Stryker

I blocked Evie from my mind, and admitted, “You can’t miss something that you’ve never had.” Even as the words left my mouth, I wasn’t all that sure I spoke the truth.

My eyes dipped so he wouldn’t see the longing. Over the years I’d become good at hiding my emotions behind a wall of indifference, but since I’d seen her, my emotions were so close to the surface that they scared the fuck out of me.

Outside, in the crispness of the morning, every breath we took could be seen in a trail of white mist. I wouldn’t feel it soon though.

Jogging on the spot, I turned to face Jamie and nodded when he pointed toward the park with his head.

Then I was off at a run.

No one had ever been able to keep up with me when I decided that I wanted to run in the park instead of a treadmill at the gym. I was surprised as fuck that they actually allowed it.

Head down, my eyes searched out my usual route. Crossing the road, I jogged into the park as I allowed my body to warm up. My pace stayed steady. My feet knew this route and I could run it with my eyes closed.

The freedom caused my breath to come easier. My feet pounded on the path as I picked up speed now that my body had started to warm. I felt my muscles loosen as I ran past the pond, the grass covered in a light covering of morning frost. My heart pumped the more I ran, sweat beaded at my shoulders before it ran down my back but I felt exhilarated. My body was used to this treatment and my thighs wouldn’t burn unless I ran miles, but I knew that I had to go to the gym because Coach would be waiting.

My five-mile run was coming to an end as I reached the area that would usually be filled with children. Today was no different. Except today, as I passed parents with kids feeding the ducks, I wondered about Evie, again. Would I see her today? My thoughts had run wild again during the night because every time I closed my eyes, I saw her glorious red hair. I couldn’t escape her, but I had to try. The attraction that had been obvious to us both couldn’t go anywhere. Not only was I basically held captive, but she was engaged to one of the fuckers who was involved with the ‘Irishman’.

“Fuck.”

Did she know about me? About what they’d done? Or was she totally innocent?

I wiped a hand down my face, tiredness suddenly hitting me at the thought that Evie could know about them—about me.

Walking out of the park, I pressed a hand to my chest and rubbed at the ache inside of me. She couldn’t know. Could she? Either way, we were dangerous to each other, and that had to stop.

Inhaling, I moved my gaze from the sky to search out Jamie when a blonde caught my eye.

Evie’s friend.

Where had she come from? She’d just exited the Starbucks with a large drink in her hand as she waved a taxi down. That meant she had to live around here. Why else would she be in the area?

I dashed across the road and raced toward the cab, but I was too late. I don’t know what I’d planned on saying if I hadn’t missed the cab, but my want had propelled me forward.

My breath caught at the back of my throat, as I dropped my hands to my thighs. I let my head drop.

“Stryker, what’s going on?”

“Nothing.” I shook my head.

“That wasn’t nothing. Do you know that woman?”

I closed my eyes and stood to my full height, knowing that most people would be intimidated, but

not Jamie. He didn’t match my strength but he was close to my height of six foot five.

“Did you see where she came from?” I clarified, “Before Starbucks.”

Jamie stared at me and backed away. “No.” He met my gaze with a frown. “She was pretty?” Jamie commented, and waited.

“She was…that wasn’t why I was curious.” I didn’t want to alienate him since he was one of the few that allowed me some freedom so I gave him something. “She’s a friend of someone.”

I watched his reaction from the corner of my eye and saw surprise flicker across his features before he frowned.

“We need to go. Coach is waiting.” Jamie cleared his throat. “Please be careful,” he muttered, following me to the car that he had waiting to take us to the gym.

Evie

I WAS TIRED. LAST night I’d gone to sleep with images of Stryker in my head, and woken up pretty much the same. He’d been all I could think about so my disappointment at not seeing him at the gym when I arrived had taken the enjoyment out of being here.