Striker: No Prisoners MC Book 1 (27 page)

His antics had the desired effect, and she laughed, easing the tension in the room and the tension in her body. “Thank you, Jester. I needed that.”

“You doing all right, honey?” Hook asked.

Lila took a moment to answer. “I think so. Can I ask you guys a question?”

Hook raised an eyebrow at her.

“What happens now? With the Grimm Brothers I mean? I kinda zoned out at the end when I was sitting on Striker’s bike.” Her stomach clenched while she waited for his response. If he told her they were still in danger from Snake, she might just break down.

Hook rubbed a hand over the stubble on his chin. “Well, hon, I’m not going to lie to you and tell you we’re all best buds now, but I think things will be calm for a while. Snake agreed to abide by the terms of the deal we set with Jackal.” He shrugged as he continued. “His word probably means shit, but he’s got enough on his plate with taking control of his club.”

“What do you mean?”

“From what I’ve heard, the Grimms were pretty split as far as loyalty, half loyal to Jackal, and the other half helped Snake overthrow him. I’m guessing he cleans house, and gets rid of Jackal’s supporters. Whether he’ll replace them or not remains to be seen. He’ll be too busy dealing with his own shit to mess with us for a while. Some of those guys are not gonna go quietly.”

Lila blew out a breath. “Good. That’s good.”

Hook leaned back on the couch, and propped his feet up on the coffee table. “Are you gonna be able to make peace with what you saw go down today?”

“You mean the guy you turned over to the Grimms? Does it really matter how I feel?”

Jester joined in the conversation. “It matters to Striker. We are all aware when we patch in, that the MC becomes our life, our family. Everything we do is in support of the club. We are also aware of what happens if we betray that patch.

“We don’t run drugs Lila. That’s something our club decided long ago because of the violence and destruction it brings to the community. Not to mention we’d become an easy target for the cops. We are far from saints, but we don’t seek out violence.”
 

Hook took over where Jester left off. “To commit an act that goes against the charter is bad enough, to commit an act that harms our club, and puts our families in danger, is an unforgivable offence.”

Lila nodded, she understood all this, and even accepted it. Didn’t make the situation any less horrifying.

“Trust me, Lila,” Jester said. “The guy that did this did so fully aware of what would happen if they got caught. If Snake didn’t claim him we’d have taken care of it ourselves.”

“Jester.” Hook’s voice held a note of warning.

Lila waved him off. “It’s okay, I truly get it. I’m not going to freak out over this, nor will I tell a soul.” She paused, not sure if she wanted to continue.

“What is it, hon?” Jester asked.

“I’m just worried about Striker.” She was a little embarrassed to put her emotional cards on the table in front of them, but she’d started down this path, and might as well see it through. Lila cleared her throat. “I mean this was a serious betrayal by someone he trusted. Yesterday the guy was a brother, today he’s a traitor, and now he’s probably dead. I know he feels some kind of misplaced responsibility as your vice president.”

Hook huffed out a laugh. “Hon, you’re going to make one hell of an ol’ lady.”

Her eyebrows drew down. “How so?”

“Here we are, all worried you’re going to think we are a bunch of barbaric murderers, and you’re mostly concerned about how Striker will deal with all this. You’re a good woman, Doc.”

Her face heated as they both looked at her with respect and appreciation.

“It does wear on him, a lot,” Hook said. “Having your goodness in his life is going to bring him peace, help him sleep at night. I’ve already seen it calming him.”

Lila looked away as she recalled their earlier argument. Her presence in his life seemed to be doing the exact opposite. Striker appeared overly troubled by her, not comforted as they claimed.

Jester shifted to the couch, and sat next to her. One baseball glove sized hand reached out, and drew her head to his shoulder. “Whatever you’re thinking, knock it off. I don’t know what happened before we got here.” He chuckled. “Though I can guess by the torn panties on the floor over there.”

“Jester! What is it with you?” She buried her face in the bulk of his arm as the humiliation of him catching them for the second time washed over her.

Jester threw back his head and cracked out a laugh. “I get a kick outta making you blush, Stitch. But let me finish. I don’t know what Striker said to you, but I want you to remember one thing. All this shit that’s happening? Worst part for Striker is that it touched you, that he couldn’t protect you from it.”

