Stryker

by Lexi Buchanan

  “Fuck.” I clenched my fists wanting to hit something, or someone.

  “Hold it in, man.” Carter started fussing with my tie so I raised a brow in amusement. He grinned. “We don’t want attention on you, and with the mess around your neck people would do a double take.”

  “You need to get out more than I do,” I grumbled. “And how the fuck do people wear these without choking to fucking death?”

  “There.” He moved to the door. “Not many people who wear these things have a neck as thick as yours…we need to go and meet up with my people.”

  I raised a brow. “No way can I involve Jordan more than I already have. My people are the law, Jake. They can’t know that I asked Jordan for help.”

  “Why did you?”

  Carter looked away. “We needed somewhere to sleep.” He shrugged.

  “Hum…so it had nothing to do with Millie? You didn’t want to check her old man out in person to make sure your girl would be good?”

  He sighed. “I wanted to see if the rumors of him being one of the good guys were true. It wouldn’t have made any difference because Millie is under my skin. I didn’t want her worrying about us meeting. So now we’ve met, and I’m worrying about telling her that we’ve met.”

  I chuckled. He was so damn serious that I ended up laughing my way downstairs. That soon stopped when my father met us there.

  I’d listened to everything he’d said yesterday and I wanted to believe him. It was just difficult after how my life had turned out. All these years I’d thought that he didn’t care and hadn’t looked back, but that had been a lie. I didn’t want to like him or believe him. But that was hard to do when the truth was staring me in the face. Trust though. I wasn’t sure that would ever be there again.

  “Son,” he whispered, reminding me that I was standing there staring at him. “Are you okay?”

  Inhaling, I nodded. “I’ll be okay once I have Evie.”

  “She’s a lovely girl who I know loves you. We’ll get there in time, and then you’ll both be together without having to look over your shoulder for Declan ever again.”

  “Am I missing something?” I scowled, wondering what the hell he was talking about with Declan.

  “Um, perhaps I’ve said too much.”

  “Dad?” I reached out to grab his arm, but he’d disappeared, out of my reach.

  I went to follow when a voice stopped me. “Leave him.”

  I turned and faced Jordan Michaels. “Do you know what he’s talking about? About Declan?”

  “The man who is in love with my daughter is with the FBI, yes?” He chuckled at my surprise. “He isn’t the only one who has connections. Carter is a good man and you know that you’re about to meet up with his men, right? Who did you think they were?”

  The truth was that I hadn’t given it any thought. After he’d explained the situation on the plane to me, I’d kinda switched off and missed some of what he’d said.

  “They’re going after Declan.” I ran my hands over my hair, and heavily sighed. “I’m impatient for this all to be over.”

  “They have gathered enough evidence of his illegal activities to put him away for a long time. Your father has agreed to testify, and I’m presuming, if asked, that you will do so.” He raised a brow in question.

  I nodded.

  “I thought as much. From what I know, Carter hadn’t been the only one on the inside.” He smiled. “Now, I plan on keeping your father here so he doesn’t get caught in the crossfire as he is a star witness. He won’t like it, but that’s how it is going to go down. In exchange, I want you to help keep my daughter safe. She is strong willed and won’t hesitate to get in the middle of chaos.”

  I smiled. “I promise, although I should imagine she’s the first person that Carter will go to protect.”

  “Yes.” Jordan disappeared into his office, and when I turned to head out, I found my father and Carter watching me.

  “You heard.”

  “Yes,” my father said. “I don’t like being told to stay here, but when he put it like ‘star witness’ I had to agree that he was right, just…be careful.” He stepped forward and hugged me.

  The first time in ten years.

  I went to push him away, but found my arms wrapped around him as I returned his hug.

  “I love you, son.” With those words, he disappeared upstairs.

  Carter cleared his throat. “We need to leave.”

  With one last glance upstairs, I followed Carter out of the house to the SUV.

