The Way I Like It

by Jenika Snow

  What was wrong with her?

  “I’m coming in. I’ve told you, Elena, I’m taking care of you.” He turned the ignition off and climbed out.

  Hiking her bag up her shoulder, she tucked her hair behind her ear and followed behind him.

  “Here, put this in your hair,” he said, holding out a band toward her.

  Frowning, she shook her head. “I don’t want to wear my hair up.”

  “Wear it up for me. I don’t want anyone else seeing your hair down.”

  Elena wondered what he meant and stared at the band he was holding.

  “It would please me if you put your hair up.”

  Those four words, it would please me, was all it took. She grabbed the band, tucking her hair into a ponytail.

  “Thank you.”

  He was helping her. The least she could do was put her hair up. Following him into the diner, she saw Annie and Sasha were already there. They were watching Striker with interest, but the moment they saw her, she saw their concern. Not wanting to create a scene, she was about to make her way into the backroom. Striker stopped her, hauling her up against him. “Don’t tell them anything.”

  “What?”

  “They’ll ask why you’re bruised. Don’t tell them about the attack, because they might get pushy and try to fish for more.”

  “They’ll wonder who you are.”

  ‘Tell them I’m your boyfriend if it gets them to shut up faster.”

  “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

  “You do now.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Don’t be long.”

  She was stunned for a second, but then rushed toward the backroom where the locker was.

  “What the hell happened?” Annie asked, rushing up to her.

  Elena sighed. “It’s nothing. Some guy at my apartment complex was high or something. He tripped, knocking into me, and I fell. If it wasn’t for Striker, I wouldn’t be talking to you guys right now.”

  “Striker?”

  She swallowed her nerves. “My boyfriend, the guy I came in with.” Saying the words felt right to her, and she couldn’t help but smile. Maybe there was a chance of making him hers. The more she thought about it, the more heat she felt move through her. Elena liked Striker; she was attracted to him, and she wanted him.

  Show him there’s no other woman out there like you. Give him no reason not to want you.

  “He’s yours?” Sasha asked.

  “Yes, he is.” It might not be the truth, but it felt great to say it. There was no chance she wanted to lose the one man who made her feel alive.

  Chapter Twelve

  After about an hour, Striker left and went out to his SUV. As soon as the door was closed, his cell went off. Keeping his focus on the diner, he answered it.

  “Yeah?” he said in a clipped tone.

  “Got the info you wanted.”

  “Good. I’ll be at the club, but I need you to send a prospect.” Striker gave Nerd the address to the diner and hung up. He needed to know all there was about Elena’s family, and he needed to know it all sooner rather than later. But he wouldn’t leave her alone, so until the prospect showed up, he’d watch her like his life depended on it.

  And it really fucking felt like it.

  Twenty minute later, and Punk— one of the prospects that still had a good chunk of bitch time with the club before he’d be considered Patched-in— pulled up in his pick-up. He cut the engine, climbed out, and walked up to the driver’s side window of Striker’s SUV.

  “You want me watching a woman?” Punk asked.

  Striker looked at the diner again, saw Elena helping a customer, and nodded. “See the young woman with the dark hair?”

  “The one with the sweet fucking curves?”

  Striker snapped his head toward Punk and growled, not able to help the possessive and proprietary feeling that rose up in him like a violent beast. “You watch your fucking mouth.”

  Punk lifted his hands in surrender.

  “Show some damn respect. She’s mine, and if you say anything disrespectful about her again, I’ll rip out your fucking tongue. You hear me?”

  “Loud and clear, Striker.”

  Striker glared at Punk a little while longer and then exhaled. “You watch her like a damn hawk. You don’t let her out of your sight.”

  “Got it. Do you want me to hang back or go inside?”

  “Go inside. I’d prefer if you’re right there, but wait until I come back out. I want to let her know what’s going on so she doesn’t freak out.”

  Punk nodded and Striker climbed out of the SUV. He headed back into the diner, searched for Elena, and when he found her, he cornered her.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, a towel in her hand, her eyes slightly wide.

  “Nothing.” He looked into her bright eyes, felt something pull deep inside of him, and knew that he couldn’t just walk away. Striker didn’t know what it was about her, why she called to the possessive side of him, but he knew that he had to have her. He didn’t want to rush her or frighten her with his needs, but he also couldn’t hide how he felt ... whatever those emotions were.

  Striker had never felt anything remotely affectionate toward a woman, had never wanted to protect them, keep them close. In just two short days, Elena had twisted him up inside, and he knew with time, it would just get more intense. He felt that deep inside of him.

  “I had some of my club brothers look up anything and everything they could find about your family. I’ve been told they have the information, so I’m heading back to the club to look at it all.” He cupped her cheek, loving the smoothness of it. He didn’t think he’d ever cared about anyone, not unless they were his club brothers, but as he stared at Elena, he felt something tighten around his chest. He might not know her, but having her close, knowing that he could protect her, made him feel like he could be a good man even if he was far from that.

  “One of the prospects from the club will stay inside with you. He’s been told to watch you like his life depends on it, so don’t be worried about him or anything else. He’s here to keep you safe.”

