by Kayn, Debra
So far, her message went without a reply.
Thankful that a stroke of good luck came an hour ago when Slade informed her he had to go on a ride tomorrow morning to meet with the Lagsturns Motorcycle Club. She'd have just enough time to ask Janice to come over and stay with the kids while she walked to the corner of the block to give Ray the money she promised him.
Luckily, Slade gave her a ride to the bank earlier without any questions. Then he'd sat in the lobby while she walked to the teller and asked to have privacy to talk with the manager. Slade hadn't suspected a thing, because she told him she wanted to get the loan papers on her house to look over before she talked to a property manager. She did get the papers, but he hadn't found out about the money she'd withdrawn.
Tori joined Taylor and Ginger at the table. "Kurt finally fell asleep. He always has his head in the clouds, doesn't he?"
"Yeah. He's a smart kid, always thinking and planning." Taylor smiled. "He does real well in school too, but he shrugs it all off as if it's nothing special. He's so much like Slade. Lee's more carefree and always trying to make others laugh but every once in a while, Lee will raise his brows and deadpan, and I can see Slade as a little boy, always looking for trouble.
"They're good kids." Tori reached over and squeezed Taylor's hand. "How are you holding up?"
"Okay, I guess." She shrugged. "The ride tomorrow makes me nervous with the uncertainty of why Los Li targeted Bantorus."
"I know." Tori leaned against the table. "Once it's over though, the guys will straighten everything out and everyone will be able to relax."
"Maybe," she said.
Ginger joined the conversation. "Is something else going on?"
Taylor shook her head. "It's probably all the changes lately. I feel like Slade and I've grown apart in a lot of ways rather than closer since I moved in with him. I understand a lot has happened, I just miss that time when we crammed everything into a couple hours, because we knew our time together was short."
Ginger laughed and sat back against the chair again. "Honey, it's all about sex with bikers. You feel like you're the only thing in their world when his cock is between your legs, and feel lost when he's gone. I do the same thing, but I can't make money spreading my legs. I've got to work."
"Technically, you could make money…" Tori grinned.
Ginger rubbed her hands together. "True, and if I wanted to be a bitch, I would. Bikers do love when I blow—"
Taylor kicked her lightly under the table. "I really don't need to hear about your sex life. You bring up Slade's name, and I don’t care if it was in the past, I'll beat your ass right here in front of everyone."
"Chick fight." Tori slapped the table. "I want to hear Ginger's stories."
"Get out. You know she's probably had Rain too…before you rode into town with your fancy coffee shack." Taylor waved her hands in the air. "Don't you need to go feed Lilly or something?"
Tori pointed across the room. Rain held a sleeping Lilly up on his shoulder. Taylor sighed. Lilly's daddy paid no attention to the other men; he was all about rocking back and forth on his boots, his hand rubbing circles on his daughter's back.
"You are so lucky," Taylor whispered. "Sometimes I look at Rain and can't believe he's living the life right now, and other times I know he's doing exactly what he's always wanted."
Tori stood and smiled at the girls at the table, yet her gaze locked onto her husband and daughter. "I do the same thing, and can't imagine being anywhere else."
Slade approached the table, acknowledged the other women, and held out his hand for Taylor. She clasped his hand and let him lead her toward the hallway.
He stopped before they got to the room with the kids. "We need to talk."
She should've known Slade would find out about her closing out her savings. She pressed her free hand to her upper chest. Ray demanded every penny she'd saved. Pitnam was a small-town. Bantorus MC had people in almost every business—even the ones Rain didn't own. She bit down on her bottom lip and nodded. Bantorus members demanded to know everything, and she wasn't surprised Slade found out what she had done.
"There's a rumor going around that Los Li want to widen their territory," he said.
Shocked he wasn't talking about her deal with Ray, she blinked up at him. "What?"
"Los Li struck a deal with the Mexican Mafia to run California, while they regroup after losing their leader. Club Eleven have merged both charters up north and brought in Los Li to run them. They own Seattle. That puts Bantorus—"
"Right in the middle of their territory." She rocked back a step and leaned against the walls. "This is bad. Really bad."
