Bound by an Echo Read online

  Bound by an Echo

  By

  Julia Clare

  &

  Virginia Johnson

  This book is a work of fiction. People, places, events, and situations are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, or historical events, is purely coincidental.

  © December 2016 by Virginia Johnson

  © December 2016 by Julia Clare

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  ISBN-

  ASIN-B01NA936DZ

  Editing

  Aly Quinn

  Cover Design

  Star and Skull Graphics

  Formatting

  Anytime Author Promotions

  Cover Model

  Spencer Raber

  Dedication

  Virginia ~

  I am dedicating this book to everyone that has experienced a lost love, one that got away and one that you could never have. The heart never forgets those that hold it because there is always a piece that stays with them; an echo. For that reason, this book goes out to those that had the courage to love, especially when there was no intention, and the strength to create memories that came with it even when fate seemed to be against you.

  Julia ~

  To the one that got away, those echoes of faded memories, and ‘what if's’, this book is for you.

  For those that refused to let the echoes die, and chased those ever-lasting ‘what if's’, this book is for you.

  No matter how quiet those echoes have become, there is still time.

  Table of Contents

  Editing

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One -Laurel

  Chapter Two -Rory

  Chapter Three -Laurel

  Chapter Four -Rory

  Chapter Five -Laurel

  Chapter Six -Rory

  Chapter Seven -Laurel

  Chapter Eight -Rory

  Chapter Nine -Laurel

  Chapter Ten -Rory

  Chapter Eleven -Laurel

  Chapter Twelve -Rory

  Chapter Thirteen -Laurel

  Chapter Fourteen -Rory

  Chapter Fifteen -Laurel

  Chapter Sixteen -Rory

  Chapter Seventeen -Laurel

  Chapter Eighteen -Rory

  Epilogue

  About the authors

  Sneek Peek at Seraphine’s

  Prologue

  Nestled in a mountain, Crater City is hidden from most of the world. Hidden within the valleys and cliffs, outsiders don't visit except for one week a year. He peeked out the window to see the town, which was the busiest he could ever remember. Of course, Rory was only eleven, so he couldn't compare today to any other, as much as his parents.

  "Ma, I'm leaving," he called to his mother, who was busy in the kitchen.

  "Be back 'for dark. Don't make me come looking for you," she called out.

  He grabbed his baseball cap and pulled it down low over his face. Carnival week was his favorite time of the year. This year would be even better, because he was finally able to go alone. Well, not completely, Laurel would be coming with him. He was so nervous, his palms were sweaty, his heart was racing, and he hadn't even made it to her house yet. Laurel was quiet and shy, but she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. Even during carnival week, when all the outsiders were there, nobody came close to Laurel. Her eyes were blue, not sky blue, more like the blueberries he got from the corner store, and she had hair the same color as Mrs. Clark’s sunflowers in her garden. Now he was hungry. He had been so lost in thoughts of her, he nearly passed her tiny house four streets over.

  The stairs creaked as he went up to her door. He started to knock, but stopped when he heard yelling inside. Everyone knew her daddy drank a lot and he got mad, taking it out on Laurel and her mom. There was a crash inside, then all was quiet. He hesitated, trying to decide if he should knock or leave. Before he was able to make his decision, the door swung open, her daddy standing right in front of him. He smelled like old beer and body odor.

  "What the hell are you looking at?" he yelled.

  "Um, I was co-" Rory was cut off before he could finish.

  "Get the fuck away from me, I don’t have time for your shit." Her dad pushed past him and almost fell down the stairs.

  Rory stared, mouth open, as he walked off. "Hi Rory," a small voice came from behind him.

  "Hey, Laurel." He looked at his feet, unsure of how to act now.

  "I'm sorry you heard all of that. I understand if you would rather go alone today."

  He looked at Laurel and could see the tears threatening to fall. It wasn't her fault her dad was an asshole. "Are you crazy? Of course, I want you to come with me, are you ready?"

  She smiled at him and nodded her head before shutting the door. He knew boys were supposed to think girls were yucky, but he couldn't help the weird feeling in his belly when she smiled at him. They walked silently back to the crowd. A few times, their hands brushed, and they would glance at each other before quickly turning away. Right before they reached the entrance, her hand brushed against his again, and this time he took it into his. She didn't pull away, and he knew he wanted to hold onto her. He felt protective over her and he wanted to make sure, especially after what he overheard, she would have fun today.

  They did everything. They played games, laughed when she shoved her cotton candy in his face, and held hands on the Ferris wheel. The sun was setting and he knew it was getting late but they weren't ready for this to end just yet. They walked hand in hand, watching people play games until it was officially dark.

  "Rory, we should go before we get in trouble. I don't want to give daddy a reason to say I can’t see you," her tone was sad and she looked like she would cry again.

  "We’re late, already. Why don't we ride one more ride, and then we will head back?" He wanted just one more ride with her, and he was debating on if he could muster up the courage to give her a kiss goodnight.

