Stryker’s Fight by Erin Osborne
Chapter Two
Stryker
IT’S BEEN ALMOST a week since I let myself ride by my house. I don’t want to see Sally and Natalia because I know I’ll cave and stop there. All I’ve been doing is working at the gym, working out, preparing for my next fight, and missing them. The need to see them is breaking my heart and making it impossible to think of anything else. Everyone at the clubhouse has noticed and left me alone for the most part. Other than explaining to Slim I’d be staying in my room here for the foreseeable future, he didn’t ask me any questions because he doesn’t pry. If I want to open up about things, I know he’s there for me. Along with the rest of the guys.
I have never hidden what I feel for Sally. Everyone from the guys, the ol’ ladies, and the house bunnies know I want her to be mine. It’s not a secret. Especially when we have other clubs over because I don’t let Sally and Natalia out of my sight. No other man will have a chance to get close to her when she’s finally ready to let Killian go and move on with her life. Sally and Natalia are mine and mine alone.
On my way home from work, I need to go by the house and see if I can catch a glimpse of my girls outside. The need to know they’re okay is weighing heavy on me. So, after my workout and sparring session, I ride past the house. I’m in my truck today because I needed to bring all of my gear back to the gym. Washing it was a must so it’s easier to hide from her because she won’t hear my bike coming.
When I get close to the house, I spot Natalia running around the front yard. Knowing Sally never lets her out of her sight, I look on to find my woman sitting on the porch with her phone in hand. It looks as if she’s recording whatever my Princess is doing. That thought doesn’t surprise me because we’re always taking pictures and videos of her. Natalia loves to be photographed and hams it up for her pictures. Call me biased, but she’s the most adorable kid in my life.
Natalia will do anything in her power to make everyone surrounding her laugh and be happy. It doesn’t matter what she has to do, she’ll do it. I’m never surprised to find her dancing and twirling around with little tutus around her waist. Honestly, I’ve worn one a time or two for her and don’t have a problem admitting it. Sally has more than one photo of me dressed up with Natty as we dance around her bedroom.
Stopping my truck a few houses down, I take in the differences of Sally. The first thing I notice is her sadness. Her face and eyes show every emotion she feels. Since I can’t see her eyes right now, her face lets me know she’s sad. Sally’s putting on a good show for her daughter and smiling at what she’s doing. It doesn’t fill her face as normal though. Second, I notice the slight weight she’s put on. It’s mainly in her chest and stomach as I stare at her. Before I left, I notice her tits seemed larger than normal, but not enough to make any comments about it to her. It’s her body and I’m sure she’d notice any changes before me. Thirdly, I notice the change to her hair. Now it’s blonde and purple. She’s always had blonde hair she keeps long. When she was in Dander Falls, Sally must have gone to see Darcy. It looks really good on her with the tan turning her skin a golden brown. Last, I notice her watching her surroundings more than normal. Sally’s always been cautious, but today it seems as if she’s looking for someone.
I tamp down the hope filling me that she’s waiting for me to get home or show up for a visit. We haven’t talked since I got her message about leaving for a few days. She went to Dander Falls. That’s the only place she’d go. She was a member of the Wild Kings before coming back here with us. Shadow and her became really close when Killian was killed. I have no jealousy there because Shadow’s happily married to Renee. He views Sally as nothing more than a sister. I’ve seen them interact more than once, so I know that’s all there is to their relationship.
As I continue to sit in my truck and watch Sally and Natalia, I feel like I’m missing a piece of myself. A large piece of what I’ve had since the day they moved in with me. Now, it’s hard to breathe, hard to think of anything else, and I struggle throughout the day to stay away from them. Sally and Natty became my family. Since losing my parents to a fire, I have absolutely no one in my life other than the club. No one has made it past my defenses after a girl absolutely splintered my heart into a million pieces years ago.
She made me not want an ol’ lady or serious relationship for so long in my life. It was easier to remain detached and have one hookup after another one instead of letting another woman in. That’s a story for another day and time though. Sally will be the first one to hear all of the sordid details of what happened to me so long ago. Because until her, I didn’t want another woman in my house. My home is my sanctuary away from the club. Not a single woman that’s not an ol’ lady has never stepped foot through the door. House bunnies don’t know where it is or what it looks like.
It’s not long before Sally and Natalia head back inside. She’ll be making her dinner before giving her a bath. Then, it’s time to watch a movie before bed. That’s the time of day I miss the most. Having Natalia’s little body curled up against me as we watch one of the movies she loves the most. It’s usually some Disney movie about princesses. I’d rather watch anything on earth than those movies, but I suck it up and do it because it’s what my Princess wants to do. It’s the last thing she does before we tuck her into her pink bed so she can go to sleep. Then, Sally and I get our time to spend alone.
