Stryker

I chuckled. “I’m not sure you want to let me loose in your kitchen.”

He grinned. “I’ll cook and you can wash the vegetables.”

“Okay.”

“I’m still going with you,” Millie stated the minute she reappeared.

“Does Carter know just how full his hands are with you?”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re my best friend, the sister I never had. I’m going with you.”

“Let’s not argue, otherwise, no one will want to eat, and I hate wasting food.” Peter passed us both aprons, shoved a large chopping board onto the countertop before placing an assortment of vegetables in front of us. “I’m sure you both can chop just fine.”

“We can do that,” I agreed.

“I’m still going with you,” Millie mumbled.

I laughed and ignored her for now.

Chapter 19 ~ Stryker

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. KICK.

The thumping sounded good in my ears. It meant that I could shut everyone else in the gym out and concentrate on my fists hitting the bag. Sweat ran down my body as I danced back and forth in front of my hard, leather, sparring partner.

I kept my back to the others because I wanted and needed to believe that I was alone. No longer watched. No longer on a fucking leash.

Coach stood to the side and watched in the gym in Chicago, having arrived a few hours before. He counted, watched, and finally gave up the counting as usual. I worked out harder than anyone else, although Carter was a close second. Half the time I was sure he only persevered so that he’d be picked to match me in the ring as a sparring partner. I wasn’t about to complain because I now considered him a friend. My only friend.

That wasn’t true.

Evie was more than a friend. A hell of a lot more. She was the girl I loved, and the reason why I was more determined than ever to be free of them so that I could be with her.

My hands flexed as I remembered the feel of her skin beneath my fingers. My cock started to rise as I remembered how it felt when she rode me. How it felt to spill my seed deep inside her.

Fuck!

I growled and breathed through the pain of arousal, knowing that I had to shove my need for her to the back of my mind. It only needed to stay there until I could be with her where I knew it would be safe. That she would be safe.

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; “Concentrate,” Coach hissed between his teeth.

Without breaking from the jabs to the bag, I slid my eyes to him and nearly stumbled. He’d never shown me sympathy or anything other than that of a trainer. His expression was worried. For me.

“Just get through these next couple of days, and then you’ll be back home to your girl…just do what they want.” He grabbed my arm. “Don’t believe everything that you’ve heard about your father.”

I did stumble then.

Wrapping my arms around the bag, I breathed heavily and stared at him. “What do you know?”

“Enough to know that what Declan wants, Declan gets. Your father didn’t have a choice when he traded you. Declan led your father to believe he’d traded you for his debt. His debt was wiped clean, but he only got into that debt because Declan wanted you.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and I didn’t know whether or not to believe what was coming out of his mouth. So I asked, “How long have you known?”

Coach closed his eyes and all the color drained from his wrinkled face. “I’ve known a while.”

“How long is a while?” I ground out through my teeth.