Stryker

6 - I don't understand!

Coral

Fridays are the best days.

End of the week.

Start of the weekend, which means no work for the next two days.

Since I’ve been back, I managed to get a job in the local department store. I’m only working there until I hear back from any of the office jobs I’ve applied for. I mean, I’ve been turned down for a few. They want people with experience.

How are you supposed to gain experience when no one will hire you?

I don’t have any experience. I may have graduated college a year early, but I don’t have any practical experience.

So, the department store will do to pay the bills. There’s no way I could continue to stay with Denise without paying my way.

My parents aren’t happy that I’ve got a job here; they thought I’d be home by now. But being back here, I don’t know, I don’t want to leave yet. I hope I’ve helped them understand why I needed a job, even if my dad did tell me he’d send me money to live on for a couple of months, as long as that's how long I’m staying here. I told him no because I was unsure, I wanted to return to California. Bardsville is home; no matter how long I may have been away, I feel like I can be myself here. After all the bad things that happened to me here, and here is where my heart lies.

But back to Friday night.

I’m not doing anything special. I’m staying in with some friends. Denise is cooking, and Ruth is bringing the drinks. Girl’s night, you just can’t beat it.

“You’re seriously making pizza? We could’ve just ordered it.”

“Baking your own is more fun.” Denise winks in my direction without actually looking at me.

I don’t see why she felt the need to dress up for a night in, standing there in a short red dress, her breasts so high up thanks to her push-up bra that they look fake. She’s even wearing four-inch heels and more makeup than is necessary for a night out on the town, let alone a night at home.

I look down at myself. I’m wearing pajamas, pink shorts, and a white tank. My blonde hair is tied in a messy bun atop my head, and there’s not a scrap of makeup on my face.

What the hell am I missing?

Denise doesn’t usually dress like this for our nights in.

Okay, I’ve only been home a month, but our Friday nights usually consist of us lounging in our PJs, eating, drinking, and talking about anything and nothing.

“Are you going somewhere?”

She turns to look at me with a smirk on her face. “I have a hot date with a very hot man.”

“What man?” I didn’t even know she’d met anyone. She’s not mentioned it before.

She places the pepperoni pizza in the warm oven and closes the door before taking off her apron and turning to look at me. She fiddles with her updo with a smile on her face before speaking. “You remember that guy at the biker bar a couple of weeks ago?”

“The bar was full of bikers, Denny. Could you be more specific?”

“The gorgeous one with the scars. Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes... Ice.” She says dreamily.

“You’re seeing Ice?”

“I am. Have been since the night Stryker turned me down. Why he did that, I don’t know.” She says that like she can’t believe a man would say No to her.

Don’t get me wrong, she’s beautiful in every way, but not every man on the planet will find her sexuall.y attractive. No one finds everyone sexuall.y attractive. If that were the case, the world would be very dull. Variety is the spice of life and all that.

“I’m glad he turned me down,” She smiles. “Him turning me down brought me Ice.” She sighs dreamily.

I have to wonder if she knows what she’s getting herself into with Ice. Bikers are dangerous men. They kill and maim for a living. It’s life to them. Denise might act tough, but I very much doubt she could handle the hell that comes with being with a man like him.

What the hell am I talking about?

She has every right to be with Ice.

She’ll learn fast enough what it means to be with him. For all I know, it’s just se.x between them, and it’s not like I wouldn’t drop everything to be with Stryker if he asked it of me.

God, I’m pathetic.

I can’t believe I’m this churned-up over a man who doesn’t want me. A man who confuses me every damn day. There is definitely something between us, but his loyalty to Shepard always wins out over his want to be near me.

I hate this, I really do. The more Stryker denies me, the more I want him, and the feelings inside of me for him grow stronger every day.

It’s not supposed to be like this. I’m not supposed to be falling for a biker who won’t even look at me, and he won’t, no matter how much I stand and stare holes into the side of his head.

I hang around the damn clubhouse so that I can be near him. I sit in the chairs he's sat in before me so that I can feel closer to him.

How pathetic is that?

