Nero (Made Men #1)(99)
“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb your nap. I just wanted to let you know I dropped the groceries off and put them away. Blake will be by this weekend to clean out your gutters and store away anything you no longer need.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without your help.”
“I am sure your family would be more than happy to help.”
“You think so?”
“I know so. Now don’t nap too long or you’ll be unable to sleep tonight. I’ll see you Saturday. I’ll lock the door on the way out.”
Beth left her already dozing back off and was locking the heavy door when the loud sound of motorcycles again drew her attention. They were driving slowly down the speed-restricted lane, passing directly in front of the house Beth was leaving. Samantha was on the back of a large, black motorcycle, holding tightly to a different biker than she had walked into the store with. Beth felt her eyes on her as she passed and waved her hand in acknowledgment. Samantha turned her head in the other direction, blatantly ignoring the casual greeting.
Beth shrugged to herself, not upset at the snub. Samantha had never been friendly when their paths had crossed, often being downright unfriendly. She had tried not to let it bother her, but Beth couldn’t understand why the girl disliked her so much.
The walk to her car seemed like a mile instead of the few feet it actually was. As she walked to her car, she glanced toward the bikes again as they passed. If it hadn’t been so obvious, Beth would have gone back into the house until they were out of sight, but she was unwilling to make a fool of herself twice in the same day. She blew out a relieved breath as the last bike passed. That biker had been the one with his arm around Samantha at the store.
He looked her way as she walked towards the car. The breath she’d been releasing caught in her throat at his rugged beauty. His dark brown hair reached the collar of his leather jacket and was tied back with a skullcap. Sunglasses hid the color of his eyes, although they didn’t diminish the strength of his gaze on her. Feeling scorched as their eyes met briefly, Beth saw his lips twist into a wicked grin as if he knew the feelings storming her body.
She moved more quickly towards her car, tearing her eyes away from the passing motorcycle and refused to turn when she heard him rev the bike's motor as if he was laughing at her.
Beth’s fingers trembled as she fit her keys into the ignition. She didn’t know why the bikers made her feel so uncomfortable. The only conclusion she had reached was that they incorporated every vice her father had warned against. Beth’s parents had been born and raised in Treepoint. Her father had been the local Baptist preacher and her mother devoted to his work. Their expectations of her had been high and the community had kept their eyes on her, telling her father of each infraction that they felt, in their righteous way, was against his teachings. He had responded with hours of lectures and days of reproachful looks, making Beth feel often inadequate and bad.
Experiences that young girls often enjoyed, such as dances and boyfriends, became associated with feelings that brought displeasure to her father. Beth had two choices when it came to the demands her father’s position in the community commanded; either to rebel or to submit. Beth was no fighter; she had caved to her parents’ demands because of her sister. It had not been hard caring for Lily; while Beth felt smothered by her parent’s restrictions, Lily had embraced them. The rules had provided safety and structure to the traumatized girl.
In showing an example of charity, her parents had adopted a little girl, Lily. Beth’s mind shied away from the memories of her first meeting with the little girl, but she was truly thankful her parents had rescued the sister of her heart, if not blood. She was everything Beth was not; tall, slim, and radiantly beautiful, both inside and out. When you saw her, you could not take your eyes off her; it was as if you would miss something vitally important. To look at the pretty 19 year old, you would never know the hell her parents had dragged her from.
Lily had been tiny for her age, and her natural mother had skirted the law by never putting her in school. After adopting her, Beth’s parents had told everyone she was actually two years younger so she would not be so delayed in her own age group. Beth loved her sister and, when her parents had been killed when on a charity mission, Beth had moved home to care for her until she finished high school. Lily was now a senior with graduation a few months away. She had more than caught up developmentally and physically, but they had decided to keep her age unknown. It had been their parents’ decision; the school knew her true age. It was the community that was kept in the dark, believing her to be seventeen.
Beth pulled into her driveway, seeing the porch light on. Lily would be waiting for her to get home from work. The smell of food assailed her when she entered the cozy house.
“Hi, sis, you’re late,” Lily greeted and accused her at the same time.
“I know. I would have called, but I know how you are about me talking on the phone while driving.” Beth removed her shoes and the band holding her hair tightly back from her face. Beth eased her sister’s fears, understanding how traumatized she had been from their parents’ unexpected deaths.
“All right,” Lily instantly forgave her sister. “Let’s eat; I am starving.”
Beth laughed at her sister’s slim figure. “You always are. I don’t know why you can’t gain weight the way you constantly eat. Must be good genes.” Instantly, Beth regretted her words at the pain in her sister’s eyes.