“Same here,” Both Sledge and Diesel said in unison.
“So, who is giving him information? Beth and Derek haven’t left the compound since they arrived,” Reaper remarked.
“They haven’t even been out front from what I’ve gathered.” After the call Sledge got this morning, Diesel had checked with his men. None of them had witnessed Sledge’s woman or kid outside of the pool area, which was located behind the house and a ten-foot solid privacy fence.
“No, they haven’t,” Sledge replied. He made it a point to tell Beth to stick to the inside and rear of the compound. “So, we have someone leaking information.”
Blowing out a breath, Sledge leaned back in his chair. This entire day was pissing him off. All he wanted was to be with Beth and his son, but he had business to take care of. He promised to keep them safe, and that was what he intended to do.
Grabbing the phone, he called Banjo, putting it on speaker phone. When his friend answered, he didn’t waste time with chit-chat.
“Hey, I need you to look into Texas Senator Jonathan Andrews. Somehow, he knows Beth and Derek are here. Cross reference him with any contact that has an association to us. I need you to get back to me ASAP. This is top priority.”
“I’m on it,” Banjo replied. “Anything else?”
“Not that I can think of,” Sledge muttered. “Anything else guys?” he asked Reaper and Diesel.
“After you look into Andrews, check out the club girls. Phone records, specifically,” Diesel had a hunch.
“Am I looking for any in particular? Do you think one of the girls is working with Andrews?”
“Honestly, we aren’t really sure. Someone broke into my office. Kind of trashed the place. She tried to get into the computer, but the failsafe kicked in and shut it down. The same person went into my bedroom last night snooping. They could be two separate problems, but truly, we think they are connected, somehow.”
“Wait, she?” Banjo asked. “What makes you think it’s a woman?”
Sledge explained what they found in the cameras. The size of the person, the lack of muscle. After agreeing to get started, Banjo hung up the phone.
“Now what?” Diesel wondered out loud.
“Fuck if I know,” Sledge said on a deep sigh.
All heads turned toward Reaper when his phone chimed, breaking the silence in the room.
“What the fuck!” he said, looking at Sledge.
Sledge felt a sense of worry fill his gut. “What?” he demanded.
Reaper handed him the phone. It was a text message from Amber, and the words made Sledge’s blood turn to ice.
“I am with Beth and Derek. She is freaking out, Zander. She is planning on leaving! What the fuck do I do? She is so scared her dad will find her. She is planning to leave Derek here with Devin because the people working for her father are looking for a woman with a child. Zander... This will crush Devin! Help me!”
Sledge was out of his chair and across the room before anyone could stop him. He raced downstairs and out of the bar. He had to stop her. What the hell was she thinking? She was safe here! Throwing open the door to the house, everyone in the living room jumped at the sound of it crashing against the wall. But he didn’t care. He had to get to Beth.
Opening the door to Derek’s room, he found her sitting on the bed next to his sister and Derek laying on a pallet on the floor watching TV.
“Hey, Dad!” Derek jumped up and ran over to Sledge. He wrapped his arms around his son and lifted him off his feet.
“Hey, Son!” Sledge smiled. “I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too. Are you done working?”
“No, not yet. But I need to speak to your mom for a minute, okay?”
“Okay!” Sledge put Derek back down and watched as his son returned to his spot, eyes glued back on the show he was watching.
Sledge walked over to Beth. “Come with me.” He couldn’t stop the irritation that coated his words.
“Okay,” she answered in confusion. Obviously, she didn’t know Amber had messaged Reaper. Well, she would in a minute. There was no way Sledge would just let her walk away from him again. He couldn’t.
Taking her by the hand, he led her to their room. Walking in, he closed and locked the door behind him. There would be no interruption this time. He didn’t give a shit if the building was on fire!
“Care to tell me something?” he asked. He watched the look of confusion pass across her face, then it was like a light bulb went off over her head.
“Amber messaged you.” She said it as a statement, but Sledge answered her anyway.