But the truth is, I’m falling hard for him, and I don’t know how to stop it. It’s not right. I shouldn’t be falling for him at all. I don’t even know the man very well, and I know I have to forget him somehow. Not that that will be easy, but I will stop making trips to the clubhouse to see him. I will get on with my life because that’s what I'm good at.

Coral Harmon is a free agent, even if her heart isn’t. I’m going to live my life the way I promised my baby girl that I would so that one day, when she finds me, I can be the mother she deserves. I’m going to get that job in a big office, and I’m going to work my way up to the top. I won’t stop until I am who I set out to be.

I don't need Stryker. Fuc.k him. He can brood his way through every damn whor.e on the planet for all I care. I’m worth more than some dirty biker. Boy, am I worth so much more.

“I plan on having some much-needed fun with my new man tonight. Don’t wait up for me, chica!”

“I won’t,” I mumble to myself as she slips on her coat.

It isn’t long before Denise is skipping out the door as Ruth enters it. She isn’t happy that Denise is out on a date with a biker. Ruth has strong views on women dating criminals. She doesn’t understand that under it all, they have hearts just like the rest of us.

“At least she cooks a mean pizza. But why the hell she cooked when we could’ve ordered is beyond me.”

“That’s what I said.” I tuck my feet under my ass. This couch is so comfortable that I’m fighting to stay awake.

It has nothing to do with the company I’m in, Ruth is amazing, but all she ever wants to talk about is her boyfriend. I have nothing against Charlie, but he’s not all that. He’s the complete opposite of Ruth. Ruth is classically beautiful, with her dark hair, slim figure, long legs, and blue eyes. Charlie is short, chubby, and looks like he belongs behind a computer screen. Plus, he’s twelve years older than Ruth, but whatever, he’s her choice. She loves him, and that’s all that counts.

However, hearing about him constantly can drive a person insane. There has to be more to life than listening to how wonderful he is, how romantic he is, how sensitive he is.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

“But it’s late, and we’re in PJ's!”

I roll my eyes at her. She’s so dramatic. “Come on. It’ll do us good.”

“Fine, but just for five minutes.”

“Okay.” I chuckle.

The air is crisp out here. I breathe it in with my eyes closed and a smile on my face, my arm looped with Ruth's. “I missed you while you were gone, you know?”

I look at Ruth and smile. “Missed you too, Ruthy.”

I missed all my friends when my parents took me away. One day, I was here, and the next, I was gone without any explanation to anyone. Still, to this day, none of my friends know what happened to me on that horrible day when I was twelve.

Shepard kept it all a secret and covered it all up, even though the men in his club didn't know what happened that day.

As I said, just a handful know. Only a handful was there. It saddens me that Tank and Jett now know what happened. I don’t know how they know, but I saw it in their eyes when I looked at them. Neither of them said anything to me about it, and neither of them ever will. For that, I’m thankful.

“What was it like living in LA?”

“It was different,” I tell her with a shrug. “Life is more fast paced. I don’t know, Ruth, I just got on with things. After a couple of months, I realized we weren’t coming back here. I had to make things work.”

“What made you decide to come back now?”

Good question.

We walk closer to the row of takeout shops along Heleton Street. I hadn’t realized we’d walked this far. Okay, not that far, but it doesn’t register how far you’ve gone when you’re walking and talking with a good friend.

Maybe I should have pulled on my pants before we left the house. I’m still in my PJ shorts. I have a jacket on and boots, but my legs are bare.

I’m not out to impress anyone, so why should I care?

“I guess I missed this place more than I realized. I missed my friends, my house, the park...”

“The park?” She laughs with a turn of her head.

Yeah, it’s funny to her. The park was never much to look at, but I enjoyed playing there with my friends – Jett and Tank – until the very last minute. Until we were almost home late each time.

We never were, though. We always made it home with seconds to spare. That’s how fast Jett and Tank rode their bicycles with me on the back of either one.

We had some great times when we were kids. My best friends, through and through, were always there for me, and I’ll always love them both.

“Yes, the park. I had fun in that park with Tate and Haiden.”

“Jett and Tank.” She sniggers. “Don’t go forgetting that they’re big, bad bikers now.”

