Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Striker

Walking out of Autumn's office and into the front of the café, I'm on the verge of wanting to commit murder at the interruption.

Fucking Tony Decker.

I'm not sure this is the same Tony I know, but if it is, it's gonna piss me off even more ‘cause I like the asshole. What I don't like is someone coming and interrupting a moment I'm having with Autumn. I could tell she's got a lot going on in her head as it is. She doesn't need something else to fuck with her emotions or her mentally.

When she told me it wasn't my business who Tony Decker was to her, I wanted to throw her over my knee and spank her ass red, but I didn't. I'd gotten her attention when I pushed her up against the wall and lifted her.

Though I was pissed, Id enjoyed having her wrapped around me like she'd been. It would've been better if we hadn't had a barrier between us. I'd have enjoyed it that much more. Unfortunately, she'd taken that moment to show even behind the nervousness, she's got a backbone and will stand up for herself. This made me want to fuck her against the wall, and I would have if it I wasn't going to be the first time I had her.

Maybe another time. One when she finds that backbone again. I like it way too much when she finds her voice and pulls out of that shell of hers. It's hot. It makes me hard just thinking about the way she narrowed her eyes and told me it was none of my business. No matter how much it pissed me off, it still turned me on.

"Tony," Autumn calls out a greeting, pulling me out of my thoughts. I get a good look at the guy standing in the middle of the room.

Tony turns toward us and a shit-eating grin curls on his mouth. His gaze comes to mine, and he blinks. "Holy shit, Jonas Alvarado, damn good to see you, man. Wasn't expectin' it but was gonna look you up."

He steps forward, hand up. I lower my arm from around Autumn and embrace Tony, the both of us slapping each other's backs.

"Good to see ya, man," I remark and step back, wrapping my arm back around Autumn.

Tony takes this in and loses his grin. "Damn, Autumn. Your dad didn't tell me you were seeing someone."

"Um," Autumn utters, her gaze looking from Tony to me. "You two know each other?"

"Served together," I answer, jerking my chin in Tony's direction. "He joined my team not long after I did."

"Oh, okay," she murmurs and looks at Tony. "So, um, what are you doing here?"

"Your dad told me about Avery," Tony says, eyes warming on Autumn. "Why didn't you call?"

"I didn't know how," Autumn admits, her voice wavering.

I tighten my arm around Autumn, pulling her around and holding her close. Talking about Avery was one of the things I intended for us to talk about tonight.

"Babe," Tony calls, stepping toward Autumn, hand out.

Him calling her ‘babe' doesn't sit well with me. I definitely didn't like the idea of him thinking he was going to hug her. That is not going to happen .

I pull her a bit closer, turn her slightly to me, and dip forward to press a kiss to the side of her head. Tony stops, getting the message that I'm not about to let him get any closer to her than he already is.

Tony clears his throat and looks at Autumn. "If you'd told me about her, I'd have been here." His eyes come to me for all of a split second before he continues. "Your mom said you've shut down, all but shut them out, and been focused on this café. They're worried about you."

I'm sure his words were meant to be a blow. Unfortunately for him, it's not a blow that hits its mark. I'm about to say something when Autumn straightens and shocks the shit out of him.

"Tony, I'm not shutting down. I'm learning to live without my twin. I'm doing everything I have to make her dream . . . my dream keep going . . . the way we both wanted it. They didn't want me to keep it open. They wanted me to sell it and come back home. I love them, but I'm not doing that, and they know it. I appreciate you coming, but you're not going to change my mind for them," she says, pulling out of my arms.

I could've easily kept her there, but I didn't.

"Babe, I know you," Tony starts, but Autumn shakes her head and pokes a finger in his chest.

"Don't you dare, Tony Decker," she snaps. "Yes, we know each other. We're friends, but other than emails and texts here and there, you don't really know me anymore. Of course, you'd know what losing Avery means to me. It hurts, and there's no stopping the pain. The memory of it. Now, if you're here for any other reason than to catch up like two old friends should be able to do, then I don't want to hear it."

Autumn whirls around to face me and narrows her eyes. "As for you —"

"Mama, don't even think about trying to tell me off," I say, interrupting her as I reach out and snag her around the waist. "You won't make the mistake of thinking you're going to use this moment to get out of our plans tonight."

