Beth sat there for several minutes, crying. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Devin. He had a tissue in his hand, offering it to her. Graciously, Beth accepted it, wiping her face clean and blowing her nose. She knew she looked like a million-dollar mess, but she really didn’t care.
“I tried to sneak back inside, but when I got to the door my foot hit a damn planter. It crashed to the ground. My father sent Frank to see what made the noise. I just turned and ran as fast as I could. I sat at the table trying to make it look like I never left. Frank walked in the dining room and then left. But, my father will know it was me who witnessed the shooting. He’ll watch the cameras and see that I saw. He will send his men after me. So I told my mother good-bye, grabbed Derek and drove home. Derek and I packed as quickly as we could and left. He won’t think twice about killing me or Derek. Please, Devin. We need your help,” she finished, looking back up at him.
Devin’s face was completely blank. No emotion showed at all. Beth honestly didn’t know if he would help them. That wasn’t totally true. She knew Devin would never turn his back on Derek, but her - she was a different story.
Devin started to pace the room. But still, he said nothing. Beth’s nerves were all over the place. Just then, her cell phone buzzed causing her to jump. She grabbed it from her pocket looking at the caller ID. Her eyes went wide in fear.
“Who is it?” Devin asked, walking back to where she was sitting.
“My mother. She says my father is wanting to know where I am. Said he went by the house and I wasn’t home.” Fear crawled into every area of her soul. He was looking for her. He knew.
“He knows now. He knows that I saw him,” again the tears started to fall. She was dead if Devin wouldn’t help her.
“If you won’t help me, please help Derek,” she pleaded as her voice totally abandoned her.
Would she really have to leave her son? If it meant keeping him safe and alive, then yes she would. It would gut her, but she would do it nonetheless.
Devin grabbed her phone and read the message, still not saying a word. She hated his silence. She would rather him yell, cuss, scream - anything, but the silence.
“You have no idea what the shipment could have possibly been? And are you one-hundred percent sure your father pulled the trigger?” he finally asked.
“I have no clue. None of them mentioned what it was. All that was said was ‘the shipment’ and yes. I am one-hundred and fifty percent sure. I saw the gun in his hand. It had a silencer on it. Like the one we saw at that gun show in Houston that we went to. My father shot that man as he begged for his life,” she told him. “Now, it’s all I see. I can’t get the images out of my head. It’s like a bad horror movie. They play over and over again. Never stopping...” she trailed off as the movie of that night played again in her mind.
Devin squatted down in front of her. “Beth, look at me.”
She brought her eyes to his. Such beautiful eyes. Their son had the same ones. “I am sorry I didn’t tell you about Derek,” she said quietly. “I always wanted to, but I was too scared. My father is the reason I ended things between us. He threatened your career. I couldn’t let him hurt you. So, I broke up with you. My God Devin, I am so sorry,” and more tears fell...
“What do you mean, he threatened my career?”
“Right before the party, he came to me and told me that I had to end things with you. If I didn’t, he would contact the Admiral and have you dishonorably discharged. He said he would ruin you. I couldn’t let him do that to you. Your career was everything to you. So, I did what he demanded.” Beth could see Devin’s anger returning and she looked down to her lap, unable to meet his gaze.
“How could he do that? I have nothing in my military career that would warrant a dishonorable discharge. But most importantly, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was scared of what my father might have done. You would have confronted him. I couldn’t allow you to risk everything for me,” she had to get him to understand. Everything she did, she did it for him.
“My career meant nothing Beth. You meant more to me than my damn job! How could you have not known that? And then never telling me about Derek?” he was definitely angry.
Deciding to ignore his questions, she continued. “Then, three months later I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to tell you. I picked up the phone to call you a million times. But my father’s words would come back into my head and I would put the phone back down. He would say that ‘accidents’ happen during war all the time. And he would hate for you to have one. I couldn’t risk it. So I never told you.” Beth hung her head. She was so ashamed of herself. She took eight years away from both Devin and Derek. Eight years neither could get back.
Chapter Five
Sledge
Sledge listened intently to Beth’s story. His world was reeling all over again. The woman he loved more than anything, including his damn career, not only ripped his life apart, but kept his son away from him because of a threat from her father... What did Jonathan Andrews have against him? Sledge was a decorated war hero, he had the medals to prove it.
Sledge sat back on the floor in front of Beth. So many emotions running through his head. He was angry, definitely, but he was also hurt. Did Beth really lack so much faith in him, that she would truly think her father could ruin him? Hurt him? Obviously she did because here they sat eight years later. As much as he wanted all of his questions answered, Sledge needed a break. He needed time to process everything he learned tonight.
He needed to get Beth and Derek into a room, then he could think. He couldn’t do it with her sitting right in front of him. Standing up, he called Diesel back into the room and once again, his heart caught at the sight of his boy. HIS boy. He still couldn’t believe he had a son.
“Will you take Beth and Derek to one of the empty rooms upstairs?” He needed some time away from this situation.
“Yeah Boss,” Diesel said. “Come on kid. Ma’am.”
