“Oh my gawd!” Fear filling her, she set the hand mirror down, sought out a hair tie, and piled her hair on top of her head in a messy bun. She slid her butt up onto the counter and scootched her back as close to the bathroom mirror as she could before lifting the hand mirror up again. The details were amazing, and Echo reached up and timidly traced her finger along the lines of the sunburst. She’d never seen anything so beautiful but she was admittedly scared out her fucking mind. It looked like someone had branded her or gave her a tattoo using pale pink ink. It was the strangest thing she’d ever seen and she had no idea how in the hell it had gotten on her. In vain, she grabbed a wash cloth, ran it under water, and tried to wipe the burst from her neck. The cool water gave her relief from the pain, but it didn’t change the fact that it was still there.
She had no idea how long she sat there and stared at it—confused and scared. What was going on? Charlie had hijacked her dreams, her life had fallen into a jumbled mess, that dick Henry wouldn’t leave her alone, and now she sat in a house that she swore she’d never step foot in looking at a bizarre design on her neck—not to mention the oddly miraculous healing of her wounds from the glass.
“What the fuck?” It was all she could say, over and over again as the events of her life played out like a movie in her head. It was a little too Twilight Zone for her.
She hopped off the counter and took herself straight to the liquor cabinet she’d stumbled upon while she was searching for a plate. Charlie had gone out of his way to make sure that their home was move-in ready complete with all the furnishings, kitchen ware, linens, and art that he had known Echo would love. In addition, he’d stocked the liquor cabinet with enough booze to serve a small bar and she was thankful he knew her so well. What was the shelf life of tequila anyway? After the night, well month, she’d had, she didn’t care.
From the top shelf she pulled down the silver Patron, broke the seal, popped the cork, and filled one of the shot glasses with the etched swirled design on it. There was no need to bother with salt and a lime. She grabbed a soda from the fridge that Paige had stocked for her, threw back the tequila, and followed it with a big gulp of cola. The burn as it slid down her throat immediately filled her body with warmth. Smoother than most brands, the Patron still left that familiar tequila bite in her mouth and she gulped down another mouthful of soda to cleanse her palate.
At some point Echo was certain she would wake from this nightmare. She’d probably find herself locked up in some mental ward, wearing one of those damn white coats, curled up in a padded room talking to herself. None of anything seemed real.
She poured another shot. If she was indeed locked up somewhere, out of her damn mind, she might as well enjoy a nice buzz before the warden woke her up to give her another dose of happy meds. She followed it with another drink of soda and then carried the bottle over to the island in the kitchen, shot glass and soda can in her other hand.
“Thank you for the house, Charlie,” she whispered before pouring another shot. “I’m sorry I didn’t come earlier.” She imagined what it would have been like for him to bring her here. He’d surely have made her close her eyes as he led her blindly up the path. She could feel his hands on her face, covering her eyes, his cool breath on her cheek as he’d whisper, “I love you. Open your eyes.”
Tears burned in her eyes. Charlie had been her everything and his absence had left a giant hole in her heart. She could feel the ache she had spent years suppressing explode in her chest.
“I miss you.” One more shot of tequila put her over the edge and tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she allowed all of her memories to flood her mind. The smile only he gave her, his contagious laughter, the way he made her feel like she was the only person in the world. He had been as near perfect as any man could be and his breathtaking baby-blue eyes had always made her heart stop. They were closer to white than blue and she’d often found herself lost in them, unsure as to why she couldn’t look away. She’d been drawn to him from the moment they met, which had been admittedly very uncharacteristic of her. Echo had always been a closed-off individual. More now than before she rarely let people in. Her therapist believed it was because her parents had died when she was still so young and that her aunt, though full of good intentions by taking her on and raising her, was not suited for motherhood.
Charlie had always said it was because she hadn’t surrounded herself with the right people. He was the right people for sure. He’d brought out so much good in her. Good that she’d shoved back into the closet when he died because she no longer saw the point. The need to see him filled her. Fuck she missed him. More tears and the picture of his beautiful eyes filled her mind. His beautiful blue eyes that could see into her soul, but then they morphed. They became darker, but not by a lot and the shape changed ever so slightly. The long dark eyelashes that framed them made her heart skip—no longer Charlie’s eyes, but now Henry’s. She could feel his stare burn into her, how it made her feel flushed and clumsy, unsure of herself and a little lost.
“What the fuck?” Again, apparently her vocabulary had also crumbled since those were the only words she had muttered since Henry had left her.
Henry. Why Henry?
She sighed.
“Why the hell not? Since I know I’m really in a psych ward somewhere.”
She filled her glass again and allowed her mind to fill with visions of Henry. He was delicious and dangerous and even though a warning pulsed through her, she still enjoyed the image that had been left behind for her to drool over.
She didn’t have to like him as a person, but he sure was some tasty eye candy.
Maybe she should meet with him and let him down nicely about the house in person, just so she could see those baby blues one more time.
Maybe.
