Page 18 of Striker's Yield

Autumn opens her mouth only to clamp it shut and narrow her gaze.

“Smart,” I murmur, press a kiss on the tip of her nose, and look at Tony. “You want to catch up with my woman, that’s cool and shit, but you ain’t doin’ it without me there.” I’m not about to let him think he has an opening to get in with my woman. No damn way in hell will that be happening.

“Hey, I have an idea,” Lila pipes in, skipping up to us.

Tony takes one look at Lila, blinks, and shakes his head. “Hold up, this isn’t little Lila,” he says, having finally recognized her.

“Yep,” Lila answers, smiling brightly. “Now, how about tonight we have dinner at the house? You can tell us all about Autumn, then you can catch up with both Striker and Autumn.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Tony agrees and looks to me. “I’m sure Rolland and Jason would want to join in.”

“Those two are in town?” I shouldn’t be surprised. Tony, Rolland, and Jason were always thick as thieves, sticking to each other. On missions, they were damn good watching each other’s backs. They’d gotten the nickname ‘The Three Musketeers’ because of it. It ended up becoming a running joke within the squad.

“Yeah.” Tony clears his throat and looks at Autumn. “Wasn’t just in town because your parents wanted me to check in on you. Though I wanted to see you, not gonna lie, was hoping to make you mine again . . .” He grins and looks to me. “I see that’s not going happen.”

“You got that right,” I tell him, earning a look from Autumn.

“Yeah,” Tony snorts and shakes his head. “Word of advice, man, she looks sweet and innocent most of the time. You piss her off, she’ll make the commander look like a pussy.”

I highly doubt she’d make the commander look like a pussy. That man had a way of making a grown man piss his pants when he wanted.

“Don’t make up lies about me,” Autumn snaps. “I’m not mean, and you know it.”

“Didn’t make shit up and didn’t call you mean, babe, just telling ‘em how it is. You have a temper, and I remember it well. Hell, I still have the scar to prove it.” He points out the scar on his forehead that goes from his hairline to his brow.

“Hold up,” I say, cocking a brow. “I remember you tellin’ us that you got that during basic training.”

“Yeah, ‘cause I’m not gonna say I’d gotten it when my girlfriend at the time gave it to me when I pulled her ass off the town slut who had it coming to her when she called another girl a?—”

“Let’s not go there,” Autumn interrupts, not letting him finish. “There’s ears that don’t near to hear what you were going to say.”

“Oh please.” Lila laughs. “I’m sure I hear worse at school.”

“That may be, but still . . .”

“Autumn, don’t think we’re not gonna want to hear some stories,” Athena jumps into the conversation and looks to Lila. “How about instead of you watching Jesse tonight, we all come over for dinner?”

“Yeah, that’s what we should do,” Lila agrees. “I’ll make dinner.”

“I’ll order some pizzas,” I announce, not about to eat my sister’s cooking tonight. She’s not a terrible cook, but she’s learning, and some of it can be a crap shot.

“Ugh . . .” Autumn starts, and I look her in the eye.

“No getting out of it, Mama,” I tell her and lean in to whisper only in her ear. “Think to get out of it, and I’ll put you over my knee and spank your ass until you’re begging me to do something else altogether.”

Autumn jerks slightly but doesn’t say anything.

Good.

I didn’t want our plans to change. Not when we’ve got a lot to talk about, and once I get everyone the hell out of there, I intend to get her to open up and talk to me. Maybe with everyone there, she won’t be as tightly wound when it comes to us being alone. Maybe she’ll see it as a reprieve from the hell we’re both about to sit through.

Letting her go, I turn to Lila. “Why don’t you get Tony and me something to drink?” I suggest and look back to Autumn. “Go ahead and finish up what you got to do, baby. We’ll head out when you’re done.”

“Autumn, is all the paperwork done?” Athena asks, seeming to catch on without me having said anything to her.

“Um, yeah.”

I’m sure it was due to the fact she’d left for work so damn early. I knew she probably hadn’t even slept any last night.

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