Sledge turned back to Beth, “Diesel will get you both settled into a room. We’ll talk later.” And he walked towards Derek, leaning down and placing the first kiss on his son’s head.
There was no way he could return to his sister’s wedding reception. Sledge headed for the gym. He needed something strenuous. Something to steady him. Sex was out of the question. Not with Beth and his son in the same building. He couldn’t disrespect the mother of his child like that, no matter what she’d done. And he didn’t mess with club girls, but leaving the compound right now was out of the question.
Entering the gym, Sledge headed to the locker room, changed into his workout shorts, and then hit the weight bench. Rep after rep, he worked up a sweat, but nothing seemed to calm his nerves. He hopped from machine to machine, but nothing was helping him tonight.
“Boss, you want to talk about it?” He never even noticed Diesel walk in. That never happened. Sledge never let his guard down, he always noticed his surroundings. Apparently, he was more distracted than he thought. Turning to look at his friend, Sledge noticed that he wasn’t alone. His new brother-in-law and his sister were both standing with him.
Stepping off the treadmill, Sledge still felt unsettled, lost... The pain he felt all those years ago, was back in full swing. “I don’t even know where to begin,” he sighed.
“So it is true? Beth is here and you have a son? She never told you?” Amber was pissed. Sledge could see it in her eyes, but she was also hurt. Yep, he understood those feelings all too well.
“Yeah. Not only that, but she needs my help. And I don’t know if I can give it.”
“What’s going on?” his VP asked. Leave it to Reaper to get down to business. He didn’t like his new bride getting upset. Especially since they were expecting their first child.
Sledge relayed the story Beth told him about witnessing her father shoot a man in cold blood. He told them about her fear that her father wouldn’t hesitate to kill her or even Derek to keep himself from being implica
ted in a crime.
“Okay, wait. So let me get this straight, her own father, a Texas senator, shot someone?” Reaper asked.
“Apparently so...”
“And she is afraid he will kill her and your kid? What kind of crazed fucknut are we dealing with Sledge?” It sounded crazy even to Sledge’s ears, but he really didn’t know the man all too well. Like every politician, on the surface, he was squeaky clean. Sledge had looked into the man when he had plans to marry Beth. He found nothing.
“Call Banjo. Have him do some careful digging into Senator Andrews. Don’t set off any flags. We need this to stay as quiet as possible. If what Beth says is true, we don’t want to tip him off that she and Derek are here.” Reaper inclined his head and pulled out his phone to follow Sledge’s order.
Amber walked over to Sledge and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I am so sorry Devin. Do you want me to kick her ass? Because I will!” she said holding him tight.
“Thanks Am, but there’s no need for that,” he smiled at his sister’s protectiveness.
He had no doubt Amber could cause some damage. But that was not what he wanted for Beth. He wanted her and Derek both safe. Beyond that, he didn’t care about Beth anymore, he told himself. But he honestly didn’t know if that was true. Just one more thing for him to think about. He didn’t make it a habit of lying to himself, and he didn’t plan to start now.
“Okay, Banjo is on it. He’ll call as soon as he finds something,” Reaper said, returning back to the conversation.
“Diesel, until we understand the threat, Beth and Derek do not leave the compound,” Sledge said.
“Got it, Boss. Just so you know, I put them in the room across from yours, instead of upstairs. I figured you would want the kid close.”
“Thanks. That’s fine.” He had to admit, he liked the idea of his son close to him. Damn! A son. Would he ever get used to that? He was a father. A few hours ago, his biggest responsibility was ensuring his guys behaved themselves, now he had a kid.
“There really isn’t much we can do until we hear back from Banjo. Y’all go back and enjoy the party. I am going to head to my room and call it a night,” Sledge said, heading to the locker room to get his clothes. He needed a shower and a good night’s sleep. But most importantly, he just needed to be alone.
Walking down the hall to his room, he stopped outside of his door. He could hear muffled conversation coming from Beth’s room. He wondered what she and Derek were talking about. Moving towards her door, he thought about knocking and visiting with them for a bit; at the last second, he pulled back and went into his room. Spending more time with Beth was not a good idea. He didn’t think he could forgive her for everything she had done.
Stripping out of his clothes, Sledge threw them into the basket in his closet. Placing his phone in the docking station, he hit the play button on his music player. Saving Abel filled the room, blasting from the surround sound. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Waiting for the water to heat, he stood looking at himself in the mirror. When did he become such an emotional sap? He was always the cold, calculated one. That is what made him such a good leader. He was not an emotional misfit! At least he wasn’t until Beth showed up at his damn door.
“Get your shit together, Devin,” he told himself out loud. Frustrated, he climbed in the shower. He scrubbed away the sweat and grime of the day.
When he got out, he wrapped a towel around his waist and walked into his room. Not even bothering to put clothes on, he climbed under the sheets. Sledge laid awake for a long time, staring at the ceiling, thinking of the day’s events and the past. His chest still felt tight, his stomach was still in knots. Turning to his side, he faced the door. The woman he once loved more than life itself, was right across the hall. Eight years ago, he would have given anything to hold her one more time, but now, he’d give anything to have these feelings go away. Anything to not feel, to not want or need. But no matter how many times Sledge tried to wish those feelings away, they remained. He had a feeling he was fucked, royally fucked.
