Chapter 8 Trojan

S ydney was seeing a doctor regularly.

I followed her to the clinic, staring at the sign. There were only a handful of reasons that I knew of for a woman to make multiple visits to her gynecologist in a short period of time. The most obvious? Pregnancy.

I ruled it out fast. No way. We used protection. Sydney would have told us.

But then I remembered how she seemed closed off when we found her new place and surprised her with a visit. She kept us at a distance. Why? Something was up.

My first instinct was to confront her about it. I was all set to do it when I saw her exit the building and walk to her truck. She seemed oblivious to everything around her, which irritated me. I couldn't help scanning her body as my gaze lingered on her stomach. I didn't see a bump, but her shirt was loose and could conceal it if she wasn't far along.

She didn't look pregnant. That didn't mean she wasn't.

The strangest sensation came over me. A hint of longing that I quickly banished from my thoughts.

Our trio weren't the fatherly types. Raptor was a fucking cleaner. He liked blood and death and his knives too fucking much. War, well, he was just fucked up. Too dark and sick in the head sometimes.

Me? I wasn't the type to get nailed down for any woman. I loved the variety and every kind of figure. Redheads. Brunettes. Blondes. Skinny. Full-figured. Didn't matter. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't addicted to pussy. I wasn't picky, and my cock jumped at the chance to get used as often as possible.

All that changed when I met Sydney. Since that night, I couldn't find satisfaction with any of the club girls. Or any woman at all. Fuck. I sure tried. My dick would perk up, but I couldn't get past the mental block. Sydney would pop into my head and fuck it all up.

Shit. I was so fucked when it came to her. It became evident when I watched her drive out of the parking lot, not bothering to hide my presence as I followed a short distance behind her on my bike. Sydney needed to know we weren't giving up. I wasn't fucking giving her a chance to refuse us again.

War couldn't handle rejection a second time. It fucked with him and brought up his past. He needed to know she'd stick by him, and I knew she would once we had all the bullshit sorted. Eventually, she'd give in. It was a time issue.

I could be patient. So could Raptor. He was a master at that shit. It was War that worried me. He was more the stalk, kidnap, and tie her up type. But if it worked...

After a few blocks, I noticed a dark blue SUV about five car lengths behind Sydney. Every time she took a turn, the vehicle followed. I wasn't sure if she had a tail or if it was a coincidence until she blew through a yellow light, and the SUV sped up, crossing the intersection on red.

It stayed with Sydney, only turning onto the next street once she pulled onto her driveway and parked. I didn't bother to fill her in, too focused on the asshole stalking my girl. He slowly left her neighborhood and merged onto the street.

"Fuck."

I needed to call War.

The SUV traveled across town, finally entering the garage of an auto repair shop. It wasn't real. I could tell from where I parked by the curb that it was a storefront for something else. My guess? Drugs or GTA. Both were equally profitable in Ohio if you knew the right people. Fast cars, money, chasing the next high, and sex never went out of business.

I pulled out my phone and dialed War's number. It only rang once.

"Trojan."

"Sydney has a tail."

"Who?"

"Don't know, man. That's why I need you here."

"You follow the fucker?"

How insulting. "You think I just patched in or some shit?"

He snorted. "Nah. Text me the address. I can be there in less than fifteen."

He got to me in ten minutes. Raptor rode to Clarise and Sydney's place, keeping watch while we spent almost the entire night waiting for someone to leave that garage. Close to sun up, about ten shady motherfuckers left. No one drove the SUV.

"We need Void on this." War shook his head. "This is fucked. Don't make any sense why they're following Sydney."

"I'll talk to him once we're back at the clubhouse."

War scowled. "I'll take the next shift at Sydney's place. Won't be able to sleep anyhow."

I nodded my agreement. Now more than ever, we needed to figure out what the fuck was happening with Sydney. She was keeping secrets, and I bet she knew something dangerous.

"Raptor won't like this."

"I don't fucking like it," I spat.

"Then we're in agreement. Sydney is under our protection."

Saying that meant something in our world. We'd spill blood for her and not hesitate to take a life if it meant keeping her safe. Sydney just became the most important person in our world outside of the club.

She didn't know it yet, but she was ours.

I HAD A STALKER. CORRECTION , I had three. They weren't sneaky about it either.

Raptor tried, but he wasn't hard to miss with his dark skin, towering height, or black leather pants. I'd never seen a man wear them until I spotted Raptor and the supple material hugging his powerful thighs.

Trojan usually remained at a distance, but he never allowed enough space between us for me to forget he was nearby. Maybe he wanted me to know he meant what he said about not giving up. It was hard not to be flattered by it.

