by Kayn, Debra
Touch Slowly
Red Light: Silver Girls series
By Debra Kayn
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Touch Slowly
1st Digital release: Copyright© 2016 Debra Kayn
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Debra Kayn. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
www.debrakayn.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five
Chapter Twenty Six
Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight
Chapter Twenty Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty One
Chapter Thirty Two
Chapter Thirty Three
Chapter Thirty Four
Epilogue
Author Bio
Debra Kayn's Backlist
~ Sneak Peek ~ | Wrapped Around Him —Book 1, Moroad Motorcycle Club series | Chapter One
Dedication
To my family – Wheels, our daughter, our son, our twin sons.
To my Dad (in heaven) and Mom, brothers, sister in laws, nieces, nephews, grandnephew, and grandniece.
To my grandparents (in heaven), aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Family comes in all different ways. Some by birth, some by marriage, some by adoption, some by love, and others by friendship. And, if you're lucky, by living in a great community.
Acknowledgements
Wallace, Idaho — As most of you know, Federal Idaho where my Bantorus MC series, Moroad MC series, and now my Red Light: Silver Girls series books are based is set in my hometown of Wallace, Idaho. It's wonderful to live in an area where we take pride in our colorful past, rich history, and mining. Most of all the acceptance of those we call neighbors. Thank you to Ryan Motel, Lux Rooms, Oasis Bordello Museum, Wallace Inn, Rossi Building, Shoshone County Sheriff's Department, Harvest Food, Hecla Mining, Molly B'Damn Motel and the community for adding that special touch to my books.
Prologue
~ Fourteen years ago ~
The gravel on Lot 12 in front of the single-wide trailer Nova Kinsley called home warmed her bottom. She picked up a rock and squeezed it in her hand before adding it to the growing pile between her outstretched legs. The raised voices inside the house distracted her, and she lost track of how many rocks she'd counted.
"Why are your mom and my mom yelling at each other?" whispered Shayla.
Nova shrugged, pushing her hair out of her face, and looked at her cousin. "I don't know. Probably boring adult stuff."
Aunt Jennie had braided both of their hair after a breakfast of Fruit Loops, and already hers was coming undone. Shayla's hair always stayed nice, even though her cousin was six months younger than her.
A man coughed. Nova squinted against the sun in her eyes and gazed out at Joe, her mom's boyfriend. He leaned against the bug smoking a cigarette while waiting for her mom to come back outside.
That's what her mom called her car. Bug.
The black car looked like a giant potato bug, all round and with lights for the eyes. Her cousin Nick would slug her in the shoulder every time her mom drove up to the trailer after working at the restaurant in town. Nick would laugh and run away from her when she tried to hit him back, but he was older and could run faster.
"Hey, kid. See what's keeping your mom and tell her to hurry. We need to beat the traffic." Joe flicked his cigarette in her direction.
She watched the smoke curl against the gravel from the discarded cigarette and hopped to her feet. Her mom told her to play outside, and she could tell something big was going on. Nobody said anything to her, but she heard her mom talking on the phone through her bedroom wall last night. Her mom wanted to go somewhere far away.
Nova opened the screen door slowly and peeked her head inside. Aunt Jennie and Mom stood in the kitchen. Both of their heads turned at the sound of the hinge squeaking.
"There's my baby girl." Her mom smiled. "Come here, Nova."
She hurried inside, glad she wasn't going to get in trouble. Most of the time in the trailer park the adults sent her away when they talked. She liked playing outside, and there were always kids who came over to see if she wanted to ride bikes.
"Mr. Joe wants you to hurry." Nova tilted her head. "Where are you going?"
"That's what I need to talk to you about." Her mom picked her up with a groan and set her on the counter. "You're getting to be such a big girl."
Nova touched the leather strip with the green beads dangling from her mom's ponytail and hung down her mom's chest. She stayed quiet, knowing whatever her mom had to say was important.
"Mommy's going away for a while." Her mom smiled big, and her eyes grew excited. "Joe's buying us a new home and when we get settled, I'm going to come back and get you. You'll have a bigger room and a yard to play in. Won't that be nice?"
"What about Shayla and Nick? Aunt Jennie? Do they get a new house, too?" Her stomach tightened in excitement, and she kicked her feet over the edge of the counter, banging her sneakers against the cabinet below. "Can I have a swing set?"
"You can have whatever you want, baby." Her mom laughed.
Aunt Jennie cleared her throat. "Krissy."
Her mom ignored her aunt's frown and tickled Nova's ribs. She laughed and lunged for her mom, wrapping her arms around her neck and felt her bottom leave the counter. She held on tight and giggled. Her mom rarely picked her up, because she was a big girl.
