Page 34 of Stryker

“Morning,” Stryker said,his voice rough from sleep. Nothing had ever soundedsexier.

“Good morning,” John saidwhile grudgingly pulling himself away from the hard body he’d beenusing as his pillow. “How’d you sleep?”

“Best sleep I’ve had inyears. You?” Those dark eyes that held a secret pain now seemed tosparkle ever so slightly. John liked it.

“Peaceful, I think. Idon’t remember having a nightmare. Did I?”

“Nope, you slept straightthrough,” Stryker said as he stretched out his arms and rolled hisshoulders and neck to loosen them.

“Sorry, I slept on you allnight you couldn’t move. You must be stiff.”

“I wouldn’t have it anyother way,” Stryker said without a trace of doubt. “You can use meas your pillow anytime.”

“An open invitation.Better be careful, I might take you up on it,” John teased as heshifted in be,d trying to adjust his morning hard-on.

Great, there was no way Strykerwouldn’t see the tent in his shorts the moment John gotup.

“I hope you do,” Strykersaid as he ran the palm of his hand over John’s jaw.

Stryker’s phone rang, and the big manslowly pulled away and confidently tossed the blankets aside andstood sporting a sizeable bulge in his boxer briefs.

“That’ll be the bosswanting to check in. We need to head out soon as you’reready.”

John took the opportunity to head forthe bathroom while Stryker was on the phone. A cold shower wouldhave to do. John couldn’t help but wonder if that would be thefirst and last time he woke up in Stryker’s arms. He hopednot.

They arrived at the lake house at thesame time as a delivery driver pulled away. Brick was waiting withthe team to review the information in the file they’d found. Thesealed letter addressed to John was still unopened in his pocket.He wasn’t sure he wanted to open it yet. His whole plan was to notdwell on the bomb Stryker had dropped and hope it went away. Hecouldn’t deal with thinking about it right now.

Denial was a fire blanket covering histormented psyche.

How could his father and mother nottell him his origins? Surely, he’d had a right to know… Perhapsthey’d wanted to wait until he was older, and of course, by then,it was too late. Their secrets died with them.

He wanted to slow it all down, windback the clock and return to being normal, where the only thing hehad to worry about was opening the new store.

Sleeping with Stryker by his side lastnight had given John a peace he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Apeace he hadn’t even realized he’d been missing but now craved. Forgrowing reasons, he wasn’t looking forward to the day Strykerreturned to the lake house to live.

They walked into the lake house tofind the others members of the team eating breakfast around thekitchen table. After a round of greetings, Stryker led John totheir open seats, and the two sat down before Stryker handed thefile over to Brick on his left. The leader didn’t open itimmediately, for which John was grateful. Brick slid it onto hislap and continued eating.

“You hungry?” Strykerasked John.

“I could eat.”

John was surprised he had an appetiteconsidering all the bullshit going on around him.

Stryker smiled and began loading uptheir plates. John noticed a medium-size cardboard box on thekitchen counter and guessed that was what the delivery driver haddropped off. Something about it felt off.

While the conversation continuedaround him, John zeroed in on the box. Nothing about it suggestedgiving it a second glance, but John began to notice things insideas he concentrated. He saw a digital clock, two thick pieces ofwhat looked like Play-Doh or clay, wires, and a package of smallround beads.

The digital clock was countingdown—twenty-one, twenty, then nineteen. He had to warn the others,and damn keeping the secret of his “ability.” People could be aboutto die, and he wasn’t having that on his watch.

“Uh, guys, we have aproblem.” He stood up and gestured to the package. “I think thatpackage is going to explode. It has a timer counting down, and it’sat nineteen.”

Everyone froze.

“What the fuck?” Brickstood up so fast his stool fell to the floor. Gator and Strykerdove toward the box.

“If that’s the time left,there’s no time to disarm it,” Gator said urgently. “Everyoneleave, right now.”

Fear rushed through John as he frozeto the spot. As everyone headed toward the door, Stryker grabbedthe box off the kitchen counter and ran out the back door. John andthe team followed him and watched as Stryker scanned the area, thenran directly at what had to be a storm cellar. He lifted the thickmetal door, threw the box inside, and shut the door before yelling,“Get down.”

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