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  “I know you probably won’t hire me now, but I really need the job,” she said with a hesitant smile.

  Beth stepped back, opening her door further for her to enter. She knew that she would never get the picture of her sandwiched between Razer and Train out of her mind, but that was her problem, not Evie’s.

  “I still need help; your private life is your own and none of my business,” Beth answered her quietly.

  “Razer and I are just…” Beth cut her reply short.

  “Again, it’s none of my business. I just have one request; if you are going to work for me, don’t ever mention him to me again. Can you do that?”

  “Yes, but…” Again, Beth cut her short.

  “Good. Now it seems you want to start today and that works for me. Monday’s are a killer. I hope you can provide me with a couple of references that I can check out.”

  “No problem.”

  “Good, let’s go. Today you can drive with me until you learn the clients and where they live.”

  “Anything you say boss," Evie said with a grin.

  ***Nine months later***

  Blake was coming down Mrs. Langley’s staircase as she finished cleaning the large living room. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him balancing two large boxes.

  “Need any help?”

  “No thanks, I can handle it.” He sat the heavy boxes down on the floor. “I packed away all the Christmas decorations, cleaned the attic and threw away everything Mrs. Langley told me to. These two weren’t labeled. She said for you to go through them and organize whatever is inside if it’s important.”

  “I don’t have time to right now, I have a date with Dean tonight. Could you put them in the trunk of my car as you leave?”

  “No problem. Anything else before I go?”

  “No, that’s all for today. See you next week.”

  Beth went to the kitchen to make a small meal for Mrs. Langley before she also left for the day. Fixing a bowl of warm soup, a glass of cold milk, and several homemade cookies on a small tray. Beth had made the cookies last night before going to bed. Carefully carrying it upstairs to Mrs. Langley’s bedroom, she was laying in bed watching her favorite show. Beth helped her sit up before placing the tray on her lap.

  “Thank you. Are those chocolate chunk cookies?’

  “Yes. I left a container of them on the kitchen counter for later.”

  “They are my favorite,” picking one up and biting into it.

  “I will have to remember that.” Beth smiled and chatted with her about the medical program she was watching as she cleaned the room.

  “Have you seen Samantha lately?” Mrs. Langley asked as Beth took away the empty tray.

  “No I haven’t,” Beth lied remorseless. No way would she be drawn into a conversation about the woman’s granddaughter. Samantha was constantly seen around town with the members of The Last Riders. Beth had seen her several times herself since that night months ago. Twice on the back of Razer’s bike, each time Sam had manage to throw a gloating look, if not giving her the finger.

  “She didn’t come by for Christmas. Vincent explained she was busy working and would visit when she had the time. Perhaps if you happen to see her you might mention her grandmother would enjoy a visit.”

  Beth forced a smile. “If I see her, I will be happy to pass along your message.”

  “Good. Now you better be going, you don’t want to be late for your date.”

  “I won’t. I will come by tomorrow to tell you all about it.” Beth smiled as she heard the television volume increase as she left the room.

  Beth washed and cleaned the dirty dishes before leaving. She was only paid to work for two days a week, but since Beth had noticed Mrs. Langley losing weight, she made sure to stop by daily to fix a nutritious meal and that it was eaten. Hopefully, Samantha would take pity on her grandmother and visit soon. If not, Beth would keep her word and broach the subject the next time the selfish girl was near.

  “Beth, Pastor Dean is here!” Beth grimaced at Lily manners. She was home from college for the Christmas holiday and would be going back in two weeks. Picking up her sweater, she went down stairs to meet Dean.

  “Wow, you look great,” Evie exclaimed when looking up from the groceries she was organizing into boxes to be delivered the next day. Her car had broken down outside Beth’s home when she had dropped the groceries off. One of the members from the club was on their way to pick her up.

  “Thanks.” Beth was wearing a new royal blue tight skirt that ended above the knees; the tight matching sweater had horizontal blue and black stripes that emphasized her breasts and small waist. Every time she moved the bare expanse of her stomach teased the eye. A large black belt and sky-high heels had her feeling sexy and provocative. Not the best two combinations when her date was with the local pastor. Beth saw Dean standing by the door.

  “Hi.” Giving him a welcoming smile, she walked across the room to greet him. Beth’s arms slid seductively around his shoulders to brush his mouth with hers. Dean’s lips returned the light pressure; his arms came around her pulling her body close.

  “I’ve finished with the groceries, so I will be going since my ride is here.” Evie said closing the last box.

  Beth turned in Dean’s arms to see Razer sitting in the chair. Carefully hiding her reaction, she greeted him before turning back to Evie. This wasn’t the first time she had seen him since that embarrassing night; she had become adapt at dealing with the occasions. Thankfully, he was out of town frequently and Evie had kept to her word to never mention him.

  “Thanks, Evie let me know if you car can’t be repaired by tomorrow and I will reschedule your clients.”

  “Shouldn’t be a problem, Razer is a genius with machinery,” Evie said.

  “Then I will see you tomorrow. Lily, I will be back in a few hours.” Lily waved them away, engrossed in a book at the table. Dean and Beth left with Razer and Evie following closely behind. Dean held his car door open as she slid inside the modest car.

