Striker: A Dark Bully Romance (Redwood Rebels Book 1)

by Rachel Leigh

  Talon storms off into the bathroom, and the door slams shut. Breaking out in a full-blown ugly cry, I bury my face between my legs. Wet drops of tears slide down my legs and my heart writhes into a million little knots.

  I didn’t want that. I didn’t ask for Zed to do that to me. But I let it happen. I’m weak. Even if I can count on one hand how many men I’ve slept with, I still feel like a whore.

  Minutes pass and Talon doesn’t come out. He just needs a few minutes to cool off. So I give it to him.

  Five minutes later, he’s still not out.

  Tossing the blanket over me, I walk over to the door. “Talon. Can I come in?” I give the handle a turn, and to my surprise, it’s not locked. “Talon,” I say again.

  My heart falls from my chest. “Oh my god, Talon. What in the hell are you doing?” I hurry over to where he sits with his back against the bathtub while blood trickles down his side.

  “Get the fuck out!” he screams. So loud that I can feel the echo through my entire body. “Out!” he shouts again, pointing the bloody razor blade at the door.

  Completely ignoring him, I grab him by the wrist. ‘Why are you doing this?” I cry out. The blade drops to the floor, and I kick it away, watching as the blood smears a line across the white marbled floor.

  “I have to. I have to cut out the burn,” he mumbles.

  I gasp. That’s what the scars over the burn are. He cuts himself there.

  Talon’s head drops, his chin falling to his chest. Grabbing the hand towel off the sink, I lift his shirt and hold it in place. Then I just hold him. I have a lifetime to get answers.

  Right now, this is what he needs.

  He needs me.

  We sat on the bathroom floor for over an hour in complete silence. I’ve never seen Talon in that state—I’ve never seen anyone like that before. It’s like his mind was paralyzed. When he finally snapped out of it, he was humiliated. The cuts were just on the surface, so all he needed was some bandages, but he wouldn’t let me help. Instead of being too overbearing, I laid down in bed and gave him some privacy.

  A few minutes later, he joined me and asked that we never speak of it again. I agreed, for now. Sleep didn’t come easy, even though Talon held me all night long. Maybe that was the problem. Neither of us is used to bodily contact when we sleep.

  When I woke up this morning, Talon was already preparing for the day. I just joined them downstairs, and I’m attempting to mentally prepare myself for what’s coming.

  Lars stuffs a few water bottles into his backpack then zips it up. “You ready for this?” he asks Talon, who’s tapping into his phone.

  “More than ready. I’m fucking pumped.” He howls.

  Apparently, we are driving four hours to San Diego to meet up with his dad. I don’t know the full details, and I don’t care to. All I know is that I have to stand outside of some park, so he can see that I’m real, before texting me the address where we’ll be meeting.

  My nerves are shot. Anxiety is at an all-time high, but I’m ready to take this fucker down. This sick and sadistic man has tortured so many lives. I’d bet my life that he still is. He’s willing to meet an eighteen-year-old girl because he thinks he’s gonna get a piece of ass. His mind is twisted, and it's apparent that he never learned right from wrong. Sadly, his son still needs to learn. But there’s still time for Talon, and I’ve seen a side of him I’m not sure anyone else has ever seen. There is good in him.

  After Talon stuffs his phone in his pocket, he comes to my side. “Are you sure you’re ready for this? You can still back out.”

  Without even giving it a second thought, I tell him, “I’m all in.”

  This morning feels so different. I’m not sure what to make of it. It’s not like a relationship bloomed in just twenty-four hours. Besides, Talon’s not the relationship type, and I’m really not either. He and I together would be a fucking tsunami. All we do is bicker and fight. He likes to crawl under my skin, and I like to dig my nails into his.

  “Alright. Let’s hit the road.” Talon smacks my ass. I bite back a few choice words and just walk away.

  “Anyone heard from Zed?” Tommy asks, as we walk out the door.

  Talon responds, “If he knows what's good for him, he’ll never show his damn face in this town again. We had a pact, and he stepped over the line and double-crossed us. It wasn’t just her and I. It was all of us.” His voice grows louder and louder with each word until he’s screaming. “He tried to fuck with my plan, and he’s trying to fuck with me.”

