Stryker Read online

  I walked down the aesthetic hallway to her door. The neo classic white on black décor so vastly different from the warm French country chic my wife had chosen for our home. Two very different tastes two vastly different women. One I’d chosen as my mate for life, the other I’d enjoyed for a time.

  I knocked on her door being sure to stay out of view of the peephole.

  As soon as I heard the locks disengage I used my shoulder to force my way in.

  “Stryker…” She clutched at her throat as she stepped back.

  “Hello Sabrina, surprised to see me?”

  “Well of course I am, I never thought to see you here again.”

  “I’m not sure about that.” I walked deeper into the room looking around as if I was just in the neighborhood and decided to drop in for a late night chat.

  “So to what do I owe this pleasure?”

  She was more relaxed now. I wasn’t yelling or throwing shit which is probably what she would expect if she thought I knew what she’d been up to. That’s exactly why I wasn’t going there. What I needed from her would take cunning; as long as I could keep my rage under wraps I should be able to get what I’d come for.

  “I think you know why I’m here don’t you?”

  “I’m afraid not.” She walked over to the settee and sat, the silk robe she wore falling open to expose her crossed thighs, the top exposing just enough cleavage to draw interest. It was a very practiced move I’d seen it before.

  “Come now Sabrina let’s not play games, you wanted to get my attention so here I am.”

  “Why would you think that I’m trying to get your attention? That ship has sailed.”

  “Then why have you been terrorizing my wife?”

  I saw the change that came over her at the mere mention of Nadia. Her countenance changed from one of beauty to be filled with venom and malice, which played across her features in a split second.

  “How dare you? I’ve done no such thing, why should I?”

  “That’s something I’d like to know myself. It’s not like we were even together when I met her so I don’t see why you would target an innocent.”

  “Innocent? She’s no innocent everyone knew you were mine it was in all the papers. We were the IT couple for months and then she came along and you just dropped me like…like I was nothing.” This bitch is nuts but I can’t show her my true feelings, not yet. I have to keep playing the disinterested bystander when all I really want to do is wrap my hands around her neck and throw the bitch out the nearest window.

  “That’s just it, you and I were through long before I even met Nadia.”

  “That doesn’t matter I was working on something. I would’ve had you back before long but she had to come in and wrap her filthy hands around what’s mine. No one breaks up with me Stryker didn’t you know? I do the leaving.”

  “Is that what all this was about, because you weren’t the one to end things?”

  “Haven’t you heard a word I’ve said? You were to be my husband, I’d decided.”

  “Oh I see, but by that token I should be the one at the end of your anger I don’t see why you started this campaign against her. She had nothing to do with it. Why the phone calls?” First things first.

  “Oh that, that was nothing, it did work though didn’t it? Stupid girl, she ran like a frightened rabbit only she didn’t go where I’d expected her to.” She frowned at this and seemed to have disappeared in her head.

  “What does that mean?”

  “I thought for sure she’d run to her parents that’s where I had my man set up to take care of her.” My blood ran cold at her words. How had I never seen this in her? How had I missed it all those months?

  “What exactly do you mean?”

  “What…?” She looked up at me as if just realizing I was still there.

  “You said you had a man set up to take care of her. What did you mean?” I kept my voice level and disinterested, we could’ve been discussing the weather for all the inflection in my voice.

  “Just that I was going to take care of her once and for all but instead she ran to Paris. By the time the papers ferreted her out it was too late to set up something new.”

  “So you came back here and regrouped, tell me did Jonas Willoughby have anything to do with this sinister plan of yours?”

  “Not in the beginning no, I only got him involved when I learned that he was in love with your insipid wife. But then that night after the dinner he got cold feet. Weak fool.”

  “And tonight, the fire?”

  “What are you talking about what fire?”

  Maybe she realized she’d said too much because she tried backtracking.

  “There’re witnesses Sabrina, there’s no point in hiding it up now.”

  “That’s impossible I made sure no one saw me…” She cut herself off but it was too late, the damage had already been done.

  “Did you know my wife was in that building when you lit it on fire?” The anger was given free reign now. I had more than enough to do what needed doing.

  “Of course I knew the little idiot was in there I made sure of it. That’s right I called pretending to be a new buyer and she fell for it. I asked her to stay around a little later, I was sure the area would be less busy by that time of the evening.”

  “So your intent was to kill her.”

  “What do you think? It doesn’t matter if you know now you should know the lengths I would go to to win you back. That’s the kind of woman you need in your life not some timid little mouse who runs at the first sign of trouble.”

  “You’re truly insane if you think I would prefer you to my wife. I was never going to marry you get that through your head. I love her I’ve never loved you not even when we were together. You were just one of many that came before you. She’s the one.” The venom had no cover this time her face was contorted with it as she flew up from her seat.

  “You’re lying I know you wanted me, everyone wants me. You’ll never make me believe you desire her more than me. You’ve even shamed her by turning her into nothing more than a shopkeeper just like her inferior father. I find that very telling.”

  “You mean as opposed to a thief like your own father? I guess you’re right, that apple doesn’t seem to have fallen too far from the tree either.

  “How dare you, the courts are in the process of proving my father’s innocence, he will be free soon.”

  “I don’t have time for your pipe dreams I just came here to tell you once and for all to stay the fuck away from my wife.”

  “Never I’ll never stop until I have what’s rightfully mine. I’ll succeed you know…”

  “Why didn’t you this time?”

  “I used the wrong accelerant or something, I didn’t want to use gasoline that would’ve been too obvious so I did the research and found something that’s supposed to be untraceable only it wasn’t strong enough. Not to worry though I’ll think of something else.” She was back in her head again as if I wasn’t present.

  “You really are one fucked up individual, sad I didn’t see it before. Had I known what a deranged bitch you were I wouldn’t have touched you with a ten foot pole let alone my dick.” I headed for the door with her scream in my ear.

  “Don’t forget you’ve been warned, stay away from Nadia.” I turned the screws for spite as I held the door open about to leave.

  “She’s pregnant with our first child and I don’t want her stressed.” I slammed the door on her scream of outrage and headed for the elevator. I called my lawyer on the way down.

  “Meet me at the station I have what we need.”

  The police weren’t too pleased about me doing their job for them but I wasn’t about to wait around for them not when my wife’s life was in danger. They had to check the recording for tampering but she should be in custody before too long. That chapter of our life was closed.

  I reached home in the early hours of the morning to find my wife just about to awaken. I’d stayed at the station
with my lawyer until the cops had run their tests and done whatever they needed to get done. I’d had to call in some favors to get the ball rolling but that was okay. It was good to have the direct line to the mayor and the governor in times like this.

  I slid into bed and pulled her carefully into my arms, holding her close.

  “Gabe what time is it?” She yawned and stretched awake before flying from the bed in a mad rush for the bathroom. I followed her in in time to find her bent over the commode throwing up her dinner from the night before. Holding her hair back was all I could do to help my poor baby.

  “Gabe I think I might have some sort of stomach flu or something, I’ve thrown up every morning this week.” I helped her wash out her mouth before taking her back in to sit on the bed with her in my lap.

  “It’s nothing that a few months won’t cure love.”

  She looked at me at sea for a minute before my meaning registered. Her hand went to the flatness of her stomach as she stared at me in wonder.

  “You mean…”

  “Yes I’m pretty sure that’s what it is but we’ll go to the doctor and let him tell us what I already know.” Her smile of joy reached into my heart and lit it up

  Our sons were born exactly eight months and one week later.

  THE END

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