Stryker

21 - I don't want to hurt you

Coral

I can’t believe how proud I am of my sister right now. She stood on that stage and gave her speech like a pro. She was valedictorian. We watched her with such pride in our hearts that I felt it seeping from all of us in the bucket load.

We spent a few moments talking with her friends. She’s planning to meet up with them as soon as dinner is over. She’ll be partying the night away, but I’m leaving in the morning, so this dinner is important to me because I won’t see her again for a couple of months.

It hurts, I don’t really want to leave so soon. Extending our stay would be nice, but my mother still isn’t talking to me.

So, what would be the point?

She hasn’t said one word since I arrived at her house. Even when Cindy, my mother, and I left the house to get in our cars, she said nothing to me. She just made some snide comments about the vehicle Stryker hired for while we were here. It’s black, and Mom hates black. It’s a Volkswagen. She hates Volkswagen’s; they’re too big, too vile. Cindy just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Me?

I said nothing and got in the car.

I guessed that my dad wanted to talk to Stryker alone. They seemed to take forever to come out of the house. I thought they might kill each other, but I didn’t move, I knew my dad needed to say his piece to the man I love.

Don’t all dads?

When they came out of the house, both had smiles on their faces. I was so shocked I couldn’t close my mouth for five minutes. When I asked Stryker what they talked about, he told me that everything would be okay, that my father was a good man, and that he was proud of me.

He didn’t go into anything, but I guessed the talk had done them both good. My dad has been great all day, talking to Stryker like they’re old friends, much to my mother’s annoyance. She won’t give Stryker a chance, I just know it. She won’t even try for me, and that hurts so much.

“I’m so proud of you, Cindy.” I squeeze my sister’s hand from across the table. She smiles at me so wide. I do love my sister. She’s my best friend.

“Thank you. I’m proud of you, too, and it looks like Dad is friends with your man.” She nods towards them.

Stryker sits beside me, my dad on the opposite side of him, between my mom and sister. They’re rooted in conversation, laughing at whatever they’re talking about.

It makes my heart swell to see them getting on like this. Throughout dinner, they talked like they’d known each other for years. They’ve become friends today, and that makes me so happy. My father is trying for me because he wants to see me happy.

Unlike my mother, who is staring at me like she wants to kill me. I’ve never seen her look at me like that before.

Is she really so angry with me for bringing Stryker with me?

For even being with him?

Apparently so.

A squeeze of my hand draws my eyes to my sister. “Don’t worry about her; she’ll come around.”

“Somehow, I can’t see it.” I smile slightly.

My sister blows me an air kiss, making me laugh. Stryker kisses my cheek, making me smile shyly. It’s been a wonderful day. Stryker has been amazing to my family, and they’ve been just as good to him, except for my mother, of course.

“I’m just going to the bathroom,” I tell Stryker with a kiss on his lips.

After I’ve peed, I wash my hands while humming to myself happily. I’ve never felt this happy in my whole life. Being here with my family, with Stryker by my side, even though my mother is giving us a hard time, has been so special.

“I see he’s sweet-talked your father.”

“Jesus Christ!” I spin on the spot. I didn’t even hear my mother come in. She startled me!

“Language!” Typical Mother. “I’m not happy about this, Coral.”

“I know you’re not, Mom. My intention wasn’t to upset you, but I love him.” I walk up to her and take her hands in mine, a smile on my face. My mother has soft hands for a woman of forty-six. People have told me once or twice how much I look like her. Cindy does, too, but you can see a lot of my dad in Cindy.

I never wanted to hurt my mother with this. She might sound like a horror right now, but she’s a frightened mother. She still sees the little twelve-year-old girl who was hurt by a biker around my father’s age. She was scared, sad, angry, didn’t know what to do for me. All she wanted to do was protect me, but as a mother, she felt like she had failed me.

She didn’t fail me. She couldn’t have stopped it, no matter how many times she went over the, “What if I’d just done this?” But she can’t blame Stryker for what someone else did nine years ago. It’s not fair. She needs to learn to separate one from the other because I’m not leaving Stryker. Not for anything. I want my mom in my life, and I don’t know what I’ll do if she walks away from me because of this.

“I love you, Mommy, I am so grateful for everything you’ve ever done for me. But I love Stryker. He makes me so happy; he keeps me safe and supports my dreams. He’s everything I have ever wanted. I know he’s not whom you wanted for me, but Mom, he’s not that monster. Please don’t tarnish him with the same brush. Please?”

My mother has tears in her eyes. She’s only ever wanted the best for me. I know that.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Coral,” Her hand comes against my face, cupping my cheek gently. This is the mother I remember as a child, the sweet, gentle mother who always cared for me. “I love you so much. You’re my baby. I only want you to be happy.”

“I am happy, Mom. Mark makes me so happy.”

“Mark? That’s his real name?”

