He cursed and removed the bag from my hands. “You’re damn stubborn.”
I watched him walk off down the stairs while I made sure my apartment was locked tight, wondering what was really going on with him. Stryker was also in my thoughts but for a different reason entirely. I wanted to be with him, and the fact that I had to spend time until I’d talked to Patrick being nice to him in front of my parents made me feel nauseous.
If only I’d have been able to talk to him before this weekend trip so that I’d be making it on my own instead. But for the other night I probably would have gotten it out of the way by now, but he’d scared me to the point that I didn’t want to be alone with him again. Not only had he scared me, he’d surprised the hell out of me. By his half-assed apology and he knew it too.
Patrick was on his cell when I walked out of my building, pacing as though agitated. He completely ignored me as I slipped into the car. Once settled with still no sign of Patrick joining me, I slipped my sunglasses on. He always said my thoughts were clear in my eyes so that was the last thing I wanted him to see.
Once we arrived at my parents’ house, we’d have to find somewhere quiet to talk, but close to where others could hear if he pounced again.
I hated feeling afraid in his presence.
Chapter 13 ~ Stryker
“YOU KNOW HOW TO work it, right?” Carter frowned at my puzzlement over the alien object in my hand.
A cell phone.
I’d seen plenty, but never held one in my hand before so of course I’d never used one either.
“Here.” Carter took it back and started pressing buttons. “Look, it’s a basic one, okay? To make a call press this button, select the name of the person you want to call or punch in the number. At the minute, you only have Evie, Millie, and my number programmed in. After you’ve made a call, I’ll show you how to clear the call logs just in case.”
That seemed simple enough.
The excitement at being able to talk to Evie must have shown on my face because in the next breath, Carter was shoving me into the bathroom. “Call your girl. We have ten minutes before I’m called to take you downstairs.”
He slammed the door behind me.
What should I say to her? It’s been so long since I used a phone that the thing really did feel alien in my hand, but for Evie…and Carter, I wouldn’t have one now.
I paced in the bathroom of my hotel room that I shared with Carter. I’d been surprised that we’d been assigned the same room because usually I’d have a guard in with me, or I’d share with Coach.
The fight was happening tonight, and I’d received a message from Evie via Millie and Carter, which had made my heart clench with something for Evie.
Love was the first thing to come to mind, but how could I be in love with her after only knowing her a few days? There was something about her that made me crave to have her close. To want her in my sight at all times. To be able to touch her when I wanted to. To not have to worry about anyone seeing us talk, or exchange a small caress. My fingers constantly twitched to touch her when I’d be at the gym, in fact, that hadn’t been the only thing that twitched.
Time was getting on and if I wanted to hear her voice before I went out there, I had to do it now. The small black cell wouldn’t dial itself. So, I finally took a deep inhale and pressed Evie’s name. My chest tightened with fear, as the cell showed it was trying to connect to her.
My palms felt sweaty and my stomach was in knots while I waited to hear her voice, and then her soft voice was in my ear.
“Hello?”
My mouth felt dry.
My brain shut down, stalled.
“Stryker? Is that you?” Just hearing my name on her lips sent shards of pleasure straight to my heart…and other places.
“Yeah,” I whispered and cleared my throat. “It’s me.” I closed my eyes and imagined her. She was breathtaking and I remembered the way she’d felt. Her breasts, large and firm, in the palms of my hands. Between her legs, wet and silky, ready for us to join. We hadn’t yet, but we would soon. Hopefully I’d be able to stay loaded long enough to pleasure her. Because being inside her, warm wet sex, would be out of this world and not just because it would be my first time inside anyone.
It was all Evie.
She did things to me.
“Are you still there?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I was thinking about the other night.”
She groaned, and my dick went rock hard. “Did you get my message?”