Stryker (4 page)

That first night I held my silence as the other diners gave
her praise and accolades. Some of them seemed to know her or of her, and were
rather friendly towards her in general. Even the elder women seemed quite fond
of her and I knew what a rarity that was. Women tended to be rather catty when
it came to young stunningly beautiful women, no matter what financial bracket.
I’d taken the time to study her without seeming to. It’s an art that I’d
perfected for some time. Something I used in my business practices. I sized her
up like prey; her exotic Mediterranean beauty was compelling. Unlike anything
I’d ever seen before. Her olive toned skin coupled with black hair, the color
of raven’s wings and her high cheekbones were perfection itself. But what
caught me and held me spellbound were her eyes. They were the color of the
Mediterranean. Wide spaced and almond shaped with that tilted shape at the
ends. They captivated me when she finally turned them my way, just as I’m sure
they held an appeal for every other man there.

“Hello, I don’t think we’ve met.” She held out her dainty
hand for me to shake. It was soft and warm as I lifted it to my lips. I didn’t
miss the inhalation of breath coming from my other side. I ignored Sabrina;
that ship had sailed and it was through no fault of my own that she happened to
be here the night I met the woman I was going to move heaven and earth to own.

“Pleased to meet you, I’m Gabe Stryker.”

“Hello Mr. Stryker, I’m Nadia Petronides. And did you enjoy
the show as well?” She smiled brightly at me, not flirtatious, more like a
genuine gesture between friendly strangers. Another rarity, most of the women
here were on the prowl, at least the younger unmarried ones were. They were all
looking for husbands with money to support their spending habits when daddy
tightened the purse.

“Some aspects were very awe inspiring.” She blushed a
pretty red brown as she lowered her head. The servers approached the table just
then and placed our first course in front of us. I had no real interest in
whatever it was they had to offer I just wanted to whisk her away somewhere and
spend the rest of the night buried balls deep inside her. It was the first time
since I’d first learned the pleasure to be had between a woman’s thighs that
I’d reacted so strongly to someone.

For the next hour we exchanged inane small talk, as we took
disinterested bites of our meals. This wasn’t the place or the time, too many
ears and eyes. But I needed to get to know her in the worse way. I wanted to
know everything there was to know about her. For the first time in my life I
didn’t care if a woman was already attached or not. If there a man somewhere
expecting her to come home. Just the idea of it made my gut hurt and I clenched
my fists against the notion. No way in hell, she’s mine.

When the night was over and it was time to go, we lingered
until the table was almost empty. Then we walked slowly towards the exit
together, neither of us wanting to leave the other just yet.

“Can I give you a ride somewhere Nadia?”

“Um, I don’t usually do this you know, accept rides from
strange men.” She smiled that earth shattering smile of hers and came very
close to being ravished right there in the waiting area of the Plaza.

“Well if it isn’t Nadia
Petronides
,
how’s your family’s little shop doing dear?”

Fucking Sabrina and what was that quip all about? The woman
beside me didn’t seem to notice the cattiness of the tone directed at her as
she turned with that same infectious smile.

“Oh hello Sabrina, my father’s little shop is doing very
well thank you for asking and how are things with you?”

Was she for real? She certainly wasn’t acting like any of
the other starlets and models I’ve met over the years. Where was the over
inflated sense of entitlement? That haughty glare, which was usually reserved
by the exceptionally beautiful for lesser beings? Even when the poor hapless
waiter had been so enraptured by her that he’d spilt wine on her hand, she’d
soothed the poor sap in a way so as not to bring attention to his little
mishap. She probably saved his job. Most of the women I knew would’ve made a
fuss and called attention to the injustice of it all. Then there would’ve been
talk of how hard it is to find good help these days and so on, but not my
Nadia. She was grace and gentility personified. Was it any wonder I was falling
more and more under her spell as the minutes ticked away? Now here she was
being kind and courteous to a woman I was very sure had meant to snub her,
which I wasn’t about to let happen.

“You’ll have to excuse us Sabrina we were just leaving.” I
saw the venom in the look she gave me but she did no more than clench her lips
as she turned and stormed away.

“I gather you two know each other.” Nadia asked shyly with
an unmistakable twinkle in her eye.

“Yes but we’ll get to that later. Shall we?”

I placed my hand in the small of her back and led her
through the other departing guests out the building and into the late night
air.

“I have my driver here tonight so he can take you anywhere
you’d like; though I would very much like it if you’d join me for a nightcap in
this little bistro around the corner.” She studied me for a long second.

“Can I trust you Gabe?” She’d asked if she could call me
Gabe earlier in the evening and I’d consented. Somehow I liked the sound of my
name on her lips. No one else had called me that in years except my mother and
I found that I really liked hearing it on her lips.