"Yeah." He stepped over and stood beside her, both of them holding up the wall. "That explains the drive-by. It wasn't you or me they were gunning for. They want to lessen the number of Bantorus members. They want to show us that we're weak, and can come in and wipe us out. All of us have a target on our back."
His news only confirmed her worries, and added even more. If everyone's safety were at risk, the citizens of Pitnam would feel the danger invading their town. Bantorus MC protected the citizens and wouldn't back down. They couldn't escape not becoming involved with Los Li.
"Does this have to do with Raul leaving the Lagsturns MC and becoming a Bantorus member?" She looked up at Slade.
Slade's chest expanded and he blew out a lungful of air. "We'll find out tomorrow when we meet with the president of the Lagsturns. Raul's going with us, because we have a war at our door. That doesn't mean tomorrow will go down easy. The Lagsturns have an agreement in blood not to retaliate against Raul, but he's not to face them again. We're going against the code, and seeing if we can get Lagsturns onboard. We need more men, and we need more men wearing our colors."
"Holy shit," she muttered. "And Crystal? Is she safe?"
Slade finally turned to her. "She'll be staying with you tomorrow. We can't put her with Tori, because of Rain's position."
She pushed off the wall and faced Slade. "No. Absolutely not. I won't allow the boys to deal with any more danger in their lives."
Slade hooked her neck, dragged her to his chest, and breathed. His heart pounded against her cheek, and her own rapid breath matched his. She'd protect those kids as if they were her own, and even go against Slade's wishes if she had to.
"I already called Janice earlier. She's going to keep the boys at her house. We'll take them over there tonight when it's dark. No one will know they're there, except us." Slade lowered his voice. "Thanks for looking out for my boys, baby girl. It's not your job but right now, I need your help."
"Of course." She hated that he thought she was doing a favor. "I love them, you know. I've watched them grow up. It's not like they only recently stepped into my life."
He nodded. "I'll bring the truck around to the back. Go ahead and wake up the boys, and wait for me inside. I'll come in and escort you out."
She took his kiss and held him in front of her. She molded her hand on his roughened cheek. "Be careful."
"Always." He kissed her again, and walked away.
She gave her head a little shake, trying to snap out the craziness threatening to make her go insane. Before walking into the Cactus Cove all those years ago, she'd never heard of motorcycle clubs, territories, crazy ex-wives—okay, she heard about them, but not ex-wife's with a new husband who blackmailed children and wiped out other people's savings accounts.
Despite the anxiety over their future and Slade's run tomorrow, one thing was clear. She'd have no problems getting the money to Ray, because the boys would be safe and away from her. Now she only had to think of a way to get around Crystal. She walked down the hall. The woman was smart, but she didn't have her family's happiness at risk. She'd think of some way to get out of the house and get the money to Ray.
Chapter Twenty Two
Taylor glanced at Crystal. Her big plan to sneak out of the house was hampered by Crystal deciding she was going to help paint Slade's bathroom with her instead of
taking the offer to use the squeaky bed to go back to sleep for a few hours after the late night meeting. In ten minutes, Ray would be waiting at the corner of the block for his money.
Even pretending to be busy and wanting to paint the room herself, as a surprise for Slade when he arrived home, only seemed to encourage Crystal to attach herself to Taylor's hip all morning. She studied the one completely painted wall. To top off her string of bad luck, the bathroom looked hideous. The half of a gallon of gray paint she'd mixed together with a quart of warm tan color had morphed into the color pink.
Not hot Harley Davidson pink that'd go wonderful with black rugs but a pink, the color of a sun-faded dyed Easter egg found in the yard from last year.
"Maybe he won't notice." Crystal held the paintbrush out to her side. "I mean, it's not that bad."
"We're talking about Slade, right?" Taylor wrinkled her nose. "If the pinks not on me, he avoids any shade of the color by walking ten feet around it, just to be safe. It's his kryptonite."