Every night we do something different. Even if it’s just talking about what happened during the day while we weren’t together. Sally always keeps what she says impersonal unless it’s about Natalia or asking me questions about what I did. She always lets me talk to her about anything on my mind. With her, I’ve made the decision to have three more fights before I retire from our underground fighting ring. The only reason I’m having three is because those were already booked and I’m not going to back out of them now. I’m getting older and don’t need to be getting fucked up in a ring every other weekend. It takes longer to heal from wounds, and I can still train other guys looking to let loose and fight out their aggression against other men. There are worse things they could be doing.
Waiting a few minutes after they go inside, I finally pull away from the curb and head for the clubhouse. I want to take a hot as hell shower to loosen the muscles in my body and grab something to eat. Then, I’ll end up losing myself in the bottom of a bottle. It’s what I do every night so I don’t get a chance to head home and climb back in bed with Sally. Or just watch over Natalia as she sleeps. Yeah, I’ve done that when I can’t sleep. Natalia deserves to have only happy memories in her life. If I can sit by her bed to chase away any nightmares that may haunt her dreams, that’s what I’ll do.
As soon as I pull into the clubhouse parking lot, I pull out my phone. I need to see Natalia. If Sally will let me, I’m going to do so. I don’t even care what we do as long as I get to spend some time with my Princess.
Me: Can I see Natalia tomorrow afternoon? Maybe take her to dinner?
Putting my phone back in my pocket, I shut my truck off and walk inside. Several of the guys and ol’ ladies are sitting around as the air is filled with the smell of whatever is cooking for dinner tonight. It’s one of the things the house bunnies take care of. Walking straight through the common room, I head for my room. Locking the door behind me, I don’t stop until I’m in my bathroom. Turning on the water, I strip out of my jeans and tee shirt after hanging up my cut on the back of the door.
Steam fills the air as I step inside so the water slides down over my head and body. It carries the sweat and tension of the day down the drain with it as I just rest my head against the tiled shower wall. After a few minutes, I stand up straight and wash my hair before moving onto my body. Rinsing all of the soap off me, I get out of the shower and dry off before wrapping the towel around my waist. Walking into my bedroom, I pull out a clean pair of jeans and tee-shirt before grabbing my cut. I take everything from the pockets of my dirty jeans and transfer it over to the new ones I’m wearing. As soon as I’m ready, I make my way back out to the common room to see if dinners ready to eat.
In the kitchen, I find one of the new house bunnies. She immediately turns her attention toward me as everyone else comes in to get their own plate of food. Tonight, we’re having spaghetti and garlic bread. It’s not as good as the ol’ ladies, but it will do to fill my stomach before I begin drinking.
“Stryker is there anything else I can get you?” she asks, poking her chest out and pulling her small shirt down.
“Nope,” I growl out, letting her know I don’t want anything she has to offer.
I don’t give her the chance to say another word as I turn my back toward her and head to the common room. Sitting down at a table, I accept the cold unopened beer Rich gives me. He’s one of our Prospects who has done amazing things so far. He has proven on more than one occasion he will do whatever we ask of him and what he has to do to protect the ol’ ladies. When he patches in, he’ll make a good and solid addition to the club.
Killer and Gwen sit down at the table with me. They don’t say a word as we all eat in silence. Some of the other members and ol’ ladies are talking amongst themselves filling the common room with a low hum of noise. I shovel food in my mouth as fast as I can so I can get back to my room even faster. The only time I stop is when I take a sip of my cold refreshing beer.
“Stryker, are you okay?” Gwen finally asks me, her voice hesitant.
“I’m good darlin’. It’s just been a long day,” I answer her, not giving her any more information.
Feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket, I pull it out to see a message from Sally. My heart races as I unlock my phone to see what she’ll say about me spending time with Natalia.
Sally: Of course, you can. Let me know when you’re done with work and you can pick her up on your way home if you have your truck. I told you I’d never keep her from you.
Me: Thank you. I miss you.
Pressing send before I can erase the part about missing her. I shouldn’t have sent it, but it’s the truth and I’m not going to hide it from her any more. What I’m not expecting is to get a message back from her about missing me too. Yep, time to start drinking because if I don’t now, I’m going to head home and take her to bed. That’s not what I want from Sally; it’s never been what I wanted from her. Sally is a precious gift that I want to protect and love with everything in me. There isn’t a damn thing I wouldn’t give her or do for her. Whatever else happens between us is up to her. I’m just hoping she can let me in and learn there’s room in her heart for Killian and me. I’ll never try to take away her memories of the man she loved and gave her a beautiful daughter.
