Ben (The Sherwood Series Book 3)

by Lee Wardlow

  Heart to heart.

  We loved and breathed as one.

  She had me from the first kiss six years ago. It was only ever Disa Riley that had my heart. I don’t know what would have happened to me if she hadn’t given me a second chance. Maybe, I would have been a single father my entire life. I might have been content with just Asia but what an empty life it would have been without Disa in it.

  I buried my face in her hair and inhaled her scent. I wanted to stop when I felt my orgasm coming over me, but I didn’t. Just this once, I wanted to come inside her. Take the chance. Forget about consequences of having two children so close together. I think my biggest regret was not asking her.

  I groaned as the fire traveled through me. The need to come overwhelming me. I came so quickly. I wasn’t sure if she knew. Her fingers were clutching at my back, digging in like always.

  Then I knew, she knew. She gasped. “You came inside me.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Disa laughed. “You might be,” she declared.

  I groaned. “I couldn’t help it. I just love being inside you.” I pressed my lips to her cheek.

  “I can’t breathe,” she said.

  I pulled out of her and rolled to my back. She got up to go to the bathroom. I laid there, my hand tucked behind my head and counted my blessings. I had the girl. I had a beautiful daughter and we were going to be a family.

  Ron Parson just needed to be dealt with soon.

  Disa crawled into bed a few minutes later. She had taken her hair down while she was in the bathroom. She kissed my chest before she laid her head near my heart.

  I played with her curls until she was sleeping. Soon, I followed her. Her next to me, relaxed me. I slept like the dead until morning.

  Chapter 20

  On Sunday morning, we got up, showered together. I was still smiling about that experience. Disa slippery and wet in my arms. Up against the shower wall. I sighed.

  She laughed at me. “Stop,” she said. We were heading to Heath’s cabin to pick up Asia. Then we were going to church with Rachel. The walls of First Church of God were going to tumble down because Ben Hatfield was going to church. I rolled my eyes. I hadn’t been to church since I was eighteen and old enough to say no.

  I found a job where I could work every Sunday morning. I don’t know why me, and God had a falling out. It was just that way for us. Religion was important to Disa so apparently it would be for me too.

  She wanted to talk to the pastor about getting married soon. So, here I was wearing my best jeans and a cotton, button, down shirt on my way to get Asia before church.

  Shit. I hated church. I had since I was a child. I believed in the higher power and all that. I had faith out the ass but sitting through boring services week after week was not my thing. “Couldn’t I have a personal relationship with God? One on one?”

  Disa chuckled at me. She told me we had to set a good example for our children, reminding me that we might have made another child last night. I cleared my throat. Wanted to ask her what the possibilities were and decided against it. Better to leave the unknown alone until it happened.

  I looked in the rearview mirror. People tend to do that from time to time. Realized we were being followed. I detoured and Disa looked at me strangely.

  “We have company,” I explained. “I can’t lead them to Heath’s house. Call Heath’s number for me.”

  I wanted to focus on the road and the SUV behind me. Nondescript vehicle. No plate on the front bumper. All black. Driver only person in the vehicle that I could see.

  “Hey, little brother. When are you coming for your kid?” Heath asked.

  “I’m not just yet. I think Disa and I will go to church without her, if you don’t mind. We’re being followed.”

  “Describe the vehicle.”

  His voice was hard and his tone cold. He was all business right now and my child was with him. I should be scared but somehow that notion calmed me. Asia was safer with Heath than anywhere because Heath Hatfield would die before he let anyone hurt my baby.

  “Black SUV. Looks official but I’m pretty sure it’s from the compound. No plate on the front bumper. Driver is wearing sunglasses. Black t-shirt. Military haircut.”

  Heath snorted. “I’ll bring Asia to Mom’s for brunch.”

  “We’ll see you there,” I replied.

  “Call me if anything else happens.”

  “Will do.”

  The vehicle followed us not trying to hide that it was all the way to the church parking lot. I parked right in front and stopped. I had a gun in my glove box. I had a permit and that weapon was fully loaded and ready to use if needed.

