Me, I guess. I haven’t seen or heard from my mother in more years than I can remember. I don’t even know if the evil old cow is even alive, and I never want to. As far as I'm concerned, she’s long since gone.
“Keep your dog on a leash!” The stupid fuck yelled.
Big mistake.
Prez pushed the tip of the knife into his eye socket. He screamed bloody murder as Shepard dug out his fuckin’ eyeball. Blood and gunk gushed from the socket.
“Oh, god,” Cunt features groaned in pain.
“You have three-seconds to tell me what the fuck you did to my wife, or I’ll tear you limb from limb. I’ll keep you alive long enough to feel every damn slice of your skin, every break in your bones, every damn thing I’ll do to you.”
“You fuckin’ stupid cunt! I don’t know where the bitch is. She took off after she stabbed me.”
“I ain’t in the mood for your bullshit, Jose!”
“I may have... cut the bitch before she ran.”
That’s the last thing he ever said. Prez went about hacking him to pieces.
Ain’t no one ever said this shit was pretty. There’s one thing you don’t do to a Snakes woman. You don’t kidnap her, rape her, touch her in any fuckin’ way and expect to live to see the next morning.
One thing I learned at that moment was that our Prez was a fucking psycho. He loves Lynette so fiercely, deeply, purely and honestly that he’d literally dismember a man for touching her.
I would have done the same thing. I can’t lie.
“Dad? That’s enough. He's dead. We need to get back to the house and figured what to do next.” Jett grabbed his dad's arm.
“Red? Pick some of the boys to help you get rid of the body. I don’t care how you do it, just do it.” Red nodded and told Ace, Roman, and Tank to help him.
“What about the car, Prez?”
“Burn it, crush it, I don’t care, CueBall. Just get rid of any evidence Lynette was there.”
“Prez.”
“Come on, brother, let’s get you cleaned up. There’s nothing more we can do tonight.”
“I ain’t givin’ up, BlackJack. If I don’t keep looking through the night, it might be too late!”
Grabbing his shoulders, BlackJack forced Shepard to look at him. “You need to get cleaned up. No one is givin’ up lookin’ for her, Shepard, but you can't find her covered in her ex’s blood, guts, and brain matter! You also need to check on your kids. Taylor texted, Willow is home. She’s frightened, Shepard. She needs you.”
“Go, Dad, I’ll keep looking for Mom. Any sign and I’ll call you.”
“I’ll be an hour.”
It was probably less than an hour before BlackJack made the call to let us all know Lynette had been found safe and well. Can’t tell you how big a breath I let out. We all did.
I make my way over to BlackJack’s to collect Coral. I walk in, and she runs right to me, crying her eyes out. Relief and fear will do that to a person.
Jett’s comforting Willow, letting her know that her mother is just fine.
Jack’s comforting Taylor, Lynette is her best friend, and she must have been so scared.
All I want to do is go to my room with Coral and hold her in my arms all night long. I don’t even want to go home. I just want to stay here the night.
“You did well tonight, Son.” I smile slightly at Jack. I didn’t do anything the other’s didn’t do. Coral clings to me as Jack stands in front of me with his arms around his wife. “Nothing better than finding one of our own safe.”
“She is all right, isn’t she?”
“She’s fine, Will.” Jett's sitting with Willow on BlackJack’s couch, his arms around her, hers around him. “Mom’s strong, she fought hard to get back to us.”
“When can I see her, Jett?”
“First thing in the morning, I promise.” Willow nods her head and lies it against his shoulder.
“I hate to run, guys, but I’m going to my room. I need to talk to Coral alone.” Yeah, I still have a room here. Taylor says I always will. It comes in handy for times like this one. Plus, I stay here once a week so that I can spend time with the boys.
“Okay, sweetheart.” Taylor grabs me and hugs me to her. Beautiful woman is always willing to show affection to anyone who needs it. She then hugs Coral tightly. Coral blows air kisses to Jack, Willow, and Jett then takes my hand and allows me to lead her to my room.
