Out of the Storm (22 page)

“Well the boys sent a rather nice wad of cash with me with very specific instructions that we are to spend it all on you today.  So, you need to think about where you’d like to go or I’m going to decide.”  The wicked grin Lilly gave her made Tobi laugh out loud. 

“Oh Lord, I can only imagine what you might think up.  I guess we could hit Walmart, I could use some shampoo and my jeans are pretty ratty.”

Lilly looked at her and frowned.  “If we take this much cash into Walmart we’ll have to rent a truck to get all the stuff home.  Nope, this kind of shopping calls for boutiques, Tobi.  I think I know just the place to start.”  Tobi watched as Lilly wove in and out of traffic like a Formula 500 driver and almost as fast. 
Cripes, the woman drives like a demon.  Wonder if her husbands ever let her drive.
“You know, you’ll get a cramp in your hand if you don’t lighten up on that door handle.  And don’t worry, you’ll get used to my driving soon enough.”  Personally, Tobi wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t want to distract Lilly from avoiding cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists as they raced down the street. 

The two of them spent the next several hours spending obscene amounts of money on a variety of clothing Tobi was convinced she didn’t need.  Even though she’d agreed to continue working at Prairie Winds and that was going to mean she had to at least walk through the club’s main room, she still wasn’t planning to play there ever again so club wear seemed a huge waste of money to her. 

While they were enjoying a late lunch Tobi’s phone rang.  Digging it out of her bag, she glanced at the screen and groaned when she saw her brother’s name.  “Hi Richard, what’s up?”  Lilly could obviously hear her brother’s ranting and raving because her expression had quickly changed from relaxed interest to incredibly annoyed in less than thirty seconds.  Tobi tried to calm her brother down but wasn’t having much luck when he suddenly hung up.  Looking at the phone and shrugging her shoulders, she dropped it back in her purse.  “Well, that was odd. He usually just sends me nasti-grams or demands that I meet him at his place so he can rage at me in person when he doesn’t think I’m living up to his public image.”

Lilly leaned forward and took Tobi’s hand in hers, “Do you think we should head back?  Could he be a problem?” 

The truth was, Tobi didn’t really know because Richard had been shouting about it being all her fault that Stacey was involved, and that hadn’t made any sense to her at all.  But the hair on the back of Tobi’s neck was sticking up and even though she wasn’t sure exactly why, she wasn’t willing to ignore the feeling either.  It would be one thing to face her brother alone, but she sure didn’t want Lilly West exposed to his rude behavior.  “I don’t know, but I’m ready to head back if you are.  I’d like to use the restroom before we go though…you know, so your driving doesn’t scare me too badly.  It would be embarrassing go back with wet drawers.”  She loved the fact that Lilly could give as good as she got with teasing and the look of mock indignation on her face sent Tobi into a fit of giggles. 

****

Lilly watched Tobi walk down the hall to the ladies lounge and then quickly pulled out her own phone and dialed the number that would send the call to both of her husbands’ phones.  That little techno-feature had been one of their gifts to her last Christmas and she loved it because it had always seemed that regardless which of her men she dialed first she ended up needing to call the other in order to get an answer.  She quickly explained the situation to Dell and asked him to let their sons know that they might be coming in “hot and fast.” 

Dell had laughed, “No more spy thriller movies for you for a while, darlin’.  And just so you know, my love, you
always
come hot and fast.”  He’d hung up and she smiled at her phone before putting it away and hoped she wasn’t blushing at his blatantly sexual teasing.  Who knew that the three of them would still be enjoying such an active sex life after all these years?  Lilly was sure that it was largely due to their BDSM lifestyle and she was sure her sons would find the same with Tobi as soon as they got past this bump in the road. 

Tobi had certainly come a long way in the past couple of days.  Lilly had spent a lot of time explaining various aspects of their lifestyle.  She hadn’t held back her frustration with the mistakes her sons had made with Tobi, but she had also assured the younger woman that Doms are just like everyone else in that they make mistakes.  Lilly knew Tobi wasn’t holding the incident against Kent or Kyle, but she also worried that Tobi wouldn’t be able to get past her fear so she could reengage in the lifestyle that would fulfill her. 

