The Way I Like It

by Jenika Snow

  “I love you,” she said.

  He stopped and stared at her. “I love you too, baby.” Slamming his lips down on hers, he claimed a kiss. “I love you so damn much.”

  Pulling away, he gave her hand a squeeze and made his way out toward his bike. Several of the club had already climbed on their bikes and taken off. Striker didn’t need directions to know where Demon was going.

  He rode hard, not caring about the speed as he followed his brothers. When he got to the hospital, several brothers were holding Demon back. His Prez looked almost unrecognizable in his grief and fear.

  Joker and Steel held him back.

  “She’s in the best hands right now,” Joker said.

  “Deanna needs me. She fucking needs me. I’ve got to be there for her.”

  “Demon, you can torture and kill people like a fucking pro. You’re not a doctor, and if you being in the way causes her to die, you’ll never forgive yourself, and you know it.” At the mention of Deanna dying, Demon went crazy. He wrapped his fingers around Joker’s throat, and slammed him up against the wall.

  In a fight, between Demon and Joker, there was still a tough question of who would win, and Striker didn’t want to be part of any of that. Demon and Joker had been friends before the club; this would end ugly.

  “She can’t die. Do you understand me?”

  “I know, Demon.” Joker grabbed Demon’s wrist, applying pressure. “Don’t do this. You’re not acting like yourself.”

  Demon panted, and even as he looked ready to murder the whole club, tears leaked from his eyes. His grief so strong and consuming, it terrified Striker. This is what it means to love, to be so taken over by another person, the thought of anything happening breaks you. This is what he felt for Elena. It wasn’t just some attraction that would fizzle out with time. His feelings for Elena were the kind that people wrote stories about.

  “Think about club business, Demon. We’ve got a new problem. Striker’s old lady has a family hunting for her. Remember, I told you we’d need to take care of that? It’s a club problem.”

  Joker kept on talking, and through the haze, their Prez started to shine through. Sanity started to prevail.

  Slowly, Demon released his hand from Joker’s throat, and he turned toward Striker.

  “She’s your old lady, and she agrees to be your property?”

  “Yes. Elena belongs to me.”

  “You know her family and Uncle are looking for her?”

  “Yes.”

  “Once I know Deanna is okay, we go, and we deal with them to make sure they’re no threat to us.”

  Elena was getting hungry, and even as she watched the romantic comedy, she couldn’t shake the need to eat. Striker had been gone for over an hour and she was starting to get worried. Pausing the movie, she left Striker’s room, and made her way down to the main kitchen.

  The club was an interesting place. Dark, yet full of love.

  Entering the kitchen, she came to a stop as she saw Shakes holding Daniella as Amy collapsed in a heap on the floor. Eloise covered her mouth, tears spilling from her eyes. Elena looked at each brother, who had bowed his heads.

  “What is it?” Elena asked. “What’s going on?”

  The all turned toward her, and she held her breath, wondering what the hell could have happened.

  “Deanna’s given birth. The baby is premature, and they don’t know if it will survive. Joker just called. Demon’s gone a little crazy, and well, shit, fuck, I don’t know,” Shakes said.

  “They want that baby. They are so excited about it,” Eloise, Steel’s old lady, said.

  “Striker’s on the phone,” Shakes said. “He wants to talk to you.”

  Elena’s whole body was numb. She had just met Deanna, but in the brief visit with each other, she liked her, and had seen how happy she and Demon were together. Elena didn’t have a clue what was going to happen now. She’d never known anyone go through so much loss and pain.

  She took the phone. “Hello,” she said, speaking into the phone.

  “Baby.” Striker sounded raw.

  “Is she okay?” Elena sat down on the closest chair.

  “They had to sedate her to help her rest. Shit is ugly here, and Demon is about ready to destroy everything in his path. I’m not going to be back tonight. I’ve got some things to do.”

  “Striker?”