Taking my plate to the kitchen, I place it in the sink and head for the bar. Without a word to anyone, I grab the bottle of Jack from Rich. It’s the same routine every single night. I shower after work, eat dinner, and grab a bottle to take to my room. I’ve been drawing up a tattoo I want to get done when I drink alone in my room until I’m too drunk and the lines begin to blur on the page.
Shutting my door, I lock it behind me, so no one walks in when I’m passed out drunk. I don’t put it past the house bunnies to try anything when we’re not exactly with it. They’ll do anything to become an ol’ lady no matter what it is. We’ve caught them poking holes in our condoms, starting fights if we bring a new girl around, and a host of other things to get our attention on them and only them. It’s nothing I’ll take a chance on when the only woman I want in my life is Sally.
Stripping down to nothing, I get in bed and pull the sheet up to cover me. Reaching over to my stand, I pull out my pencil and the design I’ve started sketching. Looking it over, I know it’s missing a vital piece of detail, but I’m not sure what it is right yet. For several minutes, I stare at the paper while taking drinks from the bottle I keep on my stand. The longer I stare at it, the more I’m ready to toss the drawing away before starting all over. Instead of putting it in my garbage can, I pull out a clean piece of paper to begin all over again. Still, I don’t know what I’m going to do to make it exactly what I want before getting it put on my body.
Tossing the paper and pencil on the empty side of my bed, I turn on the TV for background noise. Laying down on my bed, I let thoughts of Sally fill my head as I continue to drink directly from the bottle. It’s not long before half the bottle is gone, and my eyes are sliding closed. I pass out from drinking too much, so I don’t go get the woman I want in bed with me. It’s the last thing I want to do, but right now there is no other choice.
Waking up the next morning, I have a hangover as usual. Work at the gym won’t let me stay in bed all day nursing it though. Plus, there is no way in hell I’m going to miss out on spending time with Natalia today. I want to spend as much time with my Princess as I can. At least until Sally makes up her mind about what she wants to do. Or who she wants in her life. For me, there isn’t an option of any man being by her side other than me. I’m the one she’ll learn to depend on when she’s not having a good day or when she just wants someone to lean on.
Either way, I will never go very long without seeing Natalia. The little girl has become more to me than just some kid who is with the club because of her mom. She’s my little girl and I will do whatever it takes for me to remain in her life. With those thoughts in mind, I get out of bed and take a quick shower to wash away the thoughts of Sally and my Princess. Today I’m going to do what I can at work before having dinner with my little one. Then, I’ll see what I can do about seeing Sally for a few minutes before heading back here to the clubhouse and my nightly drinking.
After getting dressed, I grab the booster seat I keep in my room when Natalia isn’t in my truck with me. It’s pink and grey with flowers all over it. This is the one she wanted when I let her pick her own out so it’s the one I keep for her. When it’s time to get a new one, she’ll pick that one out too. With my cut on, everything shoved back in my pockets from the night before, and Natalia’s car seat in hand, I leave my room to head to work. The same house bunny from last night in the kitchen is sitting at one of the tables in the common room. As soon as she sees me, a coy smile lights up her face and she pushes her tits out. That’s not attractive. At all.
“I didn’t know you have a kid Stryker,” she says, a deceptive look crossing her face as she tries not to let me see disgust shining from her eyes.
“I don’t. My life doesn’t fuckin’ concern you. You don’t want to be around kids or anythin’, you’re in the wrong place. Every single member here that has kids will expect you to step up every now and then to watch over the kids. Clearly, you don’t like kids based on the look you just tried to hide. I’m not gonna fuckin’ touch you. Ever. As far as your concerned, I have an ol’ lady and I will not come near you. I don’t fuck house bunnies and I’m only here because of things goin’ on in my personal life,” I tell her, not breaking my stride to get to the door leading outside.
“Stryker, you know nothing about me,” she returns.
“You’re right, I don’t. I don’t want to know anythin’ about you either. Leave me the fuck alone and stay away from me,” I tell her, pushing forcefully through the door and heading out to my truck.
Putting Natalia’s car seat in the back of my truck, I make sure it’s in the middle so I can simply strap her in when I pick her up in a few hours. Getting in the driver’s seat, I make my way toward the gym on the outskirts of town to get to work. The only good thing about being here is getting to workout and stay in shape for my last three fights. That’s what I need to focus on now so I can keep my mind off of my family until it’s time to reunite with them.