As soon as I close the door, she sags against me and cries. I hold her tightly, calming her tears, her fears, telling her how nothing like that will ever happen to her.
She’s still upset that she went to Shepard without telling me she was going to do so. I was pissed off at the time, but after everything that’s happened with Lynette, and the fact Shepard isn’t going to kill me or make me take back my claim on my woman, I’ve let it go.
I lead Coral over to the bed as soon as her tears subside. I tell her who the guy was and why he took Lynette, all the time stroking the tears from her face. “Lynette is so brave, and she’s such a wonderful mother, all she wanted to protect Willow from that monster of a man.”
“You knew him?” I ask as I take her hands in mine and pull her to her feet. I strip her to her underwear gently, and she doesn’t fight me on it.
“I kind of remember him from when I was a little girl. I wasn’t very old, but some things you never forget.”
I grab one of my t-shirts from the bottom of my bed and slip it over her head. It’s way too big for her, but she’s only going to be sleeping in it.
“He was cruel to Lynette. Hit her a lot, denied Willow.”
“You have a good memory for a little girl.” I kiss her head and pull the sheets back on my bed before motioning for her to climb in.
She does without hesitation.
I strip my clothes and climb in beside her, pulling her into my arms where she belongs. I just need to hold her close to me to know she’s really here. This thing with Lynette has shaken me the fuck up in a way I never wanted anything to shake me up.
“Some things are more vivid than others.” I pull her closer to me and kiss her head; this has brought back bad memories for her, I can tell. I wish I could wipe it all from her mind, but I know I can’t. Just as I can’t erase the past from mine.
“Nothing is ever going to happen to you, Coral. You know that, don’t you?”
“I know you’ll keep me safe, Mark. I know it deep in my heart. I also know that I love you more than anything in this world, and if I ever lost you...”
I nudge her with my shoulder until she’s lying on the pillow beside me, looking at me. “You will never lose me, Coral.” I stroke her hair out of her eyes. “I love you so much, ain’t nothin’ ever meant anything to me, not really, not till you walked into my life and stole my heart like a thief in the night.”
She giggles, and it’s a heavenly sound. “You stole mine, too.” Her eyes droop. “I’m always going to love you, Mark Anderson.”
I smile and kiss her softly before wrapping my arms around her.
This right here is my home.
She’s mine.
She will always be mine. I know that more than I know anything else.
Chapter Sixteen
Coral
Hi, Mom,” It’s been a while since we spoke. It was wrong of me not to answer her calls before now, but I’ve been so busy looking for a job, and trying to ignore the fact my ex-boss “died,” and my relationship with Stryker that my parents seemed to be put on the back burner. I hate that I did that.
“So, you do live, then.” It wasn’t a question, but her hoity tone tells me she’s less than impressed with me right now. “Is it customary now to ignore your mother?”
“No. I’m sorry, I’ve just been so busy lately that I haven’t had much time for myself.”
“Yes, so I heard.” I swallow hard. Crap. Shepard must have called my parent’s to let them know what’s going on in my life. The way he always promised to. “A biker, Coral? A damn biker!”
“Calm down, Mom!”
“Don’t tell me to calm down, young lady. Get your stuff packed; Dad’s coming to get you. You’re coming home where I can keep an eye on you.”
“I’m already coming back today, Mom. You don’t need to send Dad to fetch me. I’m not a child.”
“Yes, you are. You’re my child, and you’ll do as I damn well say!”
Here we go again.
My mother has been way too protective of me since all of what happened when I was a child. I know she means well, just as every good loving mother does, but this is my life, and I won’t have her dictating to me where I live and whom I love. I’m twenty-one years old. She has no right to order me home.
“I’m not coming back to California for anything other than Cindy’s graduation. Once it’s over, I’m coming back here to be with Stryker.”
“Over my dead body! What the hell kind of name is Stryker anyway?! Don’t test me, Coral Jane Harmon!”