  Evie

  MY MOTHER HAD DREADFUL taste in dresses, which was why I looked like a meringue. The bodice was fitted and beaded, and the only thing right with what I wore. The skirt had layers and layers of frills, which did remind me of a dessert or little Bo Peep. I wasn’t really bothered because the wedding was a farce so it held little interest for me.

  The thick veil hid my distress as Millie entered the room in the pink bridesmaid dress that my mother had also chosen. At least, her dress was plain silk and looked lovely on her.

  “Your father is waiting for you.” She took my hands into hers. “God, your hands are so cold.” She tried to rub some warmth into them.

  “I’m so cold.” My voice broke on a sob that I tried to control.

  “Evie?”

  “I have to do this. I know that. Will you promise me something?” I clutched her hands tightly to me as she nodded. “Promise me that you’ll find Jake and tell him how much I love him. I need him to know that I’m doing this for him. I don’t want him to think that I used him or don’t care.”

  “Oh Evie.” She hugged me close. “I promise he already knows, and if he doesn’t then he will have no doubt once I’ve spoken to him.”

  I swallowed back my sorrow and pulled away from her. I straightened my spine, closed my eyes and inhaled. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Millie followed me out of the door and downstairs to where my father waited. He looked handsome in his tuxedo, and I wished with all my heart that I were about to walk up the aisle to Jake.

  My father moved close and grasped my shoulders. He rested his lips against my forehead, over the veil, and whispered, “I love you, Evie.” He sighed heavily, and placed my arm through his.

  I cast a glance back to Millie who looked just as unhappy as I was. I knew that she worried about Carter and I hoped that, after today, she’d get to be with him. I prayed one of us got our happily ever after.

  It didn’t take as long as I’d hoped to reach the seating outside.

  Everyone turned to look at me, and as I scanned the guests who I didn’t know, I saw Declan at the front beside his wife. He looked agitated and constantly looked around him, as though he waited for someone or something to happen.

  Patrick stood at the top of the makeshift aisle, and beside him was Oliver, the man who he’d been showering with. The man looked just as unhappy as Patrick did. My groom—the thought was like ashes in my mouth—offered me a wry smile before he passed a quick glance to his father.

  My nerves had already been jumping but now they jumped higher than ever. Something more was going on here and seeing how Declan and Patrick acted got my hackles up.

  I tried to have sympathy for Patrick because, in a way, he was in a similar situation as I was. Neither of us could marry the man we loved.

  The music suddenly started as my father got me moving toward Patrick.

  I caught my mother looking happy as anything so I avoided looking at her.

  The closer we got to the minister, the more my stomach turned. My hand shook in my father’s arm as my grip tightened on him, not wanting him to let me go.

  He patted my hand as he handed me over to Patrick, who looked just as sick as I felt.

  “I’m sorry, Evie,” he whispered.

  I looked at Oliver with Patrick, and realized that he was close to tears. He tried to fight them with anger, but I didn’t think he’d last much longer.

  The minister started to talk, but I had no ide
a what he was saying because blood rushed through my ears.

  Taking a step back, I felt my father behind me.

  He turned me to face him and raised the veil. “I can’t let you do this, honey.” He smiled and wiped my tears with his thumb before he pulled me close. “He’s free, Evie. Jake is safe with the FBI,” my father whispered.

  I stilled. “What?”

  He met my questioning gaze. “He isn’t in any trouble. He’s safe, baby girl… Is he your prince, honey?”

  Through tears, I whispered, “Yes.”

  “What the fuck!” Declan roared from behind us.

  “Dad, no.” Patrick went to step around us but froze when his dad waved a gun. “What?”

  The guests started to run as chaos erupted around us. Guests fell as others fell over them and my heart dropped to my toes.

  “There will be a wedding,” Declan said very slowly. He pointed his weapon at the minister. “You. Marry them now.”

  The poor man quivered in his shoes, and the bible in his hands shook so badly that I was surprised it didn’t drop to the floor. “Um, it doesn’t work that way,” the Minister mumbled.

