***
Remaining in the clubhouse’s garage, Tabor watched Echo load Katya up in the SUV. They were heading to Mommy’s Day Out. He knew the schedule because he paid attention to details. He’d awoken before Echo and Katya, wanting to be gone before breakfast. Tabor hadn’t wanted to see the look on Echo’s face that morning after he left her last night, lying across the table like a whore. He wanted her to feel like that, he felt she deserved to feel like that. She let some other man have what was his, allowed him to father a child with her, and she wouldn’t even tell him who the motherfucker was. She said it wasn’t his concern.
Tabor wanted to let it go, needed to let it go. The question was: how? He had no idea how to get over it. Echo was his, she was supposed to always be his. Shaking his head, he needed a fight, a good one, but with what had happened last time with the attack, everyone was watching him carefully.
Movement caught his attention. Wick and the boys were back at her place. Tabor knew there was nothing between Wick and Echo, and he needed to walk away from all of it. For everyone, he needed to move on. Maybe it was time to leave the Kings.
Wrench was grooming Trip to step up as Cruise’s SA, and one of the other guys could step up for Gypsy. Gypsy… Tabor needed to talk to him first. He had done everything his friend had asked of him, surely he would do the same for him.
Hammer and Tool had done a great job fixing his bike. Tabor had made sure they knew how much he appreciated it. The engine sounded even better than before, probably because of the new super tuner they put in it. Throwing his leg over, he eased into the saddle. Maybe this was what he needed. Shifting into neutral, he rolled the bike back, shifted into first, and headed out the garage.
Once on the street, he hit second, third, and fourth before he got to the red light. Yes, just what I needed.
***
It was a sound that was becoming very familiar, Echo thought as she heard the motorcycle before she saw it. Blasting past her on the city street, she realized it was Tabor. Hopefully he wasn’t looking for another underground fight so soon after healing. That was not her concern, her attention needed to be on her shop. Wick and the boys were coming to finish up things and Wick had to fix an issue he was having in her new bathroom.
Excitement had her shivering; in a few weeks she would open her bistro. She had the menu already planned out for the first month. She made sure she wasn’t serving anything that could be found in the other bistros around town. Working with the other businesses would benefit her. Working against them would only hurt her. She wasn’t a local, she was a transplant, and the people loved to remind her.
It didn’t matter that her roots ran deep there, she hadn’t planted them. Echo would have to prove her worth to have a successful business in Lampsing—and by God she would do it. Pulling into the back drive, she parked her SUV in the grass so Wick’s work trucks would have room to get in and out.
“Good morning Wick!” Echo waved hello as she walked towards the back door of the shop. Lots to get done, she reminded herself. Plus, it seemed Wick had an uncanny way of knowing when things weren’t right with her. Best to stay away from him today.
***
The building was perfect. It sat well enough off the main highway so no one could see cars there unless they turned into the driveway. The disadvantage was that he wouldn’t know cars were approaching until it was too late. Two back entrances, one front door and two garage-style doors in the front would make it easy to drive vehicles in if necessary.
“Are there offers on the table for this site?”
“Let me take a look, one sec.” Trying not to be overly flirty, Janice gave Jason a pleasant smile as she searched on her tablet, looking for any other offers. When she found none, her smile became much more flirtatious. “I don’t see any other interested parties.”
“I think we should talk more over lunch. What do you say?”
“I think that’s a perfect idea. I know a quaint little place.”
He wondered where exactly this little quaint place was. “Where are you taking me?”
“Oh, I make a mean chicken salad. Do you mind following me home for lunch? I have all the paperwork there to get things started if you’re wanting to make an offer.”
He wasn’t going to make an offer; he was going to get his rocks off, that was a given. He needed a window of opportunity to grab the keys to the building. As he followed her out, his phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, it was his client. Jason had blown off the last two calls, so he had to answer this one. He told Janice to go on, he would follow her in his car, and then he answered his phone.
In a clipped tone he answered. “What? I’m trying to get things lined up.”
“Yea, well I’m in Fort Bragg. I’m coming into that little shit town tonight, and tomorrow we are grabbing Genevie and her little brat. You need to have everything ready.”
Before he could respond the phone went dead. He needed the keys. If he couldn’t get them from Janice, he would buy a lock cutter from the hardware store. Now, to catch up with Miss hotsy-totsy and have some fun.
***
Tabor parked the bike in the driveway. He hadn’t gotten a foot from his bike when Gypsy appeared in the doorway. “Should have called, sorry.” He couldn’t miss the look on his friend’s face. This conversation would be hard.
“You’re here, come in.” Turning abruptly, Gypsy walked back into his house. Tabor was fast becoming his least favorite person.
Tabor noticed how quiet the house was. He wondered where Quinn and the kids were. One of his brothers must have seen him leaving and called Gypsy. Had he become that much of a pain in the ass? “Listen Gypsy, I’m not here to take up a lot of your time.”
“What are you here for then?”
“I’m leaving. It’s time I go. Things with the Kings are good.” Holding out his hands, Tabor gestured to the fact.