“Actually, she messaged Zander. He showed me the message. Amber -,” but she interrupted him.
“Listen to me Devin, my father will find me here. I can’t just sit here and wait for him to come for me and hurt you, Derek, Amber, Zander...” she trailed of, her voice breaking. “I can’t allow y’all to be hurt because of me. Please! I need you to understand!” she begged through the tears rolling down her face.
Sledge couldn’t offer her comfort. He couldn’t make his feet move. He had to make HER understand. He couldn’t lose her again. His heart wouldn’t be able to handle it. It would kill him. The one thing she wanted to prevent by leaving, she herself would accomplish. Sledge felt his world start to collapse.
“Baby, please,” now it was his turn to beg. “You don’t understand. If you leave, you might as well kill me. I wouldn’t survive it, Beth. Not again.” Sledge stood there, his own voice breaking. He hadn’t cried in years, eight to be exact. But here he was, about to lose his shit, over the same woman who wrecked him the last time.
“Beth, you are safe here. Your father cannot hurt you here. Think about it! Woman, you are surrounded by some of the best, most Elite Military personnel on the planet. Black ops, SEALs, Delta Force, Green Berets, Army Rangers. The list goes on. My men would die to protect you and Derek.”
“That’s my point, Devin! I don’t want people dying because of me!”
“Please, Beth! Derek and I both need you here. I promise, I will keep you safe. Just please, don’t leave us.”
Sledge wouldn’t force her to stay, no matter how much he wanted to. Beth had to make the choice to stay with him on her own.
Chapter Eighteen
Beth
So many emotions are warring inside of her. Does she stay or does she go? How can she protect the people she loves?
Beth stands there, stunned. Never had she seen the infamous, Devin “Sledge” Parks shed a tear. Never had she seen his emotions get the best of him, until now. Watching the tear slide down his cheek, Beth felt her heart start to crumble. She was hurting him all over again, even after she promised herself she wouldn’t. But what could she do to stop it?
Beth made her feet move. Walking to Devin, she wrapped her arms around his middle. “I love you so much, Devin.”
“I love you too, Beth,” he choked out.
They were both being ripped in two. Beth couldn’t do this. She just couldn’t. “I’ll stay. I’ll give you a chance to fix this.”
She not only heard, but felt the air leave Devin’s lungs as he sagged against her. “Thank God!” she heard him whisper against her neck. “Thank you, baby. I promise, I will make this go away. For good! Whatever it takes, I will make you safe, and Derek.”
“Okay.”
Beth pulled back to look into his eyes. She saw the conviction written all over his face. Devin would do whatever it took to protect her, including eliminating her father. That thought should have saddened her, but it didn’t. The man who was once her father was gone. Replaced by another who cared nothing for anyone but himself. Politics had made him cold. Made him evil. After all, what kind of father came after his child?
Beth pulled Devin’s face towards hers. She needed to feel his lips on hers. “Kiss me.”
“Yes ma’am,” he grinned.
The kiss started off slow. Just a brief meeting of lips. But as with everything between them, it quickly gr
ew heated. Lips, teeth, tongues - all clashing.
Beth was the first to pull back. “I need... I...”
Devin hurriedly removed his clothes, then helped Beth take off her own. He knew what she needed, she didn’t even have to finish the sentence. Once they were both naked, he lifted her into his arms, pressing her back against the wall.
In one swift motion he entered her, both moaning at the intrusion. Beth loved the feel of Devin inside her. The fullness she felt. They fit together perfectly.
Devin began to move, slowly at first. Just a slight rocking of his hips. “Fuck! You feel so good wrapped around my dick.”
Beth purposely squeezed her inner muscles, causing Devin to hiss. “You’ll pay for that,” he told her.
Before Beth could respond, Devin slammed into her. It was Beth’s turn to hiss. “You like that, don’t you?” he teased. Of course, he already knew she did. Beth liked, no loved, everything Devin did to her. He knew her body, inside and out.
Repeating the movement, Devin continued to pound into her. They both needed the release. Emotions were still high between them. Both needed something from each other. Desperate to find it.