  “Chill, man. We’ve got your back.” Tommy holds up his knuckles in front of Talon as we walk. “Start to finish.”

  Talon bumps back. “And all the in between.”

  Lars is being abnormally quiet as he shadows behind us. Maybe he’s having doubts about this. I could understand that. It’s not like we’re taking a road trip to the beach. Knowing what’s coming definitely has me feeling uneasy. But, this isn’t about me, or Lars, or anyone else. It’s about Talon finding the peace to move on with his life.

  We get to Talon’s truck parked in the middle of the driveway, and I open the back door. Talon’s hand slaps it, forcing it closed. “Get in the front. They’re driving separate.”

  “Aren’t we all going to the same place?”

  “We are. But we need the second vehicle, and I wanted some alone time with you.” He peers down at me with hooded eyes. “Gotta problem with that?”

  Arching my brows, I shove him playfully. “No. No problem at all.” Our eyes stay locked until I round the truck and climb in.

  Once he’s settled in the driver's seat, his hand makes its way over to my lap with the other on the steering wheel. He catches me looking at it. “Is that ok?”

  I bite back a smile then tangle my fingers in his. “Is that ok?”

  He chuckles. “Yeah, I think I can handle that.”

  This is strange. So damn strange, but I’m loving every minute that he makes me feel alive. Even if we are on the road to mass destruction.

  I’m unsure how long we’re into the drive when I lift my head and rub the sleep from my eyes. “How long was I out?” Glancing down, I notice we’re still holding hands, and my stomach does a little flip.

  “Couple hours. We’re halfway there. Tommy just called and they’re stopping at the next rest stop.”

  “Good. I need some coffee.”

  “Didn’t sleep well last night?” he asks, with his eyes still on the road.

  “You could say that. You, on the other hand, slept like a baby.”

  Smirking, he looks over at me. “I always do. Especially when I’m knocked out with sleeping pills.”

  We pull into the rest stop and Tommy is hanging out the driver’s side window with his arms in the air. As soon as Talon rolls my window down, Tommy shouts, “Bout fucking time.”

  Lars has his seat reclined and a ball cap over his face. Talon leans forward with his arm draped over the steering wheel and nods at Lars. “Has he been sleeping the whole ride?”

  “I think he’s sick or something. Hasn’t said a damn word.” Tommy shrugs. “Hurry your asses up. We need to get back on the road, so I can get him outta this car before he vomits.”

  “Alright then,” I say, “I have to use the bathroom and then I’m hitting up whatever coffee vending they have in there.” God, I hope it’s not actual vending machine coffee.

  “They’ve actually got a couple fast food places inside. Pretty decent rest stop,” Tommy says.

  I look over at Talon. “You coming?” He gives me a nod, and we both get out.

  “Make it quick,” Tommy shouts as we walk away.

  When we get inside, I turn toward the ladies’ room and expect Talon to go in the opposite direction to the men’s room. Only he’s right on my tail. I turn around and begin pushing him out. “What are you doing? You can’t come in here.”

  “I sure as hell can. And I will. There’s no fucking way I’m leaving you alone in a place like this.”

  Ta
king a step back, I cross my arms over my chest. “It’s a bathroom, Talon. People generally use them alone.”

  “Most people do. You do not.” He grabs my hand and pulls me into the double-sized stall.

  I huff. “Talon Porter, get out of here right now.”

  Shutting the door, he slides the lock across then places both hands on my waist. My head tilts when his face nuzzles into the fold of my neck. “You looked so damn sexy while you were sleeping with your mouth wide open. All I could think about was filling it with my cock.”

  Quivers descend down my side where his hands rest, sliding down my thighs and settling between my legs. “We can’t. Not here,” I mutter under my breath.

  “Sure we can. I’d take you on the hood of my truck in the parking lot if I wanted to. Unless you’d rather suck me while I drive.”

  Cold fingers snake up the sides of my shirt, and my eyes close on impulse. Grazing beneath my bra, Talon cups both breasts in his hands, before rolling my nipples between his thumb and index finger.

