Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SMOKE
The gray clouds in the usually blue sky look down on us as we bury a fucking good man.
Bobby-Jay loved life, he loved his sons, his daughter, and his farm, and fuck me, he did not deserve to go out the way that he did. Gunned down on his own land by a bunch of bastards in suits who had no business being there.
So much fucking blood over a cunt’s fucking ego.
Taya stands with her brothers on either side of her, guarding her from anyone who tries to get close.
It has been four days since Bobby-Jay was killed, and besides Carson, Corbin, Winston, and Jesper, no fucker has gotten close to my girl. Fuck, even Jesper’s wife glared at us when we arrived at their family’s plot on their property.
As far as everyone knows, Bobby-Jay died of a heart attack.
The family and the club know that it was Evander’s men who came onto their land and shot the place up with the intent to kill everyone here. We have been looking for the slimy cunt, but he is good and keeps moving.
Intel has trackers up online so if anyone reports him, or a camera spots him, he will get an alert.
The priest finishes the rite of committal, the brothers flanking their sister as Bobby-Jay is lowered into the ground by the farm hands, who the Coyle’s consider family. Looking around, there are so many people here from the cattle community, as Bobby-Jay was a vital piece of their ranches and farms.
He took his cattle wrangling very seriously and got paid well for it. Hell, all of the Coyle kids know what to do with animals to bring in the cash.
Taking my eyes off my woman, I scan the area for anyone who might want to still cause the family harm. I know that my brothers are on high alert also and will stop at nothing to protect this family.
Not only because of the connections with Bobby-Jay, but since I laid claim to Taya, even though she doesn’t know yet. When we helped clear everything up on that fucked-up day, I could see her pain and it gutted me, it made me see that she is it for me.
So, I called my claim on her, letting everyone know that she is my Ol’ Lady.
My Three Kings MC are all dressed in black jeans and stark white button-down shirts under our cuts. In a mark of respect to the family, Tote had us add a black ribbon around our biceps.
All three of the Coyle kids have avoided the members of the club, even Tote, who respected their decision. I saw the clench of his jaw, showing his displeasure, but knowing Pres, he would not make a scene here.
Once Bobby-Jay is buried, everyone moves into the main house for the wake, a place for people to mull around and eat the food that has been provided and have a drink to toast the main man of the house.
“Has she spoken to you?” Locke asks me, stepping to my side and handing me a beer.
Shaking my head. “No. I don’t expect her to either, brother. She just lost her father and before that she was pissed at me for something. I think I am the last person she wants to speak to.”
My gaze follows her around the room as she greets people, thanking them for coming to pay their respects to her father. Her small smile is forced, anyone can see that.
“So you still do not know why she ran while you slept?” Lottie asks.
Shaking my head. “Nope.” I sip from my beer, my gaze tracking my woman around the room.
A man steps to her, dressed in an expensive looking suit, his dark hair slicked back. He touches her arm, leaning in to say something in her ear, making her smile, and this one is not forced.
I growl and step forward, but a hand on my arm stops me.
“Easy, brother,” Locke cautions.
Lottie steps in front of me, in a measure to stop me from moving to him to rip that fucker’s hand from his body and shove it up his ass.
“Give her some time, Smoke,” she says to me.
Dropping my gaze to the woman who leads my best friend around by his balls, I smile.
“You know that you weigh next to nothing, and I could move you if I wanted.”
She smiles and pats my chest. “Try me, Dustin.”
Hearing her use my birth name makes my chest pang. Only Taya calls me that, but I will not correct Lottie because I love her like a sister.
“Brother, Lottie is right. Let Taya breathe on her own for a time, okay. It has been a heavy day for everyone, especially those three.”
Not being able to touch her is killing me. I itch to go to her and get shit out in the open but today is not the day.
“I know that. Fuck.” I run my hand through my hair in frustration. “I want to be there for her. I still have no fucking clue why she refuses to speak to me or why she left.”
“Did the cameras at the clubhouse pick up anything?” Lottie asks, inching closer to her man.
Locke wraps his arm around his woman’s shoulders, kissing the side of her head.
“Just Taya leaving through the gate, no prospect in sight. That fucker is on toilet duty for a month, plus cleaning the oil off the garage floor,” Locke informs her with a wink.
“He won’t get my vote, that’s for sure. He let my woman leave without informing me. Anything could have happened,” I snarl, thinking of that morning when I woke up and she was gone.
When Pres got the call about the farm, my heart fucking stopped dead in my chest. I feared the worst. Even though I don’t know what the hell is happening between Taya and myself, I never want to see her hurt.
Looking up, I see Taya slip through the door that leads to the garden and the barns at the back of the property.
“Be back.” I leave before they can say anything to stop me.
Ignoring the way that people are looking at me including Taya’s two brothers, I leave the house. Tracking her walking across the field that leads to the barn, my gut burns as I get closer.
I hate speaking to someone who has lost someone they love, as I always say the wrong shit.
Stepping through the large red wooden door, I see Taya gently rubbing her palm over the horse in front of her. Speaking in soothing tones, the sound of her voice breaks my heart.
Moving closer, she looks at me, and my heart stutters in my chest seeing the raw pain and anger that looks back at me.