Page 22 of Striker's Yield

Striker

I was holding Autumn in my arms, feeling her finally drift back to sleep. She laid silent in my arms for the past hour, just lying there. I’m thinking she just wanted me to believe she was asleep, but I knew better. Instead of calling her out on it, I let her be. I was still tired myself.

It’s barely five in the morning, and I need some more shut-eye after her crying out, screaming in her sleep. She caught me off guard when I shouldn’t have been. But I guess it’s the degree of how severe the dreams were for her that got to me. My chest was still tight at the panic I felt rolling off her. The way she was pleading for her sister’s life.

No joke, it was like I felt it right alongside her. The pain of it, and I fucking hate it. This woman in my arms, she’s reliving what happened every night in her dreams. It’s haunting her, and she’s not moving on from what happened.

I’m willing to bet her kidnapping didn’t help matters, either.

Drawing her tighter in my arms, I hold tight, not wanting to let her go.

Last night hearing the stories Tony shared, I wanted to be pissed he knew her back then. That he’d gotten to witness those times with her. For that matter, I know it was him who took her virginity. He didn’t have to say it to confirm. It was a given the way he talked, giving up details about the past.

And the past is just that—the past. I’m Autumn’s present and future.

I didn’t lie to her when I told I’d seen her, and I’d be lying to myself if I hadn’t said she piqued my interest. I didn’t know it until I finally decided to do something about it. Sitting on it that week, I took time to think of what I was going to do and how I would go about it with Autumn. With all the bullshit she’s been through, I couldn’t just say fuck it and make her mine.

Though right about now, I’m ready to say fuck it, fuck the talk, and just make her mine. Tell her how it is, how it’s going to be. I’m not playing games where she’s concerned, and that’s what I need to get across to her.

If I didn’t know she was so damn exhausted, I’d have finished our conversation and been done with it once and for all. I mean, how fucking hard is it for the two of us to have a talk and not be interrupted. The other night was thanks to me being called away to the clubhouse. Then Lila invites everyone over to my house for dinner. I didn’t mind ‘cause it gave me insight into a few things.

Like the fact there’s more to Tony, Rolland, and Jason being in town. Not that they’re trouble, but they’re known for finding it, and that’s not something I want around Autumn.

Tomorrow, while Autumn’s back at the café, I’ll have to get up with them and find out exactly what’s going down and what they’re in town for. It’s not just some job or for Tony to play catch up with Autumn.

Today, I intend for her to relax, talk to me, get to know who I am, and that I’m not fucking around. She’s going to sleep, eat, and chill out, then later, she’s going to join me over at the clubhouse for the barbeque the ol’ ladies organized for the day.

For now, though, I’m going to try catching a couple more hours of sleep and hope like hell she doesn’t have another nightmare.

“Can’t believe you managed to get her here.” Brass chuckles from his seat on the picnic table next to me, eyes locked on where his woman is talking with Autumn. “I’m betting she fought you on coming here.”

“Fought isn’t the word I’d use to explain her determination not to come to the cookout.” I grunt as my brother laughs.

By the time Autumn woke up again, it was pretty much time to go. We had just enough time to go by the apartment for her to shower and change. While she was taking her shower, I’d taken it upon myself to pack a bag for her. The visual of the lace in her panties drawer has embedded itself in my brain. I made sure to pack plenty of the different colors along with the matching bras. She even had some sinfully sexy nightgowns. They shouldn’t have been hot, but that’s exactly what they were.

Last night, I’d left Autumn in her shirt but pulled her jeans off without her waking. That was a pretty sight, but I’m definitely looking forward to seeing her in those gowns.

I also packed her some T-shirts, including the Devil’s Nirvana one, a couple of pairs of jeans, socks, shorts, and another pair of sneakers. I also included a pair of heels I saw on the floor of her closet that I wouldn’t mind seeing her. Hell, the thought of her wearing ‘em, digging in my back while I drilled into her is fantasy that I look forward to seeing happen.

Once I finished packing her bag, I shot off a text to Brass and told him to take it by my place before heading over to the clubhouse.

“Wanna explain?” Brass asks, having finished laughing. “She know you packed a bag for her?”

“Nope, I didn’t tell her.” Figure it is best if she finds out when I don’t take her home.

“Why not?” Brass grins and cocks a brow as Red and K-9 both join us at the table.

“What’s Brass grinning about?” Red asks, looking curious.

“Striker packed a bag for Autumn and didn’t tell her she was staying at his place again tonight, and he’s not wanting to talk about how he got her to come to the clubhouse for the cookout,” Brass explains and starts laughing again. Red and K-9 both look confused. “You’d have had to been at Striker’s last night to understand. I’m still having a hard time believing it myself.”

“Right.” K-9 smirks and looks at me. “So, why ain’t you explainin’?”

“There’s nothing to explain,” I mutter and lift my beer to my lips. I still hadn’t had the talk with Autumn like I’d wanted to, considering we’d slept so late, but she needed it, and I wasn’t going to complain.

“Way your actin’, there is.” Red snorts. “Remember, we know you. Might as well tell us before we get the rest of the brothers involved.”

Sighing, I shake my head and look past them to where Autumn’s laughing at something Kenny is saying to her. I hope it doesn’t have to do with them pulling out bows and arrows. There’s been plenty of times where Kenny has, and now, some of the other ol’ ladies have gotten in on the act. For that matter, Kenny and Horse’s daughter gets in on it now, and she’s damn good. So good, she’s signed up for competitions where she competes against other kids her age.

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