"We could always stop painting, and that way you only have to match the old color and paint over the one wall," Crystal said.
"Absolutely not." Taylor handed her the bucket. "Keep painting. I'll go search the garage and maybe I'll get lucky and find another color we can mix in. Besides, pink is better than not having a good cover on the walls. I don't think anyone has painted in here for the last fifty years. When I scrubbed above the sink a few days ago, I took the paint with it. It's not sanitary with kids."
"Okay, but it's your craziness you're creating. If Slade asks, I had nothing to do with the new color." Crystal dipped the brush in the paint.
Taylor stepped to the door. "Just keep painting. I'll go look for more paint."
She hurried out of the room, grabbed her purse where she'd stored the money and walked into the garage. Next to the truck parked inside, she stopped, unable to catch her breath. She leaned over and forced herself to calm down. Everything was going okay.
Slade would never have gotten inside her purse out of respect for her privacy—or fear of touching any girly products, so he had no idea she'd stuffed a large envelope full of one hundred dollar bills totally twenty-fucking-grand in the bottom yesterday. Crystal was painting and fully occupied for the moment. The boys sat next door, safe and probably watching cartoons, oblivious to what was going on in the outside world. Los Li hadn't shown up again and as far as she knew, they were in Seattle.
"Oh my God, what am I doing?" She hit the palm of her hand on the hood of the truck, knocking the common sense out of her. "I love him. That's what I'm doing. I'm keeping everyone happy. The boys want to be with their dad, and Slade needs his kids."
She straightened, pushing away all her negative thoughts. Deep down, she was doing this for Slade and the boys. She unlocked the side garage door and slipped outside. Most of all, she was doing it for herself. She couldn't lose her new family.
Thankful for the early hour and it being a Saturday, most of the houses along the street had their curtains closed. She walked at a brisk pace, eyes straight ahead and looking for Ray skulking around. She couldn't even remember what kind of car he drove, but it was probably some beat-up cage with a billowing exhaust.
In front of Janice's house, she hurried in case the kids' babysitter spotted her through the window. A block later, she stopped on the corner, surprised when Ray didn't jump out at her. She checked her phone. She was two minutes early.
"Come on, come on," she whispered, looking up and down both sides of the street.
A red Pontiac pulled around the corner and slowed down. She clutched her purse with both hands. Paranoia ate away at her. She was stupid to carry all her money in her purse and come alone, but she didn't know Crystal well enough to trust her with a secret. She'd be loyal to Raul, who would in turn tell Slade, because of the MC rule.
The car veered over to the curb and coasted to her. A few seconds later, the passenger side window went down and she spotted Ray leaning over the seat looking at her.
"You better have the money, or I'll drive on and pull into Slade's driveway. Hell, I'll take the kids too, considering we'd get them back anyway." Ray's gaze went from her, the rearview mirror, to the street.
"I've got it, but this is all I have to my name." She unzipped her purse. "You don't bother Slade again, and don't talk to the lawyer about the kids either."
"Yeah, yeah, just hand over the money." He held his hand out in the opened window.
She stepped forward and handed him the envelope. "Here. It's all there. Do not turn Slade in for having his kids."
Ray ripped open the side of the envelope, thumbed through the bills. "You better hope it's all there."
"You better hope Slade never finds out," she said, wanting Ray to know she was serious and not messing around.
"Nice doing business with you." Ray shifted the car into drive, and sped away.
Wanting to go back inside the house and forget she ever sunk to the level of dealing with Ray, she headed home. Guilt and second guesses dirtied her thoughts. Disgusted and paranoid, she was halfway home before she realized the neighbors to the left of Slade's house were pulling out of their driveway. She shook her hair, pulling it forward, and dipped her chin, hoping her hair would cover her face.
When the car passed her, she looked up and found herself at the end of the driveway. Her cell phone rang, and she dug in her pocket. She read the screen and panicked. It was Slade.
She ran to the garage, opened the door, and slipped inside as she pushed the talk button. "Hey, honey."
"Everything okay at the house?" Slade asked.
