Page 54 of A New Era

She bumps her shoulder against mine and smiles. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. We know you helped her, but we’ll never tell Jonah. At the end of the day, you helped a woman you thought needed it, that in itself is above and beyond, especially as we live in a world where it’s an unspoken law you keep out of everyone else’s business.”

She places her hand on mine, and I freeze. “Don’t let your first impression of Beth tarnish us all. We’re not so bad once you get to know us.”

Like Leo once promised me, those who matter don’t care what lies under my gloves and I relax.

“I would never do that. I don’t tend to judge people anyway. We all have a story, some want to share and others don’t.”

Her smile grows. “I like you.”

“Thanks?”

Her laugh makes me smile. “You meet some old ladies and they make you wanna slap the shit out of them. Especially as you get older and the younger ones start showing up. Not that you have anything to worry about, you’re nice and fresh.”

“Again, thanks?”

Her laughter fills the air and I laugh with her. “The guys around here aren’t like Jonah. He’s kinda taken me by surprise,” I admit.

“You certainly meet all kinds through the club. Now you’re marrying the president, the likes of Jonah won’t surprise you any longer. Don’t worry, Cas and Lana raised Leo well, I can’t see him being a Jonah, not with the way he looks at you.”

I don’t necessarily need her pointing out Leo’s loyalty, but it doesn’t hurt to hear it either.

Anger begins to bubble as I sit out front long after Orla goes in search of Wyatt. How dare Beth take my kindness for weakness. I would’ve helped her leave and faced any backlash from Jonah just to know she was free. And she saw that in me and took advantage. Leo broke someone’s nose because of me for helping her and it turns out it was for nothing.

“Rayna, stay with Aunt Nina, yeah? I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Okayyyyyy,” she calls out running after Sebastian.

I find Leo in his office with JJ on his way out as I step in. I close the door behind me and blurt out, “She fucking used me!”

Leaning back in his chair, he woefully says, “I know.”

Crossing the room, I sit on the edge of his desk.

“Did you know this is a game of theirs? He sleeps around behind her back, then she runs off, he brings her back and then they’re happy for a while. And it goes on and on.”

“I’ve heard.”

He slides his hands up my thighs and gently squeezes.

“Don’t tell me I shouldn’t have gotten involved because I don’t need to hear it. I’m fully aware of that now.”

“I wasn’t going to. You did what you thought was best. You can’t change who you are, and I don’t want you to. You might feel shit feeling used, but look at her life, babe, she’s living with a guy who cheats on her, and she puts up with it. In the long run, it won’t be you who regrets helping her. She’ll end up regretting taking advantage of your help.”

“I needed to hear that. Thank you.”

“If it helps, my mom would’ve done the same, I know she would have.”

That does sort of help but the underlying betrayal that I was played with still gnaws at me.

“I’m pissed that you were dragged into it. You broke someone’s nose defending me, though I did help her…”

“Hey, I’d do it a thousand more times. There are certain protocols we follow and regardless of your role, he knows he should’ve come to me, not you.”

I hear him, every word, but I’m struggling to let it go. He must see it on my face too. His hands slide farther up my thighs and urge me to widen my legs. I do. Just like last night, he’s distracting me.

“Lift your ass,” he instructs. Again, I do.

In one swift moment, he lifts my skirt up to my hips and my thong down my thighs, down over my knees and he throws it on the floor.

---