“Yes, but don’t tell him I told you.” We both laugh. She knows how it goes. She hugs me tightly, and I squeeze her to me. “I love you, too, Mom.”

“I know you do. Now, let’s get back out there to your man.”

My man. I like hearing that from my mother’s mouth.

When we return to our table, Stryker is nowhere to be seen. I narrow my eyes at my smiling father and sister.

What the hell is going on?

As my mother and I take our seats, I ask, “Where’s Stryker?”

“Right here.” I jump and giggle at the fact he startled me. He’s crouching down beside me, his hand in mine. He kisses my knuckles and smiles at me. He looks so handsome. He tried so hard to look nice for today. He didn’t dress like a biker. He’s wearing black trousers and a black button-down shirt with the top two buttons open. His long hair is slicked back, and his face is cleanly shaven. He’s perfect.

However, I don’t get why he’s crouched down beside me.

“What are you doing down there, you crazy man. Come sit back down.”

He shakes his head, and I narrow my eyes.

“There’s something I need to say. I’ve already spoken to your father,” He looks over at my dad, who winks at me. “I asked his permission to do this,”

“His permission?” My mother is as confused as I am.

“Shh.” My father takes her hand and winks at her.

I don’t think I like this very much, I’m beyond confused, and my sister is practically wetting herself with excitement.

“I know we’ve only been together a few short months, but they have been the best months of my life, Coral.”

“And mine,” I tell him honestly.

“You changed everything about me. You made me see that I am something.”

I swallow back the emotion clogging my throat. I hate that Mark ever thought he was nothing.

“You’re my best friend, my soulmate,” I smile at that. “I love you like I ain’t never loved another human being in my life.” I giggle. I’m nervous, but I love it when he tells me how much he loves me because I know he means every word of it. “You’re the light in my life, Coral, and I never want to lose you. That’s why...”

My jaw drops to the damn floor as he reaches into his trouser pocket and pulls out a small black box. Oh God, I think I’m going to pass out! This can’t be what I think it is. No. It can’t. Tank and Jett told me plenty about how Stryker is a loner and will never settle down.

However, here he is, my hand still in his as he flips open the box to reveal the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. A silver band with a clear-cut diamond smack in the middle. It’s gorgeous, and I can feel the tears welling in my eyes.

When did he buy this ring?

How long has he wanted this?

I know a man like Mark would like a family of his own. He’s never really had one. Yes, he’s got the Snakes, but this is different. He wants me to be his family. I could cry with happiness.

“I make this promise to you. I promise to love and protect you, nurture your hopes and dreams, and be right by your side when you reach each and every goal you have. Because I love you so much and I want you to be my wife.”

I’m not looking anywhere but at Mark, but I know my family is holding their breaths, waiting for me to answer him.

“Coral, will you do me the honor of making me the happiest man on earth by becoming my wife?”

I can’t see for the tears falling from my eyes. I never dreamed this would happen to me. I never thought for one moment he’d have something like this planned, and I never thought he’d ask my father’s permission and that my father would grant it because it’s evident that he has.

The way Stryker just proposed to me was so romantic, here in front of my family. He could have waited until we were back home and done it in front of his biker brothers, but he didn’t; he had so much respect for me that he gave me this.

God, I’m crying like an idio.t!

Happy tears, of course.

“Yes!” I yell and wrap my arms around his neck. He’s on his feet, and I’m off mine in less than a second. I can’t let go of him just yet, but I do kiss him long and hard.

Everyone in this beautiful French restaurant is clapping and cheering at what just went down here. How romantic it all was.

He slides the ring onto my finger when he finally sets me on my feet. It fits perfectly, and I am so happy I could burst!

I’m suddenly pulled away from him and into my mother's arms, where she tells me how proud of me she is. She even hugs Stryker and tells him, “Welcome to the family.” I can see how much that means to him, even by the shocked expression on his face.

My father hugs me and shakes Stryker’s hand. Cindy screams while bouncing on her feet and hugging me like crazy. She embraces Stryker and quietly asks if he has a friend for her. He rolls his eyes playfully but doesn’t answer her question. He knows my mother would have a heart attack if he did.

Nothing could be as perfect as this. We have a lot to talk about, where we’re going to live because we can’t stay with Denise, it’s already hard with her and Ice fuckin.g like rabbits left and right. We can’t stay with BlackJack, although I know he’d let us. We can’t live at Mark’s place because it’s too small for one person, let alone two.

No, we need our own place. Somewhere we can call home because I am going to be staying in Tennessee with my man for the rest of my life. He’ll never leave the Snakes unless it’s in a pine box, and I would never ask him to, even if I am scared he won’t come home one day. They’re all he knows, the family who took him in when he thought he had nothing left to live for, and I will always thank them for that. Plus, I love Shepard; he’s my second father. I know I’m safer with them than anyone else. Life will be just perfect. I can be anyone I choose, and I know my man will be proud of me.

Christ, I’m getting married!