As she drove the two of them back to Prairie Winds, Lilly noticed a dark colored SUV with tinted windows that appeared to be following them.  She deliberately took an exit that wasn’t on their route just to test her theory and when it followed, she knew they needed to call for help.  Both of her husbands had insisted she take an evasive driving course a few years ago designed to teach people how to avoid being a target and she was suddenly very thankful for their foresight. 

“Tobi, grab my phone.  Press and hold down the number one key, when it starts to ring let me know.”  Tobi did exactly as she was told and Lilly pressed the button on her steering wheel that connected the car’s audio system to her phone. 

Dean answered and she was grateful he had picked up so quickly, “Hi gorgeous, how’s your shopping trip going?  Buy anything for me to tear off of you?”  She couldn’t help but smile at his flirting and Tobi’s instant blush. 

“I did indeed, Master.  But right now we have a problem.  We’re being followed.  Black SUV with tinted windows.  Could you please call the boys and Micah?  We’re just pulling back on the highway and we’ll be heading west again in a minute.  Micah can track my car.”  She could hear him speaking with Dell and was glad they were together. 

“We’re on it, love.  Stay on the phone with me while Dell calls Micah.  Is Tobi okay?”  Dean’s voice was full of concern and Lilly knew the eldest of her husbands already had a soft spot in his heart for Tobi. 

“She’s fine, although she seems a bit uncomfortable with my driving for some reason.”  Lilly laughed at Tobi’s blush and Dean’s snort on the other end of the connection. 

“Well, that is baffling isn’t it, sweetheart?”  Lilly could hear the affection in Dean's voice and glancing at Tobi she was happy to see her attempt to lighten the mood a bit seemed to have been successful. 

****

Kyle had been almost frantic when his dad had called to say they were tracking his mom and Tobi because they were being followed.  The description of the vehicle matched the one that had followed Gracie to Prairie Winds, so there wasn’t much doubt that whoever was tailing them knew where the women were headed.  Jax had made sure Gracie was in the main building under Tank’s care and then had taken off with Kent, while Micah and Kyle manned the phones and monitored the situation using various surveillance methods, many of which Kyle guessed were probably not entirely legal. 

Micah had already alerted Parker Andrews but since the women were already out of the city limits, Parker had been forced to relay the information to law enforcement with county jurisdiction.  He had assured Kyle he was leaving his office anyway and heading that direction so he could help in any way he could, and Kyle certainly appreciated his effort.  There were several roadside traffic cams along the women’s route and Micah had made short work of tapping into that system.  They had tried to get a close-up on the driver of the SUV but so far they hadn’t had any luck.  “My concern is that whoever is driving is going to start feeling desperate and get more aggressive, which will make them careless.  Careless people make mistakes, but they also hurt people and there is usually collateral damage.”  Micah’s words echoed Kyle’s own thoughts.  He had no sooner spoken than the vehicle slammed into the back of his mom’s car sending it fishtailing down the highway. 

“
Fuck!
”  Kyle was on the phone immediately to Jax and Kent to find out their location and give them an update.  Just as Kent answered, a large hole appeared in the passenger door of the black SUV and the front tire exploded.  The vehicle immediately slid into the ditch, resting nose down with steam coming from under the hood.  “Shit, did you see that?  Where are they?”

“Not sure, but they have to have been close to your parents’ new place because that was the last of the traffic cams.  My guess is those holes in the SUV are not a coincidence.”  Micah was already laughing and Kyle agreed that it looked like his dads had decided a bit of Texas intervention was in order. As the driver’s door on the SUV opened the area was inundated with law enforcement vehicles.  Kyle watched a slender figure emerge before being pinned to the ground by the officers that had surrounded the vehicle.  He was glad to see the driver had been apprehended—but the sight of his mother’s car sliding into view did not make him happy at all. 

****

Tobi couldn’t believe it when Lilly turned around and headed back toward the car that had just rear-ended them.  The call with Dean had gone silent for a couple of seconds and Tobi had wondered if they’d been disconnected.  Instead, Dell had come back on and told them the car following them had crashed.  Tobi still worried that Lilly was putting herself in danger because some fruitcake didn’t like her.  “Are you sure we should be here?” Tobi asked as Lilly slid to a stop. 