Chapter Five
It had been way too long since Echo had finished off half a bottle of any booze by herself, so when she woke the following morning, the ache of a hangover pulsed through her. Coffee gave her the shakes, the thought of food made her sick even though she force-fed herself a piece of dry toast, and the taste of stale tequila in her mouth triggered the threat of nausea. She didn’t regret it though. She’d faced a few demons and had come to terms with some of her heartache over Charlie. Though a little haggard, she actually felt pretty good, at least emotionally, and walked through the house with a new sense of belonging. She still couldn’t convince herself to snoop around or enter any room other than the kitchen, bath, or bedroom. That would come in time. It was the elephant in the room though because as much as she’d tried to steer her eyes clear of anything that might remind her of Charlie, he was everywhere in the house.
Not interested in driving down memory lane just yet, Echo had called Paige as soon as she showered and gulped down her first cup of coffee. She was anxious to see her friend and catch up and thankfully Paige had reciprocated the feeling. She’d made sure her schedule was clear for the day and that Mark was willing to keep the kids occupied so that the day was set aside purely for Echo. She was an amazing friend.
They’d started off with breakfast, then walked downtown Redmond and enjoyed an impromptu shopping spree at the local boutiques. The recent makeover of the downtown area had turned a once-forgotten and unloved strip into an appealing draw for consumers and residents. There were quaint coffee shops, book stores, antique stores, and clothing boutiques up and down the center of town and one street over was the new City Park. It was peaceful and welcoming and took Echo back to old-town America. It made her realize how much she’d truly missed her hometown and hated big-city life.
The day had progressed as if the two women had not been apart for more than a day. It was one of the reasons she loved Paige so much. It never mattered how much time had passed since they’d seen each other. Once together they easily fell back into the best-friend relationship that they’d enjoyed since the third grade. They laughed, joked, reminisced about old boyfriends, times of rebellion that had gotten them grounded mor
e than once, and Paige filled her in on all of the latest news from old classmates. That was one thing about Redmond—it was a small town and no matter how much it had grown over the years, everyone still knew everything about everyone else. It had been refreshing to learn that she was by far not the most fucked-up of her former classmates.
After enjoying a home-cooked dinner at Paige’s, some sound advice from Mark on her house issues with Henry, and endless hugs and kisses from Paige’s adorable daughters, the women cut out for the night and headed into Bend to one of the local hot spots. It had been years since the two had gone clubbing and though Paige had argued that they were too old to compete with the twentysomethings that frequented the bars, Echo had convinced her that they would have fun. She needed to dance and drink and she wanted Paige to take on the role of her partner in crime. They promised Mark that they would call him if they found themselves in trouble and that they wouldn’t attempt to drive anywhere and then they were gone.
In the club, it was like old times. Echo dropped her Visa Signature card with the bartender and opened a tab, insisting that as long as she and Paige were well cared for throughout the night, she would leave a hefty tip—if not they’d be lucky to get a cent from her. She also warned that if there were any unauthorized transactions on the card, she had enough money to buy to place and fire them all on the spot. The blonde-haired bartender laughed at first, but when she registered the serious expression on Echo’s face and recognized her name, she quickly backtracked and promised she would guard the card with her life and ensure that they would have whatever they wanted.
It was one of the perks of being the most sought-after designer. Though with the way her luck was playing out these days, her fire would most likely go out soon and then she’d simply be another nobody with a fat bank account. Whatever. She’d enjoy it while she could.
Out on the dance floor, she and Paige became the center of attention. Paige was gorgeous and curvy, full tits and ass accentuated by the designer jeans and off-the-shoulder red blouse Echo had bought for her earlier in the day. Echo wore her normal black and whites—black leather pants that clung to her body like a second skin and a white satin corset she’d picked up at the local lingerie shop, her black Jimmy Choo Cosmic Sequin pumps finishing off the ensemble. Though Echo was pretty, she always felt plain next to Paige. That woman was breathtaking with smooth alabaster skin and full pouty lips, her naturally wavy silken hair always cascading down her shoulders. Mark was a lucky son of a bitch, and Echo imagined he walked around with a permanent hard-on whenever he was in his wife’s presence. If Echo liked pussy, she knew Paige would be her type, but since she didn’t she settled for their friendship.
Music boomed throughout the club as the women bumped and grinded against each other, sweat slick on their skin and Echo’s hair curling from the moisture as it clung to her forehead and the back of her neck. On more than one occasion a random man tried to squeeze in between them only to be shot down and dismissed.
At the end of the last song, Paige grabbed Echo’s hand and dragged her off of the floor and over to their table where two shots of Patron and two fresh sodas waited for them, along with a basket of deep-fried cheese sticks and a ramekin of ranch.
“I need some fresh air!” Paige yelled. Her voice was barely audible over the music, but Echo nodded and grabbed her purse, seizing the opportunity to get her nicotine fix.
Outside, the cool night air felt great against her hot, sweat-slicked flesh, and as they stepped out to the curb to maintain the ten feet from entrance law Oregon had initiated for smokers, Echo pulled a pack of Camels and a lighter from her purse. The first drag was always the best—the burst of the nicotine coursing through her. It was a dirty habit and she typically didn’t smoke in public, embarrassed that she’d fallen victim to such a filthy vice, but tonight she didn’t care. It had been the most fun she’d had in years, letting loose and just being herself around a woman that never judged her.
