Page 42 of Striker

Chapter 26

Striker

We were all surroundingthe old barn, waiting for the perfect time to move in on him. Danny was alone and waiting on a partner to come and pick him up, Lilah in tow. I was looking through the night vision binoculars when I heard the screaming. Knowing that my Little Lark could be in even more trouble, I stood up and ran toward the barn.

My brothers were screaming at me to get back, but I couldn’t let my Lilah get hurt. I needed to save her from this nightmare and never let her out of my sight again. The door was easy to break down as I kicked it open. The wood splintered and sprayed everywhere. Lilah was crouched in a corner with her ex hovering over her. My poor Little Lark was covered in blood and bruises, her clothing ripped to shreds, and a fearful look on her face.

I stopped in my tracks and just stared, my chest started to constrict as the horrible scenarios ran through my head. Danny was a dead man and I was the grim reaper coming to collect. Danny turned toward me as my men came barreling in. He had a sinister smile on his face, like he knew this was going to happen all along. I had a bad feeling in my gut and knew this was going to end badly.

Lilah looked back and forth between me and Danny. She held a small pocket knife in her hands, I looked and saw the blood glistening in the moonlight, dripping down the knife and onto my Little Lark’s hand. I pulled my gun out and pointed it at her ex, ready to shoot this motherfucker dead.

“Ahhh, so you finally made it to the show. Good to have you here, Striker! Now, let’s all put our weapons down so I can explain how this is going to go if you want Lilah to live to see another day. My plan to blow you all to smithereens can still happen if you aren’t careful.” He was pacing back and forth in front of Lilah, and I couldn’t get a good shot without risking her.

“Lilah here is going to come home with me. She agreed and has seen the error in her thinking. She loves me and always will. My Princess will submit to me and has already forgotten all about you. So let’s just cut to the chase my friends.” Lilah had tears running down her face shaking her head as her eyes begged me to save her. I knew this was all a lie and she had said it all to save herself. My Little Lark was tough and would do anything to survive. I took a deep breath, preparing myself to hear this deranged man’s demands.

“What do you want, Danny?” I still had my gun aimed at him and so did all my brothers behind me. He tossed his head back and laughed, then looked me straight in the eyes, a black gun in his hands.

“Oh, Striker, my friend. I already have what I want. I have my property back. You may have sullied it, but I can get the stench of lowlife off real quick. You and your...boys...will leave. Don’t ever coming looking for Lilah again. She’s mine until the end of time. If you don’t accept that plan, I would kindly dispose of you so you don’t have to live without her. It would be my pleasure. Then, Lilah would stop thinking about you and know she has no option, but to be my wife.” I growled and started to stomp forward. Lilah was mine and I would never let this disgusting excuse for a human put his hands on her.

“Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast, Striker. You see, if you don’t pick one of those two options, I will kill every man standing here. You will be last so you can watch me teach Lilah who she belongs to now.”

He turned toward her and ran his hand down her face. “Now, my Princess, what do you think your poor excuse for a fiancé will choose? To save you from more pain? Or watch you suffer?” Lilah pulled back from his touch and spit in Danny's face.

“Fuck you.” I smiled, knowing she still had some kick left in her.

“Looks like Lilah knows what she wants and it’s certainly not a roach like you.” Danny grabbed Lilah by the hair and pulled her up to his face. I could hear all my brothers take a step closer, guns in hand. Lilah was struggling to escape as I stepped closer.

“Just let her go, Danny. Let’s settle this one on one. You clearly have an issue with me, so take everybody else out of the equation. Just you, me, and our fists. Like real men. Unless you don’t have enough balls to fight me?” I arched my eyebrow up and waited for him to take the bait. If I could get him to come at me, Goose or Maverick could get to Lilah and take her to safety. “Come on, pussy. Fight me like the man you claim to be. Because a real man doesn’t have to kidnap a girl to get laid. How’s it feel to know I got to be with Lilah after all this time and you still haven’t even got to see her naked?” I laughed while keeping an eye on Danny’s movements, he was inching closer and closer to me, leaving a window of opportunity open to save Lilah.

“Shut up!” Danny dropped Lilah and started to pace back and forth, his free hand running through his hair. I slowly stepped a little closer to him, getting ready to take him down so I could bring him back to the clubhouse and slowly torture him for the pain he put my Little Lark through. He deserved to die a slow and painful death. I could see Lilah from the corner of my eye, she was on her knees brushing her hands off, but never taking her eyes off Danny. She still had the knife held tight in her hand and I worried she would try and attack him by herself.

“Why can’t you just let us be? We were happy before she came back to this hick town! She was mine! MINE!” Danny was screaming and waving his gun in the air, he was losing control and it was exactly what I needed to take him down. He stopped and pointed his gun at my head, “It’s time to say goodbye, lover boy.” Before he could shoot me, I pulled the trigger and shot him in the chest. Lilah screamed as blood spattered everywhere.

Danny stumbled backwards, holding his chest, he looked down at the blood on his hands then back up at me. Slowly lifting his gun, he pulled the trigger. The bullet ripped through my shoulder and I fell back toward the ground. I could hear Lilah scream again and watched as she attacked him. I tried to get up, but my body felt like it was full of sand. My vision was starting to fade as I watched my Little Lark stab Danny right in the neck.

Blood came squirting out everywhere as she threw the knife down and started to punch him over and over in the face. His lifeless body laid there as Lilah’s fists rained down on him. I could see Goose and Maverick run over and pull her off, tears running down her face, my beautiful Little Lark covered in blood and bruises. She fell to the ground as more tears came bursting out. She was shaking and needed me by her side. I tried to get up, but once again, my body betrayed me. Black started to cloud my vision as Lilah turned to me.

I could hear Lilah scream as she ran toward me, falling on her knees next to me. “Striker! Baby, please wake up! Somebody call an ambulance, now!” She rolled me over onto my back and applied pressure to my shoulder. “Come on, Levi! Don’t do this!” She ripped off my vest and tore my shirt open. Using it as a torniquete, she wrapped my shirt around my shoulder as she pressed her hands down on me. “Please, Levi, I need you. Stay with me, baby, we got this.” She leaned down and kissed my forehead as she turned and yelled at somebody. My vision was slowly going and I could feel myself being pulled away into the darkness.

I grabbed her hand and brought it to my lips, “Lilah...” She stopped yelling and looked down at me. “I love you, my Little Lark. Forever and always.” Lilah bent down and gently kissed my lips, I could taste her salty tears as more came rushing from her eyes.

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