by Karen Renee
A chill went down his spine, and he thought of that asshole campaign manager of Trent’s. He had to stay focused. “You try callin’ this guy?”
“Right off the bat, but it went to voicemail. Tried calling again just a minute ago, but the number’s disabled.”
Beast sighed. “How unstable is your–”
“He gets by day to day as long as he has his meds, but...”
“Left his meds behind,” Beast guessed.
“Yeah,” Devin said on a sigh.
“He wouldn’t hurt Brianne or Katherine, would he?”
“No, but I sent them to Metairie just to be safe. You not tellin’ me something?”
Beast paused as he debated sharing. “I don’t know the man’s last name, but I recently met a slick douchebag named Paul—”
“Shapiro,” Janie said from next to him.
His gut plummeted. “Listen, Devin, I don’t tell people how to do their business, but did you tell your brother about Katherine?”
“Momma wanted to wait to tell him. Guess she spoke to his therapist and they decided to hold off.”
“You file a missing person report?”
“Yeah. Momma’s talkin’ to the police right now. When we gave them the business card, I realized you were in that area code, maybe...I don’t know, I don’t want to leave any stone unturned.”
“Got it. Yeah. I’ll keep an eye out for your brother. Does he have a car?”
Devin hesitated. “That’s the thing, man. He doesn’t, but I don’t know shit about the guy on this card.”
“Okay, tell the police Paul Shapiro is campaign manager for Trent Palmer. Palmer’s a local county commissioner, but he’s trying to get into the state level senate in Florida. I’ve only met the guy once, but no doubt he can be manipulative.”
“Shit, man. What would a guy like that want with my brother?”
“I don’t know,” Beast said. What he didn’t say was that it couldn’t be anything good.
“All right. Thanks, Beast. I’ll be in touch if we find him.”
“When you find him, Devin. And same thing here. Stay strong,” he said, and disconnected.
He looked to the bar and realized he had downed all of the Crown, but Janie had half of her amaretto left. It wasn’t his speed, but he grabbed her glass and downed the liquor. He caught the eye of a grandmotherly-looking woman behind the bar. She ambled over to them.
“A Sprite for my girl, and our tab, please.”
Janie cut in, “What if I don’t want to have a Sprite?”
He stared at her for a beat. “We gotta leave soon, and one of us has to drive. I want you to have a drink, but it’s gotta be soft, baby.”
Some of the attitude left her face, and she looked to the woman behind the bar. “I’ll have a Diet Coke, please.”
Beast leaned forward to get his wallet out. “Your foosball table take quarters?”
The woman grinned at him. “Sure does, handsome. You need change?”
“Yep, and make it two diets, ma’am.”
The woman went to the register, about five feet away.
Janie leaned toward him, “You think that’s Neil’s grandma?”
“Sure am, honey,” the woman called from the register.
Janie’s face shifted to a mixture of surprised and embarrassed. “Well, it’s nice to meet you,” she called.
The woman returned with some quarters and the change from the tab. “You too, though I don’t know your name. I’m Minerva, but everyone calls me Minnie. You are?”
“I’m Janie, and this is, uh–”
“I’m Beast.”
She gave him a saucy look. “I imagine you are,” then she turned to Janie. “It’s nice to meet you, Janie. You see my granddaughter, tell her to bring herself and her tall drink of water in here soon. Ya hear?”
Janie nodded while Beast smiled at Minnie. He left a hefty tip, grabbed the quarters and guided Janie to the foosball table.
Janie wrapped her arm around his waist. “Don’t you tell her I said this, but Tennille is so her granny.”
He chuckled and looked down at Janie. “What do you mean?”
Her eyes flared. “What do I mean? ‘I’m Minerva, but everyone calls me Minnie.’ How many times does Tennille tell people to call her Neil? It’s uncanny!”
He shook his head. “You ever play foosball?”
She glanced at the table. “Uh, no. I’ve seen these before, but I’ve never understood the appeal.”