  I hopped out and looked at Disa. She had her hand on the door handle. “Nope, you stay put.”

  “But Ben.”

  “Disa, stay put. Call Heath if anything goes South.” Her lower lip trembled. She was playing with her ring. “I’ll be back, I promise.” I locked the truck and shut my door.

  I walked to the SUV and waited for the guy in front to get out and explain himself. I was shocked when Ron Parson climbed out of the back seat and shut the door. Only then did I realize that there was a window blocking the front seat and the back and I couldn’t see through it, so I hadn’t known that anyone was there in the SUV besides the driver.

  “Ben Hatfield,” he declared.

  “Ron Parson,” I replied. I wasn’t afraid of this man only what he could do to my life. He could take away the only woman I would ever love.

  “I want Lilah back. You can keep Merci.”

  I scuffed my toe around on the asphalt trying to decide what to say or do. I was a damn good poker player and now was the time to use that ability to call his bluff and win.

  “Ron, I know who Merci is, Disa’s younger sister.” I sighed. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who this Lilah person is you want.”

  Ron rubbed his hand over his jaw. “Benjamin, I know either Heath or AJ Hatfield took her and Merci from my home. Matt was with one of them.”

  He had it all wrong.

  “Why do you think that Ron?”

  “Because Matt has a score to settle with me. He knows my compound pretty well.”

  I laughed at him. “Elder Ron, you are so wrong about this. So, so wrong.”

  “One of your brothers was shot. I’d love for you to prove me wrong about that.”

  I shrugged. “Easy enough. Wouldn’t there be a police report? Hospitals have to report that don’t they?”

  He chewed on the corner of his dark mustache. Then he took a step closer to me. “You see, Ben. That’s the mystery I’m trying to resolve. No gunshot victims were reported that night. Damned if I know how that bullet got removed.”

  “Probably because my brothers didn’t do it,” I responded with a big smile on my face, staring him in the eye without flinching.

  My palms sweated, giving me away but he didn’t know that. My body trembled. Another giveaway but my face revealed nothing. I had years of practice lying to Rachel that was coming in handy right now. I didn’t break eye contact with Ron Parson no matter what. He didn’t believe me, but he didn’t have to. I wasn’t giving him anything.

  Then over Ron’s shoulder I saw the cavalry. Matt’s truck was flying down the road towards the church followed by AJ’s right behind it. I didn’t know if it was Disa or Heath who had called them. I glanced over my shoulder and saw my woman with my phone to her ear and knew it was her. She must have called Heath.

  AJ screeched to a halt on one side of us and Matt on the other. Both climbed out of their vehicles, leaving their doors open, with rifles drawn. Shit this wasn’t good. Soon, the entire parish of Mom’s church was going to be arriving and this isn’t what they needed to see. Rachel Hatfield’s sons with weapons being trained on one of the Elders of Babylon First Church of God. I scrubbed my hand across my face and groaned.

  “Ron, I thought we had this conversation once,” Matt said.

  He glared hard at Matt. He hated my brother with
an intensity that wasn’t good. Matt was going to get himself killed irritating this man.

  Ron’s man slipped out of the SUV carrying an assault rifle. I shook my head at the overkill of his weapon. An assault rifle in Sherwood?

  “Listen fellas, soon this parking lot is going to start filling up with people intending to worship God. Let’s put the rifles away and take a step back before somebody gets hurt,” I suggested.

  Then I saw Elijah and Jenny’s car arriving for Sunday services and I shook my head. Mom wouldn’t be far behind them.

  My six feet five brother, a powerful man without a weapon parked a distance away. He got out of Jenny’s little vehicle and strode across the parking lot to where we were all standing. He entered behind the man that was with Ron who was surprised by my brother’s size.

  Elijah surprised him all right. He grabbed him around the neck and smashed his face into the SUV. Then he took the assault rifle out of his hand.

  “That was easy,” he said. “Now, what the hell is going on? This is a place of worship. Rachel will be here shortly. She’s about five minutes behind us. Unless you all, and I’m including you, Elder Ron in that statement want your asses handed to you by her I suggest you get into your vehicles and get the hell out of here.”

