Beth didn’t remember the drive, only realizing what she was doing when she sat down on the couch.

She didn’t know how long she sat there before a knock brought her back to awareness. Automatically, she answered the door to find the Sheriff’s wife outside.

“Beth, you look horrible. I can’t believe they released you so soon. If I had realized you looked so bad, then I would have been here immediately.”

“I’m fine. I just ran an errand before I came home. I just overdid it; as soon as I get some rest I will be good as new.”

The woman’s sharp gaze studied her for several seconds before ushering her upstairs to bed, helping her to shower, and then putting her to bed like a child. Pulling the covers over her, she even leaned down and brushed a small kiss on Beth’s bruised cheek.

“Don’t worry dear, everything always looks better the next day.” Rachel turned the lights out, reminding her just to call if she needed anything. She was staying the night in Lily’s room. Beth wanted to argue with her, but exhaustion and heartache stopped her. She was too tired to put up an argument.

Chapter 17

Rachel was wrong, everything was not better the next day. Beth dragged herself out of bed early, determined to get back to work. Her clients depended on her and she was not going to let them down.

The sheriff’s wife argued with her about going back to work so soon, but Beth was firm in her insistence that she was better. Finally the good-hearted woman left her in peace, saying she would call her that evening.

Beth made her rounds of clients. It was hard since Evie quit to get all the patients done and she was literally shaking when she let herself in to her house to collapse on the sofa. Curling into a ball, she snagged the phone, calling Rachel to tell her she was going to bed and would not need her assistance that night. Hearing the hurt in the woman’s voice, Beth almost broke, but hardened her resolve and said goodnight. Beth fell asleep for several hours waking to fix herself some soup which she ate with no appetite, but knowing she had to eat to keep her strength.

The last two days of the week was more of the same. Beth worked hard and eating what she could force down her throat, all the time aware her heart was breaking. Imagining Razer with the different women at the clubhouse was like a movie playing in her mind. The picture of Razer stroking Bliss was engraved in her memory and it tormented her constantly.

On Saturday she drove to see Lily. Her sister took one look at her bruised face and heartbroken eyes and held her arms open. Beth and Lily lay on her tiny bed as she was finally able to let go, crying her misery onto her sister’s shoulder. Lily lay next to her, stroking her back, murmuring questions, giving her unconditional love to soothe her broken ego.

“I hate him,” Beth sobbed.

“I do too,” Lily whispered her agreement.

“I miss him so badly. I don’t think I can do this Lily. Maybe if I go talk to him?”

“Do you think it would matter to him?”

“No.”

“Then that answers your question.”

“I love him Lily.”

“I know, but you can’t have him. You have to let it go.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Beth admitted, ashamed of being so weak.

“Then let’s go.” Lily stood up. “We can leave now and be there in a couple of hours.” Beth also got up, picked up her keys and purse. She actually made it to the door before she stopped. Her forehead touched the door as she started crying again; she didn’t resist when Lily led her back to sit on the bed.

“It’s over.”

“Yes Beth, whatever you shared with Razer is over.” With those words, Beth accepted what she had known from the first time she had seen Razer in front of the police station with that motorcycle, that given half a chance he would break her heart.

Chapter 18

The party was dying down and the ones who hadn’t been lucky enough to find a bed for the night were sprawled on any available furniture sturdy enough to hold their weight. Several had even thought ahead, bringing a sleeping bag and found an open piece of floor to crash on the available space.

Slowly, methodically, he went down the steps, careful, not to make a sound. He didn’t want to wake anyone. He had planned everything down to the final detail, determined no drunk assed member would screw his plans up at the last minute.

With his thumb on the detonator, he headed for the door. The sudden burst of light coming on blinded him for a second. Startled, he spun around to see Viper, Razer, and Cash standing by the door.

“Hey man, you are going to wake everyone. Douse the lights.”

“Everyone is already awake, what are you doing awake? Last I saw, you were upstairs with Evie.”

Memphis shrugged. “She’s asleep. Thought I would go for a ride.”

“Sounds good, mind if we join you?” Viper asked.

“Was wanting some alone time.” Memphis started to move forward, but the three men blocked his path.

“We do mind.”

Memphis turned to leave through the backdoor, but found his way blocked by the members he thought had been sleeping. Outnumbered, he tried to brazen his way out.

“What’s up Viper, since when does me going for a ride become club business?”

“It becomes our business when you’re planning on blowing us to smithereens on your lone ride.”

“I don’t know what the fuck you are talking about.”

“Search him Razer.” Viper ordered. Razer took a step forward. Memphis tried to make a break for it. He tried to force himself through the men blocking the door, but found himself with his face shoved into the wall and his arms held high behind his back. When he tried to fight free, Viper smashed his face into the wall using his hair.

“Stay the fuck still.”

Memphis felt hands going through his pockets.

“Well look what I found.” Cash pulled the detonator out of his pocket, lifting it where all the members could see it. Razer jerked him from the wall, throwing him across the room. Knox caught him, throwing him down on the couch.

“Took three fucking years of my life to figure out who betrayed my brother. You sorry piece of shit killed him for fifty grand. I would have given you the fucking money if you had asked, you mother fucker.”

Memphis knew he was a dead man so he knew lying would just make it more painful.

“I would have done it for free,” Memphis shrugged. Viper lunged at him, but Razer and Cash held him back.

“He is just trying to piss you off so you will kill him quick. Find out your answers first,” Razer reasoned.

“First answer my question, then I will answer yours. How did you finally figure it out?”

“Sam, we promised protection and no jail time if she told us who her father paid to kill my brother.”

“She didn’t know. Bedford swore he wouldn’t tell. He was scared enough of me to keep his mouth shut.”

“Sam followed her father one time to one of your meetings. She recognized you when she started hanging around the house.”

“Damn slut.”

“I answered your question, now answer ours. “

“I killed Gavin because he was a pain in my ass. I was dealing drugs on the side, he was going to tell you at the next meeting. I would have been out. I couldn’t have that going down. I had a plan and was going to stick to it no matter what happened. Him being dead distracted everyone. I moved a lot of the patents to my name, with the money I made off them and the insurance policy on everyone, I would have been a rich man.”