“Jester’s right, Doc. Give him time. Striker will pull his head out of his ass.”

Exhaustion set in, and her eyelids became heavy. “What makes you think he has his head up his ass?”

“I’ve known him a long time, hon. I can guess how he’s reacting to his feelings for you. Go ahead and doze off, Doc. We’re not going anywhere until Striker gets back.” Hook rose from the couch. “I’m gonna grab a beer. Want one, Jest?”

Jester nodded at Hook, snatched the remote control from the coffee table, and skimmed channels until he found a documentary on something motorcycle related. Lila didn’t bother to pay attention.

She allowed her eyes to drift closed, and curled her feet up on the couch, with her head against Jester’s substantial shoulder. The events of the day caught up with her, and she felt drained, both emotionally and physically. She should probably head on into bed, but wanted to be out in the den when Striker returned. Not to mention, she wasn’t sure which bed she should sleep in tonight.

The scene that greeted Striker when he walked through the door had him smiling his first genuine smile since leaving the clubhouse with Lila the morning before. No one noticed him, which allowed him a few seconds to observe the trio.

Jester sat in the center of the couch with Hook at the right end. The TV was on with the volume turned down low, just loud enough to make out what was being said. A UFC fight played on the screen, and the guys argued over who was a better fighter in voices barely above a whisper. Lila lay curled up on her side with her head pillowed on Jester’s shoulder as she slept. Someone had covered her with a blanket.

He liked to give Jester shit for being affectionate with Lila, but it was in a brotherly manner, and there wasn’t anyone he trusted to take care of her more than the two men on his couch. There was no way in hell Jester would ever try to move in on his woman.

Both men glanced up at him as the door clicked shut. Without a word, he entered the living room and scooped Lila up off the couch. He took a moment to enjoy her soft, warm weight cradled in his arms as he moved toward his bedroom.

“Striker?” Her voice was groggy with sleep, and slightly confused. “You’re back?”

“Yeah, baby, I’m home. I’m going to tuck you into bed, then I gotta talk to the boys for a few minutes, but I promise I won’t be long.”

When he reached his room, he nudged the door open with his foot, and turned to fit them both through. Gently, he laid Lila on the mattress, and brushed soft kisses over her face.

Lila looked at him with troubled eyes. “I wasn’t sure you’d want me in here tonight.”

“I always want you, Lila. It was never about me not wanting you,” Striker whispered, and kissed her once on the mouth. He hated that he put doubts in her mind about how much he desired her. “Wait up for me.”

When he reached the living room, both men stood, and Hook nodded his head toward the front door. “Want to talk outside? I could use a smoke.”

“Sounds good.”

They filed out the door and stood in the driveway. The air still held a hint of warmth from the heated day. Hook pulled out a pack of cigarettes and inclined it toward Jester who grabbed one.

“What the fuck, man?’ Striker asked as Hook stuffed the pack into his pocket.

“You think your doctor lady is going to let you smoke?” Hook laughed as he asked the question.

Striker made a point to look around dramatically. “You think she’s watching out the window? Give me a fucking cigarette.”

“Your funeral man, just don’t tell her I gave it to you. So what’s Shiv’s take on all this?”

Striker blew out a stream of smoke and watched it swirl into the dark night. “He’s in agreement with us. Lila’s safe and unharmed, but that doesn’t address any of the shit that happened before Snake snatched her. We can’t let his attack on Kenny and you slide,” he said with a nod to Hook. “Makes us look like pussies. But he also agrees we have plenty of time to plan something smart while Snake’s preoccupied with his club’s shit.”

An evil smile grew across Jester’s face. “Damn, it will feel good to take that fucker down a few pegs.”

“You ain’t kidding. I could easily tear him apart, but I’d like to see his club crumble around him first.” Striker watched Hook drop his cigarette down and crush it under the heel of his heavy boot. Orange sparks drifted up from the ground and glowed bright against the blackness of the night.

All of a sudden the need to be with his woman slammed into him with a force that almost stole his breath. “Thanks for staying with Lila. I’m gonna head back in.”

