Page 17 of Striker's Yield

CHAPTER 8

Striker

Walking out of Autumn’s office and into the front of the café, I’m on the verge of wanting to commit murder at the interruption.

Fucking Tony Decker.

I’m not sure this is the same Tony I know, but if it is, it’s gonna piss me off even more ‘cause I like the asshole. What I don’t like is someone coming and interrupting a moment I’m having with Autumn. I could tell she’s got a lot going on in her head as it is. She doesn’t need something else to fuck with her emotions or her mentally.

When she told me it wasn’t my business who Tony Decker was to her, I wanted to throw her over my knee and spank her ass red, but I didn’t. I’d gotten her attention when I pushed her up against the wall and lifted her.

Though I was pissed, Id enjoyed having her wrapped around me like she’d been. It would’ve been better if we hadn’t had a barrier between us. I’d have enjoyed it that much more. Unfortunately, she’d taken that moment to show even behind the nervousness, she’s got a backbone and will stand up for herself. This made me want to fuck her against the wall, and I would have if it I wasn’t going to be the first time I had her.

Maybe another time. One when she finds that backbone again. I like it way too much when she finds her voice and pulls out of that shell of hers. It’s hot. It makes me hard just thinking about the way she narrowed her eyes and told me it was none of my business. No matter how much it pissed me off, it still turned me on.

“Tony,” Autumn calls out a greeting, pulling me out of my thoughts. I get a good look at the guy standing in the middle of the room.

Tony turns toward us and a shit-eating grin curls on his mouth. His gaze comes to mine, and he blinks. “Holy shit, Jonas Alvarado, damn good to see you, man. Wasn’t expectin’ it but was gonna look you up.”

He steps forward, hand up. I lower my arm from around Autumn and embrace Tony, the both of us slapping each other’s backs.

“Good to see ya, man,” I remark and step back, wrapping my arm back around Autumn.

Tony takes this in and loses his grin. “Damn, Autumn. Your dad didn’t tell me you were seeing someone.”

“Um,” Autumn utters, her gaze looking from Tony to me. “You two know each other?”

“Served together,” I answer, jerking my chin in Tony’s direction. “He joined my team not long after I did.”

“Oh, okay,” she murmurs and looks at Tony. “So, um, what are you doing here?”

“Your dad told me about Avery,” Tony says, eyes warming on Autumn. “Why didn’t you call?”

“I didn’t know how,” Autumn admits, her voice wavering.

I tighten my arm around Autumn, pulling her around and holding her close. Talking about Avery was one of the things I intended for us to talk about tonight.

“Babe,” Tony calls, stepping toward Autumn, hand out.

Him calling her ‘babe’ doesn’t sit well with me. I definitely didn’t like the idea of him thinking he was going to hug her. That is not going to happen.

I pull her a bit closer, turn her slightly to me, and dip forward to press a kiss to the side of her head. Tony stops, getting the message that I’m not about to let him get any closer to her than he already is.

Tony clears his throat and looks at Autumn. “If you’d told me about her, I’d have been here.” His eyes come to me for all of a split second before he continues. “Your mom said you’ve shut down, all but shut them out, and been focused on this café. They’re worried about you.”

I’m sure his words were meant to be a blow. Unfortunately for him, it’s not a blow that hits its mark. I’m about to say something when Autumn straightens and shocks the shit out of him.

“Tony, I’m not shutting down. I’m learning to live without my twin. I’m doing everything I have to make her dream . . . my dream keep going . . . the way we both wanted it. They didn’t want me to keep it open. They wanted me to sell it and come back home. I love them, but I’m not doing that, and they know it. I appreciate you coming, but you’re not going to change my mind for them,” she says, pulling out of my arms.

I could’ve easily kept her there, but I didn’t.

“Babe, I know you,” Tony starts, but Autumn shakes her head and pokes a finger in his chest.

“Don’t you dare, Tony Decker,” she snaps. “Yes, we know each other. We’re friends, but other than emails and texts here and there, you don’t really know me anymore. Of course, you’d know what losing Avery means to me. It hurts, and there’s no stopping the pain. The memory of it. Now, if you’re here for any other reason than to catch up like two old friends should be able to do, then I don’t want to hear it.”

Autumn whirls around to face me and narrows her eyes. “As for you —”

“Mama, don’t even think about trying to tell me off,” I say, interrupting her as I reach out and snag her around the waist. “You won’t make the mistake of thinking you’re going to use this moment to get out of our plans tonight.”

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