Gypsy faced him then. He let him know he had been up late and not in the way that made him happy. It seemed Crow and Wick had paid Gypsy a visit. That pissed Tabor off fast. Gypsy pointed to a chair, telling him to have a seat. This was not how Tabor had imagined this going.
“Tell me why you’re leaving.”
“It’s time. That’s all.”
“I’ve never known you to be a fucking coward. But here you are, running.”
“Fuck you Gypsy, I’m not running, I’m leaving.”
“You’re afraid.”
Tabor looked at him like he had lost his fucking mind. Afraid? He had never been afraid… of anything. He was just tired of everyone watching him like he was about to go off the deep end. He needed room to breathe that was all. “Afraid of what?”
“Echo and her daughter. I saw how you looked at them. I watched you put yourself between me and her the other night. There’s a lot of history there between the two of you. What I don’t understand is why you’re treating her like a piece of shit when you obviously love the woman.”
“It’s complicated. She has a kid. I thought she fucking loved me. I went back for her, she was gone.”
“From what I was told, you thought she had died. Did you look into that before she turned up here?”
“Why would I? I had a witness tell me she had died in the fire.”
“Clearly they were mistaken.”
“No fucking shit.”
“Have you talked to her about what happened back then, or are you just using her for a piece of ass?”
The chair fell back, hitting the floor hard as Tabor launched himself at Gypsy. Gypsy hit him low in the side, causing Tabor to stumble back. He grabbed his side. Gypsy always knew how to end a fight fast, he played dirty. Wincing, Tabor tried evening his breathing. He put a hand on the back of his neck.
“You know better, brother, than to come at me head on.” Turning from Tabor, Gypsy went to right the chair. He watched his brother stand up. “This is the deal Tabor: you only know your half of the story. Maybe you should ask Echo for her half.”
“I don�
�t want to know about another man fucking her. That little girl should be mine, not someone else’s. MINE Gypsy, MINE!”
It was obvious to Gypsy that his friend was dealing with more than he was letting on. Guilt was a monster some people could never shake. All he could do was try to point Tabor in the right direction. Leaving town, and his brothers, would only make things worse. “If you’re not ready to talk to Echo, maybe talk to Wick.”
“Fuck Wick, he’s got his nose so far up her ass. If I find out he’s even remotely thinking about making a move I swear, I will…”
“You’ll what? Hurt your brother, a man that has had your back more times than any of us care to count? Over what? A woman you don’t want. That’s some thin shit Tabor.”
Tabor looked at his best friend. They had been raised together, fought in the military together, created the MC together. Gypsy never steered him wrong, never.
He dropped into a chair, putting his head in his hands. Echo had a child with another man, and he didn’t know how to let it go. “What if I can’t handle what she says?”
There it was, the root of it all. “What if you can?”
Tabor looked up; Gypsy was right, like always. Why had he been so afraid of what she would say? He had already made up his mind. He had already walked away from her. She hadn’t come looking for him, she had simply come here for herself. Standing, Tabor waved off Gypsy and headed for the door.
“Tabor?”
“Don’t worry, I’m going back to town.”
“You need to talk to her!” The door closed before Gypsy could finish. He’d be damned if he’d chase Tabor’s dumb ass.
Chapter 12
Packing up his tools, Wick checked the area, making sure he hadn’t left anything lying around. The apartment looked great. He was sure Echo was pleased; the antique dresser converted into her new bathroom vanity had been the final touch. He had Katya to thank for the information about that. The little one had shown him pictures in a magazine Echo had been looking at.
The downstairs would be finished in less than a month, allowing the bistro to open sooner than later. Wick loved watching Echo light up when she spoke about her plans for her business. Closing his toolbox, Wick realized he was no longer alone. “What do you want?”
“I didn’t know you were here. I should have checked the back drive before coming up here.”
“Who were you hoping to find, Echo?”
“What’s it to you, Wick?” I should have stopped at the door, he thought as Wick’s fist came in contact with his jaw. Motherfucker hit like a truck. He didn’t duck fast enough as Wick connected again. Jabbing out a left, then a right, neither man let up. Tabor made the mistake in hesitating when Wick struck his bruised ribs. When he stepped back, his brother slammed him into the wall. Tabor felt the sheetrock give against his weight.
“You’re a fucking asshole using her as your fuck toy. Echo deserves more than that, you bastard.”
“You don’t know shit about us. If you think she’s such a saint, then why’d she fuck some other guy before I could get out of town?”
“You don’t know that, Tabor.” Wick released Tabor letting him sag against the wall.
“She’s got a kid that’s just the right age, asshole.”
Before Wick thought better of it, he blurted out that Echo’s child was Tabor’s daughter.
The look on Tabor’s face said it all. Wick hadn’t meant to blurt it out. “Tabor…” Wick didn’t get another word in before Tabor stormed out.
***
Stainless steel cabinets lined the back wall behind the glass display counters. Echo stared at it all, mapping out positions of small appliances. With the speed in which Wick and his brothers were working on her building, she was making much better headway than she had expected to.
Her grandmama’s recipe book lay on the small table in front of her. It was all about pairing certain foods together. How could she go wrong using traditional meals? She specialized in homemade breads for her sandwiches, and all her soups would be served in different types of bread bowls. Echo had no desire to compete with the other eateries in the town of Lampsing.