At eight years old, she had to act like a young lady. Young ladies had more rules, which she hated. She wasn't supposed to play in the ditch and catch tadpoles anymore and last year she went shirtless with all the kids in the park during the summer. Now she had to wear a shirt when all her friends rode bikes through the sprinklers because her mom said she'd get boobs soon.
She wasn't sure she wanted boobs. It wasn't fair that Nick and the other boys could take their shirts off.
"I need to go." Her mom kissed Nova's cheek, then her other cheek and not stopping, she kissed all over Nova's face making her laugh and squeeze her eyes closed. "There's all the kisses you need. One for each night I'm gone, and then I promise to come ba
ck and take you to our new home. I can't wait, Nova. It's going to be the best thing that ever happened to you."
Her mom eased her down until Nova's feet hit the floor. Nova gazed up into her mom's hazel eyes shining with happy tears. "Is Aunt Jennie babysitting me?"
"Yep. She sure is, and you will have a blast." Her mom ran her hand down Nova's hair, and her voice softened. "Aunt Jennie will help you pack your things, and you'll stay at her trailer in Shayla's room. You'll like that. It'll be like having a sister."
She clutched her hands in front of her chest. "A sleepover?"
"Lots of sleepovers." Her mom bent at the waist and kissed Nova's nose. "Now, go outside like a good girl and tell Joe I'm coming. Be nice to him and tell him thank you for buying us a new house."
"Krissy." Aunt Jennie stepped closer to her mom. "Can't you see what you're doing to her?"
Nova glanced back and forth between her aunt and her mom, too excited to wonder what was more important than getting a new bigger house with a yard. She ran out the door, letting the screen door bang shut.
Her feet flew over the gravel. "Shayla. Shayla!"
Her cousin dropped the rocks in her hand and stood up. She grabbed onto Shayla's shirt and jumped in front of her. "I'm staying at your house. We're going to share a room. Then, mom's coming back for me, and I'm going to move into a gigantic house. You can come, too. And, Nick. We can all have a sleepover, and mom said I'd have a yard we can play in. Maybe she'll buy me a new bike and a swimming pool I can blow up."
Shayla laughed and grabbed her hand. Nova stopped jumping, remembering her mom's instructions and dragged her cousin with her to talk to Joe.
"Mom's coming out." She gazed up at Joe and stepped forward to wrap her arms around his hips. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
"Hey, hey, what's that for, kid?" Joe's deep voice rattled in laughter.
She stepped back. "For buying us a new house."
Joe never hung out long in the trailer park, and she rarely talked to him. She bit her lip. Once in a while, he'd take her along on one of his dates with her mom and buy her ice cream. She had a feeling he had never met any kids her age. He never gave her piggy back rides or tickled and teased her the way some of the men at the trailer park played with her.
"You'll do okay here." Joe lit another cigarette and blew a long stream of smoke before pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. "Here, have a couple of dollars and catch the ice cream truck when it comes through."
She grinned at Shayla and shoved the money in the pocket of her shorts before anyone could see. The other kids in the park would be jealous and try to take it from her.
Nova spotted Nick riding his bike between the two trailers and ran over to tell him the good news. Her older cousin jumped off the seat and threw his bicycle to the ground, glaring at Joe. Nick never told her why he always hated Joe coming around. Maybe her news would change Nick's mind, and they could all be friends.
"I'm staying at your house while my mom and Joe buy a new house." She laughed in excitement. "Don't tell anyone, but I think when mom comes back, we'll all move. Won't that be fun?"
Nick's frown deepened. "Where's your mom, Nova?"
"Inside," she said.
Nick put his arm around Nova's shoulders. "Stay out here with me, okay?"
"Okay." She grinned. Nothing would stop her happiness, even Nick being bossy and acting like he was cooler than her because he was older and bigger.
The screen door slapped against the house, and her mom hurried outside carrying a black garbage sack at her side. Nova looked up at Nick wanting to show him that she was right. Her mom was happy and would soon be back to get them all.
"Nova, come here, baby." Her mom handed the sack to Joe and kneeled in the grassy patch in the gravel.
Nova ran to her mom and leaned into the massive hug. "I can't breathe."
Her mom kissed her again.
She wiggled. "How many nights will I sleepover with Shayla?"
"Hm, ten? Maybe twelve." Her mom laughed when Nova squealed, looking forward to spending time with her best friend.
"I love you, mommy." Her stomach cramped, knowing her mom wouldn't be there to make sure she went to bed on time or make her popcorn while she watched cartoons. Suddenly, her going away scared her. Twelve nights was a long time. Longer than she'd ever been away from her mom.
She'd felt that feeling before when she had to stay with Mrs. Donovan or at school when the teacher told her to stop talking and do her work. The scared feeling would go away after her mom came back.
"I love you so, so, so much," whispered her mom. "I need to go now, so be a good girl for your aunt, okay?"