  “You value your life, then you’ll make it work that way.” Declan sneered.

  “Patrick, take your fiancée’s hand and stand in front of the minister.”

  Patrick made no move.

  “Now, son,” Declan growled.

  “Dad, it’s over. You might still try and force us, but the fact is that probably most of those guests will have called the cops. So whether or not I marry Evie won’t matter anymore. You won’t have a senator in the family, and as soon as you’re taken away our wedding will be annulled. There’s no point in it.”

  Patrick’s father went bright red in the face, and looked ready to boil over. His features were twisted in rage and pure hate ran through him.

  I held my breath and witnessed the change in Declan almost immediately. I wasn’t fooled as he calmed, but with a steady hand he raised the gun. Not at my family, or me, but at his own son.

  “Dad?” Patrick questioned, his voice quivered.

  “You think I don’t know about you…and him,” he spat, the gun moved to Patrick’s lover, but his gaze held his son in place. “You’re a disgrace to this family.”

  “Fuck you,” Patrick replied.

  “No, fuck you, son.”

  Before Declan could pull the trigger my dad pushed me behind him and leapt forward. Patrick dived on top of his lover, and took him and Millie—who stood next to Oliver—to the ground.

  My mother grabbed my arm and tried to tug me behind the chair she crouched behind, but I couldn’t move as I watched my father fight for control of the gun.

  As I watched, Declan had the upper hand. He was a bigger man than my father, so without thinking, I stayed on my knees and crawled forward.

  Close beside them, I grabbed a chair and standing over them, swung the chair toward Declan’s back. But he turned, swiveling the gun toward me. My blood turned to ice seconds before Patrick knocked my legs out from under me as the weapon discharged.

  Seconds later, there was another shot followed by a wail as though an animal had been hurt. I turned and noticed my mother’s stricken expression.

  My head whipped around to my father who lay on his back, blood covered his shirt and seeped out from his jacket.

  No!

  Declan had started to run toward the trees and I briefly registered him dropping to his knees as men appeared from the direction that he ran.

  But all my attention was back on my father as I quickly crawled to him. He was covered in blood as I ripped his jacket open.

  So much blood.

  “Daddy,” I cried, as I tried to open his shirt. “Please.”

  “Evangeline,” he called, faintly.

  I needed something to try and stop the bleeding.

  My dress.

  I gathered the front of my dress and pressed it to his stomach.

  “Fuck, Evie. I’m so damn sorry. I’ve called for help. Tell me what to do.” Patrick kneeled beside me, frantic. Millie dropped to the other side, her face streaked with tears.

  “I don’t know what to do,” I cried. “I don’t know how to help him.”

  Chapter 24 ~ Stryker

  HEARING THE GUN SHOT, my feet started to carry me through the forest before I could even think. I just knew that Evie needed me. But hearing the second, I thought I was going to puke with fright.

  We’d met up with Carter’s ‘friends’, who happened to be men and woman of the FBI wearing combat gear. I knew the minute that Carter gave the signal to go in, it was seconds after I started to move.

  We burst through the trees and there the fucker was, running toward us thinking that he would be safe in that direction. Arrogant asshole.

  My fear for Evie overrode the vengeance I wanted to inflict on Declan. The Feds could have him. I needed to find Evie.

  I couldn’t see her anywhere, and as Carter came up beside me, he grabbed my arm and gave a tug. We changed direction and went to where people were down on the ground.

  My heart somersaulted in my chest when I saw the wedding dress.

  Evie.

  She was on the floor and as I ran closer, Patrick met my gaze, briefly. All I could see was the blood all over Evie; her hands, neck, a bit on her face, but it was the dress that was covered.

  Carter dropped to his knees beside Millie, wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on the forehead in relief.

  “Evie?” I mumbled, and then her eyes were on mine.

  Tears filled her eyes and with a look of hopelessness, her face crumbled as large racking sobs broke her.