  “There’s something we’ve got to do as the club. You’ve got to trust me.”

  “I do trust you.” She gripped the phone tightly, having a feeling this had to do with her family.

  “I love you, baby. Don’t leave the club, and I’ll be with you soon.”

  He hung up, and she placed the phone on the table, not knowing what the hell to do. She didn’t know what to expect or how to react. Who did in this situation?

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Demon, Prez, you don’t have to do this right now,” Striker said, sitting in the driver’s seat of the SUV, and looking at Demon. They were about a mile from the compound where Elena’s family was located. The family was more of a cult, having insane beliefs and punishing anyone that didn’t follow them.

  Demon didn’t look at Striker, just stared ahead into the darkness, his jaw clenched, his body tight.

  It had only been a few hours since the baby had been born, and although Striker had never dealt with pain like that, he empathized with the man he saw as a brother.

  “If you want to be with Deanna—” Nerd said, but Demon, sitting up straighter, cut the other man off.

  “Deanna is knocked out. She needs to rest, not only her body, but her mind, too. She was a wreck before they sedated her,” Demon said, showing no emotion. His voice was low, deep. “Me staying in that fucking hospital room was going to have me breaking shit, and I don’t feel like going to jail tonight.” He looked at Striker then. “I think fucking some assholes up will help me.”

  Striker didn’t respond, just nodded. He grabbed his cell and called the Soldiers that were in the other SUV parked behind them. “You guys ready to roll?” He was talking to every man in the vehicle: Steel, Joker, Weasel, and Tryck. In their SUV, Striker was driving Demon, Nerd, Vengeance, and a couple prospects, Brash and Lucky, were in the back seat.

  Striker started the engine and drove toward the compound. When he was close enough he could see the large stone wall surrounding the entire place, he pulled to a stop and cut the engine and lights. The SUV behind him did the same. There weren’t any guards posted outside the gates, but there were enough security lights on and cameras posted on top of the stone walls, Striker had no doubt they would be seen as soon as they got closer.

  “How are we doing this again?” Nerd asked.

  They’d talked about the plan yesterday, but then shit had gone down with Deanna, and coming out here now, after her having the baby, had been a quick decision on Demon’s part. Striker knew he needed to get his anger out, and it would be in the form of fucking people up and killing anyone that tried to stop him. Hell, Striker wanted a piece of this fucked up cult, too, but he did worry that Demon’s rage, and the pain he was holding in, would make the other man a fucking menace.

  “Demon and I will take the front, have their attention on us. You and the rest of the Patches will go around the sides and check out any back entrances.” Striker turned and faced the back seat. “Anyone tries to stop you in getting in, fuck them up.”

  All Striker knew was shit was about to get real, and there was probably going to be bodies at their feet when it was all said and done.

  “Let’s get this fucking party started,” Demon said, and then he was out of the SUV and walking toward the front gates like this was something they did everyday.

  “Let’s roll, boys,” Striker said.

  “Striker will have my balls if he knows I took you out of the club,” Skull, one of the prospects said; the big man looked nervous.

  “Don’t worry, I can keep a secret if you can,” Elena said.

  Skull grunted and leaned
against the wall by the door Elena was about to enter. She swallowed, feeling her heart beating fast. It had taken a lot to get Skull to take her from the club and to the hospital to see Deanna. Maybe it was the fact she’d been crying, that her sadness over what had happened to the woman that made the big, scary biker, feel some empathy. Either way, he’d agreed, and here she was now, staring at the closed hospital room door and not knowing what she’d say once she saw the other woman

  “Just make it quick, because if Striker finds out, he’ll wear my balls around his neck, and if Demon finds out, he’ll slit my throat.”

  Elena nodded and pushed the room door open. The shades were drawn, but it was late outside. The small overhead light above the bed was on, and as she rounded the corner, she saw Deanna laying there, her eyes closed, her body looking so small curled under the blankets. Elena thought about leaving since she seemed asleep, but Deanna opened her eyes and looked right at Elena.