That night we’d sat in a darkened corner of the little
restaurant whispering and laughing together until the wee hours of the morning.
It was something I hadn’t done in forever. Sitting there like that with her I
didn’t think of my business or the next deal. Didn’t care what time it was in
Tokyo or how strong the dollar was. All I saw, all I heard was her. Fate is
sometimes rather fickle, and just to think I hadn’t wanted to go out that
night. What a shame it would’ve been if I’d missed the opportunity to meet this
most wonderful being.

It’s a- quarter- to and she hasn’t reached
the restaurant as yet. I’m really hoping for her sake that she shows up,
because I would really hate to add to the shit that I already have against her.
My guests hadn’t shown up as yet either. I had no idea who he was bringing
tonight, but knowing his taste, it would probably be someone he’d met the night
before. I hoped he behaved himself tonight because I was not in the mood to
deal with his flirting with my wife. I’ve let it slide so far because he hadn’t
crossed the line thus far. But I was feeling raw lately and it wouldn’t take
much to set me off. It had been some time since I’d had to out my fist through
someone’s face, but the way I was feeling, it wouldn’t take much to push me
over the edge.

She came through the door two minutes
later looking flawlessly beautiful. I couldn’t withhold the sense of pride that
burned in my chest. The knowledge that she belonged to me completely helped
ease some of the rough edges. I stood to pull out her chair even as the maître
d moved to do the same.

“I’ve got her thank you.” I sat her in the
seat next to me, inhaling the scent of her favorite perfume. She wore her hair
up in a twist, baring her neck and those tiny ears of hers that I loved to
nibble on. She wore no jewelry but her wedding rings and diamond tear drops in
her ears. I’d given her those a few months ago just because; that’s the kind of
things I used to like to do for her. Little surprise gifts that I chose myself
at the spur of the moment. A weekend trip to Europe or the Caribbean, once we
even went on safari in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater Park at the spur of the
moment, because she said she’d always wanted to. There were things that I
wouldn’t do for myself; things that I would put off for another time if it was
just for me, but not if it was for her. When it comes to her I make sure she’s
always satisfied that’s why her betrayal cut so deep.

“Hello Ga…Stryker.” Her voice fell when
she said it and I already regretted my asinine dictate. I hated hearing her
call me that, but I couldn’t go back on my word so easily. She had a hard
lesson to learn and she wasn’t going to learn it by me giving in to her at the
first sign of her distress. After this was over we should never have anything
even resembling this problem again.

“Good evening Nadia, I ordered you a glass
of Fume blanc.”

“Thank you.” She gave me her first smile
since the aborted one of the night before. I’m a bastard, I didn’t return it
but instead turned my attention back to my phone where I’d been busy arranging
my calendar for the coming week.

“We’re going to the ranch this weekend.”

She looked over at me with a questioning
look. She loves the ranch in Texas, but it was hard for me to get away as often
as she’d like. She enjoys being with the horses and taking long rides out in
the pasture. She would probably go there every weekend if she could, but there
was no way she was going without me. And since I couldn’t get away that often
it had been some time since we’d got out there. I saw the question in her eyes
but knew she wouldn’t ask, because she knew I wouldn’t answer.

There was a reason for my decision, yes I
was mad as fuck at her but I also remember what had set her off in the first
place. Someone had started a campaign against her, to drive a wedge between us.
She didn’t know who it was but I had a pretty good idea even though she had no
evidence. She’d kept the daily phone calls and threats from me for weeks before
finally breaking down and telling me. Me being me I’d just brushed it off. I
had nothing to prove and my woman should know me well enough to know that she
was all the woman I needed. Apparently that wasn’t good enough for her, my lack
of a reaction had spurred her to action. Only she’d chosen the wrong one.
Instead of standing with me and thumbing her nose at whoever this was that was causing
discord, she’d chosen to believe in bullshit and pulled a runner. On the one
hand I have to push part of my anger aside to understand that she needs
reassuring. She needs her man to prove to her that she’s his one and only. And
then there’s my pride that says she has to pay for putting me through hell. I
find myself in the tenuous position of having to comfort her and discipline her
at the same time.

The sommelier came with her wine and a
glass of sparkling water for me. I never drank when I was talking business, I
found it less than professional and held very little respect for those who did.
No wonder the economy was fucked. After a decade and a half of the infamous
two-hour martini lunches it was a wonder the stupid fucks hadn’t beggared the
country long before this.

“How’s your wine?”

“Its nice and crisp just the way I like.
So the ranch?”

“Yes the ranch, I’ll try to leave early on
Friday we’ll take the jet of course.”

“Should we invite your mom?”

“No babe I think we could do with some
time alone, we need to talk.” She took a deep breath and I saw panic beat in
the pulse in her throat. I wouldn’t set her mind at ease as to what the
conversation was going to be about; let her sweat it out. I intend to get every
ounce of the time she’d stolen from me out of her hide. Petty I know but then
again you had to be there.

Jonas showed up ten minutes later, not only was he late but
his date made the evening a nonstarter. Sabrina; what kind of game were these
two playing now? I didn’t even know that they knew each other; then again I
shouldn’t be surprised. They were so much alike after all. I wasn’t sure
exactly how I was going to proceed. Maybe I should give them a chance to start
the ball rolling, but there was no doubt in my mind that they were up to something.
What that something was I’d have to wait and see.