Autumn opens her mouth only to clamp it shut and narrow her gaze.

"Smart," I murmur, press a kiss on the tip of her nose, and look at Tony. "You want to catch up with my woman, that's cool and shit, but you ain't doin' it without me there." I'm not about to let him think he has an opening to get in with my woman. No damn way in hell will that be happening.

"Hey, I have an idea," Lila pipes in, skipping up to us.

Tony takes one look at Lila, blinks, and shakes his head. "Hold up, this isn't little Lila," he says, having finally recognized her.

"Yep," Lila answers, smiling brightly. "Now, how about tonight we have dinner at the house? You can tell us all about Autumn, then you can catch up with both Striker and Autumn."

"Sounds like a plan," Tony agrees and looks to me. "I'm sure Rolland and Jason would want to join in."

"Those two are in town?" I shouldn't be surprised. Tony, Rolland, and Jason were always thick as thieves, sticking to each other. On missions, they were damn good watching each other's backs. They'd gotten the nickname ‘The Three Musketeers' because of it. It ended up becoming a running joke within the squad.

"Yeah." Tony clears his throat and looks at Autumn. "Wasn't just in town because your parents wanted me to check in on you. Though I wanted to see you, not gonna lie, was hoping to make you mine again . . ." He grins and looks to me. "I see that's not going happen."

"You got that right," I tell him, earning a look from Autumn.

"Yeah," Tony snorts and shakes his head. "Word of advice, man, she looks sweet and innocent most of the time. You piss her off, she'll make the commander look like a pussy."

I highly doubt she'd make the commander look like a pussy. That man had a way of making a grown man piss his pants when he wanted.

"Don't make up lies about me," Autumn snaps. "I'm not mean, and you know it. "

"Didn't make shit up and didn't call you mean, babe, just telling ‘em how it is. You have a temper, and I remember it well. Hell, I still have the scar to prove it." He points out the scar on his forehead that goes from his hairline to his brow.

"Hold up," I say, cocking a brow. "I remember you tellin' us that you got that during basic training."

"Yeah, ‘cause I'm not gonna say I'd gotten it when my girlfriend at the time gave it to me when I pulled her ass off the town slut who had it coming to her when she called another girl a?—"

"Let's not go there," Autumn interrupts, not letting him finish. "There's ears that don't near to hear what you were going to say."

"Oh please." Lila laughs. "I'm sure I hear worse at school."

"That may be, but still . . ."

"Autumn, don't think we're not gonna want to hear some stories," Athena jumps into the conversation and looks to Lila. "How about instead of you watching Jesse tonight, we all come over for dinner?"

"Yeah, that's what we should do," Lila agrees. "I'll make dinner."

"I'll order some pizzas," I announce, not about to eat my sister's cooking tonight. She's not a terrible cook, but she's learning, and some of it can be a crap shot .

"Ugh . . ." Autumn starts, and I look her in the eye.

"No getting out of it, Mama," I tell her and lean in to whisper only in her ear. "Think to get out of it, and I'll put you over my knee and spank your ass until you're begging me to do something else altogether."

Autumn jerks slightly but doesn't say anything.

Good.

I didn't want our plans to change. Not when we've got a lot to talk about, and once I get everyone the hell out of there, I intend to get her to open up and talk to me. Maybe with everyone there, she won't be as tightly wound when it comes to us being alone. Maybe she'll see it as a reprieve from the hell we're both about to sit through.

Letting her go, I turn to Lila. "Why don't you get Tony and me something to drink?" I suggest and look back to Autumn. "Go ahead and finish up what you got to do, baby. We'll head out when you're done."

"Autumn, is all the paperwork done?" Athena asks, seeming to catch on without me having said anything to her.

"Um, yeah."

I'm sure it was due to the fact she'd left for work so damn early. I knew she probably hadn't even slept any last night.

"Good, then why don't you and Striker go ahead and head out. I can handle everything until closing. Then meet you guys at Striker's," Athena suggests, and damn if I don't want to hug her.

"That works," I answer before Autumn can even think to protest. I close the distance between us, grinning. "Come on, Mama, let's get out of here." Tugging her toward the door, I look at Tony. "Get the address from Lila. I'll see you there in a bit."

For the time being, I'm taking Autumn out on the bike. Since there's going to be a bit of time now, I'm taking advantage of it.