  She nodded. “Okay,” Elena whispered. “What are you going to do with the information you have on my family?”

  He stayed silent for a second. “Whatever I need to do to make sure you stay safe.” Striker didn’t say anything else for a long moment, and then he leaned down and kissed her in front of everyone. He wasn’t doing this because he’d told her to tell her co-workers they were together. He was kissing her because he couldn’t help himself, because he couldn’t keep his hands off her. With each passing moment, he found it harder to keep his darker needs at bay.

  Striker couldn’t contain himself on the best of days, and right now, it was taking one hell of a lot of strength not to tie her up, not to bring his belt down on her big, luscious ass, seeing the red lines of his erotic actions rise up on her flesh.

  He pulled back, looked into her still wide eyes, and loved the fact she was panting; her lips were parted, red, and slightly glossy from his kiss.

  “What was that for?” she whispered again.

  “Because I wanted to, Elena.” And then he turned and left her in the diner. He tipped his chin toward Punk, letting him know he needed to go into the diner.

  Once Punk was in the diner, Striker started his car and headed back to the club.

  Striker had a lot of shit to deal with personally, desires that made him feel like a mad man, and the need to dominate. He might want Elena, and that need was growing every single minute, but he also didn’t know what, or how, she’d feel and react to that admission. She seemed so innocent, had lived a sheltered, emotionally abused life. But he knew he’d have to admit who he really was, and what he really wanted sooner rather than later. If he wanted her in his life, he’d have to tell her all of it.

  He pushed those thoughts aside, not needing to focus on that right now. He’d meant it when he’d said he’d do whatever it took to keep her safe, even if that meant taking out Elen
a’s crazy as fuck family.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Striker drove toward the clubhouse to grab the details of Elena’s background check. Leaving one of the club brother’s with Elena made him feel like she’d be protected and that his nerves weren’t going to tear through his skin. He didn’t know what he was up against, what her parents were like. Before Striker took any chances, he needed some idea of who he was going to face. After dropping his SUV off at home and grabbing his bike, he parked near the gate of the clubhouse and made his way inside.

  Nerd was getting a lap dance from one of the bitches.

  Clicking his fingers, he gained Nerd’s attention.

  “Business, now.”

  “I remember a time when you used to be fun. What happened to that?” Nerd asked.

  “I’ve got work to do. I haven’t got time to waste.” He snapped his fingers again, and Nerd growled at him.

  “Not all of us have to worry about some kind of pussy.”

  “Office, now,” he said, moving toward the office, which also served for church. He walked in and wasn’t surprised to see Demon at the desk, looking over some paperwork.

  “Here’s your file,” Demon said, pointing at a file on the desk in front of him.

  “Did you have a chance to look through it?”

  “Yep, and they’re some fucked up people. They believe in women being in the home, and the guy outside of the home, doing whatever shit he wants to do. The females are sub servants, but that’s not all. They are pretty fucking twisted. It’s sick and fucked up.” Demon shook his head. “I’ve seen some bad shit in my day, but these people even fucking surprised me.”

  “I don’t know. Zeke letting Shakes live was the biggest fucking surprise I’ve had.”

  Nerd entered the office, and he was sporting a hard on. “Let’s get a move on so I can go and get my dick wet.”

  “Calm that shit down. No one wants to see that. Club bitches can be nasty things. Hell, they’ll sleep with anyone with a cut.”

  “And Deanna lets you stay at the club?” Nerd asked, challenging.

  “My very pregnant old lady trusts me. When you find a woman to call your own, you’ll know what it’s like not to have to worry that she thinks you’re fucking around on her.”

  Striker thought about Elena. She’d gotten under his skin quickly.

  “Same hole every night, I don’t think so. I’m going to have a different woman whenever I please, fuck then until they’re screaming and begging for more.” Nerd shrugged. “Now, these fuckers are sick. Just reading that file pissed me the fuck off.”

  He flipped the file open and started reading through.

  “They wanted her to marry her Uncle?” Elena had told him, but he figured he’d heard wrong.

  “Half uncle, but still blood related, and that’s just sick. From what I learned, Elena was homeschooled since her parents believed the public school was evil. They have some kind of cult with their own rules. I thought this kind of stuff existed in movies only, not in the real world. This is real, and it’s twisted as fuck.”

  “What else do you know about them?” Striker asked.

  “I know they’re looking for her. There have been some fliers posted about phoning a number if you find her. From what I’ve seen, there is also a reward for her safe return.” Nerd shrugged. “So far, no one knows where she is.”

  “She your old lady?” Demon asked.

  “Huh?”

  “You declare her as your old lady, she comes under the club protection. If you don’t, the Patches have fair game for whatever the fuck they want. It’s the way the club works, you know that.”

  Running fingers through his hair, Striker didn’t like the thought of being put in this position.

  She’s your old lady, even if you haven’t really known her that long.

  “Yeah, she’s mine. I’m claiming her as mine.” The moment he spoke the words aloud, he felt calmer, happier.

  “Then at church tomorrow night, we’ll announce it for the whole club to know.”