  “It’s working out well, her working for you?” He asked when he was sitting behind the wheel.

  Dean drew her attention away from watching Razer raising the hood of Evie car.

  “Yes. It couldn’t have worked out better,” Beth answered honestly.

  “It doesn’t bother you she lives with a large group of men in a motorcycle club. Some of your clients are fairly well-off.”

  “I trust Evie and I think of her as a good friend, and just because they are a motorcycle club doesn’t automatically mean they are criminals.” Beth defended Evie heatedly, unconsciously including The Last Riders.

  “I wasn’t criticizing, I like her too." Dean raised a hand in surrender.

  “You do?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, now where are we eating? I’m starved.”

  Dean looked up from his practically completed sermon when Razer walked in his open office door.

  “I guess miracles do happen,” Dean said, leaning back in his chair.

  Razer put his hands in his pockets going to the window beside his desk to stare outside.

  “How have you been doing?” Razer asked without responding to his comment.

  “Very well; got a good church, good woman, and good friends. What more could a man ask for?”

  Dean noticed Razer’ stiffened body.

  “Been here a while Razer, just now stopping by. Is there a reason?”

  “Thought I would stop by for a chat.”

  Dean sighed and brought up the subject that Razer was dancing around.

  “I saw you two together. I was at a parishioner’s in the neighborhood and saw her on your bike. That was the same weekend she asked me out.” Dean glanced down to see Razer’s hands clenching into fists.

  “I had made a play for her when I first got to town; she turned me down flat. After that night with you she ran straight into my arms. You must have scared the hell out of her.”

  “She knew what I wanted, wante
d me to work for it. It wasn’t worth the effort.”

  Dean stood and walked around the desk, casually leaning back against it.

  “Oh, she is worth it, is that what you’re here to ask me? For Christmas, I gave Beth a weekend trip to Vegas; she’s never been out of Kentucky her whole life. I am going to ask her to marry me that weekend Razer.”

  “Everyone at the club will be happy for you. Guess that answers my questions on how life is treating you. Let me know when you set a date, I’ll send a present. See you around.” Razer turned towards the door.

  Dean almost let him go; but he owed the man his life. It was time to pay him back. “Evie has started coming to church on Sundays, did she tell you?" Before he could answer, Dean continued. “She told me what happened that night. Feels pretty bad about it, she likes Beth. She also told me about the bullshit that Sam has been mouthing off about Beth. I thought you were smarter than to listen to a jealous bitch. Unlike you, I cared enough to find out about Beth. I talked to people that cared about her, the people she sits next to every Sunday. Do you know she has never missed a Sunday service, even after her father’s death and who was the previous pastor?”

  Razer turned back, not saying anything but listening. “The congregation loves her, when they found out I was dating her, they couldn’t tell me her virtues fast enough. If you hadn’t been a jackass to her that night, she would never have dated me. Her father was a miserable bastard who controlled every aspect of Beth’s life; she was never allowed to play and socialize as other kids her age. They never even had a television; he considered it the Devil’s medium. They read scripture every night; her whole world was the church. I watched a videotape of him giving a sermon; he even scared me. There is no way she would place herself back in such a stifling environment if you hadn’t scared her so badly.”

  “Sam told me she had dated several boys in high school. Beth told me she had partied in college,” Razer defended himself.

  "Beth wasn’t allowed to date in high school, she never attended extra curricular activities, and she never attended dances or prom. She won’t even dance with me; she’s too embarrassed to admit she doesn’t know how. His congregation told every misstep Beth made. If she even talked to a boy, they told her father. I imagine if she attended a beer bust in college Beth considered it partying, she probably was too embarrassed to admit to you how little she was exposed to, even if you gave her the opportunity," Dean said intuitively. “Since she graduated college and became Lily’s guardian, you were the first one to manage to get close to her. She works long hours to pay for all of Lily’s expenses and has managed to pay almost all the debt her parents left; she didn’t want Lily to lose her home.”

  “I should have known she was inexperienced,” Razer said in self-incrimination.

  Dean nodded. “I can only determine that she was attracted to you and was willing to take a chance despite every stricture her father had droned into her since birth."

  “That night she must have thought she walked into Sodom and Gomorrah.”

  “Beth and Evie have become best friends. She doesn’t even hold a grudge against Samantha. I am willing to bet she would forgive you if you tried.”

  Razer shook his head. “I don’t fit into her life, and she damn sure doesn’t fit into mine.”

  “Evie tells me you have been nailing every woman that looked your way the last nine months Razer. Yet you haven’t touched Evie or Sam since that night. You can drink all the beer you want, but if it is water you want, nothing will quench your thirst.”

  “Don’t preach to me.”

  “I’m done," Dean said, straightening from the desk. “I have paid back my debt to you. I am giving you until this weekend to take another shot at a woman I have come to care about. Beth will make me the perfect wife, except I think she fell in love with you. The man I served with, who saved my life, and was like a brother to me would be smart enough to figure out a way to get the best of both worlds.”

