Bound by an Echo

by Virginia Johnson

  “Cyka,” he laughed. “You would do that for me? Give up on my boys after you’ve strung them along? They have both acted as love sick cykas and you would leave them to save your own skin?” Rory watched as Laurel’s chest filled with air before she slowly released it. Yuri stood in front of her, patiently waiting for the response. Rory even paused from his plight to hear it.

  She laughed. Not a little giggle, but a full belly laugh. Had she not been tied up, she surely would have doubled over. Rory felt his eyes go wide and couldn’t help but anxiously wait for what would come next. “You -” the laughter seemed uncontrollable now. She cleared her throat and sat up straight. Her eyes pierced Yuri’s. “You think I ever cared about either of them? I left here, I made something of myself, why the hell would I leave that to come back here and chase your fucking redneck kids? My life is not here. Curiosity got the better of me when they announced the carnival would reopen, so I came home. Dale helped me when my car wouldn’t start, and I lead him on so I had a place to stay AND a mechanic on hand. Then I ran into Rory, and what can I say? He deserved a good fuck after saving my life. Now my debts are paid, and my life is waiting elsewhere.” Laurel’s grin returned for just a minute before Yuri slapped it off her face.

  Rory didn’t want to believe. But she had done what he needed and his wrist were free. He hesitated before going for Yuri, he was still fit for his age and intimidating. The hesitation cost him as Dale barged through the door at that exact moment.

  “Are we done yet? I’m ready to get out of the shit hole town once and for all,” Dale exclaimed.

  “We go when I say we go.” Yuri was not a man to be rushed. “I want to wait and see the grand moment my мальчик decides to let know he’s awake.”

  He should have known the son of a bitch wouldn’t be that easy to fool. The question Yuri asked Laurel also just made sense. Yuri knew he was awake and wanted him to hear her. It didn’t matter, he knew Laurel said that because she was stalling.

  “I’m awake, old man, I’ve just been trying to decide how I will kill you. I still don’t know if Dale goes first or if I make him watch his dear ol’ daddy die, knowing there is nothing he can do to save him.” Rory didn’t even bother lifting his head, he just cut his eyes in their general direction. While he looked at his father, he missed the fist colliding with his gut. Dale sucker punched him, knocking the wind from him.

  Dale laughed and bent close to Rory’s ear. He waited until Rory had regained his breath before he made his next remark, “Is that any way to talk to not only your brother, but your best friend?” Dale walked over to Laurel and grabbed her by her hair, pulling her head back to look at him. “After all, dad isn’t the only thing we’ve shared in this room.” He leaned over and kissed Laurel’s tear stained face.

  “You son of a bitch. Don’t fucking touch her,” Rory spat. He didn’t have the advantage anymore and couldn’t risk Dale hurting Laurel while he made a move. He had to wait, and that was killing him.

  “You mean she didn’t tell you, brother. She didn’t tell you that after you fucked her, she came running to me? She told me all about it, then practically threw herself at me. That’s why it was so easy to get her here, after all, she didn’t put up much fight.” Dale stared, waiting for a response.

  Rory looked to Laurel and begged with his eyes for her to tell him that wasn’t true. That she hadn’t run into the arms of his best friend, his brother.

  “Rory, that’s not what happened. I was upset and he was there, he comforted me but nothing happened, I promise. And it was so easy to get me here because he drugged me. I would never willingly go with him. I never wanted him, it was always you and that’s why I’m here. I was the way for him to get to you, and he couldn’t handle the fact that I would never want him like I do you.” Laurel’s tears continued to seep out her eyes as she spoke.

  Rory knew she was telling the truth. Dale was trying to manipulate him, but knowing they were close enough for her to be drugged hurt nonetheless.

  “Dale, go out and see if the others are here yet,” Yuri suddenly interrupted and ordered Dale out.

  Dale looked back and forth before turning and slamming the door behind him.