My hand on its own accord went to the back of Nadia’s chair
as they took their seats across from us. My thumb ran soothingly up and down
her spine as I took a sip of my water.

“Jonas.”

“Thanks for meeting me here Stryker, you know Sabrina of
course.” The smarmy bastard had the nerve to grin at me. I didn’t have to look
at my wife to know what was going on inside her; she’d tensed up at the first
sight of the other woman. Not since the first night we’d met had I ever seen
them in the same room together except maybe across the way at some event or
other. But they didn’t have any kind of interaction as far as I knew. Now with
this new shit in her head about me cheating on her I imagine being faced with
the last woman I’d been seeing before her might be a bit uncomfortable. I had
to wonder if this little ambush had something to do with whatever had been
going on with my wife. If I found out that these two had anything to do with it
I’ll bury them both.

“Hello Sabrina.” I watched as Jonas bent to kiss my wife’s
cheek. Was it my imagination or did he linger just a little longer than was
conventionally proper? I pulled her back in her seat as my eyes sent him a
silent warning. She looked at me with a question in her eyes but I just touched
her cheek softly with my finger before turning back to the asshole.

We exchanged small talk between the four of us. Sabrina was
in the chair closest to me, which put Jonas next to Nadia. I didn’t miss the
constant hand touching and the smiles he kept throwing her way. Neither did I
miss the tone of the conversation these two started. It seemed everything was
either flirtatious or incendiary. I was close to my boiling point by the time
the antipasti were served. Now I was doubly sure that the last time I helped
him was the last time I helped him. I never mix my business dealings with my
personal life that’s true, but this was my fucking wife. Besides he was the one
in need of help, was he that stupid? And right in front of me? He was out of
his fucking mind. They both were.

“So Nadia, rumor has it that you just returned from an
unplanned holiday in Europe. Don’t tell me there’s trouble in paradise
already.”

Are you fucking kidding me? Was this guy for real? What the
fuck was he playing at?

“Oh no it was just a little shopping trip, nothing like
what the papers made it out to be.”

I could see the telltale red of a blush on her cheek and
felt my ire rise. No one was allowed to make her uncomfortable I don’t care who
the fuck he is.

“Oh really Nadia, I know your husband, quite well as a
matter of fact and he can be a bit…forceful shall we say. I’m sure for an
innocent like you that can get to be a bit much after a while.” Sabrina finally
unsheathed her claws and threw her hat in the ring. If I’d had any doubts about
what these two were up to before this dispelled them. They were trying to pull
off a coup and they weren’t even that good at it.

“We’re leaving.” I spoke out loud to the table as I rose
and helped my wife out of her seat.

 
“What? But we just
got here and I still need to talk to you about that deal.”

“You should’ve thought of that before you tried pulling
this shit, and a word of advice. In the future keep your fucking hands off my
wife or I’ll break them the fuck off.” I didn’t need to raise my voice to get
my point across.

“Just as I thought, you can take the boy out of the slums
but he’ll still always be a bum.” He sneered at me like that shit was supposed
to mean something to me. I laughed off his asinine attempt to draw me in.

“You know the others always told me to look out for you.
That you were nothing more than a small minded little mama’s boy who thought
very little of me and my achievements. But I always brushed them off. I thought
you were just a clueless asshole out to live his life on daddy’s dime. Now I
know differently; remember my warning you ever get anywhere near what’s mine
again I’ll end your sorry ass. As for you I had you, I didn’t want any more
from you. We both scratched the other’s itch that’s all it was, all it was ever
going to be. Now I’ve moved on and you should do the same. Fuck with my wife at
your own peril. You were right Jonas, I’m from the streets I make no bones
about it. Those streets taught me how to deal with assholes like you. But, as
far as being a bum, never was never will be one. I suggest you look in the
mirror the next time you want to throw that shit around.” He jumped up from his
chair but we both knew he wasn’t going to do a damn thing.

“You’re lucky we’re in a public place Stryker or else…”

“Any time you want just say the word.” I stared him down
and saw the fear in his eyes, fucking snake.

I took my wife’s arm and we left, passing the other diners
who might not have heard the words that were spoken but it didn’t take a genius
to see that something was very wrong.

I called for my car and helped her in before going around
to the driver’s side.

I turned the key in the ignition before turning to her my
anger spewing over.

“You ever let some asshole touch you like that again I will
hurt you.”

“He was just touching my hand Gabe I didn’t know what else
to do he’s your friend…”

“So what if he’s my fucking friend? You think I want anyone
else’s fucking hands on what’s mine what the fuck do you take me for?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t think…”

“That’s just it you don’t think.” I slammed the car into
drive and peeled out onto the street. Horns honked and cars swerved but I was
too mad to give a shit. I turned up the radio so I wouldn’t say anything more
as she sulked in her seat.