Adjusting his grip, Devin moved both hands to her ass, massaging the globes. Using the wall to help hold her weight, Devin slowed his rhythm. Moving in and then out, he rotated his hips with each stroke.
Beth could feel her orgasm approaching. Just as it was about to reach her, Devin pulled out of her completely, causing Beth to whimper.
“No, no, no...,” she whined.
Chuckling, Devin carried her to the bed. “Don’t worry my love, we aren’t finished yet.”
He positioned Beth on her hands and knees. Doggy style was her favorite. Partly because every time they got into this position, she knew Devin was about to unleash his inner-freak.
Beth felt the bed dip under Devin’s weight. Then his hands were on her. Gliding up the back of her legs, and back to her ass.
“I don’t know if I’ve told you this before, but you have the most gorgeous ass I have ever seen.” Beth didn’t have time to respond before Devin was entering her again.
With one hand, he grabbed a handful of her hair. “You. Will. Not. Leave. Me.” He slammed into her with each word. Suddenly, Beth felt the sting of his other hand slap across her right ass cheek.
“Fuck!” she moaned.
Again, another slap landed. And another. With each strike, Beth could feel herself getting wetter. She had never been spanked like this before, but holy shit was it a major turn-on!
“I can feel your juices coating my cock, baby,” Devin moaned loudly, ramming into her over and over.
Slowing his strokes, Devin pushed fully inside of Beth, ground his hips against her ass, and then slowly pulled back out. Releasing his hold on her hair, Beth felt Devin’s hands on her ass again, softly gliding over the handprints she knew were there, even without looking. The sensation caused her to shiver.
“Such a beautiful ass,” he whispered. Beth tensed when she felt his finger at her entrance. This was something new. “Relax baby. I promise, you’ll enjoy it. If you are planning to leave me, I am going to make sure you remember me everywhere.”
Beth didn’t know what to say. Trying to relax, she felt him push the finger past her outer ring. Moving his finger in and out of her ass in the opposite rhythm of his dick, Beth had never experienced anything like this. She was so close to coming.
“Harder!” she panted.
Devin inserted another finger in her ass and started moving inside of her faster, deeper, giving Beth exactly what she wanted. Pounding into both holes, Beth’s orgasm slammed into her. She screamed Devin’s name until her voice stopped working. Aftershocks quaked within her, but Devin never slowed his pace. All too soon, another orgasm crashed into her. Or maybe it was the same one. Beth couldn’t tell anymore. When she could no longer hold herself up, Devin pressed a hand into her back, holding her down on the bed as he continued his assault on her. With one final plunge, he called out her name and he poured himself deep inside her.
“Oh my God,” Beth panted. “I have never experienced anything like that.”
Without a word, Sledge climbed off the bed and made his way to the bathroom. Now that their lovemaking session was over, Beth could feel the tension in the air again.
“Devin?” she called, but still he didn’t speak.
Beth could literally feel the walls going back up between them and she hated it. The pain she felt in her chest stole her breath. Before she could say anything else, a knock sounded on the bedroom door.
Sledge grabbed his jeans from the floor and pulled them back on before opening it to find Reaper standing on the other side.
“We have company.” Reaper looked to Sledge, then towards Beth. He didn’t need to say anything else. Beth knew who the company was - her father.
Jumping up from the bed, with the sheet pulled tightly around her, she grabbed her clothes from the floor and rushed into the bathroom.
A hand landed firmly around her upper arm. “No worries, Beth. I will handle this and send him on his way. I’m going to have Amber bring Derek in here with you. Do not leave the room until I come back.”
Beth stood there, frozen. What was she going to do, she wondered? Hurrying to get dressed, Beth knew she already had her answer. She would run, alone. Her heart shattered at the thought of leaving Derek and Devin. A crippling pain coursed through her chest. Moments later, Derek ran into the room, straight into Beth’s arms.
“It’s going to be okay, baby. Daddy will make it better, and momma is going to help.” Decision made, she had to move quickly.
