For Her Honor (20 page)

If anyone knew Taz inside
and
out it was his own mother. And the serious look on her face told Karen she wasn’t exaggerating.

~~~***~~~

Vic and Doug entered the clubhouse to find the rest of the men huddled around Wes in his office. “Kaffeeklatsch, gentlemen?”

Taz popped his head up, looking over to Aero
, who replied. “Theory discussion.”

“Do I have to go steal the psychic’s
crystal ball or are one of you gonna fill me in?”

“We t
hink Mallory had something to do with the fire.”

“Who?” Doug asked.

“James Mallory,” Ben replied. “Long time supplier at the mill. Charles has been testing out new loggers. Pissed him off.”

Vic’s eyes cased his men.
“You got proof?”

“I got the deceased’s cell,” Wes said, holding it up.

Doug groaned. “How the hell did you…….?”

“I don’t wanna know,”
Vic quickly cut off, shaking his head at Wes. “Please tell me the cops don’t know this.”

Wes shook his head. “They
don’t.”

“Good.
Got something for you to do while you wait.” Vic pulled out a piece of paper and slapped it on the desk. “That’s the best the Hogs could get. Whoever burned that white truck knew where all the VINs were hidden.”

Knowing cars well himsel
f, Taz scooped up the paper. “There’s supposed to be seventeen characters. There’s three missin’.”

“Like I said, it’s all they could get
, so,” Vic slapped Wes on the back, “work the different scenarios.” He turned to Aero. “And place a call to Conti – let him know we’re making progress.”

Wes’ eyes bulged.
“You know how many there could be?”

“Ten numbers, twenty
-six letters – I’m guessing a lot.”

“Shit.”

Doug clapped the kid on the shoulders. “Prove your worth, young brother. I’m gettin’ a beer.”

“Join ya,” Aero said, Tanner eventually following.

Taz leaned over to Wes. “Were you able to get that other thing done?”

Wes nodded.
“Visitors need to apply for approval prior to visit, but I made a call. Hogs’ IO knows someone who takes care of the applications. Pulled some strings and got Karen on as a ‘special’ guest for this Saturday. She should be good to go. Here,” he pulled something out of the printer, “list of visitor guidelines from the website.”

“Thanks, bro.”
Stuffing the paper inside his cut, Taz looked up at Vic and Ben, who still remained. “Need to talk to both of you.” The three men backed out of Wes’ office. “Need some off-club time this Saturday, Vic.”

Vic cracked a smirk
. “Little lady dragging you shopping?”

“Nope.
Ohio State Pen to visit her ex.”

Not much surprised the sixty
-year-old MC President. This did. “Not the answer I was expecting.”

“Why?” Ben asked.

Taz explained before coming to his second point. “Think you can hook me up with a piece for her?”

Big Ben shrugged.
“Sure. Can get what I got Eva for the store.”

“This sounds….,” Vic paused, looking for the right word, “serious.”

“That’s what I’m tryin’ to avoid.”

“Not that.
You. Her. Giving up your air conditioner is one thing. Bringing her to visit her ex in prison?” Vic let that dangle a bit. “That’s grounds for picking out baby names.”

Taz screwed his face up, taking the poking in stride.
“So…?”

“I suppose.
Gonna take the kid a while to match that VIN. Stay available by phone.”

Vic walked off, leaving Taz alone with Ben.
“What?”

Big Ben
grinned and shook his head. “You’re in, bro. You know that. Don’t matter how many bitches you fuck. All it takes is one to shake her tail just right and lead you over the edge.”

“You make it sound bad.”

Ben looked as if was rethinking the last few months of his life, which Taz was well aware of. From having to execute his own sister to announcing he was going to be a father, Taz still had a hard time fathoming how the club’s enforcer maintained those two personas separately. “No way. My ol’ lady and that little sprout inside her – can’t imagine life without ‘em now.”

Taz watched Ben walk away, that huge, mountain of a man brought to his proverbial knees by a woman.
Not just any woman. The
right
woman. He’d known it was possible – he’d just been very proficient at avoiding it. But something pulled inside of him that very moment, a male need beyond the carnal one he indulged in. The need to protect and keep safe. To claim something that belonged to him only.

To have something you can’t imagine life without.
To love.

Taz wasn’t just over the edge.
He’d crashed bottom.

Chapter Nineteen

Saturday arrived, sunny and dry.
Karen had put up a hell of a fight, and she’d finally gotten Taz to agree to take her ten-year-old Focus rather than show up at a state penitentiary on his bike. She had something planned to do afterwards if they had time, and it was a bit of a drive. Her virgin biker ass wouldn’t make the long trip riding bitch, as Taz so lovingly called it.

With an hour’s ride into Youngstown
, they left around ten – stopping at a pancake house over the Ohio border for a quick breakfast before heading on up. A good majority of the way, Taz hammered the prison protocol into her. If anything, it kept her nerves at bay.

Because Karen was the only
one authorized, Taz waited outside. She saw the flare in those black eyes at the idea of her going in there alone, but there was nothing he could do. Ohio State Pen was considered a super-max prison, but had various security levels. Preston was a security level 1. After walking through two gates, she entered the main door and signed in with a man behind the desk before going through a metal detector. She’d dressed carefully and conservatively that morning in black dress pants, a green blouse and her Louboutins. She was devoid of any jewelry, belts or anything which may trigger the detector.

With only her keys and driver’s license