“I want to see who hit us.  It’s probably the same person who hurt your friend and now tried to get to us.  That just plain pisses me off and I want to find out firsthand who is responsible.”  Tobi found herself scrambling to catch up with the Lilly who was much taller and seemed to have the power walk down to a fine science.  “You know if we go straight back to Prairie Winds we’ll never find out anything.  I swear I love my husbands and sons more than life itself, but sometimes their view of me as defenseless is a very real pain in my ass.” 

Tobi snorted a laugh because the language was such a contrast to the controlled “lady” that she’d gotten to know the past few days.  “Well, I hope you aren’t getting me in trouble with Kyle and—” she didn’t get to finish her sentence because she was grabbed from behind around the waist and lifted off the ground. 

“Kent?  Is that what you were asking, sweetness?  Oh, you hang around with my mama and I promise you she is going to get you into trouble regularly, my love.  But it’s part of her charm and we love her despite the fact she doesn’t have a lick of sense when it comes to her vulnerability sometimes.”  She turned her head, met his smiling eyes, and relaxed into his hold when she realized he wasn’t angry with her. 

Jax had wrapped his hand around Lilly’s upper arm to stop her or Tobi figured the other woman would have stomped right in among the officers who appeared to be hauling the driver and another person back up the ditch’s steep slope.  As they walked toward her, Tobi could easily identify Chris by his well-rounded shape and arrogant walk.  But it was the slender driver whose wisps of blonde hair seemed to be escaping around the ball cap she was wearing that took her breath away. 

“Stacey?” Tobi asked as the group started to walk past them.  “Why?  Why would you do this?”  She was so stunned she could barely speak and she hoped the anger quickly replaced the feeling of utter betrayal she was feeling because anything would be better than the hole that had blossomed in her heart.  Stacey had always been her defender, she had always calmed Richard’s frustration, and her sister-in-law had appeared to genuinely like her even when she’d gently tried to prod Tobi into dressing better and finding a more prestigious job.  Suddenly it all became crystal clear, it had all just been an act. A very sophisticated manipulation that Tobi hadn’t understood because she hadn’t been raised in a social class that valued appearance over substance.  All the years of insecurity and self-doubt came crashing over her in waves of destruction that rivaled the most devastating hurricanes. 

Stacey looked down her nose at Tobi and rolled her eyes.  “Richard has so much potential, but you were always an anchor he couldn’t let go of.  We tried to help you, but you were content to be the trashy sister who would always be mentioned in any story that was done on him once he entered politics.  Then you took up with two men…
TWO
men who own a sex club for God sakes.  How is your brother supposed to gather the kind of support and donations he needs to make for a successful run for state office with you as baggage?” 

The officer who had his arm clamped firmly around Stacey’s upper arm gave Tobi a sympathetic smile and pushed her sister-in-law toward the waiting patrol car.  Tobi didn’t speak.  She was too stunned to even move.  Everything she had believed about her brother’s wife had just been shattered and the pieces turned to dust that drifted away on the southern breeze.  The feeling of emptiness that assailed her almost caused her knees to buckle.  The years of feeling as if you were never going to be good enough came back in a rush as all the progress she’d made crumbled around her.  Tobi didn’t doubt for a minute that her brother would back his wife to the end, so she knew she had just lost the last of her family.  Feelings of loneliness pressed in on her until she felt one tear slide down her cheek. 

Tobi had felt strong arms surround her from behind and she leaned back against Kent and tried to absorb some of his strength.  Even though she was surrounded by people who were moving and talking, Tobi wasn’t thinking about anything except letting Kent fill a small part of the vast chasm that had formed where her soul had once resided.  The image of a bb bouncing around inside a boxcar flashed through her mind.  It had always been how her father had criticized her intelligence, telling her that was how tiny her brain was inside her head.  She knew the comparison was absurd, but hearing the same litany for years on end, had still caused very real damage.   

She didn’t know how long she’d stood there lost in thought but she vaguely remembered Chris Feldman being marched by her and snarling that if she had just listened to him none of this would have happened, before he was shoved on.  Blinking to bring everything back into focus, Tobi realized Lilly West was standing in front of her, hands on her slender hips while she tapped the toe of her leather boots against the blacktop.