Deep in thought, she hadn’t noticed Tabor standing in the doorway. When she faced him, she noticed his focus was on Katya. “Tabor, is something wrong?” He looked at her then…
“Is it true?”
Echo instantly knew what he meant. Her heart dropped—like a stone in a well, it dropped fast. What else she could she say?
“Yes.”
She thought they would talk about it, but she was mistaken. She had thought her heart had been broken before, but now it was truly shattered as she looked at a door closing fast and the only man she’d ever love walking away. One would think she was used to watching his back as he left her. This time he wasn’t just walking away from her, he was walking away from his child. Echo knew he was capable of more than turning away from them. Tabor had loved her once. He didn’t need to love her now, but he needed to find a way to love his daughter.
“Mommy, why did Tabor leave?”
Closing her eyes, Echo reached deep, trying to stifle the tears before they fell. What did one tell their child about their father when he walked away? This was one of those moments when she wished she had a girlfriend so Kat could stay with someone while she confronted Tabor. If things were going to end, he needed to hear the whole damn story—from her. Echo saw Wick and knew what had happened.
“Kitten, stay right here for Mommy?” She got a head nod from her daughter before she stepped outside.
Rushing over to Wick, he turned and began telling her how sorry he was for spilling the beans. He looked mortified over the situation. “It’s fine Wick, can you watch Kat for ten minutes? I think it’s time Tabor hears a few things from me.”
“I got her.”
“Thanks, it’s time he deals with everything, I’m worth more than being his plaything and his daughter is worth more than his back.” Echo turned, hearing a small whimper. She now faced Katya, who hadn’t missed one word. Small tears flooded her green eyes and began to spill over. Her poor little girl, Echo should have known she would follow her. “Is Tabor my papa?” Hugging her daughter, Echo simply said, “Yes. Can you stay with Wick for a minute?” She waited to make sure Katya nodded yes. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” Echo stood up and headed for Tabor.
Wick crouched down, pulling Katya to him. Kat buried her face in Wick’s shirt, and he heard the quiet words she spoke. “Papa doesn’t love me.” At a loss for words, he rubbed her small back with his calloused hand. He watched Echo walk across the street, heading to what would probably be a major showdown.
But before she could reach her destination, a speeding car skidded to a halt next to Echo. The back door swung opened and a man grabbed her, dragging Echo into the car. He could hear her screams as the door slammed and the car sped away.
Wick was already running for the car with Katya still in his arms. He didn’t see the SUV behind him until it came to a screeching halt. Three men jumped out; he could take them, but not with a child in his arms. Wick would go down fighting to protect Katya, she belonged to them, and no one would hurt her without a fight.
“Give us the kid.”
“Fuck you.”
“Give us the kid, and we won’t hurt the woman.”
“I said fuck you.”
Tabor had been in the clubhouse garage when he heard the screams and screeching tires. Thinking someone had been hit by a car, he ran out to help. Instead of an accident, he saw Wick running with Katya in his arms. Katya, his daughter. The whole thing played out like a bad movie—or even a good one. All he knew was it was a movie he didn’t want to watch.
Running to help, Tabor didn’t get three feet when bullets started hitting concrete around him. He dove for cover. Tabor heard his daughter scream as the sound of screeching tires filled the air, and he knew in that second someone would die.
Scrambling to his feet, he saw Wick face down on the ground, blood pooli
ng at his side. He ran for Wick, his phone already in his hand. He shouted orders in the phone as he got to his brother. Rolling him over, he was relieved to see it was only a side wound. A through-and-through was good. “Wick, Wick, come on man, talk to me.”
“Tabor… they took Echo…where’s Kat?” Wick struggled to get up. He reached for his side and saw blood coating his hand and shirt. “Fuck, that fucker shot me.”
“Wick, do you know who they were?”
“No… I saw a dark brown sedan. Two, maybe three men grabbed Echo. I was running after them to get a plate number when the SUV pulled up and three men jumped out to take the kid. I don’t remember much after they started firing shots.” Looking around, he grabbed Tabor by the shirt. “Where’s Katya?”
“They took her.”
***
Wick watched Tabor and Crow haul ass, desperately searching for any sign of the assholes that took Echo and Katya. Sheriff’s officers and paramedics were on the scene. Wick was loaded into the ambulance. He’d given the information to the cops and his brothers, now he was just pissed because he had failed not only his brothers, but Echo and Katya as well. He banged his head back into the stretcher, thinking about how fucked up the situation was.
“Can you just stitch me up and let me go?” His anger was simmering below the surface. He wanted in on this hunt with his brothers. The kidnapping of Echo and Katya could mean anything; it was a possibility that Tabor was the intended target. Wick hadn’t forgotten it was his brother who was attacked on the highway months back.
The girls could be some sort of collateral to get to Tabor. They should have dug deeper into the incident. Wick’s mind was going in so many directions…
Bishop jumped in the ambulance looking to see how badly Wick was injured. “Let me see the wound.”
“Sir, you can’t just come in here and demand to see his wounds.”
Tabor Page 6