I roll my eyes playfully. “Like I could forget.”

“Now, what are two pretty little things like you doing out here and all alone?”

Ruth pulls me closer to her side. The man in front of us, the tall, skinny, apparent drug addict, is looking us up and down. I know what he’s going to do; he’s going to try and rob us. He won’t get anything from us. I didn’t even bring my phone out with me, stupidly.

Why the hell didn’t I bring my phone with me?

“We’re just taking a walk. We’ll be on our way now.” I pull Ruth to the right, trying to step around him, but he blocks the way. I step to the left, but he follows.

I sigh to myself. This isn’t going to end well.

“Hand over the money, and I won’t hurt you.”

“We don’t have any money!”

“It’s okay, Ruth.” I yank her behind me, yelling in fear won’t change the outcome of this. Using our heads will. “We have nothing worth stealing. We just came out for a walk.”

He pulls a knife from the inside of his jacket and waves it in front of my face.

Great, just what I need.

I swallow hard.

“Then you’ll take me to your place and give me what I want, or I’ll cut you bitche.s up!”

“We won’t do that. We’re not showing you where we live. We have nothing to give you, so put the knife down before the police arrive.”

“The police ain’t comin’, bitc.h. Ain’t no one around to call ‘em.” He steps closer. I step back, taking Ruth with me.

“Ruth,” I whisper toward her without taking my eyes off the guy. He’s filthy, twitching, jumpy, eyes red and itchy. He needs a hit. “Run. Run as fast as you can back to the apartment. Get my phone and call Shepard.”

“No, I can’t leave you.” She’s frightened, so am I, but I’m not the kind of girl who will roll over and cry. Hell, fuckin.g no!

“Go!” I scream. She pulls away and runs. Good. “I don’t know what you think will happen if you use that knife on me, but I promise you it won’t end well for you.”

“Oh, yeah?” He laughs. He’s right in front of me.

I can smell the musky scent of sweat on his filthy clothes. He leans into me. I’m trying everything not to breathe in. I might puke if I do.

Ruth should have gotten back to Denise’s by now. Especially running, it isn’t that far away. I just hope she’s managed to call Shepard. Not that I think for, one second, he’ll make it here in time to stop this idio.t doing something to me, but I won’t let him beat me. I’ll fight as hard as I can to stop him.

“Ain’t nobody around to save you, little girl.” He sniffs loudly, dragging in my scent. I close my eyes and fold my arms around my body to protect myself.

All a girl can do against a druggie trying to rob them is stand their ground. He may well cut me with that knife of his, but I won’t go down without a fight. You can believe that.

“Back off! I'm warning you...” That’s all I get out of my mouth before he’s ripped away from me. I mean literally ripped away from me, his head connecting with the wall beside us, a sickening crunching sound following.

My heart is racing. I have so much adrenaline rushing through my body that my toes tingle, and the backs of my thighs are tight.

“Fuckin’ cunt!” I clasp my hands over my mouth. Kicks, punches, head slamming against brick again and again. I have never seen anything like this in my life. Never. I don’t even understand where he came from; I didn't hear his bike.

He repeatedly kicks the guy in the ribs, but he’s no longer moving. Stryker isn’t stopping!

Why isn’t he stopping?

He’s going to kill the guy!

“Stryker, stop!” I yell, but I can’t move, I’m frozen to the spot.

The sound of bike engines has me turning my head. Ruth called them, thank God. I don’t know how they got here so fast, and I don’t really care, I’m just glad they’re here.

Shepard, BlackJack, and Roman dismount their bikes. Roman and BlackJack rush toward Stryker. I rush Shepard before he can move.

He wraps his arms around me and kisses my head. “It’s okay, Sunflower; I’m here.”

“You have to stop Stryker. He’s going to kill that guy!”

“Good.” I narrow my eyes. He takes my arms and stands me aside. “He’s doing exactly what I told him to do.”

What the hell?

I don’t understand!

How could he have told Stryker anything?

Ruth had time to call Shepard, but he couldn’t have gotten here this quickly unless he wasn’t far away, to begin with, but Stryker? I don’t fuckin.g understand!