“Listen to me Derek, I have to leave. Grandpa is looking for me, and as long as I am here, you won’t be safe.”
“No mom! You can’t leave me. You can’t leave Dad.” Watching her son cry ripped her heart out. But honestly, Beth didn’t have a choice. She had to get out of there. Maybe she would make her presence known somewhere else and her father would stay away from the clubhouse, and Derek.
“It will be okay Derek. I won’t be gone for long. I promise. I’ll be back”
“Okay,” he whispered.
Walking to the dresser, Beth grabbed the notebook that Devin always kept there. She needed to leave him a note. She needed to get out of there before he found out what she was doing and tried to stop her again.
Devin,
I am so sorry but I had to leave. With me being gone, my father will leave the clubhouse and Derek and you will be safe. I promise to let you know where I am. Hopefully, he will pick up my trail and follow me. That’s my plan, anyway. This has to end. There is no way for us to have a future if he is always around. I love you so much! Never forget that. Please take care of our son, for the both of us. He will need you more now that I am gone. I promise, once this is over, if I am capable of returning, I will be back.
Love Always,
Beth
PS: I took the gun you keep in the bedside table. One way or another this ends. I promise to stay safe. I love you.
Ripping the page from the book, she turned to Derek. “I need you to give this note to your dad when he comes back. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Good boy. You be brave and strong, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can. I love you so very much. With all my heart.” Beth hugged Derek to her chest, her voice thick with emotion. Several times she wanted to say ‘fuck it’ and change her mind, but she had to do this. Derek would never be safe until her father was no longer a threat to her.
Pulling away from her son, Beth walked to the door and quietly opened it. Looking out into the hall, she noticed it was clear. With a final glance back at Derek, she walked out of the room. Getting out of the clubhouse unseen would be tricky though.
Beth made her way to the pool, there was a gate behind the pool house and would allow her access to the parking lot. Surprisingly, nobody paid any attention to her as she walked around to the back deck. Slipping through the gate
, she quickly ran to the woods behind the compound. Relief flooded through her veins, along with adrenaline, when she exited the woods beside White Rock Lake. Pulling her cellphone from her pocket, she called for a taxi. She would get to a hotel, then figure out the details of her plan. One step at a time.
Chapter Nineteen
Sledge
Sledge was thankful for Reaper’s disruption. He hated that it was because Beth’s father was here, but he needed an excuse to escape, so he’d take it. Sledge knew from the look on Beth’s face before they had sex, that he was losing her. The ache in his chest blossomed. He finally had her back, and now he would lose her again if he didn’t find a way to eliminate the threat of her father.
Sledge had to play this carefully. Her father was a high profile politician, not some scumbag drug dealer. He couldn’t just send a team to his house.
“First the phone call, now a surprise visit? I don’t like this, Devin,” Reaper commented as they walked to the bar.
“I don’t either. But until we hear back from Banjo, we have to play this close. For now, we deny - everything.”
Entering the bar, the first thing Sledge noticed were the suits. Bikers didn’t wear business suits. Jonathan Andrews came with backup. Not that it would help him if anything happened. There were more Henchmen than senator’s men.
“Mr. Andrews,” Sledge acknowledged.
“Commander Parks. Good to see you again.” The Senator extended his hand in a shake. Sledge held it in a firm grip, holding it a little longer than polite. A sense of pride flowed through him when he noticed the senator winch.
“What can I do for you?” There was no point in beating around the bush. The faster Sledge got this man out of his club, the sooner he could get back to Beth.
“Straight to the point. I like it. Here’s the deal Parks, I know my daughter is here. I want her returned. Her mother is extremely worried about her. I don’t know what you did to get her to come here, but you will not hold her prisoner.”
This guy had to be fuckin’ joking. Sledge knew the game he was playing though. Given enough rope, he was hoping Sledge would hang himself. Slip up and confirm that Beth was here. Sledge knew the game, but he refused to play.
The President: Devil's Henchmen MC, Book Two Page 9