  “Alright. Guess we’ll wait until we get back home tonight,” he grumbles in my ear as he teases my nipples.

  I can feel my arousal dampen my panties and while this isn’t the most desired place, or the most sanitary, I don’t think I have the strength to walk out of here unsatisfied. “No,” I say in a breathy moan.

  “That’s what I thought. Now drop your pants.” I do as I’m told but let them linger around my legs, without taking them completely off. “Turn around.” His pants zipper slides down and his keys clank together when they hit the floor through his jeans.

  With my hand pressed to the inner wall of the stall, I roll my hips to give him easy access, but he grabs my leg, takes off my flip flop and frees one leg from my leggings. “What are you doing?” I twist my head to catch a glimpse of him. His mouth is agape and his glazed eyes stare back at me. Instead of answering me, he slides my flip flop back on and hoists my leg up with one foot on the toilet that sits to the right of me.

  The silky head of his cock begins probing at my entrance in a circular motion. “You’ve been a naughty girl.” Fingers tangle in my hair. Wrapping around them like a rubber band. When he tugs the bunched-up mess, my head jerks back. “You drugged me, snuck out of my house, and let another man touch you while I slept on your bedroom floor.” Unease curdles in my stomach like sour milk. “It’s time for you to be punished.” His dick slams so hard into me that my forehead ricochets off the metal stall.

  I gasp and moan and curl my toes as he fucks me from behind. “Oh my God,” I choke out with a pent-up exhale. Unyielding strokes have him claiming my pussy like it’s his and his alone.

  “Did you like it when he touched you?”

  What?

  My body tenses up, and I clench my walls around him. I go to move my leg off the toilet, but he puts it right back in place, like that too belongs to him.

  “Answer me, damnit. Did you like it?” When I don’t respond, he pulls my hair so hard that It feels like my scalp may peel off. With my head hanging back and his grip holding it in place, his eyes look into mine. “This pussy is mine. If anyone ever touches it again, I’ll sew it shut. Got it?”

  Blinking, I agree with a nod. Once my hair is released from his fist, his hips roll in a clockwise motion, while his dick stretches me to the fullest, making me cry out in pleasurable pain.

  When his groin begins vibrating off my ass at an impetuous speed, I lose complete control of my body and any sounds that escape. “Fuck!” I slap one hand to the wall. “Holy shit, Talon.” He hammers me from behind and just as I’m about to explode and soak the floor of this stall, I hear the creak of the rusted-out hinges of the bathroom door open. My body freezes.

  Talon leans over, his chest pressed to my back. “Shh,” he whispers, as his hand curls under my legs, and he begins circling my nub while my foot is still perched on the toilet.

  My body trembles, and when he slides his dick in and out of me, while flicking his fingertips against my clit. I watch as the beige loafers inch closer to the door and follow them until they are out of sight. An impalpable, uncontrollable, and undeniable sensation overwhelms me and I can’t contain myself when I whimper in pleasure. “Oh, God.”

  “Shhh,” he whispers again, but I know he’s fucking with me, trying to make me scream.

  An electric shock courses through my veins. Pulsating around his cock, I explode in a frenzy and feel the remnants of my orgasm drip down my leg.

  Without letting up, he rides me through my orgasm and grabs me by the hips. Bouncing off of my ass, one final thrust has him releasing and spilling his cum all over my back and dribbling down my side.

  “Sick. That’s what y'all are. Just sick.” I hear the squeal of an elderly lady as the beige shoes walk past the stall again. I laugh. “We’re sick? She didn’t even wash her hands.”

  Completely ignoring my presence, Talon turns his body to the toilet and lets his softening dick linger over it. He looks at me and catches my wry look. “What?” He shrugs. “I told you I had to piss.”

  Shaking my head, I unroll a wad of toilet paper and begin cleaning myself up. Once Talon shakes and tucks then zips his pants, I cross my arms and nod toward the door. With a sigh, he flushes the toilet and exits the stall, so I can pee next.

  I’m not surprised to see him when I walk out of the stall. Legs crossed at the ankles, back against the sinks with his phone in hand. “Someone is all too eager to meet you.” His eyes perk up.