But War pushed the limits. His actions didn't surprise me since they seemed totally in character for him to stalk someone. He had home invasion type written all over him, from his ink to his silent, broody demeanor to the corded muscles stretched taut across his body. It was the fact that he came back after leaving so pissed the afternoon at Clarise's house when the three arrived after I brought in the groceries that left me confused.

I couldn't figure him out. Was War staking a claim? Did he want to make me uncomfortable? Or was he trying to force a reaction out of me, hoping I'd give him the confrontation he craved?

All three men had severe issues with personal space. As in, they didn't allow me to have it. Sure, they never actually got in my face, but they always had at least one of their trio watching or following me to the point that everyone noticed. Becca and Clarise commented on it often. Even if I just walked into the backyard, I would find one of them leaning against their bike, silently proving their persistence.

It would have been ridiculous if not for the fact that Daryl kept sending me texts, calling my phone, leaving threatening messages, and trying his best to intimidate me. With Raptor, War, and Trojan nearby, I felt safer. If Daryl attempted to hurt me, one of them would be around to stop him.

So, in an odd way, I had the three bikers to thank for keeping Daryl at a distance. Although it sure didn't sit well with me that my ex could be planning his revenge in the shadows. He certainly had the demeanor of a snake, waiting to strike when least expected.

Only a few days later, I lounged on a chair in the shade of the back porch, sipping on cold lemonade. Thoroughly immersed in my book, I didn't notice that War stood only a few feet away until he dropped to my left, lifting his boots onto the chaise lounge beside me.

"Nice afternoon, huh?"

So he was making small talk? About the weather?

I pushed my bookmark between the pages and placed the book on the table between us. "Yeah. It's summer."

He smirked. "Whatcha readin' about?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Sure."

This was weird. Even for him. "Romance."

He nodded. "And?"

"A wolf shifter falls in love with a human girl. Lots of hot sex."

A deep chuckle rose up his chest to spill free from his lips. "So you like the sex parts?"

"I enjoy all of it," I replied truthfully. "It's exciting and adventurous, and the smut is terrific."

He thought it over. "Does it give you ideas?"

Ideas? "Huh?"

He leaned closer, pushing the table out of the way and tugging my chair in his direction. His green eyes held my gaze. "Do you think about doing what they are in the book? You want a man who'll fuck and please you like that? Who knows how to use his tongue and dive into your pussy until you're so fucking wet and ready to come that your thighs begin to shake?"

Jesus. I blinked a few times, wondering how the hell he managed to get me worked up with only a couple of sentences. I clenched my thighs together, trying not to betray how his words affected me.

War's fingertips glided across my bare arm, lightly stroking the heated flesh as he kept speaking, never breaking eye contact. "Or how about the way he uses his cock, filling you so fucking full that you're almost aching? Each stroke better than the last? Every fucking thrust deep and hitting the right spot until you grow slick with need and beg to come?"

"War," I whispered.

He reached for me, slipping his arm around my back. "It can all be real. You just have to ask. No book, vibrator, or dildo is gonna make you come so fucking hard that you almost see stars. Only a man in real life, not the one stuck between the pages of a book." His lips brushed the shell of my ear. "I'd make you feel so fucking good, Beautiful."

I turned my head, and he moved at the same time, ensuring his lips pressed to mine, the pressure increasing as his hold on me tightened.

The kiss lasted far longer than I intended. It wasn't rough or needy. Just soft. Sweet.

But I could feel the passion behind it, restrained, ready to lose control if I allowed it.

I couldn't. Leaning back, I sucked in a breath.

War didn't move. "Whatever is on your mind, you can tell me."

Was it that obvious to him? Did every emotion I felt become plastered on my face for him to see? How frustrating!

"You live a different life than I do."

"So? You think you won't like a ride on my Harley? Or me?"

Well, shit. I sure would.

"Beautiful, you overthink shit. It doesn't have to be hard," he grinned, "unless you want it to be, in which case, I'm happy to fulfill that need."

"I remember what it was like at the party."

Fuck. How did I let him get so close? I pushed away from him and stood, hoping he didn't notice the growing swell of my stomach. What would happen when I grew round from carrying these babies? I bet he wouldn't find me half as attractive as he did now. And afterward, when giving birth changed my figure, what then?

"I lost you," he grumbled. "You shut me out."

"I have to, War."

"No, that's what you're telling yourself, baby. You're rationalizing it in your pretty head because you don't want to let this thing between us grow stronger."

Ugh. I hated that he was right.

"The thing is, Gorgeous, it's already done. You need to accept it."

"What if I can't?"

He rose to his full height and approached, lifting his hand to brush his knuckles across my cheek. "You will."

I opened my mouth to argue, but he silenced me with a quick, panty-melting kiss. The kind that left me aching like he described and wishing it could all be different.

"See you around, Beautiful."