  "Can we do the scrambler? That's my favorite." She looked hopeful at him.

  "Of course," he laughed and pulled her into the line.

  They talked while they waited. She told him she wanted to be an actress one day. She wanted to move far away from her dad, but she knew her mom was too scared to ever leave him. He was in awe of her and how strong she was. She had dreams, and she wanted to be someone. He started to tell her what he wanted to be when he heard the first explosion.

  Laurel jumped into his arms, wide eyed and terrified. The ground shook under them and screams pierced their ears. The snack bar was up in flames, engulfing everything near it. They watched, frozen in that spot, until a loud cracking sound grabbed their attention. The Ferris wheel was coming apart. People were trying to hang on to anything they could as the cars came off the wheel. People started dropping to their deaths, right in front of them.

  "Laurel, we need to go now!" he yelled to be heard over the constant screams.

  He grabbed her hand and they started running, weaving in and out of the crowd. It was utter chaos around them. Rory was scared, but he knew it was up to him to make sure she was safe. In front of them was the Rollercoaster, always with a line a mile long. They stopped dead in their tracks at what they witnessed next. The coaster, full of people, was coming down the big hill, when a metal support rod dropped from the tunnel and wedged itself between the tunnel openings. They saw it coming, and no one could stop it. The cars raced towards the tunnel, and the screams from those carnival goers sto
pped. The rod stayed in place as it went through the necks of the riders. When the cars started to slow at the other end of the tunnel, only bodies remained.

  Laurel was sobbing, her hands over her face. Rory pulled her to him and hugged her as he stared, unable to turn away from the wreckage. He looked down and held her face, "We need to turn around. Go back towards the scrambler, and cut through the woods."

  She nodded her head and he pulled her back the way they came. They heard someone calling Laurel's name, so she stopped, her hand pulled from his. He followed the voice and saw her dad barreling towards her. Before they could move, he had grabbed her arm and turned, dragging her behind him. Among the chaos, Rory could hear her cry out, and knew he had to stop him. He ran up behind Laurel’s dad, and just when he was within reach, he tripped and landed up against him, hard. He must have been drunk or surprised, because her dad tripped and fell forward, releasing Laurel's hand. He didn't get up. He didn't move. Rory held his breath, waiting for something to happen. When he started to stir, Rory got scared. There was nothing but a rubber hose around, so he grabbed the middle of it and swung towards the drunk man. His adrenaline pumped hard, and it wasn't until he saw the sparks that he felt the shock. The pain barely registered as he watched her dad start to shake with the electrical current flowing through him.

  This time it was Laurel that reached for him and pulled him away. Right as they started for the woods, the scrambler went haywire. The cars rolled and tumbled as they were flung off the base of the ride. The swings were coming undone. The people that weren't falling out were split open when the wire snapped and flew towards them. Everything was happening so fast, bloody bodies were pouring to the already littered ground. He was trying to figure out the safest way to escape, when he heard his name. He found his mother yelling and running through people trying to find him. He waved and called out to her, and Laurel started to run towards her. She had always liked his mom, and he knew she needed a mom right then. He needed her, too. Laurel almost made it to her when there was another loud boom. Looking up, they saw the top of the funhouse come apart, chunks falling to the ground. He looked towards his mom and Laurel, realizing they were both in the way, a chunk of the clown that sat on the roof was falling towards them. He ran as fast as he could. Realizing that he couldn’t save them both, he made a choice, and he prayed his mom would see what was going on. He tackled Laurel. She flew out of the way, but he wasn't fast enough to keep his own leg from getting trapped under the head of the clown. He tried to look around to see if his mom made it, but everything went black…and the screams finally stopped.

  ****************

  That was the last busy day in Crater City. It was the last time laughter was heard. The carnival never reopened. His mom was gone, and his leg was horribly messed up. He was seen long enough to have it set and put in a cast before he disappeared from the hospital. His mom didn't make it, and he went to live with his grandmother. He didn't see Laurel again, although he thought about her every day. As soon as her mom heard of her husband’s “accident”, she made the decision to leave. Laurel barely had time to say goodbye to Rory, and she wasn’t even able to tell him where she was going.

  Laurel never said a word about what really happened. He didn't feel bad either, once the dust settled. He protected her, he made it so she could escape.

  Chapter One

  Laurel

  She fought like hell to ensure the look on her face convinced Landon that she was actually enjoying his touch. Laurel knew there was only one way out of this situation; moan, gasp, and fake an orgasm. She was no rookie to the sex scenes. She loved her body, and she knew she was great at what she did. Landon was one of the best looking partners she had been with for quite some time. Most of the men she found herself with would sweat too much, breath too heavily, or neglect her needs, causing the day or night to last forever. Landon was different. He knew exactly what to do. There was very little direction needed, and they moved well together. She wouldn’t mind seeing him again, but the cards fall where they will.

