“Dad, you're getting hyped up. Please calm down. He doesn't know. Only you, Alex, and Jess know.”
“I'm sorry, pumpkin.”
“He's the father of both my children, and I need you with me.”
“Of course I will be. Nothing and no-one will stop me this time.”
“Everything okay over here?” I look to see Lauren smiling at us having a father-daughter moment.
“I'm going to go get a drink and see where Emily is,” I say.
“She's dancing with Nico.”
Nodding, I walk away from them, taking a glance to see Dad comforting Lauren.
Instead of going back into the party, I walk farther up and sit on the grass under the willow tree, looking out to the water with the music from the marquee behind me.
I’m thinking about how best to approach Striker about the baby, and how I’ll handle it if he refuses to be involved. I feel a presence behind me, and part of me hopes it’s Striker so I can get this over with, but it’s not.
“Hey.” Austin’s voice brings me out of my thoughts. Years ago, his voice alone would have turned me into a puddle on the floor, but since we slept together, I put that fantasy of being his girlfriend to bed for good. There’s no spark, not compared to what I have with Striker. I see him as nothing but a brother now. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” He sighs, taking a seat on the grass beside me.
“Breath-taking.” We sit in comfortable silence for a beat until he speaks again.
“In all the years I've known you, I've never seen you look so sad.” His hand rests on my cheek, his thumb wiping the rogue tear that falls. I give him a sad smile, looking into his blue eyes.
“I’ve never felt this heartbroken.” He searches my eyes and leans in, his lips touching mine. I pull my head back. “What are you doing?”
“Daria, you know how I feel about you. You had to have known from the night we slept together.” He takes my hand in his. “And at the rehearsal dinner, I thought you had some sort of feelings for me the way you kissed me. I love you. I've always loved you.”
My eye squeeze shut as heat rises from my neck to my cheeks, embarrassed at the mention of the rehearsal dinner. I made a complete and utter fool of myself by getting drunk. Not just drunk, but absolutely off my face so I had no idea what I was doing. Turns out, I kissed Austin when he was taking me home that night. I saw blue eyes and thought he was Striker.
“I was drunk and thought you were Striker that night, Austin. I can't.” I stand, fixing my dress. “I love you too, Austin, but as a brother. I can't deal with this right now.” I begin to walk away from him.
“Daria, wait.” He catches my wrist and I quickly take it out of his grasp. I don’t want him touching me. “Look, I’m sorry. I just thought if you knew, you would reciprocate.”
“When we slept together all those years ago, I would have done anything to be with you, but I’m sorry, Austin. I just don’t love you in that way anymore. I don’t think I ever did.”
He looks down, defeated, and nods his understanding. “I get it. I’m sorry.” He kisses my forehead and walks back to the party.
I turn back to the water, closing my eyes, but all I see is Striker. His strong arms around my waist, holding me, kissing me, and making me laugh at the stupid jokes he used to tell me. But his face quickly changes to the whore's face. I’m on the floor, looking up at them laughing at me. I begin to rub the scar on my left wrist as tears form and fall again.
“You know, it's okay to not be okay, Daria.” Nico startles me. “Sometimes, life is like an intersection.” I look at him with a raised eyebrow. Is he really comparing my life to an intersection? He rolls his eyes. “Life can be full-on, especially this life. It may feel like we're going round in circles, making us dizzy and confused, but we have to remember that sometimes we need to pull over and ask for directions.”
I can’t find the words to form a response, so I turn back to stare at the water; it's so calm and peaceful. I find myself wishing my life was as still and tranquil, but then I remember water can also be turbulent and dangerous. It's full of contradictions and so much mystery.
Like my life.
I link my arm in his and lay my head on his shoulder. The moon reflects on the glittering water. He kisses my head and sighs. “Don't ever be afraid to ask for help. I'm here for you. You don't need to deal with anything on your own anymore.”
