Chapter Ten
Beth
Beth had never seen Devin so angry. The moment he punched the wall, she jumped off the bed and moved to the other side of the room. He had every right to be mad. Her father tried to kill him. But her self-protection instincts kicked in and she used the bed to shield her in case that anger turned towards her. She knew Devin would never hurt her physically, but emotionally, that was a different story.
Luckily Zander was in the room and quickly defused Devin’s temper. One minute, Sledge looked like he could commit murder; the next, he turned his eyes towards her and she saw all of the anger drain from his face, only to be replaced by worry.
He stepped around the bed and reached his arms out for her. Willing or not, her feet moved on their own and she found herself wrapped in his embrace.
“Are you okay now?” Zander asked Devin.
“Yeah,” but his voice sound strangled.
“Good because I also heard back from Banjo.” Beth could tell by his tone, that whatever Zander was about to say, was not going to be good. “The shipment Beth’s father was talking about, was the truck we intercepted at the border last week.” At that moment, Beth remembered something.
“Wait!” she said, pulling out of Devin’s embrace. “The night of the dinner party, someone had mentioned the Devil’s Henchmen. They said that your group had stopped the Mexican Cartel from importing millions in unregistered guns and drugs into the US. My father quickly changed the subject. It was right after that, that he went outside...” she trailed off.
“That’s not all he found,” Zander said. Watching Zander looking between her and Devin, she knew what came next would be even worse.
“Oh my God... what Zander?” She didn’t know if she could handle anymore, but what choice did she have?
“Banjo was able to hack into Senator Andrews’ files. He found some emails between him and the Georgia senator, Michael Franz.” Beth could tell he was extremely uncomfortable, but he took a deep breath and continued. “The email was dated a little over eight years ago.”
Beth felt her stomach drop to her feet. This was going to be bad. “Damn it Zander! Spit it out!” she demanded.
“One of the emails was basically an agreement. Andrews agree to let Franz marry Beth in exchange for his vote on a Senate bill. Basically, he sold Beth to Senator Franz for his vote.” Zander looked like he was going to be sick and Beth felt like she would. Running to the bathroom, she emptied her stomach, over and over.
He sold her? Her own father sold her for a fucking vote?
Beth sat in front of the toilet until there was nothing left. She felt a cold rag pressed against her forehead and looked up to see Zander next to her. Sledge was nowhere to be found. She felt her heart break. But what did she really expect? She needed to stop getting her hopes up. As soon as this mess was cleared up, Beth had to move on.
“Thank you,” she told Zander, standing up.
“No problem B. I am so sorry you had to find out about that,” he looked genuinely devastated to have had to tell her.
Placing a reassuring hand on his arm, “It’s okay. I would rather know, than not,” she told him. “I better get back to Derek.” She felt completely dead inside as she made her way back to her room. She noticed on the way that Devin was nowhere to be found.
Catching her look, Zander pointed to another hole in the wall. “He didn’t take it well either.” Beth watched Zander walk away, probably to go find Devin.
Entering her room, she went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. When she was finished, she turned off the light and climbed into bed. Pulling Derek close to her, she closed her eyes and drifted into an intermittent slumber.
At some point during the night, she felt the bed dip down behind her. She startled for a moment, until his voice registered in her head. “It’s just me baby girl. I’m sorry I disappeared. I didn’t want to scare you again and if I would have stayed, that is exactly what would have happened. Now, I just need to be near you, please,” he whispered.
“If Derek wakes up...” she said turning over.
“We can go to my room, if you prefer. I just want to hold you Beth.” The vulnerability in his voice broke her already damaged heart.
“I don’t want him to wake up alone and scared.” She would love to sleep in Devin’s arms again, but Derek would freak out if he woke up and she was gone with no idea where she went.
She felt Devin loosen his grip on her and climb out of her bed. “I’m sorry,” he told her as he walked out of the door, softly closing it behind him.
That was not what she expected. She didn’t want him to leave, but she couldn’t just abandon Derek in the middle of the night.
“Mom,” she heard her son's sleepy voice.
“What are you doing awake buddy?” She didn’t know how much he had heard.
“Is my dad okay?” he asked after a big yawn.
She didn’t know how to answer him, so she told him the truth, “I don’t know big guy.”
“Will you go find out? I don’t want my dad to be sad.” Derek yawn again.
“Sure sweetie,” she kissed the top of his head as she climbed out of the bed. “Go back to sleep, if you need me I will be across the hall honey.”
“Yes ma’am,” and he was back asleep before the final syllable left his lips.
Beth quietly left her room and walked across the hall. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. Please don’t let this be a mistake, she prayed silently as the door opened and Devin stood in front of her, shirtless. His pajama bottoms hanging low on his hips.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Derek woke up after you left. He wanted me to come over and check on you,” she answered him honestly. If he didn’t want her in his room, this would be the perfect time for him to say he was fine and send her on her way. However, Devin reached out for her hand and pulled her into the room. Once the door was closed and the lock in place, Devin wrapped his arms around Beth and pulled her against him.
“I am a lot better now.” The honesty in his voice almost caused her to come undone.
They stood there for a few moments, just hugging each other. Needing comfort. Devin was the first to pull away, but not completely. Taking Beth by the hand, he led her to the bed. She watched as he pulled the covers back and laid down.
“Lay down with me, Beth.” His voice rolled across her skin like honey. Rich and smooth. Raising goosebumps on her flesh. Beth crawled into bed and snuggled closer to Devin.
She felt his hand lift the hem over her shirt and caress her bare skin. “Devin,” she moaned.
“Shhh... Let me make love to you Beth, please,” he pleaded. Just like with their son, there was no way Beth could deny him. No way she could say no to the man who still held her heart.
“Okay,” was whispered through a breath as it left her lips.