  “Now мальчик, let’s get down to business. I trust your brother, although half incompetent, told you who you are. Now you have two choices; you work for me, fulfill your position with the family business, or I kill your girl here and you work for me after your trip to jail for the drugs in your bar.” Yuri held a gun to Laurel’s head and waited for his answer.

  “Let her go and I will do whatever you want. But if you hurt her, I will kill you.” An explosion outside shook the ground beneath him and cut off anything else he was saying.

  Yuri stumbled and Rory took the opportunity to act, jumping up to tackle his father. Laurel yelled, but Rory blocked her out, he had to concentrate on getting the gun from Yuri. Rory landed a punch to Yuri’s face only to have one land in his stomach in return. They fought until a gun shot went off redirecting both of their attention. Dale stood behind Laurel and once again, pointed a gun at her head. If they lived through this, he could imagine her deposition. Surviving all of those years ago, only to be drugged and hit, guns pointed at her head, and with everything, he still wanted to be the one she leaned on to get through this.

  “Dad, go. The explosion got us unwanted attention, cops are on their way. I’ll clean this mess up and take care of them. I assume by the shit I walked in on, he didn’t want to work with us any longer.” Dale watched his father stand up and directed his attention back to Rory. “Dad, go, you don’t want to be here when the cops get here.”

  Yuri looked Rory in the eyes. “You are as much of a disappointment as your mother. I thought after the day you let her die, you were my son, now I’m not sure if you were ever truly mine.” He turned his back and strolled out of the room like he didn’t have a care in the world.

  Rory felt his face heat and knew it was red with anger. “Get up!” Dale ordered.

  Rory made his way to his feet and Dale waved the gun towards the chair. “As much as I’d like to shoot you both and watch you and your little slut here bleed out, we will have to go with plan b. The cops are getting too close and I want to be far away when they get here. Lucky for you, you weren’t the only one rigging explosives tonight. This place will be the second firework display of the night.” Dale pulled out zip ties from his back pocket and put the gun in his pants while he struggled to tie Rory’s wrist.

  Laurel was silently crying now. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she began to accept her fate. “Dale, I have one question.” Rory spoke, his tone even.

  “What?” Dale asked.

  “In all these years you have never beat me in anything. Why did you think that things would be different tonight?” Rory ripped one of his wrists away before Dale could tighten the zip tie and pulled the knife from his boot.

  Dale immediately reached for his gun, but not before Rory stabbed him in the shoulder, making Dale drop the gun. Adrenaline flowing, Rory fought blow for blow with his best friend and brother. Dale grabbed the gun that had fallen to the ground between them right before Rory tackled him. It went off while they were fighting for it.

  Rory stared into the wide-eyed Dale and watched the life drain from his face. He grabbed Dale behind his head before his body hit the floor. His best friend, the brother that he never knew about until it was too late, was dying in his arms. He sat there cradling him, not letting himself believe what had just happened. He knew there was no other choice, it was him or Dale, but it didn’t make what had happened any easier to swallow.

  “Rory, Rory,” Laurel called his name. “We have to get out of here. The building is going to explode, please, Rory we have to get out of here,” she pleaded for Rory to get them out of there.

  Rory brushed his hands over his brother’s eyes, closing them forever. He laid him on the floor and reached for his knife. Wordlessly, he worked to cut through Laurel’s bind and free her. When the
material finally snapped releasing her, she jumped up and threw her arms around his neck.

  “Rory, I’m so sorry, I love you. I always have.” She squeezed him tight and uttered the words he had longed to hear from her.

  He looked down at those beautiful blue eyes of hers and kissed her hard. He pulled back breathlessly. “It’s always been you, Laurel. I love you. I love you, and that’s one echo that will never die.” He kissed her again, his hand tight around her while her hands tangled in his hair.

  Laurel pulled back. “Rory, do you smell that?”

  Rory looked around and it hit him. Dale had a backup plan. He had planned to blow the place up with them in it. “Laurel, run!” He grabbed her hand, and practically dragged her out.