  “Where are you hurt?” I asked, kneeling next to her, her face cupped in my hands. “Evangeline, please. Are you hurt?”

  “It isn’t hers,” Patrick said, instantly putting my mind at rest.

  I moved her further away as the medic who was with us took over the care of the man on the ground…obviously her father.

  My legs felt weak so I dropped to the ground and cradled Evie on my lap, letting her cry until she gave one long shudder and quieted.

  “Evie, right?” the paramedic questioned.

  I nodded in response for her.

  “You’re father’s alive but we need to airlift him to the hospital. There’s no room in the copter, but you can meet up with him at the hospital.”

  “I’ll see that she gets there with her mom.”

  “Okay.”

  Minutes later, I still held her tightly in my arms. My face buried in her neck while I breathed her in.

  She was mine now.

  Mine to love.

  Mine to protect.

  I wasn’t going to give her up for anything.

  “Jake.”

  Hearing my real name on her lips caused emotion to rise up inside me.

  She lifted her tear-stained face and caressed me with her gaze. “I can’t believe you’re here.” She reached up, but before she touched my head, she pulled her hands back. “Your beautiful hair. It’s gone…and I’m covered with my father’s blood,” her voice trembled as her hands shook.

  “It’ll grow back.” I kissed her eyes. “Let’s get you and your mom up to the house so you both can quickly change before we go to the hospital.” I stood, unable to let go of Evie. “C’mon.”

  I noticed Carter’s boss talking to Patrick and Oliver, who sat huddled together. Patrick had his arm wrapped around who I presumed to be his mother.

  Until thirty minutes ago, I’d had no idea that Patrick had been the insider. I’d been shocked and I knew Evie would be too.

  I searched for Carter, who I found helping Evie’s mother. Millie was on the other side, helping the woman move toward the house.

  Carter glanced back and caught my gaze as I followed with Evie. “Meet outside the house in ten minutes. I’ll drive us all to the hospital,” he shouted.

  Evie walked faster as I kept my arm around her.

  Once the door to her room closed, E
vie stood, unmoving for maybe a minute before she dashed for the bathroom.

  I quickly followed and watched as she turned the shower on and started to tug on her dress. “I can’t get it off.” She panicked. “Help me. I need it off. I need the blood off me.”

  Hand on her hips, I turned her away from me and made quick work of getting her out of the dress. Before it fell to the floor she’d shoved her panties down her legs, so I helped and removed her bra.

  She jumped in the shower and started to scrub the blood from her skin, in a furious back and forth motion.

  Shucking the tuxedo jacket, I ripped the bowtie from around my neck, the shirt from my body, and dumped the lot on top of her dress. Grabbing her hand, I stopped her motion. “You’re going to be red raw if you carry on. It’s gone, Evie. Look.” I held her hand in front of her face. “It’s gone.”

  Her head bowed and her body shook as she inhaled and slowly exhaled. Then my Evie was back.

  “Pass me a towel, please. I need to dress.”

  I grabbed a large bath towel and wrapped it around her body, which I tried not to think about. So not appropriate right now, but it was difficult not to.

  She was naked, wet, and in my arms. What the hell should I have expected? Evie pressed into me and caught her breath when she felt my arousal. “I’m sorry.” I dropped my head to her shoulder. “I want you. I’ve missed you. But now isn’t the time for this.”

  “I know.” She turned and caressed my face. “I can touch you now.”

  “You can touch me whenever you want to because I’m not letting you go. Ever.”

  She smiled, reached up and planted a quick, albeit wet, kiss to my lips before she raced into her room.

  I tried hard not to grin, but it was difficult. I had my freedom, and what I’d wanted the most, Evie. Our happiness would have to wait though, now that we raced for the hospital.

  Evie looked pale as she shoved her feet into boots. She worried, which went without saying. I wished that there was something I could do to take all her pain away.

  Dressed now and ready to go in fitted jeans, T-shirt and a sweater in her hand, she turned to me. “I’m ready.”