“I’m not a child! This is my life, Mother. I’m twenty-one years of age. You can’t make life decisions like this for me. I know my own heart. I love him!”
“Love him? You don’t even know him!”
It’s sad, but I knew deep down that she’d react like this. I just hoped I’d be able to tell her about Stryker face to face. At least she’s not in my face right now. She wouldn’t hit me, but she’d shake me, hoping to shake the love I have for him out of me.
“I know him plenty, Mom. We’ve been seeing each other since a couple of weeks after I got here.”
“Oh, my god,” She’s always this dramatic, has been most of my life. It’s never really been all that easy to deal with. She’s worse with me than she is with Cindy. “He’s a dirty biker, Coral! After everything you went through at the hands of people like him.”
“Mother, Stryker is a wonderful man. You can’t tarnish him with the same brush as one monster. You still talk to Shepard, and he’s a biker. You don’t seem to have a problem with him. Should I not date a white man because the man who hurt me was white?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m not, I’m asking a genuine question. Just because Stryker is a biker,” Totally did not mean for that to rhyme. “It doesn’t make him like the man who hurt me, Mom. He’s a good man. He’s sweet, strong, he takes care of me. I’ve never felt like this before. I love him so much, and he loves me.”
“I can’t even believe Shepard is okay with this.”
She didn’t listen to a damn word I just said. It’s been the same ever since I had my baby, my mother talks over me, down to me, she expects too much from me. Hell, whenever I try to protest about anything at all, she’s all up in my face and telling me why she won’t allow it.
Coming back here had been a struggle, she didn’t want me to come, told me all sorts of bad things would happen to me. I put my foot down and told her it was just a short visit. I wanted to visit my old friends. The short visit part was a lie, and I hated lying to her, but I can’t allow her to keep ruling my life. What happened to me wasn’t my fault, I was a child, dammit!
“I’m bringing Stryker to Cindy’s graduation...”
“Like hell you are! Don’t you dare bring that man anywhere near Cindy, she doesn’t need to be subjected to those kinds of people. I have worked my ass off to make sure she’s safe. You bring that man into our lives, and she never will be!”
“You can’t stop me bringing Stryker. We won’t stay with you, don’t worry, but I want him with me. I hope you can give him a chance. Just be polite, the way you always taught Cindy and me to be. We’ll leave right after Cindy’s party, and you won’t have to see us again if that’s what you want.”
My mother sighs heavily down the line. “You do what you want, Coral, I clearly can't stop you. But don’t come crying to me when it all goes wrong, and you end up hurt.” I open my mouth to speak, but she’s already ended the call.
She’s left me in a pool of frustrated tears, and all I want is to scream it all out of me. I understand why she’s so upset with me, but this is my life! I know she’s scared, but there’s nothing to be scared of, she needs to let go a little and let me live my life the way I want to.
Besides, I’ve already asked Stryker to come with me. I want him to go with me. It’s all arranged. I knew she wouldn’t want him staying in her house, that’s why I booked us a hotel for two nights while we’re in California.
We leave in a couple of hours. I’m just waiting for him to pick me up. Well, Tank is driving us to the airport. Taking Stryker’s bike won't do us any good. He’s not going to want to leave it at the airport until we get back.
I check that I’ve got everything before grabbing my bag and making my way outside. They will be here any moment. I’m going to be dreading this four-hour flight because I know what will be waiting for me tomorrow, hell from my parent’s.
Tank pulls up, and Stryker jumps out of the car. He kisses me swiftly and takes my bag, dropping it in the trunk while I climb into the backseat. I thought Stryker would ride up front with Tank, but he jumps into the back beside me.
“Everything okay?” He asks while reaching for my hand and lacing our fingers together. I can only nod my head. I don’t have the heart to tell him what my mother said in front of Tank.
He doesn’t question me more he just chats away with Tank while I keep my eyes on the world outside. My mother has made me feel awful, and I don’t want Stryker to be in the middle of an argument my mother and I might have on this trip.
