Gunner (EDITED/REWRITTEN)

20- Aria (EDITED )

The look in Gunner's eyes while telling me what happened to his father and fiancée and how he lost them broke my heart. And now it has me feeling guilty for pushing Gunner into opening up more than he has because if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't want to talk about it, either.

The longer I look into his mournful eyes, with a hint of fear, I remember seeing that same look before. And it was the time when he walked into my house when I forgot to lock my door. Knowing now why he reacted as he did, I understand why he's so adamant about me locking the door and learning how to defend myself.

Now I know my assumptions about Gunner are correct; he's afraid of losing me. And not to just lose me to anything, but he heavily fears he'll lose me to this Tormentor guy.

And that's completely understandable.

Although after everything I've learned tonight, the one thing I'm shocked the most with is hearing my big tough guy admitting he's not as mentally strong as he made himself out to be that he's been learning with me—learning willpower along with mind over matter. And that has me loving him so much more.

Had he never admitted he's stronger on the outside than he is on the inside, I would never have known. And it has me feeling so much better knowing that we're experiencing the same feelings, frustrations, tortures, and sexual desires—experimenting with this sexual lifestyle together.

And that is what I call a team. But now I think it's time Gunner gets a taste of his own medicine, and I'm inquisitive to see how well he enjoys and handles being tortured by me with my own eyes.

I got down on my hands and knees, crawled closer to him, then stared at him while asking, "Neron, can you leave us alone for a bit?"

"If you're planning on punching him again, I'd like to stay and watch. Then, when you're done kicking the crap out of him, I'll leave. "

I turned my head towards Neron, furrowing my brows. "You'll be next if you don't leave."

Seeing how serious I was, Neron raised his hands with his palms facing me and stood. "All right. All right... but can't I watch you take another hit at Gunner? Please?"

"Bye, Neron."

"Fine, I'm leaving," he groaned.

"What's on your mind, Aria?" Gunner asked, sounding a bit nervous.

After Neron left the room, my head turned back to Gunner. The nervous look on his face had me smiling because, for someone who didn't want Neron in the room to start, his facial expression is now showing that he'd rather him stay.

"Thank you for being honest with me and filling me in on how my life is now in danger. Of course, I'm not happy about it, but now that I know what's going on, I'll have to keep my guard up more than I have been—something I never thought I'd have to do. But I also want to thank you for giving me more insight into who you really are. Because behind those big muscles, strong eyes, your soft, caring, and big warm heart, that told me you're more like me—someone with lots of fears."

I inched closer with a serious look in my eye, holding back the smile that wanted to show after seeing his Adam's apple bobble up and down.

"Aria? Why do you have a crazy look in your eye?"

"Crazy? It's not a crazy look; it's the look of me in the mood to give you a taste of what you've been doing to me."

He cleared his throat, then nervously scratched the back of his head. "And how's that?"

I think he knows what I'd like to do.

"Well, since I had to find out the hard way about the situation you involved me in, you deserve to be punished for not telling me my life has been at risk. So I will ask you some questions, with you allowing me to use you as a punching bag. If you refuse to answer the question, you'll see my fist wherever it feels necessary to be."