  Landon pulled her long hair across her breast, causing her to arch towards him without exposing her nipple. She let a moan slip from her mouth as he moved between her thighs. Laurel lifted her long leg over his hip, pulling him into her, motioning for him to move faster. As he slid against her body, she was thinking about the list of things she had to do today. There was an interview with TIBC magazine, lunch with Anibet, book her flight to Milan for fashion week, and she had to call her mom.

  Another hard thrust brought her attention back to reality. She was thankful she had turned her head away while she was lost in thought. Landon knew exactly what she was doing, and he reacted. He obviously wanted this over as quickly as she did. His movements were flawless, and she was thankful for the experienced man grinding against her. Knowing it was time to finish, she raised her hips to meet his, pulling at the sheets beneath her.

  “I love you,” he whispered before crashing his mouth to hers, swallowing her false moans of pleasure. She faked yet another orgasm, all in the name of entertainment. Landon pulled away, brushing away the strands of hair matted to her cheeks, as he left her with a lone kiss and an engaged stare.

  “Cut!” Tim stood still as they hoped to hear the next line, “That’s a wrap, everyone.”

  Laurel pushed Landon off of her, rolling to the side of the bed where her robe laid, balled up on the floor. She pulled it across her chest, trying to cover herself. Landon laughed at her as she struggled, “You are hot as fuck, and you can fake a sex scene with no clothes on, but as soon as the scene is over, you cower beneath layers of clothes.” He reached for his boxers, standing in front of her, sporting a half erect hard-on.

  “Maybe I am the only one with a shred of self-respect left in this industry.” She pulled her robe across her back, looking anywhere but at ‘little Landon’. “It’s not like we do porn.”

  This was true, she didn’t do porn. She refused to stoop to that level, and she never had a problem declining any offers, regardless of the money. It was great money, but she had no intention of fucking a stranger. “I have to get dressed,” she said to Landon as she pushed past him. The bustling of people in the set made it a difficult task to make it to her dressing room. Everyone wanted to congratulate her on a great scene, or tell her how much they were turned on by her acting abilities.

  The door to her room was cracked open, making her hesitant to opening it. She pushed the door open with her toe without entering until she knew she was alone for sure. To her surprise she wasn’t alone, “Anibet, you scared the shit out of me! Why are you here? I thought I was meeting you for lunch?”

  “The interview was moved up and I didn’t want to miss you before you ran off,” she licked her fingers clean of the chocolate that was melting from the covered strawberries that were left for Laurel.

  Laurel closed the door before heading for the armoire. The interview was supposed to be a casual one, giving her the option to wear jeans and a t-shirt. She sifted through the abundance of designer clothing she called her wardrobe. Pulling a pair of skinny jeans and a pink blouse from the hangers, she made her way to the shower, “I’ll be right back, I need to wash Landon off of me.”

  “I’d leave him on me. That man is sex in the human form,” Anibet said under her breath. Laurel stopped in the doorway glancing back at Anibet with a questioning look, “Well, he is!”

  She needed a shower regardless of the ‘Landon’ that Anibet encouraged her to keep in place. The hot water felt amazing against her skin. She hasn’t been with a man in years and it was taking its toll on her sex drive. There was no question that Landon was sexy as hell, but she could barely remember what it was like to actually be with a man. Rinsing the soap from her body, she pulled on the handle, ending the flow of water. Laurel dried off with a towel the size of a comforter and dressed.

  Make-up and hair wasn’t an issue; someone would be here soon to take care of that for her. They always showed up before an interview or a
shoot. She didn’t know much about this magazine, but she hoped her agent had some sort of a clue.

  Anibet had her feet kicked up on the table as Laurel abandoned the bathroom for food. She hadn’t had anything to eat all night because of the long shoot. There were three scenes completed today, and she looked forward to the break for fashion week. Knowing there was no filming for a week, she couldn’t wait to head out of town.

  The hair and makeup artists crashed through the door just as she swallowed her first cracker and cheese, “Are you serious, right now?”

  They ignored everything she said as they motioned for her to move to the vanity. “Ugh, I can’t believe these people.”

  With humor in her voice, Anibet took her plate of goodies and agreed to leave some for Laurel. Laurel could only laugh at her best friend. She could never be mad at her.

  “Ma’am, you must sit still, we don’t have much time. The reporter is here and she didn’t look like she was the patient type,” the girl with the foundation brush in hand chose to give a shit about the reporter, but not Laurel begging to prevent starvation. Go figure.

  Laurel admitted defeat, “Fine, do what you have to do. I have things to do today, too.”

  It only took a few minutes for them to wrap her wet hair into a messy bun that looked like a million dollars. Her make-up was left natural, as always, to give the ‘girl next door’ appearance that the media has grown to love. Though, she knew she hasn’t been that girl for a long time. She knew she had a part to play, and it was time to show the world what she was capable of, “Let’s do this.”

  Following the maze of hallways to get to the studio was becoming easier every day. There weren’t many places she couldn’t find in this building. The bed that once occupied the center of the room, was replaced with a plush, red velvet couch. A cushy chair was placed diagonal to the couch to give the interviewer a place to perch.