This trip is about my sister and watching her graduate school with honors. I always knew she would, Cindy is so smart, so beautiful, and I wouldn’t miss this for the world. No matter what my mother might say.
“Have a good trip. Come back safe.” I hug Tank, one of the best friends I’ve ever had tightly. He smiles against my head and kisses me gently. He’s like a big brother to me, and I love him a lot.
“Thanks, man.” Stryker and Tank shake hands before Stryker takes mine, both our bags on his shoulder, and leads us through the airport.
We’re checked in and boarded before I even know it. When we take off, I’m clutching Stryker’s hand tightly in mine. I hate flying, but at least this time I have someone with me to take my mind off it. When I flew to Tennessee, I was alone. I hated it.
“You can stop scrunching your eyes in fear now. We’re airborne.” Stryker chuckles.
I open my eyes and smile at him; he’s so handsome, so perfect, and so mine. Nothing anyone says will make me leave this beautiful man; he’s so messed up inside, just as messed up as me. The only difference is, he still hasn’t told me what it is he hides inside himself.
I hope he can put his trust in me the way I did him one day. Nothing he ever told me would change a damn thing about the way I feel for him. Nothing.
“Thank you for coming with me.”
“My pleasure, beautiful.” He leans over and kisses me tenderly. If he was the monster my mother has him down for, there’s no way he'd kiss me like that. He’s never rough with me unless I ask it of him. She has no right to say such things about him.
No right, at all.
“Mark, I need to tell you something.”
“What is it, darlin’?”
“Can I get either of you a drink?” I hadn’t seen the flight attendant coming through the aisle with her trolly of drinks. Stryker orders water, I ask for a diet coke. I’m not a fan of water, no matter how good it is for me.
Once she’s gone, I turn my attention back to Stryker. “My mother called before you collected me.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. Shepard called her and told her about us. She was less than pleased.”
“I figured.” He never misses a trick. He’s too smart for his own good sometimes.
“She’s not going to be very welcoming, Mark. She doesn’t want us to be together. She wants me to move back to California.”
“You’re leaving me?” The fear in his eyes hurts my heart and soul. I se
e how much he really does love me. It doesn’t matter how quickly we fell in love, the fact is, we did. Nothing and no one can take away what we have.
“Not in this lifetime or the next,” I tell him with a kiss to his soft lips. “My mom is afraid after what happened to me. She wasn’t expecting me to fall for a biker. But like I told her, this is my life, and I will love whom I want to love. Nothing she ever had to say would turn me away from you, Mark. You are everything to me. I just want you to be prepared for her attitude and the things she might say to make you leave me.”
His arm comes around my shoulder, pulling me to him. I let my head fall to his shoulder, and he kisses my head. “It doesn’t matter how she feels or what she says, Coral, I love you. Ain’t nobody can take that away from us.”
“I love you, too.”
He smiles against my head and kisses me again. “Everything will be all right, baby. Try not to worry.”
I’ll try, but it won’t be easy not to, especially when I know she’ll be hell-bent on ruining what we have. She’ll do whatever it takes to pull us apart.
However, I have faith that we’re stronger than that. I love this man more than life itself.
We’re strong.
We belong to each other.
No one can come between us.
I hope.
Chapter Seventeen
Stryker
The hotel is nothing special. The people aren’t my kind of people. Each one gave me a disapproving look. It ain’t like back home here. Everyone back home is used to men like me. Here, everyone dresses as though they belong in a movie or a music video. Okay, not everyone, that would be ridiculous. But it’s different.
The looks I got just walking through the airport were enough to have me rolling my neck to relieve the tension I was feeling at not being able to tell people to go fuck themselves!
It was no different when we got to the hotel, everyone turning to stare at me, the big, bad biker with the cut filled with patches, pretty blonde on my arm, the kind of girl who doesn’t belong with a man like me.
Strike Fast: Prequal (Snakes Henchmen MC) Page 11