“Thank you.” Paige stood beside her, her hands lifting the thick waves of her hair up from her neck.
“For what?”
“For reminding me that I’m not just a wife or a mom. I forget sometimes, ya know, especially lately. I don’t remember the last time I actually had fun—not that Mark isn’t fun, but we never go out anymore and not just because we can’t really afford it, but because life gets in the way.”
Echo looked at her friend for a long moment before speaking. Mark was a great man and Echo loved Paige’s daughters, but she used to be such a free spirit, not shackled to the mundane life of a housewife. It was hard to picture Paige spending her days folding laundry, washing dishes, and changing diapers, but it had been her choice and Echo knew that even though tonight was a treat, Paige was a homebody.
She took another drag from her cig, the smoke billowing out around her in the cold air.
“I haven’t had this much fun in years,” she admitted. “I should be the one thanking you. I don’t why you still put up with me, Paige—I’m a terrible friend.”
Paige’s laugh was like a song and it made her miss her friend even more. She had neglected her personal life for so long—cut herself off from friends and life. It was time for a change.
“Ya, well I don’t know either,” she teased. “Now hurry up! I’m starting to get cold and I know you can see my nipples trying to pierce through this damn shirt.”
Echo sucked in a final drag before burying the cig into a sand-filled butt tray. She reached into her purse, pulled out a mint, and popped it into her mouth before spritzing herself with her favorite perfume. Just because she smoked didn’t mean she had to smell like it.
Back in the club they made their way through the crowd over to their table and sat down to snack on the cheese sticks and empty their shot glasses. The buzz from the tequila was getting thicker and Echo knew they would not be driving home tonight. It wouldn’t be long before Paige called Mark to come pick them up but they had a few more hours before the bar shut down for the night, so she pushed the thought from her mind.
“Ladies.”
Echo turned to look behind her and found two men standing there. They were dressed head to toe in black, the shorter of the two looking around the club with an expression of pure paranoia on his face. The taller one stood firm, his glazed eyes locked on Echo and a sleazy smile on his face.
“Care to dance?” He was obviously trashed. His words slurred together and even through the thick scent of sweat and musk in the club, Echo could smell whiskey on his breath. She rolled her eyes and turned away from him.
“No, but thanks anyway.”
He obviously did not like her answer because she felt his thick hand on her shoulder. The callused skin felt raw on her flesh as his fingers dug in.
“I don’t think I heard you right, so try again. Care to dance?” His voice had taken on an edge though still slurred, and Echo turned to glare up at him.
“Get your hand off of me!”
In that moment time seemed to slow down. The man lifted her effortlessly from her chair and spun her around so that she was facing him, both hands now clenching her arms so that she couldn’t move. His dark eyes burned into her and sent chills across her flesh as she stood there frozen in fear. From behind her she heard Paige stand in protest, yelling for a bouncer to come help them. The shorter man still searched the crowd, looking as though someone would grab him if he wasn’t careful.
“No one likes a tease, bitch,” he snapped.
“Let go.” Echo could hear her whispered plea and anger raged in her that she was allowing the creep to manhandle her. At any other time she would have planted a fist into his jaw for taking such liberties with her, but as he continued to stare at her, she felt paralyzed.
“No.” His answer was flat, emotionless, but Echo felt an odd sense of power pulse through him and she actually feared for her safety.
“Dude, let’s go—people are staring.” The short man’s voice quivered with fear above the music, and as he glanced u
p at Echo, she could have sworn that she saw his eyes flash red.
The taller man looked around the crowd then back at Echo, the sleazy smile on his face replaced by a dark expression. “Yeah, all right.” He tugged on Echo. “Come on.”
She tried to protest, to dig her heels in and refuse to go with him, but her body refused to respond to the hysterical screaming that bounced around in her mind as she felt herself being pulled along with him.
Paige was now screaming obscenities, calling out Echo’s name and begging for someone to step in to help her, but the music was so loud and the crowd was so oblivious to what was going on that it seemed no one was paying much attention. It was then that everything changed.
Echo felt a second hand take hold of her arm, claiming her and moving her away from the creep who held her.
“She’s with me.”
Both Echo and the man looked over to see who was butting in.
“Henry?”
Chapter Six
Echo never thought she’d be so happy to see Henry, but there he was, his intimidating frame hovering above the asshole who still held her tightly in his hands, a look of rage and disgust on his face.
“I think you’re mistaken.” The angry bark in the man’s voice made Echo hope that Henry was willing to throw a punch for her. She looked up at him, her heart fluttering with a mix of utter fear and a nagging sense of relief that he would save her. He looked pissed. His brow was turned down and his baby-blue eyes burned a dark glare at her captor. With a clenched jaw and a firm hold on Echo’s arm, Henry leaned into the man and with his free hand he grabbed a fistful of his shirt.
Echo in the Night [Echo's Song] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 4