  “I’m so sorry if I woke you,” Elena said softly, her hands in front of her.

  “You didn’t.” Deanna pushed herself up on the bed and motioned Elena to come closer. “The drugs wore off, and I refused anymore.”

  Elena moved in closer and took the seat across from Deanna’s bed.

  How are you feeling?

  Are you doing okay?

  Is there anything I can do for you even though you don’t know me?

  Those questions played through her head, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask them because they seemed almost insensitive.

  “I don’t know what to say,” Elena said instead, being honest.

  Deanna smiled, but it was said. “Yeah, me either.” Deanna looked at the wall in front of her.

  “I’m sorry, but even that doesn’t seem like enough to say.”

  Deanna looked at her then. “Thank you for saying it, and thank you for coming and visiting me.” The silence stretched on between them.

  “I didn’t mean to bother you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, well, as okay as you can be.”

  Deanna nodded, but didn’t say anything.

  “Okay, I’ll let you rest.” Elena stood, but Deanna shifting on the bed stopped her.

  “Can you just sit here with me for a little bit?” Deanna asked, looking at Elena. “We don’t have to talk, but having someone else in the room is nice.”

  “Of course,” Elena said and sat back down.

  “Demon is taking this harder than I am, I think,” Deanna said, wiping at a tear tracking down her cheek. “It’s hard for me, too, but I’ve never seen that look in his eyes when he found out that although the baby is alive, they don’t know if he’ll be strong enough to make it.”

  “Hey, it’s okay; we don’t have to talk about it,” Elena said, putting her hand on Deanna’s. “I can’t even begin to know what you’re going through, and even though we don’t know each other at all, I want you to know how sorry I am.” Elena wiped one of her falling tears.

  “I’m afraid for what he’ll do, how he’ll react to this.” Deanna looked at Elena. “Men like Demon, like Striker and all the brothers, don’t handle things that rock their world. They have a hard time showing their emotions if it isn’t in the form of dominating and violence.”

  Yeah, Elena knew that all too well, now.

  “Maybe he needs to get those emotions out the only way he can?”

  Deanna smiled sadly. “Maybe.” She faced the wall again.

  They sat there in silence, but it was the comfortable kind, the kind that didn’t need words to express how they felt. Elena held Deanna’s hand, knowing she didn’t care if Striker or Demon got on her case about being out of the clubhouse; she wasn’t going to leave Deanna right now.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Striker stared at the compound where Elena’s father and family were staying. Something didn’t feel right to him. Just looking at the metal gates that locked the mansion away from the world made him feel sick. This was where they wanted Elena to come back to live.

  “It makes you sick, doesn’t it?” Nerd asked, speaking up.

  “Elena’s not coming back here. No one is coming back here.”

  “From my information, only men are allowed here during the weekend. The women have to stay at home, look after the kids, and do their duty to the cult.” Nerd shook his head.

  “And they think we’re a problem?” Demon spat on the ground, staring up at the metal gates. “Can you get inside?”

  They had all left the SUV, and were now looking up at the gate, the shadows covering them. They all had their weapons ready, and Striker had three more on his body. He never went anywhere without his gun.

  Steel, Joker, Weasel, Tryck, Demon, Nerd, Vengeance, Brash, and Lucky were standing side by side. This was just a few of the club members, but they were united in what they needed to do.

  “Piece of piss.” Nerd walked up to the computer on the side of the building. He pulled out his blade, cranked open the computer, and started doing some weird shit to it.

  “You know your kid is going to live,” Striker said.

  “I’m not here to talk about that, Striker. We’re here to sort out your problems with your woman and her fucked up family. I don’t want to think about anything else.” Demon was watching Nerd as he worked.

  “Demon, you’re going to have to face it,” Joker said.