  Chapter 6

  Razer sat his empty beer bottle down on the bar.

  “Want another?” Mick asked.

  “No, going home.”

  “Since when do you drink one beer and leave?”

  The slamming door had everyone's eyes turning towards the door.

  Loker James came striding angrily to the bar.

  “Mick; you seen Ton? Just got back in town this morning when I went home, both him and the truck are gone.”

  “I haven’t seen him today.”

  “Mother fucker, I am going to strangle him with my bare hands when I find him." The ringing of his cell phone cut off further threats of violence.

  The look on his face had everyone unashamedly listening. Loker’s face turned white and his hand was shaking when he ended the conversation.

  “I found Ton.”

  Razer and Mick exchanged glances. They knew the news was bad.

  “He was in an accident. He broadsided Beth Cornett's car on Ivy Hill. They both have been taken to the E.R.”

  Razer's hand gripped the rail of the bar; his shaking knees barely held him upright where he stood.

  “How bad is she hurt?” Two sets of eyes turned to him in surprise at his reaction.

  “Don’t know. That was the only information dispatch told me. The sheriff told them to contact me and meet him at the hospital.”

  Loker left without another word jogging to his car. He was putting the car in gear when the passenger side door was wrenched open and Razer jumped in.

  “What the fuck are you doing?”

  “Going with you.”

  “Why?”

  “Beth.” Without further question, Loker floored the gas pedal.

  By the time Loker reached the hospital, there were six bikers who had been in the bar who saw Razer run out. Curiosity had gotten them on their bikes to follow.

  Loker went directly to the ER; as he entered through the sliding doors, he could already hear the commotion Ton was making in a nearby room. Relief that his father was in good enough condition to be enraged with the nurse he could hear Ton arguing with loosened the knot his gut was twisted into.

  “Let me go woman, I have to check on that little girl.”

  “Sir, I told you the sheriff is checking. When he comes back in a few moments, he will relay the information.” Ton was trying to jump out of a wheelchair while the middle-aged nurse was unsuccessfully trying to keep him seated. “I need to check your injuries.”

  “I’m fine. They checked me out in the ambulance. It’s that poor girl who needs help.”

  “Dad.” Loker spoke trying to get Ton’s attention.

  Ton faced his son with tears streaming from his eyes. “I know what you’re going to say. But I am not drunk; haven't had a drink all day. I was just going to the store for a pack of cigarettes. A pack of cigarettes that probably cost her life. There was blood everywhere.” Ton lifted his shaking hands to cover his face. “I saw her too, she ran right out in front of me.”

  “Ton.” Loker tried to quiet his father, worried that he would incriminate himself.

  “No. I hurt that girl. I want you to shoot me.”

  Razer could only lean against the pale yellow wall.

  “How is she?” Shade, Knox, Rider stood beside him as he waited for an answer.

  “They won’t tell me.” Ton redoubled his efforts to get out of the wheelchair.

  “Ton, stop.” The soft voice coming from the doorway had them turning; Razer thought he was imagining her voice. Beth stood there with tear-swollen eyes, with trembling lips, clutching her purse in fear.

  “I am so sorry Beth. I didn’t think…” Ton immediately stopped his struggles.

  They waited for Beth to let Ton have it. Lily was Beth’s only family, everyone in town knew how Beth protected and worshiped her baby sister.

  Beth walked forward to face a crying Ton. No one moved to stop her. She reached out and instead of the smack everyone expected; cupped his beard-roughened cheek, gently brushing his tears away.
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  “You have to calm down. Remember your blood pressure. You don’t want me to be worried about you too, do you?”

  “No.” Ton tried to gain control under Beth’s steady gaze.

  “Has he been checked out?” Beth asked the nurse.

  “Not yet. He wouldn’t let me.”

  “Go with her Ton, as soon as I find out her condition, I will find you.”

  Ton nodded, squeezing her hand.

  A door halfway down the hall opened, everyone froze expectedly as the Sherriff walked out.

  He looked at the audience waiting for news. Beth instantly moved to his side.

  “How is she?”

  “Lucky, she has a concussion, a sprained ankle, and she is going to be sore as hell for a couple of days. I guess all that research you put into purchasing a safe car paid off.”

  The Sheriff attended her church; she had questioned him relentlessly on the best choice of car to purchase when Lily had earned her license. Up until then, she had made due with an older model car, but Beth wasn’t going to take any chances with Lily’s safety. Beth had bought a newer model car with a five star safety rating.

  “Thank God," Beth whispered, desperately trying to hang on to her control in front of the group of men.

  The Sheriff nodded. “Someone was definitely looking out for her.”

  Loker spoke up. “Was it Ton’s fault?"

  “No or Lily’s either. Lily said her brakes went out, that was why she couldn’t stop. She pulled out in front of Ton. Beth, I am going to have the car towed to the station and have our mechanic take a look at the brakes.”

  “I just had the car serviced last month.”

  “I will let you know as soon possible.”

  “Thanks sheriff. Can I go in and see Lily?”

  “The doctor is waiting to talk to you, then he will show you to Lily’s room.”