  Ron’s man was staggering from the head wound that Elijah had given him. My brother shoved him into the back seat and shut the door. “Elder Ron,” he said motioning towards the driver’s door.

  “I’ll take his weapon,” he said to Elijah.

  Elijah looked at the weapon in his hand then he looked at Ron. “Nope, I don’t think you will. Get out of here.” He glanced over his shoulder. Our mother’s car was turning into the drive. “You have five seconds to get your ass out of here then the wrath of Rachel will come down on you. You have no idea,” he informed Ron Parson.

  Ron got into he SUV and slammed the door. He put down the window and glared at Elijah. “This isn’t over,” he said.

  “I’m sure it’s not,” Elijah replied.

  Then Ron backed up and pulled away just as Rachel parked beside Jenny’s car. When he was safely out of the parking lot, Elijah walked to AJ and handed him the assault rifle. “Get rid of this.” The disgust was evident in his voice.

  Then we heard her. The voice of Rachel Hatfield. When we were small boys and heard that bellow, we were in big trouble. “Boys,” she shouted. We turned in her direction and saw her standing with Jenny who was holding Jeremiah. Her hand was over her eyes shielding them from the sun. “What just happened here?”

  AJ ducked into the truck and stowed the two weapons he had. Matt stowed his rifle. Then AJ being the smart ass that he always is said, “We’re just having a bit of fun before church.”

  Matt looked at AJ. “I wasn’t planning on attending church.” He looked at himself dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. “But you have fun AJ.”

  “God doesn’t care how you are dressed my son,” AJ replied. I shook my head at my brother.

  Matt snorted at AJ. “By all means brother,” he replied. “I’m going home to Seth and Justin.” He climbed behind the wheel of his truck and shut the door.

  “Pussy,” AJ snapped at him which only made Matt laugh at him. “I guess I’m going to church with you guys. He leaned into his truck and turned off the ignition then he locked the truck and shut the doors.

  Rachel and Jenny approached our small group waiting in front of the church. Disa got out of the truck and came to my side. She laced her fingers in mine. Mom stopped in front of AJ. “You boys know better than to draw guns on church grounds,” she growled at him.

  “Ron started it Mom,” he said not sorry at all that he had defended me and Disa when he thought we were in danger.

  “That may be the case but…”

  Then the pastor shouted for us to come inside, “Rachel, both Ben and AJ are coming to church. What a pleasant surprise.”

  AJ smirked at her. “You aren’t off the hook yet,” she warned him.

  “Isn’t it, Pastor? AJ will be coming every Sunday,” she informed him.

  “Want to bet,” he said under his breath.

  Rachel glanced over her shoulder at him. “I’ll take that bet,” she replied.

  “Shit,” he answered. Then he followed her up the walkway to the entrance where he shook the Pastor’s hand.

  “Good to see you sir,” AJ might be an asshole, but he was respectful when he needed to be.

  “Nice seeing you too son,” he replied. “Glad you had things under control out here. Any longer and I was calling Hawk.”

  Hell, he had seen us.

  “I never did like Ron Parson. He’s bad news but it wouldn’t sit well for everyone to arrive for Sunday service seeing the Hatfield boys holding him at gunpoint.” He chuckled.

  AJ groaned.

  The pastor slapped AJ’s back as he passed by. “Ben, Disa called this morning. She said you two would like to talk to me. I have a few minutes before service starts.”

  “Thank you, sir. If we could step aside for a moment, that would be great.”

  Rachel didn’t like being kept in the dark. She raised an eyebrow at me. Shoo woman, I wanted to tell her. I didn’t need to. “Rachel, I’ll send them your way, shortly,” our pastor told her. She huffed at us, but she went to her usual seat.

  Nothing had changed since we were kids. She didn’t want to be in the front or the back. We were the first to arrive, so she had her pickings of where to sit and she chose the same seat as always, smack dab in the middle. Elijah, Jenny and AJ followed her into the row and sat down. My mother bowed her head in prayer. She was most likely praying for her sons to not get themselves killed.