Today has swept by extremely slowly. It seems as if every single time I looked at the clock it was as if time was going backward instead of forward. Now, it’s time for me to go pick up my Princess and take her to dinner. Maybe we’ll go to the park to play for a while too. She always loves playing on the swings; of going as high as she possibly can before slowly stopping and having Sally or me push her all over again. From there, she moves on to the slide where she wants to be caught repeatedly until her little laugh is the only thing anyone close by hears.
Me: I’m headin’ out now to pick up my Princess. Plan is dinner and park if that’s okay with you.
Sally: She’s ready to go. Nat’s really excited to see you.
I don’t bother responding to Sally’s message. It’s only going to take me a few minutes to get to her house from the gym with the way I’m driving. I want to see my girls more than needing to breathe for the next few minutes. Excitement fills me as I think of what Sally will say or do when she sees me. Of what I’m going to feel when I see her. Honestly, I’m nervous as hell because it’s the first time in almost two weeks that I’ll have laid eyes on Sally up close and personal.
Stay by Black Stone Cherry blares from my speakers as I pull into the driveway of my house. A house I only bought because of my need to get away from the clubhouse and have my own space. There was never ever a family in mind when I bought the five-bedroom home with a large backyard. Sally and Natalia are waiting outside on the porch with my Princess dancing and jumping around as they wait for me.
Putting my truck in gear, I hop out after shutting it off. Natalia looks at her mom for a second before racing down off the steps of the porch and running straight for me. Natalia jumps in my arms at the very last second and I catch her as she winds her little arms around my neck and squeezes as hard as she can. A few tears hit the bare skin of my neck as her little body shakes with her sobs. I look up at Sally who’s also crying and shaking her head.
“I’ll bring her back in a little bit. After I get her dinner, I wanted to take her to the park for a little bit. I know I already told you in my message. Just want to make sure it’s okay to do that with her,” I tell her, my voice filling with emotion as I look at Sally.
Today she’s wearing a white summer dress with her hair up in a messy bun. The colors she’s had it dyed are now on full display. I love her hair like this.
“Thank you for taking her. She’s been so excited all day long. Do you want extra clothes or anything?”
“No. We’ll be okay. If you want to meet us at the park, we’ll be there in an hour or so,” I let her know as I turn to put Natalia in my truck.
Once I have her fastened in, I close the door and face Sally who’s now standing up on the porch.
“You look amazin’ Sally. I really like what you did to your hair,” I tell her before getting inside my truck and backing out of the driveway.
Turning down the radio, I let Natalia tell me about her day. She tells me about playing with her toys, their trip to Dander Falls, and what she wants to do at the playground. I listen intently as she fills me in on everything she wants me to know. Including how sad Sally’s been since I moved out. When I pull up to the diner, she’s still talking about her day. I’ve missed this fucking kid more than I thought possible.
Picking her up from the truck, I carry her into the diner and take a seat at the booth in back. I place Natty in a booster seat with her back to the rest of the diner while I sit facing out and a wall at my back. There is no way in hell I’m going to let someone get close to my girl if I can help it.
“Hey Stryker. What can I get you two today?” Shelia, one of the waitresses asks walking up and smiling down at Natalia.
“I’ll have a glass of water and sweet tea. My Princess will have a cup of chocolate milk please. Do you know what you want for dinner?” I ask her.
“Nuggies and cheese,” she answers.
“Chicken nuggets and mac and cheese coming up cutie,” Shelia answers. “You want your normal Stryker?”
“Yeah. Gotta get in shape for a fight,” I respond.
“I’ll have your orders right up.”
While we’re waiting for our order, I watch on as Natalia colors on her placemat. She always ignores all of the puzzles and games to color the drawings and other things she draws herself. Just as she finishes drawing a picture of Sally, me, and herself, Shelia brings over Natalia’s chicken nuggets and mac and cheese and my grilled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. I cut a small piece of my sandwich off because Natalia will end up wanting to have some. It’s the same thing every time we have a meal.
“Stryker please?” she asks, looking up at me with her big brown eyes.
I don’t hesitate to hand over the piece of my sandwich I cut off for her. Together we spend the rest of our meal in silence as I watch over her while she’s eating. I’m already done and sitting back in my seat. When Natty’s done, I make sure she’s cleaned up and head to pay the bill before leaving the diner. Now, it’s time for the park. Natalia is excited as hell when I pull up to the park and get her out. I’m going to have fun with my Princess here for as long as I can before taking her home.