He grinned. “Well, go to the other side, babe. Gonna give you a clinic.”
She shook her head, but sauntered to the other side. Two minutes into their first game, Minnie dropped by and put their sodas on a nearby table. Beast gave the woman a chin lift and scored against Janie.
Twenty minutes later, Beast couldn’t believe Janie had won against him. Twice. “You sure you’ve never done this before, Country Club?”
Her face was earnest. “No. Who knew I could kick ass at soccer, as long as it was with little men who spin on sticks?”
She met him at the end of the table, and he slid his arm low on her hip. “Well done, babe. Let’s go. I wanna hit the compound, get some clothes and we’ll go back to your place.”
The look she shot at him was hopeful. “And you’re gonna survive me driving you somewhere?”
He swatted her tush. “Yeah, but don’t get used to it.”
JANIE SEEMED INTENSELY focused on the road, but Beast knew she was thinking about something. He put a hand on her thigh. “Babe. You keep it up, steam’s gonna come outta your ears.”
They were at a red light, and she turned her face to him. “I am not. I just...it seems to me in some ways we’re in similar boats. You’re petitioning the court to have your name removed from the birth certificate?”
“Yeah,” he sighed.
She turned back to the windshield, but her lips were pouting. “Has that seemed to be dragging?”
“Spoke to my lawyer before you hit Firehouse. It was supposed to be scheduled today, but that was delayed.”
“Of course it was,” she muttered.
“Yeah, babe. That isn’t unusual with court systems.”
Her wry smile spoke volumes. “Or my pain-in-the-ass husband is causing delays for you so I might buy the line of bullshit he was selling this morning.”
“That’s a reach, Janie.”
She shook her head. “More like I need to reach out on my end.”
“What are you talking about?”
The light turned green and she drove. “It means, I’ve got connections too, and I–”
He pulled his hand from her thigh. “Do not wade into this, woman.”
She looked to him and back to the road. “David, I can help.”
He pulled a hand through his hair. “Janie, if that man is fuckin’ with me, the man I am, I handle it.”
“I wouldn’t be doing it for you,” she said in a low voice.
“Say that again,” he growled.
She turned the car left onto the road leading to the Riot MC clubhouse. “Devin, who was asking about skeezy Paul, he’s Katherine’s father? He’s paying legal fees too, right?”
“Not sure, but I think so.”
“That’s who I’d be doing it for. That little one needs—”
“Katherine doesn’t know—”
“Whatever. She’s a toddler, I get it, but sooner it’s done, the better, and maybe the less Devin will have to pay.”
She pulled into the forecourt of the compound and parked the car.
He shot her a hard look. “Stay here. It’s Friday; there are more bikes here than usual. I’ll be out in five.”
Janie
ONE THING ABOUT BEING a woman that never seems to change is that if you have an ‘accident’ the majority of women feel for you. Mostly.
Thus, the governor’s wife was one of the first people to check on me and try to help during the Black and White luncheon. We hadn’t kept in touch as such, but she told me if I needed anythi
ng to call her. Even though Beast didn’t want me wading in, it seemed I might need something at this point.
Sara’s maiden name was LeRoux and I knew she was from New Orleans. Her family was political and spread across Mississippi and Louisiana. Trent talked about her family non-stop in the days before the Black and White luncheon. It was a long shot, but if I didn’t call her I’d never know. Since it was nearly four the afternoon, there was a chance I might not catch her; but I had to try, so while Beast was inside, I pulled my cell from my purse and called her.
“Jane Palmer!,” she answered enthusiastically. “I’ve wondered about you since late November. How are you?”
“I’m getting by,” I said refusing to sugar-coat things.
“Oh, hon. It will get better—”
I realized she was talking about my miscarriage, so I interrupted. “Trent and I are getting divorced.”
“Oh, dear,” she paused, then, “Was he cheating? I shouldn’t be so forward, but I can’t help it. I have three girlfriends going through it, and all three of those men were cheats.”