  Rolling my eyes, I walk to the sink and wash my hands. “If only I could reciprocate his enthusiasm.”

  Talon walks up behind me and begins kissing my neck. “Don’t worry. I’d never let him lay a finger on you. You trust me, right?”

  He spins me around, and I pat my wet hands on his t-shirt. “I don’t know yet.” I pause. “Do you trust me? Because after the things you said in that stall, I’m not so sure you do.”

  “What aspect of trust are you talking about?” He cocks a brow. “Because relationship trust and basic trust are two different things, and we’re not in a relationship, Marni.”

  I can feel my face flush. Not out of embarrassment, but anger. “I never said we were.” I push off from him and head for the door.

  He eats up the space between us quickly. “Then what’s the problem?”

  “For the record, I don’t want a relationship with you either, but you don’t have to be such an ass about it.”

  He chuckles, and it makes me wanna shove his face in the pile of dog shit we just walked past. “How was I being an ass. I was just stating the facts.”

  “Jesus Christ, did someone fall in the fucking toilet,” Tommy says, as Talon and I walk straight for the truck. Ignoring him, we both open our doors and get in. “And where the hell is your coffee?” he shouts even louder.

  Damnit. I knew I left more than my dignity in that building.

  “Tell me how I was being an ass?” He repeats himself, as he revs up the engine.

  Resting my hand on my cheek with my elbow on the door ledge, I let out a deep breath. “When aren’t you an ass?”

  Talon and I argue on a daily basis, but my lips threaten a hint of smile when I realize that this is our first argument about us. Technically, there isn’t an us. And even though I feel like socking him right now, there isn’t anyone else I wanna have fights with after fucking in the bathroom stall at a rest stop.

  I sneak a peek at him, letting my pride take a back seat, and he flashes me a smile. “What?”

  ‘Nothing.” I smile back.

  21

  When you feel like you’d rather be on the edge of a cliff, ready to plunge to your death, than turn around and face another day, you know it’s time to make a change. That’s when I set this plan in motion. I went to the guys and I told them I needed their help and, naturally, they stood in my corner. We swore we’d take on this quest together. Zed, of course, perked up and asked what was in it for them. That’s when we made the pact. Four acts of revenge - one shot ea
ch.

  We lost one, but he’s been replaced by someone better.

  Tucking a chunk of Marni’s hair behind her ear, I force her scared eyes on mine. “Do you trust me?” I ask again, because last time I didn’t get the response I wanted.

  “I want to.” Her voice is shaky, yet calm and collected.

  “The stuff I said in the bathroom stall, that was just foreplay. Gets me going. It wasn’t my way of trying to belittle you. You know that, right?”

  She nods. “I get that. I just wish you wouldn’t bring it up, especially like that.”

  “Won’t happen again.”

  “And Talon…” Her tongue darts out to her lips, wetting them as she prepares for what’s coming. I know that tone enough by now to know she wants something. “I won’t talk about what I walked in on last night...after this.”

  My head shakes. “Don’t.”

  “I need to know why?”

  I drop my hands and rest my back against the seat. Staring straight ahead at the park across the street, I notice a little boy running while a golden lab chases after him. He’s eight, maybe nine years old. There’s no hiding that happiness. He looks back, feeling the security of having his parents nearby.

  “I got a burn when I was a kid. Got some cuts on it. No big deal.” I lie. She looks at me with that pitiful look again. “It’s just an ugly scar. Drop it!” I can feel myself getting angrier as each second passes.

  “Your scars aren’t ugly, Talon. They’re beautiful.”

  I laugh. “What the hell could possibly be beautiful about a scar that spreads the length of your side and your back?”

  “Because it’s yours. It’s your story. It’s your past and your redemption.” She shrugs a shoulder. “I happen to like it.”

  “You wouldn’t like it if it was your story.”

  “We all have scars.”

  She’s still lingering between the two seats when I grab her by the waist, pick her up, and bring her over to my lap. Once she’s adjusted, with her legs wrapped around either side of me, I graze my fingers under her shirt, lifting it up and admiring her flawless skin. “Looks like a good life to me.”