Hook and Jester nodded. “No problem, VP,” Hook said. “We’ll take off, let you and the Doc have some time. She’s a good one, brother.”

His words were light, but there was a warning to his tone. He liked Lila, his wife liked Lila, and Hook would have something to say if Striker hurt her. Hook gave him a manly hug, and slapped him on the back before he climbed on his bike.

Jester did the same. “None of this is on you, Striker.”

Striker took one last drag before he tossed his cigarette to the ground, and made his way inside to be with his woman. He found her curled on her side, staring out the window at the quiet and starry night.

He spared a moment to study her unseen. She still wore his shirt, which engulfed her upper body and ended just below the seductive curve of her hip. Her legs were bare, the smooth, skin nearly glowed in the dark of the room, like a beacon calling to him. Reflected in the window, her face was tight with worry, and guilt sliced at him for causing her to doubt his feelings.

It was only a few seconds before she realized she was no longer alone and rolled over. An entire army of men couldn’t have kept him away from her in that moment, and she must have felt the same because she sat up and reached for him with welcoming
 
arms.

Their mouths met in a fury of passion, and the simmering flame that always burned for her ignited into a wildfire. He fused his mouth to hers, so hard that for a second he worried he might bruise her tender lips. But she moaned and clung to him with a desperation that echoed his.

Striker shifted, and pushed her back down to the bed. He settled his body over her. Lila’s soft form cradled his much firmer one in all the right places. Her breasts cushioned the hard planes of his chest, her thighs clasped his sides, holding him tight to her, and her heated core burned into the rippled muscles of his stomach. It was the perfect metaphor for their relationship, her soft, comforting, him hard and willing to kill to protect her.

He tore his mouth from hers, and sucked in air before grazing her jaw with his teeth. When he reached the spot just below her ear she shivered, and Striker smiled at the familiar response. He continued down her neck, trailing kisses until he met her collarbone. Gently, he laid his head on her chest and listened to the steady rhythm of her heart.

Lila had been panting and squirming beneath him, one hand fisted in his short hair, while the other stroked his back, but she froze when he rested against her. “Striker? What is it? Why are you stopping?” Her voice was breathless and a slight tremor alerted him to her unease.

“There are two main reasons we don’t tell the ol’ ladies any club business.”

She remained tense beneath him, and he lifted his head to press a soft kiss to her lips. Some of the starch left her, and Striker shifted his weight slightly to the side, so he was still flush against her body, but wouldn’t crush her with his weight.

“What are they?” Her calm tone encouraged him to continue.

“First, is so the cops leave them alone. They don’t know anything, so there isn’t any point in dragging them in for an interrogation, and trying to turn them against the club. They can’t be arrested for withholding information, or forced to turn evidence against the club, because they just don’t have it and never will.”

Lila nodded. The light from the moon shone through the window, illuminating her face and making her look beautiful, despite the serious expression she wore.

“The second reason, is so that our enemies have one less reason to snatch them. Again, no point in taking someone and trying to torture info out of them if you know they don’t know anything.”

She winced at his last statement, and he experienced a moment of guilt for being so blunt, but he needed her to fully understand where he was coming from.

“With you, we ignored our usual practice in favor of letting you help us out. You know things about the club that I’d never normally tell you because you’ve been helping us with medical needs. You’re vulnerable to the police, and rival clubs. This involvement with me could literally destroy your life, Lila. You could end up in prison, dead, or even worse.”

Understanding flashed in her eyes, and he blew out a breath of relief, confident that she was catching on to what he was saying.

“Striker,” she began.

He silenced her with a kiss. “Hold on, let me finish. I found out what it felt like to have someone get to you. When Snake took you, and there wasn’t a goddamn thing I could do about it…” His eyes closed and he shook his head, fighting the onslaught of emotion the memory resurrected. “I felt a rage I can’t even describe. It was like a beast inside me clawing to get out. I always stay in control of my emotional shit, and yesterday I wasn’t. You do that to me.”

Striker wasn’t entirely sure what he was trying to convey to her, he was so out of his element. This was why he normally limited his involvement with women to sex only. That wasn’t an option here. It was like Lila had cast some kind of spell over him.