Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
SORAYA
The winding coastal road curves sharply, the motorcycle engine humming a steady, powerful rhythm beneath me.
The crisp, clean scent of the mountain air rushes past us, mingling perfectly with the sharp tang of ocean salt.
Even though it’s windy up here, I’m completely shielded by the solid, unyielding warmth of Stryker’s broad back.
I rest my cheek against his leather cut, my arms wrapped tightly around his waist as the trees blur into a sea of green.
It feels so completely full circle. My mind drifts back to that first ride, the night he pulled me from the shattered, terrifying wreckage of my shop and whisked me away into his dangerous world.
Back then, I was terrified, trembling like a leaf, and constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But now? Now, every rumble of this bike, every deep breath that expands his chest, makes me feel infinitely grounded and completely safe. The desperate, anxious crush I had on the intimidating MC President has deepened into something else entirely: an all-consuming, unshakable love.
True to his word, Stryker got a group of people from the club as well as other locals to clean up not only my storefront, but every store that was vandalized.
It was a back-breaking, heart-aching journey this last week working alongside everyone, but it was worth it.
I’ve met most of the owners and managers from the surrounding businesses, and we’ve agreed to have a monthly Port Royal Small Business gathering.
I’m still waiting on several shipments of plants and flowers before I can officially re-open, but it all came together faster than I originally thought.
The crunch of tires on gravel pulls me from my thoughts as Stryker banks the bike, turning into a long, winding driveway. We coast to a stop, and the sudden quiet as he cuts the engine is staggering.
I step off the bike, my boots hitting the dirt, and I’m instantly struck breathless.
"Oh my god," I whisper, completely in awe.
Sitting before us is a gorgeous, sprawling two-story log cabin.
Its rustic, imposing beauty fits perfectly into the wild landscape, with a sweeping wrap-around porch that looks like it belongs on the cover of a magazine.
The vantage point is incredible. Even from here, I can see that the property overlooks mist-covered mountains and the vast, sparkling expanse of the Pacific Ocean stretching out in the distance.
I’m staring at it like it’s a postcard when I hear the crunch of Stryker stepping up behind me. He wraps his massive arms around my waist, pulling my back flush against his solid chest. He rests his chin on the top of my head, breathing me in.
"What do you think?" he murmurs, his deep voice running down my spine deliciously.
I lean back into his strength, my brow furrowing in confusion. "It's breathtaking," I say honestly. "Do you know who lives here?”
Stryker turns his head, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my temple. "Yes, sunflower. We do."
My heart stops. I spin around in his arms, staring up at his handsome, striking face to see if he's joking, but his dark eyes are entirely serious and shining with pure devotion.
"Go on," he urges, nodding toward the cabin. "Go look inside."
Overjoyed and completely in shock, I pull out of his grasp and run up the wooden porch steps. I push open the heavy front door, and the rich smells of fresh-cut pine and lemon oil wash over me. My steps echo softly on the pristine hardwood floors as I step into the main living area.
It's completely empty, but the space is magnificent. Massive, floor-to-ceiling windows line the back wall, flooding the entire room with brilliant, golden sunlight. It’s absolute perfection for my plants.
And then I look up. Suspended from the thick wooden rafters are three familiar hanging pothos plants.
My plants, carefully brought over from my apartment and hung up just for me.
The sheer reality of it all hits my chest with the force of a freight train. I don't even realize I’m crying until the tears are spilling hot and fast down my cheeks.
I hear heavy, frantic footsteps behind me, and suddenly Stryker is there. He instantly panics, his large hands coming up to cup my face as his thumbs frantically swipe at my tears.
"What's wrong?" he demands, his voice tight with worry, clearly terrified he overstepped. "Soraya, talk to me. If you don't like it, we can find somewhere else. I just thought—"
"No!" I laugh through a hiccup, my hands coming up to grip his wrists. "Stryker, no. They're happy tears. I promise."
He exhales a harsh breath, his shoulders dropping a fraction.
"I just..." I look around the sunlit room, then back up into the eyes of the man who holds my entire world in his hands. "I never, in my wildest dreams, thought I would ever have a home like this. Let alone share it with a man who loves and protects me the way you do."
