Margo
I’m standing in the great room, secure in my father’s arms when I hear Stryker’s voice. I can’t make out the words, but his tone leaves no doubt that his reunion with his dad isn’t going well.
Looking over my shoulder, I’m just about to reach my hand out in his direction when Edward responds and his words are crystal clear.
“Just as sensitive as your momma was.”
Stryker’s face loses all color and this time it’s me, running to grab him around the waist to keep him away from Edward.
“Don’t,” I hiss, pushing myself between him and the wall to brace him from continuing back to his dad. “Stay with me.”
The hatred I see in his eyes is terrifying, so gripping his shoulders, I jump up, wrapping my legs around his hips and press my lips to his.
It’s like kissing a piece of iron during an earthquake. On the surface, he’s hard, squared off, and pulled taut, but I can feel the rumbling inside of him.
“You’re safe with me,” I repeat his words back to him, needing to try a different tactic. “You’re safe with me.”
His eyes drop down to mine and he exhales, letting out some of his steam. “I won’t hurt you,” he whispers, pressing his forehead against mine.
“I know,” I assure him. “Is there someplace else he can stay?”
Stryker blinks and I can see he’s considering my question, even though I don’t know exactly what’s happening yet.
“Finish going through the boxes.” His voice is cold as he speaks to his father over my shoulder, reaching his hand under my ass to keep me tight against him. “At dawn I’ll call Glenn, I’m sure he’ll let you stay with him.”
“You’re going to kick me out of my own home?”
“Don’t be so sensitive,” Stryker’s voice is deceptively low when he responds, but I can still feel his body humming, just ready to attack the man behind me.
Instead, he cups the back of my head, protectively cradling me as he turns around and walks toward where my father has been quietly watching the scene play out.
Stopping well short of my dad, he bends and moves to separate me from his body.
“I could really use a cosmo, Go-Go,” he whispers just for me to hear and I’m smiling as I kiss his cheek while I unwind my legs from his torso.
With me on a new mission, he goes to greet my dad and I decide that we could all—well, not Edward—use a drink.
My dad and Stryker are sitting across from each other in the living room section of the great room and as I’m trying to figure out who to sit next to, Stryker catches my eyes, and my decision is made.
He told his father that I’m his Ol’ Lady, I may not love that term, but I’m going to do right by him.
“I don’t normally have whiskey at four in the morning,” my dad starts with a smile, before holding his glass up. “But, to Dad. He always did the best he knew how for us.”
While both of the men with me take healthy sips, I tentatively taste mine and immediately exhale, needing oxygen to soothe the burn.
“It’s not my place, and I’m sorry to pry,” my dad says, looking at Stryker. “But I didn’t realize your father was still…”
“Alive?” I cut in with a snort. “When Granddad said he was gone, I figured he was dead.”
“I had a better idea that he was simply out of the picture,” Dad replies, trying not to smile. “But since he wasn’t here for the past two funerals, well—”
“Tonight’s the first he’s been back in quite a while,” Stryker tells us.
“Some club business that isn’t connected to George.
I understand you probably have a lot of questions, but Clark is chomping at the bit to get some answers from you.
Can I suggest you get some sleep before he circles back this way? ”
Dad puts his glass down onto the table between us and takes a deep breath.
“Stryker, ever since my mother died, I’ve been prepared to bury my father.
In the eleven years since then, I’ve been by his side when he got married two more times, had a surprise baby, and suffered unimaginable loss.
I thought I understood his pain until the day I saw my own daughter, battered and terrified, hugging herself, next to the corpse of her ex.
“Clark will get to the bottom of my dad’s murder, I’m not overly concerned about that. The reason I drove, nearly nonstop, all the up here, is to let you know that if she needs to put a hammer through your skull, no one will ever find your remains, nor tie Margo to your disappearance.”
“Damn, son, your woman has some fire in her, doesn’t she?” Edward chuckles from across the room.
This time, when Stryker stands, stalking toward his dad, I don’t try to stop him.
My dad stands, reaching for his arm when someone pounds on the door and we all freeze.
“Is that Clark?” my dad asks, reaching for the doorknob and opening it before any of us have time to stop him.
My mouth is hanging open when I see the surprise on Dad’s face, then the barrel of a gun extended just past the door, inches away from his forehead.
“I got lucky, seeing you pass me on the road,” comes a man’s voice. “You and that bitch daughter of yours aren’t going to touch a penny of my inheritance.”
“Matt? What are you doing? What are you talking about?” One of Dad’s raised hands wave, I’m sure signaling me to move but it’s all I can do not to scream.
“He lived for years on the money and properties he got when my mother died. None of it was his, but he insisted all of his children would be treated the same. Leo and Mike sponging off of him was bad enough, but making Jason beg for his debts to be paid?”
The man steps further into the room but the door is still blocking his body from my view.
“No. No,” I whisper, shaking my head until I hear Stryker click his tongue against the roof of his mouth and see him faintly shake his head.
“Then to hear that he’s going to leave his estate to you and your daughter? I won’t let…”
I scream, my vision swimming when a gunshot rings out, echoing in this room.
“Margo! Margo!”
I’m shaking my head, not understanding what’s just happened as Dad races to catch me in his arms, Stryker standing where he was, except he’s looking at his own father, before crossing to him and yanking the gun from his hand.
It’s when he fires a second round at my dad’s half-brother, that I pass out.