  They ran and Laurel tripped, falling to her knees. Rory didn’t give her a chance to pull herself back up, he jerked her arm and pulled her back to her feet. They slammed through the doors as a bomb ripped through the building behind them, throwing them from the building. Rory laid on the ground trying to regain his bearings. Even through the rain, and smoke the sky above him was visible and as black as the hearts of his true family. This, everything from the carnival carnage years ago, his mother dying, losing Laurel, having her come back only to lose her again, was all because of his black hearted family.

  Rory looked to his left where Laurel was laid out. He crawled over to her and caressed her face, while he called her name. Her eyes fluttered open. It was the most gorgeous site he had seen.

  “We have to get out of here. Can you walk?” She nodded to Rory and he helped her stand.

  He held her close and walked around the burning building towards the parking lot. As they got closer, the smoke was replaced with flashing lights.

  “Rory Petrova, you’re under arrest.”

  Epilogue

     He stood on the porch, coffee in hand, watching the sun peak over the mountains. Since the kids were born, he relished these few silent moments that he had to himself. Today was a big day for his family. It had been twenty years since the night that had solidified his and Laurel's relationship. She had gone back to finish the movie she was working on and they did the long-distance thing for a while. It hadn’t lasted long. They had already spent too much time apart. He had made up his mind he would leave Crater and follow her wherever she went. By that time, he had put things in motion to sell The Cliff. A flustered woman with beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair walked into the bar, dragging a huge suitcase behind her. He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t stand to be apart any longer.

  Dale's body was burned beyond recognition. They never did find Yuri. He was granted immunity for his testimony against Yuri if they ever found him again.

  He and Laurel dated like a real couple for a while, and finally, he proposed. It happened two years to the day of the fateful night that brought them together, not once, but twice. They would turn a lifetime of bad memories into good ones that would also last a lifetime. He surprised her when, that same day, he told her that he purchased the land the carnival was on. She hesitated when he suggested and outdoor wedding on that property. He finally convinced her it was the only way to silence the echoes of the past. They honeymooned, and stayed honeymooners until the day she showed him the positive pregnancy test. They buckled down and got ready to welcome their baby girl. Neither one of them had a real family and they decided one or two wasn’t enough. Now four kids ran their home and he couldn’t be happier about it. Long, thin arms wrapped around him from behind and blonde hair fell over his shoulder as she rested her head on him.

  “The kids will be up soon, I was thinking about a big breakfast today. Maybe your pancakes and bacon. I’ll set the table.” She giggled behind him. He spun her around in front of him and held her close to his chest. No matter how long they had been together, he never got tired of the feeling of her in his arms. “You mean you don’t want to start another fire in the kitchen trying to make breakfast?” The both laughed, remembering the one and only time she had made him breakfast. It was definitely a Father’s Day he would never forget. “I’ll go check on the all the monster, big and little. You get going on breakfast unless you want me to try again.” She gave him a cheeky smile before trying to pull away. “Did you think it would be that easy?” He bent down and kissed her. It was a long, hard, passionate kiss. His feelings for her grew every day.

  When he finally pulled back, she was breathless with flushed cheeks. She reached up, taking his face in her hands and kissed him again. She nipped his bottom lip and pulled back. He was memorized by her eyes, they had always reminded him of the ocean. She headed for the door, and he pretended not to see the extra swing of her hips. He turned back to his view, the sun now well above the mountains they called home. His cell phone vibrated in his pocket, and without bothering to see who it was, he answered it.

  “Mic, you know what today is and I don’t care who called out I’m not coming in.” Today was the day he always spent with his family.

     “Don’t you miss dear ol' dad, мальчик?” He laughed, that laugh that was burned into Rory’s memory, was suddenly back. “I think it’s time to let the kids meet дедушка.’’