  “Fucking hell, another brother fallen, not many more to go,” Nerd said.

  “Fuck off.” He was going to have to find a way to tell Elena what being an old lady actually meant.

  Elena was nervous about what Striker was going to find. What if he decided to get rid of her, kick her out of his place? They hadn’t known each other long, yet he made her feel protected.

  “You’re sure he’s safe? He’ll protect you?” Annie asked.

  They were at the bar, pouring salt and sugar into the appropriate pots.

  “Striker’s a great man,” she said as if trying to make Annie see that he wasn’t really the killer her looked like.

  “Your face—”

  “Was not done by him. Believe me, I would run if someone did this to me, and I wouldn’t have any problem calling the cops.” She had run from a family who kept everything a secret. There was no way she was going to let someone hurt her. Elena was determined to live her life to the fullest.

  “Then in that case, he is totally hot.”

  “So, providing he’s not beating me, it’s okay for us to have a crush on him?”

  “What’s not to like? He’s hot stuff,” Annie whistled. “I wouldn’t have a problem with him using me any time.”

  “Ignore her, she’s being a whore,” Sasha said.

  “Come on, you have to admit he looks like the kind of guy who knows what he is doing with his dick.”

  Elena’s cheeks heated as she thought about the picture she’d taken from the box. Not only did she want him, she wanted Striker to put her over his knee and spank her ass. Her pussy grew slick just thinking about it. The instant shot of pain, followed by intense need would be incredible, and she wanted it. She might be a virgin with no sexual experience, but she knew what she wanted, and it seemed her body did too.

  “That flush is telling us all a story, babe,” Annie said. “If a guy makes you blush, you keep him.”

  Annie moved away to place the sugar and salt containers on the tables.

  “I don’t know how,” Elena said, whispering to Sasha.

  “You don’t know what?”

  “I don’t know how to keep him, you know, satisfied.” Biting her lip, Elena felt stupid for not knowing.

  “You’re a virgin?”

  “Yes.”

  “Holy shit, well, my advice would be to tell your man you’ve not been with a guy. He’ll know how to handle this and take care of you.” Sasha tapped her shoulder.

  “Really?”

  “It’s going to hurt your first time.”

  She didn’t mind pain, and in fact looked forward to the good kind, but she wasn’t about to tell her that. “You think I should just tell him.”

  “I would. You never really know what to do in the sack, and your guy, he looks like the kind of guy who knows what he’s doing. That’s the best kind to have for your first time.”

  Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her containers and spun around, only to crash into a hard body. Glancing up, she saw Striker staring down at her.

  The heat in his eyes was hard to ignore.

  She’d gladly do whatever he wanted so long as he never stopped looking at her like that.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Your shift almost over?” Striker asked.

  She was still frozen to the spot, looking up at him, knowing that she wanted to be honest with him. In the couple of days since he’d helped her out in that alley, she’d felt this connection with him, this electricity that she’d never felt before. That was even before she’d found the picture of the bound woman. After she’d found it, it was all she’d been able to think about. She thought about being honest with him regarding how she really felt about the whole pain and pleasure fantasy, about how she was a virgin, and how she’d kept quiet concerning what she wanted when having sex because she was afraid of what her family would do to her.

  “In half an hour,” she managed to say.

  He nodded on
ce and made a low sound of approval.

  “Did you find out a lot about my family?” She didn’t know how much he could actually find, since her family and the circle they ran in were very tight knit. But judging by the hardness of his face after she’d asked the question, she thought he’d found out enough.

  “Yeah, and I want to talk to you about it all, to make sure I know everything we couldn’t pull up.”

  She nodded.

  “I need to know every little detail if we’re going to make sure you’re safe.”

  “Okay,” she whispered, her body heating at the closeness of his body, at his scent invading her lungs.

  “I’ll wait over at the booth until you’re off work.”

  She nodded, licked her lips, and stood there, watching as he walked over to the man he’d left to keep an eye on her. She hadn’t said one word to the man wearing a biker vest that stated he was a Prospect, but she’d felt his gaze on her the entire time. Striker and the prospect spoke to each other for a few minutes, and then the prospect nodded and left the diner. Striker took his seat at the booth, his gaze on her instantly.

  What had he found out about her family? She’d told him just the surface of it. Elena hadn’t said anything about the cult-like atmosphere, and maybe he’d found out as much.

  It was hard being on her own, and the fear of all this newness, all of the strange happenings in the world, told her just how sheltered she’d been. In the couple of months she’d been away from her family, she’d realized they’d been so closed off to the world. Her life had been nothing but following the schedule her family set forth, being brought up to be the perfect, sub servant, and weak female her husband could control.

  For the next half an hour, she tried to focus on her closing duties, but she couldn’t help feeling Striker’s gaze as well. After her shift was over, she met him at the front of the diner. The restaurant was open twenty-four hours, and the later it got, the more the drunks, prostitutes, and drug dealers started coming in. She refused to work those hours, but the reality was she couldn’t be picky, not when she had nothing. If she wanted to survive, she’d had to make sacrifices.