He took her hand lying on the table and gave it a tight squeeze.

“I have been seeing Pastor Dean.”

“I know and I talked to him. He was going to talk to you tonight, but I decided to do it for him.”

“You didn’t want me talking to him, yet you freely admit to having unlimited sex. You’re unbelievable.”

“We don’t share outside the club. It’s a rule.” He explained patiently.

“The club rules don’t matter to me.”

“I hope someday they will.” Razer forestalled her sharp reply. “That’s an argument for another day, one that in all probability will never come. Right now, tonight I just want us to agree that you’ll give me another chance.”

Beth sat there sick to her stomach at the temptation in front of her. She would never be able to handle his lifestyle. The thought of him with other women made her ill. Unlike last time, Beth was smart enough to realize that he was going to be with other women, whether he was with her or not. Even though they had not been together, it hadn’t hurt any less over the last nine months. Every night as she lay in bed with her burning body driving her insane, she knew he was fucking numerous women without a thought of her in his mind. The only consolation she had was that Razer hadn’t been able to forget her either or he wouldn’t be here now. Beth knew it would be wrong to go to a man of Dean’s caliber with her body on fire for another. She made the decision that she knew deep in her heart she would regret, but would not back away from like a coward. She was going to let Razer into her life.

God help her.

Chapter 9

Beth handed Evie her paycheck.

“I can give you more hours next week if you need them, but it would be only temporary. Mrs. Rogers fell and broke her hip. She wants to hire us for two weeks until her daughter can quit her job and move down here permanently.”

“That would be cool. The guys will be out of town for a few weeks. Beats sitting around the house bored.”

Beth began clearing the cluttered paperwork at her desk. She and Evie had been going over the clients’ files. Beth didn’t respond. She had not mentioned Razer and her unexpected dinner last evening. Beth had told him that she would think about their talk and then decide what was best for the both of them. He hadn’t pressured her for a firm answer, seemingly content that at least Beth was considering seeing him again.

“Got plans this weekend?” Evie asked, drawing her mind back into the conversation.

“No, just paperwork that keeps piling up.”

“The girls and I are going to party at Rosie’s. I would really like for you to join us,” she ventured hesitantly.

“I really need to get that paperwork done.”

“The guys won’t be there, they are leaving tonight. Sam won’t either, without the guys, she’s not interested. It’s my birthday and I would really like you come” Evie pleaded.

Beth knew she couldn’t refuse Evie’s sincere request. They had become friends over the last few months and she didn’t want to seem churlish by refusing.

“Ok, I’ll be there. What time?”

“I can pick you up.”

“I have to help Mrs. Rogers get settled in at home, she’s getting released in the afternoon. But a neighbor will spend the night. I’ll take my clothes and get changed there, then drive to the club.

Evie reached out and gave Beth an enthusiastic hug. “We’ll have a great time. You’ll see.”

“I know we will.” Laughing at an obviously excited Evie, Beth went to her closet and took a package from the shelf before closing the door, handing it to an obviously surprised Evie.

“You knew it was my birthday tomorrow?”

“Of course, you did give me your personal information for withholding taxes. I remembered the date.” Beth shrugged as if it was a simple task to remember Evie’s birthday.

“I have been with Knox three years, even though he would deny it, and he never remembers my birthday. No one has remembered my birthday since I was a kid.”

“Evie, I didn’t mean to make you sad. I wanted to make you happy. Open your present,” Beth encouraged, warmed by Evie’s reaction to her present.

Evie eagerly opened the present as if savoring the moment. When she lifted the lid, her eyes rose to Beth’s before she laid the box down on the table, pulling out the shimmering silky jade green top. When she lifted the top, she discovered the box also contained a pair of onyx bangle bracelets and matching ear studs.

“I don’t know what to say,” Evie said, overwhelmed.

“Then don’t say anything. Enjoy.”

Evie held the silky top in her hands, afraid she would wrinkle it. Tears gathered in her eyes, but the woman who considered herself the toughest bitch among the other women, just put the top back in the box, carefully gathered her things, saying a hasty goodbye. When Evie closed her car door from within, assured there were no prying eyes, she hit her steering wheel with her closed fists, trying to restore her emotions.

“She is unbelievable,” Evie ranted to herself. “She remembers one fucking compliment I paid her nine months ago and she buys me one even prettier. What woman does that? We are jealous bitches. Who buys a fucking gorgeous top for the woman who fucked the guy you’re crushing on?”

Evie and Razer had not touched each other since that night. Before then, they had sex regularly. Evie had spent many nights sleeping in his bed, too tired after the workout he gave her to leave and Razer hadn’t insisted. But things had changed afterwards; the look of hurt on Beth’s face that night still twisted Evie’s gut. Beth hadn’t held it against her, had given her a job with the hours she requested, saw to it she had insurance, and even paid her more than the going rate of a professional with her qualifications. She took care of Evie with love and respect that she showed her sister Lily. Looking at the box sitting in the seat next to her, Evie put the car in gear, determined if it was the last thing she did, she would make amends for the part she had unintentionally played in ripping the veil of innocence from Beth, there were easier ways to learn a guy was a ho. Beth had been smacked in the face with the knowledge. It was the house joke that Razer would nail any available breezy. He enjoyed sex and was he good at it. He would play with a woman or women for hours yet get just as much enjoyment laying back and lazily stroke her breasts as another member would fuck her. There wasn’t an aspect of sex Razer hadn’t tried and he had even managed to invent a few.

Evie smiled evilly as she drove home. If she was any judge of character, Beth was Razer’s Armageddon. He was about to become, with a little help from her (of course), a reformed man-whore, within reason (of course), Evie did not want Beth denied all the fun.

Beth finished putting Mrs. Rogers dirty laundry in the washing machine. Hearing the soft snores of a heavily medicated patient, she gave Mrs. Rogers a wave as she went into the spare bedroom. She had asked permission earlier to shower and dress there before leaving. Beth showered slowly, not in a big rush to join Evie and her friends at the bar. Planning on making her excuses after a few drinks, Beth was nervous of spending time with them. She didn’t have any experience of partying with a group of females and knew she would either put a damper on their good time or provide a form of amusement with her presence.