, she was led to an elevator which took her to the fourth floor visitor’s area. It was a large open space where a CO was waiting behind a desk to escort her into the room for a ‘glass only’ visit. A large metal door with a small window and no handle was closed and locked behind her. Preston had already been there waiting on the other side of the glass, looking quite surprised to see her. Naturally lean in stature, with chiseled, handsome features, he looked a bit more gaunt and angular. His head of thick, dark hair had been cut very close, and he sported a good amount of facial stubble. This wasn’t the dapper, well-dressed, perfectly coiffed Preston Vine she remembered. He looked completely despondent and…..humiliated.

Karen sat down, the glass separating them having vented sides in order for them to hear each other.
“How are you?”

Dumbfounded, Preston sat there shaking his head back and forth.
“Karen, what are you doing here? After everything we went through to keep you out of this.”

“
I have a lot to say, Preston. I had to do this. I needed to do this.”

“Do what?”

She took a shuddered breath. “Tell you I’m sorry.”

He blew out a laugh then lowered his head, slowly lifting his eyes at her.
“Sorry? Sorry for what?”

“For b
ailing on you. It was all my family wanting to keep me segregated. I….I shouldn’t have listened. I should’ve at least seen you. Talked to you. Even to ask you why the hell you did this.”

Preston shook his head in shame.
“Because I could. I did it because I could.”

“That’s not a good enough answer, Preston.”

“It’s the only one I have. Temptation, Karen. Plain and simple. My family’s not on the same social rung as yours. Meeting you made me want that.”

“Want
what
, Preston? Why do you think I did my own thing while my sister chose to be taken care of? I’m so glad my dad never got sucked into it. He’s the only one who kept me grounded while my mother played the part. It’s not what it’s cracked up to be, Preston. And look where it got you.”

“I know.”
His voice was so low she could barely hear him through the vent. “I’m the one who’s sorry, Karen. Really.” He then took a deep breath and looked at her, his blue eyes dull. “How are you doing?”

“Good.
Better. I moved.”

“Where?
Why?”

“Sam suggested it.
To get away from it all. But,” she thought of the biker waiting for her, “I don’t know if I’ll go back. I like it where I am, even though I left for the wrong reason. I let my family talk me into running. Just like I ran while you were going through this, no matter how at fault you were. We were going to be married, Preston. I shouldn’t have skipped out on you. For that, I’m sorry. But I’m also concerned.”

“About what?”

“Look, my attorney worked wonders to keep my name out of the media. And I know he worked a deal with yours to not get me subpoenaed. The only people who knew we were connected were in our own circle. Still, someone could find a way to connect me to you, maybe someone you stole from.”

Preston gave her a wary look.
“What are you asking, Karen?”

She took a big, deep breath.
“Names.”

He s
hook his head. “I can’t. All the evidence is locked, and I’m under a gag order.”

“Preston, please.
Something. Anything.” She didn’t want to play the next card, but she was desperate. “You owe me that much, at least. I had to sell my life to pay my lawyer. At least tell me how many?”

“Seven.
Seven clients.” He held his head in his hands, tossing it back and forth. He was contemplating something, and Karen felt hopeful. Looking at the clock, he folded his hands on the table. “How’s your memory?”

“Pretty good.”

“Good enough to remember a complicated username and password?”

He was going to give her something that could help her.
With the visitor restrictions, paper and writing instruments weren’t allowed. “How complicated?”

He told her what they were
, and she blew out a breath. “Uh….wow, okay.
Bluewaterlife
for a username?”

“Was thinking of a nice, tropical island – you know, maybe for a honey
moon.” Her eyes fell, though she saw peripherally that he’d put a hand up to the glass. “I know you weren’t in love with me, Karen. You kept your job, your condo – you still wanted your independence. I felt it, but I thought maybe it would’ve changed.”

She swallowed a big lump in her throat.
“Preston, I’m so sorry.”

“Never
mind. Now, the password. It’s a little more confusing. Just remember
– ate a little ham hock, zero mayo, no onions, small roll, okay?

“What?” She laughed.

“Listen, Karen.
8AhH0MNOrO? Those are the characters represented in that sentence. Small or little represent lower case. The rest are upper. That’s the password. Now…..here’s the website.” He gave her a domain name. “Online file storage. I had paid up for the year – under a dummy company name. Those are the log-in credentials. I stored some reports in there, including a client list. Everything’s encrypted, though. You may need a computer geek.”

Karen was sure Wes could help.
“Okay.”

A door behind him opened.
It was a guard coming to get him, as his time was up. “It’s the best I can do without saying anything. Rest is up to you.”

The guard stood next to him as he pushed his chair back.
They both stood up together and for the first time since this entire mess, Karen actually felt a bit of respect for Preston. She lightly touched the glass. “Thank you.”

Preston was about to be led away before he leaned in towards the vent.
“I’m glad you didn’t turn out like that sister of yours. You’ll survive, Karen. Whatever it is, you’ll survive.”

She stood there for several moments until he was completely out of sight.
With that silly phrase on a continual loop in her head, she tapped on the metal door, wanting out. Wanting to survive. Wanting Taz.