"Yeah. I-I'm out in the garage looking for some paint." She kicked out at the rake leaning against the wall. The yard tool clattered to the cement floor.
"There's two buckets under the workbench—he paused—what do you need paint for?"
She forced a laugh. "Um, just touching up the bathroom."
There was a lengthy moment of no reply, and then he said, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Absolutely. How are you?" She swayed back and forth, wanting to throw the phone or confess her sins, and instead she reached up and fisted her hand in her hair, ready to pull each strand out by the roots.
"Walking into the meeting right now. I'll talk to you before we start the ride home."
"Okay." She inhaled. "Ride safe."
"Right." Slade lowered his voice and said, "Bye."
"Bye." She disconnected the call and caught herself before she stumbled on the rake.
The garage door going into the house opened and Crystal stepped out. "What's taking you so long?"
She held up her phone. "Sorry. Slade called, and he kept talking. Then I confessed to us painting on the bathroom."
"Oh." Crystal looked around the garage, bringing her gaze back to Taylor. "So, did you find any more paint?"
She slapped her hand on her forehead. "No. We'll have to go with pink. Why don't you take a break, and I'll finish the rest."
Taylor followed Crystal back into the house. She had to stay busy or go insane. Her transgressions were piling up and suffocating her. By tonight, she'd know if Slade suspected a thing, and have her family back under the same roof. All she had to do is not have a heart attack while she waited.
Chapter Twenty Three
In all of Slade's time as a Bantorus Motorcycle Club member, he'd never witnessed the type of eschewed rejection the Lagsturns displayed toward Raul, the former Lagsturns president. Slade sat at the table in the back of a tavern by the name of Red Shots and watched the proceedings. Each member of the Bantorus crew that rode today sat at the table, except for Raul who stood in the corner, his face angled away from any Lagsturns member.
Surprisingly enough, Raul accepted the odd shunning and understood that if he acknowledged any member, Lagsturns would shot him in the back. Slade shifted in his chair, uncomfortable with the risks. Bantorus rules stated any member leaving the club would be stripped of their tat and forced to leave the territory or worse, taken out if
the crime for banishment went against the Bantorus MC.
So far, they'd never had to take someone out. Bantorus members were loyal for life.
"We've voted and came back split," Duck, the current president of the Lagsturns, said.
Duck's firm mouth and stiff body language disappointed Slade. He'd hoped the Lagsturns would ride with Bantorus for their fight against Los Li. A split vote put too many men out on the road with their own plan and independent opinion, and he couldn't trust any of them. Bantorus needed one-hundred percent solidarity for this run.
"What happens when Los Li tries to route through Northern Cali? Are you giving them permission to poach on your turf? Are you going to let them take your women? Hurt your families?" Rain leaned back in the chair. His vest and colors clearly marked which side he represented.
"I didn't say that." Duck looked down the left side of the table to his men. "Members have agreed I can make the final decision in the chance of a split vote. We've lost two men in the last six weeks to Los Li. Our members got greedy and stupid. I don't sit back and let shit happen to my club or let my men fuck up."
Slade straightened in his chair. He respected Duck's stance. Club comes first. Decisions came out of respect for the MC community and loyalty, or the brotherhood fell apart faster than road rash healed.
"Understood," Rain said. "Bantorus MC will accept whatever you decide."
Duck studied every man at the table, blatantly ignoring Raul in the room. "We'll ride with Bantorus…for the brotherhood."
"Only rule, you don't bring the powder into my town. No dope." Rain thumped two fingers against the table. "Don't touch the women."
"Even your bitches?" Duck asked.
Rain nodded. "Every single one of our women, and the female citizens in Pitnam too."
"That's a damn cold ride, brother. My members are going to need something to see them through their stay. We don't know how long this ride will take." Duck looked at his men before gazing at Rain again, and asked, "Weed?"
Rain shrugged. "It's Washington. Grass is legal."
"Okay then. We ride." Duck's lips softened and he leaned across the table, shook Rain's hand, and then motioned for his men to leave the room.