“I used to look out into this water when I was younger.” I blink the tears away. “I often thought about what my life would have been like if my real mom was around and if I had any siblings out there.” I glance at Nico, who’s looking out to the water too. “I thought about running away, leaving everything and everyone behind. I remember packing a bag ready to run away, then my dad caught me trying to sneak out. He got so upset with me. My heart broke when he said he would die before he let me leave the house for him never to see me again.” A humorless laugh escapes my lips. “He let me go for ten years. No contact. Nothing. Ever since then, my life has been on a continuous spin. I need to get off, Nico. I need off of this rollercoaster. I need a break from everything.” He turns his head to face me, and I look up into his hazel eyes that match mine. “I’m going to New York in two weeks. Jake offered me to stay at his apartment for a few days. He won’t be there. I just need some breathing space. Just to chill and relax.”
“Do what you have to, cupcake.” Kissing my temple, he looks back at the water. “Please, just try to talk to Striker before you go.”
Closing my eyes, I take in the crisp autumn air.
“I can’t. I’m sorry, it won’t happen. I need to clear my head before I talk to him.” I let out a long sigh. He nods his head, understanding. I need to put some space between us for a few days.
“Come on, let’s go back. I need a drink and a dance with my baby sis.” I dig him in the ribs for that remark. He knows I hate him calling me his baby sis. “Come on, cupcake. Let’s get drunk and party.”
I can’t tell him I can’t drink. He’ll ask me why, and I want to make sure everything is okay before I tell anyone else.
We walk back into the room; it’s time to put the mask back on.
CHAPTER FOUR
Daria
Almost two weeks have passed since Nico and Jess’ wedding. I haven’t seen or heard from Striker in all that time. I miss him; I feel like I’m missing a piece of myself.
You ended it, idiot.
Something changed within me in the last two days. I’m no longer upset. The more I think about the lack of communication, the more I think what he said was true. He never loved me. A mix of anger and sadness seeps through me. I knew this day would come; tears no longer fall, which surprises me considering I love him so much. But the fact that he has done jack-shit to try to fix us sends my blood boiling over. Yeah, I could go over there and try to sort it out again. But why should it fall on me all the time? He’s a grown ass man. He can come to me. I tried before at Nico’s bachelor party, and I was met with a skank-ass bitch rubbing against him. I couldn’t bear seeing something like that for a third time. Maybe it’s for the best he stays away. I have a baby to think about. I can’t get stressed out about this anymore for the sake of my baby. Our baby.
Alex took me to the hospital last week after the wedding, just to make sure everything was okay after the pain I had, and they scanned me and said it was just the baby embedding. I found out that I’m six weeks gone, due mid-May. We were sent away, but told to go back if I experienced pain again. I had more pains two days ago, and I asked Jess to come with me. She kept asking if I was okay and if I was sure I didn’t want Striker there like he should have been. But I couldn’t have him near me. Not because I was still angry at him, but just in case something was wrong. I couldn’t deal with the disappointment and the sadness in his face when he saw I couldn’t keep another of our babies safe. Thankfully, the baby was happy and healthy.
After staring at the sonogram picture I got at the first hospital visit for the longest time, I had to go dow
n to my studio to get all the thoughts of Striker out of my head, the way I always did to forget what my life was like around my stepmom. Dance. I've been down here for three hours, and my head still goes to him and how he looked when I let rip at him after the rehearsal dinner. I told him I hated him and that he had ruined my life. Which is a lie, because that’s not how I feel at all, and it was totally not me to say something so mean. But I was hurting. Seeing him with Brittney was still raw in my mind. My heart hurts because I could see how much it tore him apart.
I jump when I hear a thud coming from upstairs, like someone has jumped in a window or something. Slowly climbing the stairs, my heart thumps in my ears with every step I take.
“Hello?” I call out. I know it's not Emily; she's at her friend's place tonight. Nico has club business, along with Striker. Dad is at dinner with Lauren, and Jess is working nights this week.
“I have a knife!”
