy you just made me, baby,” he whispered. “You and me ... we’re gonna do this together. We’re gonna be a family.”

Dawn let out a breathless laugh, running her fingers through his hair, trying to steady herself. “You’re really okay with this?”

He pulled back just enough to meet her gaze. “Okay? Dawn, this is the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me. You and this baby? You’re everything to me.”

Her heart soared at his words, the warmth in her chest flooding through her veins. She leaned into him, her forehead resting against his. “I love you, Gunner,” she told him.

Gunner tightened his grip around her. “I love you too, baby. So damn much.”

The End