The vulnerability of my confession melts the remaining worry from his features. The fierce, protective MC President vanishes, leaving only the man who is burning with pure, unadulterated devotion for me. He groans, his hands sliding back to tangle in my hair as he crashes his lips down onto mine.
It’s a deep, desperate kiss, full of heat and promises.
It escalates in seconds, the raw need between us igniting like a match to gasoline.
My hands slip under his shirt, and I moan as I run my fingers over every defined muscle I can reach.
Stryker kisses down my neck, and then sinks his teeth into my shoulder, making me claw at his chest.
“Jesus, Soraya. I need you naked, but I can’t take my hands off you. My lips off you…” He trails off, his words muffled from where he started nibbling and sucking on my neck.
“I need you, too,” I breathe out, hardly able to string those four words together. My legs shake, and he holds me steady, those dark eyes locked onto mine.
“You okay?” His voice is rough and deep, pouring over my skin and making me shiver in anticipation.
I nod, unable to speak at the moment. Stryker chuckles and then steps away from me, stripping off his shirt.
God, I’ll never get tired of looking at him.
Black ink swirls around his smooth, chiseled muscles, and I can’t stop the soft, needy whimper that falls from my lips.
Everything aches now that he’s no longer touching me.
My skin is too tight, the electricity humming along my nerves too powerful.
“You’re shaking, love,” he murmurs, stepping closer to me, gloriously naked. I’m still fully clothed, and for some reason, that makes it all so much hotter.
“I know.”
“You hurting for me?” he whispers, ghosting his fingers down my neck and across my shoulder.
“Yes. Everywhere.”
Stryker grunts and spins me around so my back is to his front. He grabs my hips and grinds his cock against my ass while nuzzling into my neck.
“Need you naked,” he murmurs, his lips tickling the shell of my ear.
I try stepping away from him so I can throw my clothes off, but Stryker doesn’t let me move. Instead, he sweeps my hair to one side and places a soft kiss on the back of my neck while lifting my shirt over my head. He continues trailing kisses down my spine as he undresses me completely.
As soon as Stryker has my bra off, his hands cover my breasts as he pulls me back into his hard chest. He squeezes the sensitive flesh and rubs my nipples until they harden into tight little points. Stryker trails his hands lower, taking time to explore my body.
I’m aware of every dip, curve, and roll his fingers touch. My instinct is to squirm out of his embrace or just have him fuck me already. I don’t know what to do with this kind of attention on all my imperfections.
Stryker grips my hip with one hand while wrapping his other hand around my throat in that possessive hold I love so much. “I thought I told you I love your sexy fucking body,” he rasps. “I thought I showed you how crazy you make me.”
“You’re just so…perfect,” I whisper.
“Perfect for you. Just like you’re perfect for me.”
“Show me again.”
“I’ll show you every fucking day.”
With that, Stryker guides us to the floor, grabbing his leather cut and spreading it out. He adjusts my position so I’m on my hands and knees, then growls as he slides his hands all over my back, ass, and thighs. He nudges my legs apart so he can stroke my aching pussy from behind.
I moan and buck my hips, rubbing against his hand shamelessly. “Stryker…” I whimper.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Stryker…” I can’t seem to say anything else, but I don’t need to. He growls and jerks my hips back, his hands tightening with unreleased tension.
“I’ve got you, love. Hang on.”
I barely register his words before he slams his thickness into me, setting a relentless pace. I cry out as he stretches the walls of my swollen, dripping pussy, hitting that most sensitive spot hard and fast, over and over.
My fists clench the leather jacket beneath me, and my head drops forward as Stryker fucks me roughly, bouncing me off his cock. I squeeze my eyes shut and gasp for air, each thrust going deeper, deeper, so damn deep it feels like he’s choking me with his dick.
“Soraya, goddamn, every single time I think it can’t get any better,” he groans. I nod my head and whimper in agreement. Every time with him feels new, intense, and thrilling.
Stryker pulls out suddenly, making me gasp at the loss of him. I look at him over my shoulder just in time to see him crouching behind me and gripping my ass cheeks, spreading them apart. He growls and sucks on my clit before licking up my slit and circling my asshole with the tip of his tongue.