I've turned into one of those people in a horror movie that I yell at for shouting out to the murderer like it’s going to scare them off instead of using the cell in her hand to call for help.
As I reach the top, Blue growls at the door, which makes me even more scared. When I open the door, Blue runs out, sniffing like crazy and looking around, but there's no one there.
“You're losing it, Daria,” I whisper to myself as I walk to the kitchen for a glass of water.
The glass slips from my hand, smashing all over the floor when something catches my eye in the yard. Blue barks and scratches at the door, wanting to maul the intruder. I crouch down as I dial a number.
Please answer. My hands are shaking as I wait for him to answer.
“Hello?” Thank God.
“Someone was in the house,” I breathe out, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart. “Nico, I’m scared. What if they come and kill me?” Blue places his head on my arm. I hold him close, my protector.
“Stay where you are. I’m coming over.”
“Just you. I don’t want others to see me like this.” The truth is, I don’t want Striker here. He can’t see how broken I really am.
“Sit tight.”
I hang up and pet Blue, still holding the knife close to me just in case they come back.
I don’t know how long has passed, but my whole body becomes rigid when I hear the door opening and footsteps. More than one pair. Blue jumps up and growls, barking. He stops when he sees Nico and gets excited when he sees Striker.
Fuck my life.
CHAPTER FIVE
Striker
It’s been two weeks since I saw Austin and Daria kiss. Every time I close my eyes, there they are, kissing, and lately it’s progressed to seeing them screwing each other and her looking at me, smirking like she’s enjoying me watching her and breaking my heart over again, and my rage returns full force.
I haven’t seen her since then, and she’s never tried to call me or even talk to me. Whenever I drop Emily off, she’s down in her studio. I miss her so damn much. The urge to storm down there and demand answers from her gets stronger every time, but I wouldn’t do that with Emily in the house, because I know how explosive our talks turn. Emily doesn’t need to see or hear that.
“Hey.” Nico walks up behind me. “You all right, man?” Blair hands us our drinks. He’s just back from his honeymoon. I’ve missed him. We’ve never been apart this long. Well, apart from when I was in prison.
I glance at him and shrug a shoulder, taking a pull of my beer.
“You look distant. Has something happened since I’ve been gone?”
Your sister happened.
“No, I'm cool. I just-” I'm about to tell him what’s been playing on my mind since his wedding and that I saw Austin and Daria kissing when his cell rings.
“Hello?” He pauses, listening to whoever is on the other end. His whole body changes from relaxed to stiff in a nanosecond, which has me on high alert. “Calm down. I'm coming over.” He listens for another few seconds, then hangs up and walks off without a word.
“Nico?” I walk after him. “Nico, what's going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit. Your body language and face changed after whatever the person on the phone said to you.”
“Daria's freaking out because she thinks someone was in the house.”
That's it, I don't need to hear anything else. I'm on my bike, ready to kill the fucker who thought they could break into my old lady's home.
“Whoa, hey.” Nico tries to stop me. “She doesn’t want everyone piling in there.” He looks around at Blair and Cobra. Cobra and Blair have been looking out for Daria and Emily since they came back into my life. They’ve sort of become their bodyguards when I’m not there.
“Well, that’s just tough shit. My daughter lives there. If someone is in the house, or even tried, then I will kill them.”
“Striker, just stay here.”
“No, I’m coming.” His jaw clicks. “Look, Nico. Daria and I may not be together anymore, but if she’s in any sort of danger, then I’m going to be there and help. No matter what happened between us, I still love her.”
He lets out a big sigh, shaking his head. “Fine. But she’s going to fucking kill me.”
***
As I park and walk up to the door, flashbacks of the night she was lying in a pool of her own blood flood into the forefront of my mind. Nico pushes past me, shouting to Daria.
“Dee?”
Walking into the kitchen, I see her crouching down in the far corner, glass surrounding her. Blue runs over to me, wagging his tail, avoiding the glass. I say nothing; I can't. Not with the way she looks at me like I'm intruding.