  I let Disa do the talking since I hadn’t been to church in years. Ten to be exact. The pastor was looking at me though while she talked. Then he asked her to let us talk.

  “Ben,” he said. “I’ll be honest with you. I’m surprised by this.”

  I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say to that, so I was honest. “I have loved Disa since I was twenty-two, Pastor. Something tore us apart. I’m not right without her. If you’re referring to my reputation, being without her and the hurt I felt well…we’re not letting that happen again.”

  He nodded. “Ben, I have been with Mrs. Canfield for thirty years. Do you know how hard it is to wake up every morning to the same woman? She’s not an easy woman either.” He chuckled at my expression. “She’s bossy and controlling. She’s got a way she likes things in the house. I don’t.” He shrugged.

  “I leave my shoes at the front door, by the nightstand. She shouts my name and I knew I’ve screwed something up. I roll my eyes at her and it makes her mad but Ben, at the end of the day, I’d be a lost man without her.”

  I nodded at him understanding exactly what he was saying.

  “That’s what it takes Ben to love a lifetime. Putting up with all her faults like she puts up with mine. Loving her in sickness and in health. Mrs. Canfield was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis last year. She’s suffering Ben. She’s in pain. She’s grumpy. She snaps at me then she cries for snapping at me. I hold her Ben and tell her that it’s all right. I have to wait on her sometimes when her pain is so bad she doesn’t want to get out of bed.”

  I knew why he was telling me this.

  “Marriage isn’t pretty, Ben. Once the newlywed stage is over it’s hard work to stay together. Only the love that you share keeps the bond strong. Sometimes you need to walk away for a minute not forever,” he said.

  “I understand,” I told him. “My parents gave up. I won’t,” I said.

  He nodded. “I have an opening two weeks from yesterday. I will marry you and Disa because that is what she wants but I want to hear you say that you are sure, Ben.”

  He laid his hand on my shoulder and I grasped his wrist with my own hand. I didn’t have the words to explain myself. I had emotion though. Those emotions were building up in my face and showing in my eyes. A tear rolled down my cheek and I was ashamed for crying in front of our
pastor.

  “I won’t lose her again,” I whispered. My voice broken like my soul had been for so long without this woman. “I love her more than myself.”

  “Ben, no shame in expressing yourself with tears, son.”

  I wiped my cheeks then I nodded at Pastor Canfield.

  “I’ll marry you,” he said.

  “I’ll let Disa know two weeks from yesterday you’ll marry us.”

  “I’ll put you down,” he said. “I have to get ready for service now.” He patted my shoulder then we parted ways. I wiped my face again and headed toward the row where my mother sat with my family.

  More people started arriving as I slipped into the row and sat beside Disa. I gazed at her and took her hand in mine. “Two weeks.” I cleared my throat. “Two weeks from yesterday,” I said. “Pastor Canfield agreed to marry us.”

  “What the hell?” AJ snapped. “Aren’t you rushing into this?”

  “AJ,” Mom snapped at him for cursing in the house of the Lord.

  “No, I am not,” I informed my brother.

  Danni and Walker sat next to AJ. She was comforting an unhappy India. We exchanged looks then I told her what AJ had overheard. She looked at AJ then she looked at me. “Leave him be,” she informed my brother. He snorted at her and crossed his arms over his chest.

  Then he grunted and grumbled beneath his breath. “Jesus Christ, I didn’t know they let Satan’s minions into the church.”

  “AJ,” Mom snapped at him, louder this time. “Watch your mouth.” She was getting really pissed at him. I fully expected her to reach across me and Disa and slap him soon, like she used to when we were small boys and misbehaving. She didn’t care who saw her.

  Daisy had arrived, looking prim and proper in a long skirt with a long, sleeved sweater that brought out the color of her eyes. The lavender suited her. She looked amazing and she had her hand wrapped through the arm of a man I didn’t know.

  “Who is she with?” AJ asked Danni. I wanted to laugh at him. He was transparent in his feelings for her.

  “That’s a resident from the hospital. She’s been seeing him for about three months now.”