“Well, that’s not what prompted this, but I recently found out he was.” She made a sound, but I had to keep on track. “That’s not actually why I’m calling.”
“Really?”
“No. Um, okay, well, this is strange, but I have a friend who found out a child he thought was his actually isn’t.” I took a breath. “The birth certificate was issued in Mississippi and he’s petitioning to get it changed.”
“Okay, that sounds like a terrible situation, but—”
“Well, I’m pretty sure Trent has managed to slow down the process.”
“No,” she breathed with dismay.
“Well, word has it you have family in–”
“What part of Mississippi, Jane? Even better if you have the judge’s name.”
I smiled. “It’s Biloxi, so I think it’s Harrison county.”
“I’ll let you know what I can find out.”
BEAST CAME BACK TO the car and I sensed he was still peeved.
Since he was irritated, I brought up something else likely to rub him wrong. “So, how come skeezy Paul’s name came up with Devin?”
I put the car in gear and drove out to Blanding Boulevard while Beast told me about Devin’s brother Alphonse and the business card.
“That’s not good,” I muttered.
“No shit, hon.”
I looked at the dash and saw I needed gas. “I’m gonna stop for some–”
“No,” Beast said in a tone that took stern to extremes.
“Um.”
“We need to get to your place. Can gas you up in the morning.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but he put a hand on my thigh and squeezed. When I looked in his eyes, the determination there made me swallow my words.
Twenty minutes later, we were inside the condo and Beast locked the door. He stalked to my bedroom, I saw him sit on the edge of the bed, set his bag down, and take his boots off.
When I put my purse on the breakfast bar, I heard him call, “Janie, come here.”
I looked into the bedroom and saw he was taking his shirt off. Slowly I approached the doorway. “If you need to shower, feel free.”
His heated eyes told me I was wrong, and a delicious tingle shot through my torso. He pulled me flush with him, and I smelled his spicy cologne. With one arm wrapped around me, his other hand tipped my chin up so I was looking into his eyes.
“Something I wanted to say to you at the bar, but it wasn’t the time and damn sure not the place. I love you. It hit me hard, and I can’t pin point one thing, but that’s just it. It isn’t one thing I love about you, it’s all the things about you that I love.”
It was good he had a finger under my chin or my jaw might have dropped to my chest. “You love me?”
He smiled. “Yeah,” he whispered and kissed me.
God, this man! Could he ever kiss. My hands roved his shoulders and he tugged on my short-sleeved sweater. Removing my sweater forced us to separate and he gazed down at me.
“You’re not freaked?”
With a shy grin, I shook my head. “No. I started falling for you not long after we did the deed.”
He slid his hands down to the waistband of my pants, chuckling at me. “‘The deed.’”
This go ‘round I was determined to be the one to divest him of his pants, so my hands were at his jeans. “Yes, when you called me your Clumsy.”
His hands at my pants paused. “I didn’t do that.”
I looked up into his earnest eyes. “Yeah, you did. ‘My Clumsy’s cynical.’ Ring a bell?”
He looked to the side for a moment. “Shit, I did.”
Continuing to fumble with his fly, I looked up to him. “Yeah. And my immediate thought was ‘What I wouldn’t give to be yours.’”
To my slight irritation, he grabbed my hands, looped them around his neck, wrapped his arms around me to pull me tight to him. “So, you love me too?”
I smiled. “It feels crazy to say it, but yeah. I love you, David.”
He fell backward onto the bed, taking me with him. “Good. Because you’re damn sure mine.”
I kissed him quick, with a teasing touch of my tongue, but then slid down his torso, allowing my lips to glide and my tongue to occasionally skate over his neck, pecs, and sternum. At his abdomen, I was able to better inspect the edges of tattoos on his pelvic bones. My hands went his fly, and I finally got it open to reveal a tattoo of a set of brass knuckles on either pelvic bone. The tats were in color and looked like the knuckles would fit Beast’s hand.