“Dee? What happened?”
“I was down in my studio. I heard a thud.”
“Was the door locked?”
“No.”
I can't help the growl that bubbles up to my throat and leaves my mouth. I've told her time and time again to lock the door when she’s down there, or even when she's in the house on her own or when it’s just her and Emily. Her eyes narrow at me, and her lips fall into a flat line.
“Dee, you know you have to keep the door locked.” Nico sighs.
“Yeah, yeah. I forgot. So sue me.”
“We'll check around, see if there's any evidence of someone being in here. You stay here.”
“I'll check upstairs,” I say to Nico as we walk out of the kitchen. I look at Blair, telling him to stay with her.
I take the stairs two at a time, with Blue hot on my heels, sniffing around. The way she looked at me like I was a stranger, just one of the brothers and not the father of her child. The way she spoke to me at the rehearsal meal and the words she said hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. You ruined my life.
After looking in Emily's bedroom and coming up empty, the last room I have to check is our, no, Daria’s room. Taking a deep breath before entering, I curse myself for being a pussy and walk in. I look under the bed and in the en-suite; the last place is the closet. I look around, moving everything just in case they’re hiding.
In a box? Do you think she saw a human-sized fucking mouse?
When I open one of the keepsake boxes she keeps all her favorite memories in, I see something I wish I hadn't.
I storm out, slamming the door. I walk back into the kitchen, where Daria is sweeping up.
I look at the glass then back at her, and I can't help but wonder if she was going to hurt herself again,
“Upstairs is clear.” My voice comes out harder than I expected.
“So is downstairs and the yard.” Nico breaks the awkward silence between us.
“I must have just imagined it.” She gives Nico a small smile.
“Still, I'm not comfortable leaving you here on your own.”
“Nico, I'm a big girl. I can look after myself. You have you, Ezra, and Jess to look out for. I promise I will lock the door.”
“No. I'm staying here tonight. Alex and Tyler have Ezra, and Jess is working.”
“Nico, yo
u really don't have to.”
“I know I don't, but I'm doing it anyway. I'll sleep down here.”
“I do have a spare room, you know? You don’t have to slum it on the sofa.”
Watching the two banter back and forth gives me a mix of emotions, the biggest one being happiness. I’m happy she finally found her real mom. I know how hard she fought her dad to give her some information to go on so we could find her.
My cell rings, bringing their attention to me.
“Hello?”
“Son, we’ve had a breakthrough. Get everyone to church.”
“Got it.” Pocketing my cell, I look at Nico. “That was Dad. We gotta go. Church.”
He looks at Daria. “Will you be okay until I come back?”
“Nico, I can take a man down with just a look. Ask Striker.” Hearing her acknowledge me and my name on her lips causes my cock to jump. A sliver of a smile pulls at my lips. Maybe she’s not as mad as I thought.
“I have no doubts about that. I’ve seen all the brothers bow to you and do whatever you want them to do. But I’m going to have Blair stay with you.”
“Nico…” She groans, folding her arms defiantly across her chest.
“I’m not arguing over your safety, Daria.” His voice is hard, like he’s talking to a kid. “Blair is staying whether you like it or not.”
Her shoulders slump and her head falls back.
“Fine.” She breezes past me, brushing my arm and causing an involuntary shiver down my spine. She hasn’t touched me intimately in weeks. That one slight touch has me wanting to follow her up to her room, bend her over, and fuck her until we both forget our names and can no longer walk. I almost take action on it when Nico shakes me, and I remember the picture of her and Austin I saw in that box.
“Striker, you checked out.”
“Sorry. Let’s go. Dad has information on that fucker Brad,” I say, turning and trying in vain to erase all thoughts of Daria naked under me. “Blair, you stay here. Anything happens out of the ordinary, you call one of us. If she leaves, you go with her. Do not let her out of your sight.”
Nothing Else Matters (Demons Disciples MC Book 2) Page 3