~~~***~~~

If Taz smoked, he would’ve gone through an entire pack waiting for Karen. His cut was lying across the backseat, as he didn’t wear it in a cage, and the guarded parking lot kept him from putting it on. Wearing club colors could be frowned upon – even outside the prison walls. He felt completely exposed in just a dark-blue t-shirt. Even his ink didn’t provide the protection he felt when that skull patch was on his back. Still, he didn’t want to stir up any shit for Karen’s sake. For a woman. The right woman.

Fucking hell.

“Taz!”

Lost in his thoughts, he turned and saw her in the distance, walking towards the lot from the outer gate.
The way the sun brought out those dark red highlights in her hair, the way her hips moved under those pants and those little tits protruded just so from that shimmery blouse. Shit, one glance at her from beyond the walls would cause a rush of jerking off. She was
that
fucking beautiful.

He found himself pushing away from the car and meeting her halfway.
It wasn’t fast enough, and he broke into a jog, a smile crossing his lips when she did the same. Their bodies collided, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist as hers looped around his neck. He didn’t care what kind of scene they were putting on in the middle of a prison parking lot. He didn’t want to let her go, and his lips caught hers. Her shampoo, the heat of the sun, the scent of the breeze, it all intoxicated him at once. Finally, he pulled away. His hands stroked her hair as he took in her beautiful face. “How’d it go?”

“L
et’s get in the car.” She pulled him by the hand. “I have to write something down while I remember it.”

Once inside, she reached for her purse to retrieve a pen and something to write
on. “What’s that, sweetheart?”

She told him what
Preston had said and the information he’d given her. “Think Wes can retrieve it?”

“
I think so.” The poor kid was going to overheat from all the investigative work being dumped on him. “Anything else?”

She shook her head.
“Said what I had to.”

“And?”

Those eyes dug into his. Damn, this woman. “And I’m ready to move on.”

He lifted her han
d and kissed it. “Where to?”

“You up for a bit of a drive?”

~~~***~~~

Akron was almost another
hour west, where Karen’s dad was attending a tax law seminar for the weekend. Taz had barely blinked when she had asked. She needed to see her dad. It was important to her.
She
was important to him. He had the day blocked off and squared away with the club, so he could spend the day with his lady.

His lady.

His ol’ lady.

What the……..?

“I think that’s it.”

Karen pointed to the Sheraton Hotel
. It was mainly brick, with wrought iron balconies which overlooked the Cuyahoga Falls. After pulling in and parking, Taz opened the back door, retrieving his cut off the backseat. He’d gone too long without it and felt stripped, watching Karen’s face as he shrugged it on. He didn’t care for any uppity tax seminar or stares from guests. This was who he was. What he would always be until he died. And this woman needed to understand that. “Sorry, sweetheart. It goes where I go.”

She walked around the back of the car to face him, gently putting the flat of her palm over his heart where the rectangular
Mountain Skulls
patch was sewn. “It’s who you are on the outside.”

Her response caught him off guard.
Pleasantly surprised, he took her hand and, again, kissed it. He was a tough guy, but he was all about knowing what made the ladies tingle and tick. He nodded then led her inside. “Where to?”

“The Vaughn Boardroom.”
She checked the directory. “It’s on the first floor. This way.” She had reached for his hand. He liked that. It told him she didn’t care what passing people thought of a girl like her with a guy like him. Wanting him with her, wanting to touch him, to hold him, to throw herself into his arms after visiting her ex in prison pretty much spelled out the fact she was
with
him. No, they were way past that point. If he’d gone over the edge, he was taking her right along with him.

They found the double doors to the meeting room and waited ten minutes until break time.
They stepped back when the doors opened and attendees spilled out. Only then did Karen let go of his hand and step forward, searching every male face until he saw that look of recognition on hers. She smiled – wide and beautiful. “Dad!”

As if Ed Hanson could pick out his daughter’s voice in a crowd, he turned in the direction of it. He reciprocated with
a smile that matched hers and pushed through the crowd of attendees to get to her. “Karen.”

Taz stood back against the wall
, watching father and daughter fiercely hug. Ed Hanson was a tall man, with dashing looks and a lean, fit build. Karen had mentioned he played tennis faithfully and had a nice tan to prove it. He was dressed casually, but sharply in a dark suit jacket, matching pants and an open-collared white shirt. Taz estimated him to be somewhere between Elle and Vic’s age just as he realized he referred to a guy as ‘dashing’.

“Dad.” Karen held onto her dad’s neck a little while longer before pulling away.
“I’m so glad I caught you.”

“I didn’t think you’d
actually come here,” Ed replied. “It’s almost a two hour ride just to see me for a few minutes.”

“I was, uh, a little closer than you think,” K
aren replied sheepishly. “I just came from seeing Preston.”