  “You think I’m not fucking face it?” Demon snapped out and glared at his VP. The monster within Demon was struggling to get out. Striker didn’t want to be in his path when he exploded. Deanna and Demon had been looking forward to this baby, and they could lose him. The nurses in the NICU would take care of him. Striker had no doubt about it. “Do you think I’m not fucking hurting right now? My woman is in hospital and she needs me. I’ve got to handle this; I just can’t be there because I can’t tell her it’s going to be all right. Deanna needs me, and she needs to have faith in me.”

  Demon stopped, and Striker saw that he was struggling with it all.

  What would he be like if that was Elena? Would he be strong? Shit, he’d probably break down and sob along with her.

  He fucking hated the fact he couldn’t do anything about it. There’s no way for him to help his Prez, and there’s no way for him to help Deanna.

  “Ladies, we’re in,” Nerd said, spinning around and chuckling. “I’m hot shit.”

  “Yeah, and you smell like it,” Joker said.

  They all stepped forward and made their way into the main base.

  “So are we rushing it or standing back?” Steel asked.

  “Anyone else getting freaked out right now?” Vengeance asked.

  “What do you mean?” Lucky spoke up.

  “I don’t know. Mansion, a cult, the young women being offered up for marriage, this is horror movie shit. I’m kind of scared what we’re going to find when we walk in there.”

  “Don’t worry, babe, I’ll take care of you,” Brash said.

  “Fuck off!”

  “Enough,” Demon yelled, and they all stopped talking. “I don’t have time for jokes or shitting around. We get this done now.” Demon pulled out his gun, and walked up to the front door.

  “Okay, this is not good,” Joker said, following close behind him.

  Demon didn’t knock on the door; he didn’t take his time. He simply kicked the door down and charged inside.

  Striker wasn’t about to have someone do his job for him. Rushing forward, he first noticed how grand the house was, followed by the sound of crying. There was no time to stop what was happening as Demon charged forward and started shouting.

  Rushing into the first room, Striker felt sick to his stomach. A woman was chained down on a white covered table, and she was struggling. A man was standing beside her. Lifting his gun, Striker aimed it, ready to kill.

  “Who are you?” Striker asked.

  The woman on the table gasped, looking up at him. “Help me, please.”

  He looked back up at the man who looked to be in his early thirties.
“Shut the fuck up, whore. You’re tainting our home.”

  Striker had heard enough. Aiming his gun, he fired at the man’s leg. He walked up to the table and snapped the lock holding the woman captive.

  “Who are you?”

  “Mindy Dolman,” she cried out. “I was walking home from work. He kidnapped me. I don’t want to be here, and I don’t want to be raped.”

  Striker unbound her and she covered her face and started sobbing.

  “There’s an SUV outside. My club is there, and they will take care of you.”

  He watched her leave then followed his brothers who were advancing toward the back of the house. What was Elena’s father into?

  Nerd made his way down to the basement. Striker and Demon had Elena’s father, and he’d told them the Uncle was down here. Brash and Lucky were behind him as they made their way down.

  The sounds of feminine screams filled every one of his senses, putting him on edge. He’d not expected to find something like this. They were kidnapping women. Now, it made sense why they didn’t want the women of their cult here. He didn’t like it, and these men sickened him.

  “Dirty fucking whore. You tempt me.”

  He recognized the sound of a whip hitting flesh, followed by the howls of pain.

  Rounding the stairs, he saw a blonde with no clothes on bound to a St. Andrew’s cross. Her back was torn to shreds, and the man continued to mark her. The woman was begging to be let go and released.

  The man was so intent on what he was doing that he’d not even seen them entering. Nerd was sickened and disgusted at what he was seeing. He was part of an MC, and had seen a lot of death, even doing some of the deeds himself. But never anything like what was in front of him.

  Lifting his gun, he fired a single shot, taking out the man’s arm. He had his attention.

  “Get him out of here,” Nerd said.

  Brash and Lucky moved forward and grabbed the Uncle. Striker could deal with him.