The Way I Like It (The Soldiers of Wrath MC, #5) (9 page)

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.

A
fter 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 Elena’s crazy as fuck family.

S
triker 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.