She nodded. Her chest hurt, and she blinked trying not to cry like a baby because everyone was looking at her.
Shayla stepped up beside her and held Nova's hand. She squeezed back.
Joe shut the front of the bug and got in the car. "Let's go, Krissy."
Her mom waved and blew her a kiss. Nova stared back, unable to lift her hand or see through the tears filling her eyes. She wanted to run after her and beg to go, too. She'd be quiet and not ask where they were going. She wouldn't kick the back of the seat or sing or anything.
Nick walked up and stood on the other side of Nova and put his arm around her shoulders. "You'll be okay, Nova. Your mom is coming back for you and you've spent the night at our house lots of times before."
"I know." She sniffed.
The bug started, and her mom continued to wave out the window. Nova leaned against Nick. She wanted to go with her mom.
Two short honks of the horn and her mom left the trailer park. Nova released Shayla's hand and turned away from Nick to wipe her eyes on her shirt without her cousins noticing. Her mom would be back. She'd promised.
Chapter One
Nova Kinsley's rapid heartbeat broke through the music drifting into her room from downstairs in the Sterling Building. She slipped the thin piece of cardboard she'd ripped off a shoebox between the sliding door in her room and the sensor at the end of the wire hooked to the alarm system. A decade-old system that guaranteed no unpaying customers came into the illegal bordello via the balcony and none of the prostitutes snuck away from doing their job.
Luckily, she grew up running wild in a trailer park and knew her way out of any situation.
She held the makeshift barrier in place with one hand and grabbed the roll of Duct tape she held between her knees. Tearing a piece of tape off with her teeth, she fastened the cardboard and tested her cleverness.
The door slid open soundlessly, and her homemade contraption stayed intact. Excitement energized her, and she squeezed through the open doorway onto the balcony. She let her vision adjust to the darkness, and then checked the alley for any guards. For the last four days, she'd noticed an influx of bikers patrolling the building during the hours the Silver Girls danced downstairs.
Her contraption would allow her to re-enter her room after Tiff, the madam of Red Light, the illegal bordello on the second floor of the Sterling Building, turned on the upstairs security system at two o'clock in the morning.
Satisfied no one was outside to witness her breaking the rules Tiff had in place for all four prostitutes working in Federal for the next three months, she unhooked the fire escape and slowly let the wrought-iron ladder extend. She shook her head in disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered, double checking her back pocket where she'd stuffed a twenty-foot piece of twine.
Even if she managed to lasso the ladder from ground level, the odds of the string being too light and flimsy were high, and she'd fail to pull the automatic retractable fire escape back down. Tying the ladder to something on the ground in the down position would make one of the bikers guarding the building suspicious. Besides, the other ladies working at the bordello deserved to sleep with the security of knowing the building remained secure.
She looked over the railing of the balcony again. God, she hadn't seen her cousins in three years when t
hey moved from their hometown of Long Beach, Washington to Federal, Idaho. Tonight would only be the second time in six years she'd reconnected with them. Working for the Network kept her moving around the states constantly. She never had a choice on where she ended up.
Pushing away her worry over losing her job, her place within the Network, and any way of supporting herself if someone caught her leaving for the night, she lifted her leg and climbed down the ladder.
Four feet from the ground, she jumped. Landing on her feet, she squatted at the clank of the iron ladder retracting to the side of the balcony. She swallowed her fear of not getting back inside and sprinted toward the street. Somehow, she'd figure out how to get inside without anyone noticing.
In the late hour, the streets were quiet. There wasn't even a homeless person sleeping in the empty lot serving as a park for the townspeople. She slowed down, keeping to the alleys and out of the glow of the streetlights. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she tapped the redial button.
"Humm?" mumbled her cousin, Shayla.
"Hey, wake up." Nova glanced behind her and kept walking toward the viaduct. "I'm out, but I only have four hours before I need to get back to my room. Can you come and pick me up?"
Shayla yawned. "What time is it?"
"A little after two o'clock."
"No, I, um." Shayla exhaled loudly over the phone. "I'm can't. Do the clothes. He...yeah, in bed."
"Dammit, Shayla. You're drunk." Nova stopped and leaned against the concrete pillar. "You promised me you'd wait for me to call."
"I did." Shayla groaned.
"Listen to me closely. Do not get in your car. I don't want you driving." Nova lowered her voice. "Where's Nick?"
"Nick?" asked Shayla.
"Yes, where's your brother?" Nova paced anxiously. The opportunity to see her cousins slipping out of her grasp the longer it took her to make Shayla understand she wanted to come over now. "Give the phone to Nick."
"M'kay."
"Hurry, Shayla." Her voice echoed under the interstate above her.
Nova strained to see in the darkness. The long-haul truckers continually whizzing overhead made it impossible to hear anyone approach her on foot.