I couldn’t dwell on the tattoos though. Little did I know, Beast was going commando, so his thick shaft was also exposed by my opening his fly. My breath hitched. I tossed my hair to one side of my head, and gently I gripped him in order to guide him into my mouth.
“Shit, Janie,” he hissed and his hips gave a slight buck.
That made me hum against him and he hissed again. I applied some suction for but a moment before I released him and swirled the underside of the tip with my pointed tongue. His hand reached out and pushed my hair over my shoulder. Opening wide, I took him as deep as I could while looking up at him. That was its own reward, because the pleasure in his eyes enhanced the power I already felt. My hand was working beneath my mouth, but I kept up the hand-action while I released him from my mouth so I could attend to his balls. I had released one nut, but Beast yanked me up before I could finish my task.
Once he had me even with him, he said, “Fuck, you’ve got some mouth. Can’t remember the last time I could come from just a woman sucking my balls. Hell, if I didn’t love you before, I damn sure love you now.”
I swatted at his shoulder while giggling, “David!”
He rolled us, and set to work on my pants, pulling them free in what must have been record time. He planted his forearms on either side of my head and hovered above me. “Grab my wallet, handsy-girl.”
I nearly had to contort myself to get his wallet from the jeans which were farther down his legs than usual. With the wallet in hand, he grinned down at me, communicating with his eyes to open the wallet, so I did.
“Inside pocket, baby. Get a condom. Want you to put it on me.”
I pressed my lips together and did what he said. I tossed the wrapper to the floor and heard his wallet thunk to the floor shortly after Beast entered me.
To my utter satisfaction, Beast inside of me was still just as flawless and exquisite as the first time. In fact, it might have been even more perfect because I knew we both loved each other. My hands were snatched up by Beast and he shoved them out to our sides. I was amazed he could maintain his rhythm holding me down in such a manner, but he did.
“Oh, God,” I moaned as the position forced more friction between us.
“Look at me, Clumsy. Watch me fuck you like you oughta be fucked. Hard and rough, but with nothing but love.”
I looked down at the juncture where he and I met. Maybe I had been a
prude, or maybe no one else was so blunt, but I had never watched like this before. And he was right, I could see it was hard and rough, but at the same time there was nothing but love between us.
Before I could look up to him, he took my lips in a brutal kiss that went on and on until he broke it and let go of one of my hands. He used that free hand to rub my clit, and my orgasm built as fast and intense as ever.
“Shit,” I hissed and I could have swore I heard him chuckle.
“Let it go, Janie. Get there with me, baby.”
His other hand let mine go, and I immediately grabbed his ass to force him deeper, if it were possible.
“Yeah, baby,” he grunted when I added my fingernails.
His rhythm increased and I did my best to meet his thrusts. That thumb of his kept at me and my orgasm overtook me just moments before he thrust hard one last time and groaned with relief.
“I fuckin’ love you,” he whispered in my ear.
“I fuckin’ love you, Beast,” I whispered back.
AFTER BEAST CLEANED up, we were snuggling in my bed under the sheets and his fingers were tracing idle paths down my arm. He caught my eye and a mischievous glint was in his eye. “You fell for me before we ‘did the deed.’”
I narrowed my eyes. “What are you talkin’ about?”
He smiled. “You told me you thought you loved me when I mentioned pastrami. I meant to ask it then, but what the fuck is that all about?”
I giggled, but shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about him in this bed.”
He caught my meaning, based on the disgruntled look on his face. “Really?”
“Yeah. Did you not hear what I said to Terri tonight?”
“You mentioned maybe her ex was controlling, too.”
I rolled to my back and laughed. “Then you missed the earlier part. I told her, she got Trent he would tell her no more subs and no more processed meats. It would ruin her figure. She could deal with that kind of control, have at it.”
He propped himself up on an elbow. “You shittin’ me?”