  About the authors

  *author bios submitted by fans*

  Virginia~

  By Lynn Johnson

  Meet Virginia Johnson! Virginia is a courageous woman who spent most of her childhood living with a small pygmy tribe of flying glittery tacos. When she isn’t leaping over rainbows and eating pretty red mushrooms, you could always find her exploring. As she got older, she left her tribe of tacos to explore life abroad. After meeting some interesting individuals along the way, she met a handsome young goat herder named Oliver and decided to return home to her taco tribe. Upon her return, she found out the Taco King, Juan Pablo Cortex had passed away in a freak accident. (Someone really took a bite out of him) In his place was her best friend, Burrito Benny! She was so happy, she took Oliver to eat some of her favorite snack, red mushrooms. Soon after, Oliver and Virginia were married. What a party! Lettuce got shredded, Cheese was grated out of his mind, Tomato was jamming out on the vines, and boy oh boy Salsa and Sour Cream hooked up! I swear they mixed together well. Now Virginia and Oliver live on the edge of town with their 3 beautiful children, Chalupa, Quesadilla, and Empanada! Oliver is working as a counselor for taco victims, and Virginia has become a successful writer.

  By Brianna West

  Virginia Johnson is pretty sure she's better than you. Actually, she wrote a damn book about being better than you. Her ass is not sponsored, but it should be--it's that hot. When she got out of her shit hometown to see the world, the entire city followed, because, let's face it, she's the only reason any of them stayed. After spending years on the road turning the heads of every major celebrity within a five hundred-mile radius, she made her home...well, in the only city that could handle her. She started an instagramthat is now followed by the world just for shits and giggles, and now spends her days being better than you and your friends and your friends' friends, drinking expensive alcohol you couldn't even begin to afford, laughing...actually, cackling at the hopeless people beneath her. What does she really do? Who the hell knows, but it doesn't matter, because Virginia doesn't need to explain herself to you...obviously.

  About the author

  There have been many questions about who these authors are, so when we couldn't get to the bottom of their story, we went to the next best thing- the fans! This is the story of who I am - told by some of those closest to me.

  By Jolene Huber and Lisa Seleska

  Julia~

  Julia Clare was born and raised in an area of the USA where people talk funny. Instead of saying ours she says airs. And when she says water it sounds a bit different also. You would think living in Chesterfield UK would change her accent but she still sounds like a little southern belle. She is a mom to 2 wonderful boys, During the day she is climbing the corporate latter at Amazon at night she is a erotic killer. She and Virginia John
son work together at writing "killer" stories for all of us. She is also a PA. She is an owner of Digital Dirty Girls book blog and also, a graphics page called Star & Skull Graphics. In her spare time, she rescues small dogs from mean people.

  Julia Clare is the spawn of Satan. She literally has horns growing out of her head. She is just as evil as her father if not more so. She doesn’t need to work but chooses to do so as a customer service rep at Wal-Mart just to give herself pleasure when the customers are rude.

  When she is not working, she enjoys hanging out at Wal-Mart just to people watch. She is the one that films those video “The people of Wal-Mart” Julia wreaks havoc wherever she goes, she once told an old lady she was the grim reaper and was ready to take her soul home to her dead husband who was awaiting her at the pearly gates. This got her fired but that didn’t deter our little devil no, she moved on to Shopko for some more fun days as a customer service rep.

  Sneek Peek at Seraphine’s

  Seraphine’s

  By Virginia Johnson and Julia Clare

  Prologue

  Seraphine

  The bell over her door rang as two doe eyed girls walked in. They stopped, looking around at the peeling wallpaper and stained carpet. The dank, musty smell made them wrinkle their noses, and they wondered about the source. Kyle, a regular here, put a hand on each of their backs and lightly pushed them through the door. Seraphine's smirk grew into a full smile. He always came in with two barely legal girls, always a blonde and a redhead. She already had his key in hand, as he always asked for the same room. No bed, concrete floor covered in plastic instead of carpet, and the only furniture in the room was an armoire filled with the specific tools he would require tonight.