Page 101 of Striker

“It doesn’t matter now,” he says, adjusting the waistband of his pants and stepping in closer.

Releasing the counter, I trail my finger up his abs; the muscles rippling like he’s ticklish, then drag it up the center of his chest. Stopping at the scar above his heart, I lean in and place a kiss on the raised skin. His breath hitches and fingers weave into my hair, tilting my head back to look in his eyes. Up this close, I can smell his maleness and the hint of sweat and sex.

“You’re too sweet for this world,” he whispers, pressing his lips to mine. “I don’t know how it’s not ruined you.”

“It didn’t ruin you,” I say back, keeping my voice just as low. His breath fans over my cheek when he places another kiss on my lips, then backs up enough so I can look at his face fully.

He’s so beautiful it hurts to look at him. I almost want to tell him to put his mask back on, so he’s a little less real. So he can remain the man who killed people and stole us, and not thissoft face that so obviously isn’t the hardened killer he wants us to believe he is.

He’s just a man. Just that boy who was trapped like I was.

But we both made it out.

“Father ruined me, not the world.” Striker grips my waist, once again lifting me.

I wrap my legs around him, resting my arms on his shoulders as he walks us to the door. He reaches around me and opens the door, his biceps straining as he carries me quietly to the bed. I slip down his body, eating up the sight of his sculpted muscles in his chest, then the skull tattoos between his shoulder blades as he turns and reaches for his shirt, then tugs it over his head. He places another chaste kiss on my lips before grabbing his mask and backing away.

When the door clicks shut quietly, I turn and find Delly watching me, her blue eyes red rimmed.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. So, so sorry her father is who he is, and that she found out this way.

A tear slips out and hits the pillow under her head. “Me too,” she whispers back, but then her face crumbles, and I feel like Rune’s ripping me apart all over again. Hitting me over and over as I watch her cry, powerless to make it stop. He made me feel so helpless, like I am now, unable to take her pain away. His lies and betrayal battering her, cutting so deep she’s going to have scars.

“Do we have to talk about it?” I ask, my stomach flipping as I sit on the edge of the bed. She drags a finger down my arm, watching as goose bumps form on my skin. “I’m so tired of talking about it.”

Delly shakes her head, drawing her hand back, wiping under her nose.

“Was his dick as good the second time around?”

Her blue eyes snap up to mine, and she breathes out a laugh, squeezing her eyes shut. “Better.”

“Helps, he’s not a butter-face.” When she smirks, my chest warms.We’re okay.“Do I get to fuck him too?”

The smirk falls and she grimaces.

“Too soon?” I ask, capturing my bottom lip with my teeth.Yeah. Too soon. “Why’d he take off his mask?”

“Because we aren’t going home,” she says, throwing the blankets back and holding them up for me to join her.

I crawl forward, drinking in the sight of her pale flesh and hard nipples. The dark mole on her thin collarbone. Even with red, puffy eyes, hair a tangled mess spread out behind her, she’s still so beautiful. It makes me want to press my lips to every inch of her flesh.

“I know,” I tell her, slipping under the blankets, but my heart hammers as I look up into her eyes, placing my head on the pillow. “Do you want to?”

Her features harden, gaze drifting to my mouth. “No.” She gathers me up, pulling me close and tossing her leg over my hip until we’re pressed together so tightly I feel every breath she inhales. Feel every exhale like it’s mine and for the first time in my life, I know I’m truly safe. Her lips press to my forehead. “Does Clyde know about Rune?”

I shake my head, burying my face in her sticky neck, breathing in the salty sweat on her skin, and the faint scent of soap and sex. She’s always been my safe place. My beacon. Now she’s something else.

Her entire body relaxes. “Good. I’d hate to have to kill him.”

A chuckle slips out and I glance back up at her, placing a kiss to her jaw, but then catch the murderous gleam in her eyes.

Sometimes I forget she’s Rune’s daughter.

He’s going to regret creating her.

Chapter 40

Delilah

---