Striker’s Claim by Lila Fox
Chapter Twenty-Four
The following day, Kristina got out of bed and showered. She put on a pair of jeans, a bra, a baggy t-shirt, and tennis shoes before heading downstairs. Like every other morning, Striker had already been up for a few hours. The man seemed to need very little sleep, and it still amazed her how much he got done during the day.
At the top of the stairs, she caught Striker’s attention, and she stood still as he eyed her sharply. She descended the steps when he nodded and headed toward her.
She gasped when he lifted her off the last few steps and into his arms. His mouth was slow, hot, and demanding. He kissed her as if he’d never let her go, and she loved every moment of it.
He only raised his head when there were chuckles, whoops, and barks of laughter behind them.
“Good morning, babe.”
She grinned up at him. “Good morning.”
“Why don’t you come say hi to Hawk and Brick before you go into the kitchen.”
“Do I have to?” She warily looked at the group of men.
He laughed and pulled her along behind him.
“Good morning, Kristina. Did you sleep well?” Hawk asked.
His grin grew when she narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips tightly together.
Striker wrapped an arm around her waist. “Aren’t you going to say hi?”
She looked up at him and saw from the grin on his face. He was messing with her, too.
“Good morning,” she said.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Brick asked.
“Very rested. Thank you for asking.”
The men laughed, and she gritted her teeth.
She looked up at Striker. “Can I go now?”
“Yes.”
She glared one more time at the other two, turned, and walked away. Her spine stiffened when one of the men commented on her walk and asked if she had a sore bottom.
She didn’t wait for Striker's words. She was too close to turning back and kicking them.
When Kristina walked into the kitchen, it was to see Ink coaxing Sally out the back door.
“Hold it,” she barked. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Ink chuckled. “It’s okay, mama bear. I just want to talk privately with her. Nothing else except maybe a kiss. She’ll be right back.”
“Do you want to go with him?” she asked Sally.
“Yes. He just wants to talk, he said.”
“If she’s not back in ten minutes, I’m coming to look for you, and I’ll definitely have a spoon in my hand.”
“What the fuck is a spoon for?” Ink asked.
“To clobber you with.”
Ink laughed hard as the door closed behind them. Kristina looked around to see what needed to be done.
Sally had put out the juice, milk, and the pastries they’d bought the day before. It was either that or donuts each morning. They’d had a chance to make homemade sweet rolls a few times, and they were a hit, so she planned to make some more that day.
Most lunches consisted of sandwiches, and sometimes they added soup. It was the nighttime meal, dinner, that they went all out on. She and Sally had made whole meals every time except the nights the crew wanted pizza. Sally was turning into a great cook, and together, they studied cookbooks for new recipes all the time.
During any downtime they had, Kristina helped her with getting her GED. It was amazing how quickly the woman learned, and she wondered if she’d been born into a different family, how far would she have gone.
Even a few of the sweetbutts sat down to learn things.
Kristina was learning, too, and she couldn’t believe in the eight months she’d been at the club how much she’d changed and grown. Her self-confidence was better than it had ever been, and she’d never been happier.
She and Striker still hadn’t had a chance to talk about her being an old lady. She wanted to know more about it before she said yes, although she guessed she already was one and just didn’t know it.
The plates and cups were out, and everything else was ready. The back door opened, and in came Sally and Ink. She could tell they liked each other and wondered how a relationship worked with him on the road.
Kristina thought it was sweet when he kissed the top of Sally’s head.
Ink got to the doorway and stopped. “Hey, how’s that butt of yours?”
She didn’t even think about it. She just threw whatever was at hand, and he was lucky it was a spoon and not a knife.
The guy ducked quickly and hurried out of the room.
She heard him complain to someone that he hadn’t known I was violent, and she grinned. Good, she wanted them to be cautious around her. Maybe they’d leave her alone and not pick on her so much.
Kristina snorted when she turned to see Sally with both her hands over her mouth and her eye rounded in shock.
“We have to keep them on their toes, right?”
Sally started laughing. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Feral came through the door with a big grin on his face. “You’ve got Ink nervous now.”
“Good.”
He shook his head and walked out the back.
She looked up when someone cleared his throat to find Striker with a scowl on his face, but she could see the spark of amusement he was trying to hide. “Come with me.”
She sighed and patted Sally on her shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”
She followed him into the office. He closed the door behind her and locked it before walking to his desk, sitting on the top of it and crossing his arms.
“Babe, you can’t go around terrorizing our guests.”
She played along, crossed her own arms, and raised one of her brows. “Even when they’re being dicks?”
Striker snorted and tipped his head forward. “That’s a good question. I’ll have to think about that. Come here.”
She went straight into his arms and sighed when he wrapped them around her.
He kissed her long and hard and until they were both gasping for breath.
“You might be interested in knowing that Ink will be staying with us for a bit.”
“Shit. I’m warning you now there will probably be some bloodshed, and it won’t be mine.”
Striker threw back his head and laughed. “Damn, woman. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.” She knew there was no place on earth she’d rather be than in his arms.
The End
Other Books by Lila Fox:
www.evernightpublishing.com/lila-fox
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