He had no idea what time he finally drifted off to sleep, but his night was fitful. Waking several times, he thought about the two new people living in his home. He tossed and turned all night. Finally, as the sun started to rise, he climbed out of bed and dressed. He needed to visit the gym before breakfast.
Chapter Six
Beth
After Diesel brought them to the room, Beth spent the next hour putting her and Derek’s clothes away. Hopefully, they would be staying here for a while; so, she might as well get things situated for the two of them.
“Hey buddy, here are some clothes. Why don’t you go hop in the shower?” she told Derek.
“Do I have to?” he sounded so put out, Beth couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes, you do. We were on the road for a day and a half. Go wash the dirt off. When you get finished, I’ll hop in,” she told him, watching him walk to the bathroom. “And don’t hog all the hot water, mister!”
Another hour later, both were showered and lying under the covers. “Do you think my dad is happy that I’m here?” Derek asked quietly.
“Oh honey, I bet he is thrilled.” At least to have Derek here, but she didn’t say that part out loud. She knew Devin was hurt and angry. He would probably never forgive her, and she would have to live with that. But, there was no doubt in her mind that after the shock wore off, Devin would embrace fatherhood. She always thought he would be a great father, and she still believed that.
“He didn’t really say too much to me, mom.” Her heart broke for her little boy.
“He was just shocked, baby. I promise everything will be okay. You just wait and see,” she reassured him.
“Okay, Mom.” he snuggled deeper into the covers. “Can you tell me a story?”
It was comforting that even though they weren’t at home, they could still keep their nightly routine. Beth always told Derek a story before bed, tonight would not be any different. Halfway through the story, she heard a light, gentle snore coming from his lips. Beth smiled as she laid her head on the pillow. Within minutes, she was fast asleep.
A loud knock on the door had her bolting straight up in bed. Heart pounding and disoriented, it took her a moment to realize where she was. Her father wouldn’t be here. She and Derek were safe, she told herself repeatedly. Taking several calming breathes, she climbed out of bed.
Answering the door, she was surprised to see a short curvy redhead. But what wasn’t surprising was the look of accusation in her eyes. “May I help you?” Beth asked politely.
Was this woman Devin’s girlfriend? Or wife? Beth never considered that he might already have a life and family. She and Derek being here could cause even more hurt to Devin, and that was the last thing she wanted; but she had nowhere else to go.
“I’m Amber. Devin’s sister. You must be Beth,” the woman stated.
Sister? Beth completely forgot that Devin had a sister. Oddly, a sense of relief flooded her. It shouldn’t have mattered who the woman was, but Beth was relieved nonetheless.
“Yes, I am. Please come in.” Beth moved back to the bed to sit next to a sleeping Derek. Amber walked in closing the door behind her.
Moving closer to the bed, Amber stared at the small form under the covers. “Oh my, he looks identical to Devin,” she exclaimed quietly.
“Yes he does.” And anyone could hear the love and pride she had in that fact. “Having Derek look so much like his father was one of the things that brought me so much comfort. It was like, even though Devin was gone, I felt like I truly had a piece of him with me.”
“If you would have told Devin, you could have had the real thing. How could you not tell him?” Beth could tell, Amber was genuinely curious.
Looking over at her sleeping son, she turned her gaze toward Amber. “How much has Devin told you?”
“Not everything I’m sure,” Amber confessed.
“When Devin and I were dating, I was so in lov
e with him. We planned our future out, down to the minutes, I think,” she recalled with a smile on her face. “Then my father found out. I still don’t understand why he hated Devin so much, but he demanded I end things.”
“And you listened to him?” Amber demanded in a whisper. Beth knew the woman was upset and trying not to wake Derek.
“My father was, and still is, a very difficult man. When Jonathan Andrews tells you to do something, you do it. Plain and simple. There are consequences when his orders are ignored. He threatened Devin and his career if I did not leave him. So I did,” Beth explained to her. “That was the worst day of my life. I know I hurt Devin, but I hurt myself too. Then a few months later, I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to tell him. I wanted to call him and let him know our last night together resulted in a child. But my father’s warnings kept coming back to me. So, I didn’t...” her voice broke on the last word. Beth stood from the bed and walked into the bathroom for tissue. Amber followed.
“And now? Why come back? If you were so scared of your father’s threats against my brother, why come here now?”
“Because I am more scared for my son than I am for Devin or myself. He doesn’t deserve this. He is just a little boy. A child,” Beth needed Amber to understand. “If my father can kill someone without blinking an eye, if he can take the life of a man over some lost shipment, then what is going to stop him from killing me?” Beth asked, but didn’t wait for an answer. “I have no doubt that if he finds me, I’m dead. He’d do anything to protect his career.”
The President: Devil's Henchmen MC, Book Two Page 3