Shade (The Last Riders 6)

“You’re just going to leave me with her?” he asked, somehow disappointed.

Rachel cocked her head at him. “Yes. You won’t hurt her.”

She left him alone with Lily, who was sitting on the floor in the corner of the bedroom with her forehead on her knees, her arms wrapped around herself, rocking back and forth.

Shade leaned against the wall, evaluating the situation before making a move toward Lily. The red rubber band the counselor had given her was on her delicate wrist. Penni had told him the counselor had instructed Lily to snap it against herself when she became too frightened to deal with a situation. Penni had also told him that, at first, she would see Lily snapping it constantly, but it had begun tapering off to only a few times a day. He only wished Penni could get Lily to open up about what was causing the attacks, which she hadn’t been able to do so far.

“Lily?” Shade tried to soften his harsh voice. He had seen her that way a couple of times. Beth had told Razer that only time itself would draw her out of the self-induced trance Lily used as a defense mechanism. However, Beth either didn’t know or wouldn’t tell Razer the reason for the attacks in the first place.

Shade slowly walked toward Lily, hunching down in front of her rocking form. “Lily.” That time, his voice was more forceful, commanding her attention, and the rocking stopped.

Coming to a decision, Shade reached out, lifting her into his arms. It wasn’t the smartest choice, however, as he found himself with a wildcat in his arms. The unexpected fury of the woman had him forcing her against the wall to gain control of the nails going for his eyes. Pinning her there with his body, he didn’t try to grab her hands, merely blocking her moves.

“Lily, stop it now!” he said in a firm voice. “Aren’t you worried about Winter? She’s worried about you. She was crying she was so worried, Lily. Beth is probably scared out of her fucking mind.” Shade kept her pinned against the wall as he kept repeating Beth’s and Winter’s names.

Finally, he saw a light of reality break through her blank expression.

“Shade?” her voice whimpered.

“Yes, baby.”

As Lily sucked in deep breaths as if her chest was going to explode, her hand wiped at the tears on her face. “Is Winter safe?”

“Yes. Beth’s friends stopped and helped. Winter is waiting with Beth. They are both waiting to hear from us. You okay?” Shade asked, worried about the blood he had found on her clothes. His eyes searched her body, finding a scratch with drying blood on the underside of her forearm.

Lily nodded, still trying to catch her breath.

“Lily, breathe slowly,” Shade ordered in a hard voice.

Lily jumped, but her breaths gradually slowed and he took a step back, giving her some room.

“Can we go now?” Lily asked, her soft voice gaining strength.

“Yes.” Shade backed away more, allowing her to slide by him. Then he opened the bedroom door, letting Lily go ahead of him before following her outside.

Lily walked out the door and came to a sudden stop when she found the yard filled with The Last Riders.

When Beth jumped off Razer’s bike, running to her sister and nearly knocking her down, Shade placed his hand on Lily’s back, holding her steady.

“Are you all right?” Beth asked.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry I couldn’t help Winter. I shouldn’t have pan—”

“Don’t you dare apologize. You were smart enough to run. Winter said he shot at you twice. I would have run, too. Anyone would.”

Lily shook her head. “Even when Rachel found me, I couldn’t tell her what happened. Her brothers could have helped.”

Beth smiled softly at her sister. “Winter had plenty of help. Sex Piston and her crew showed up. They took a baseball bat to the bastard.”

“Really?” Lily asked as they walked toward Razer’s motorcycle.

“Yes.”

“Winter’s okay?”

“She’s on the back of Viper’s bike.”

Shade saw her finally relax, knowing Winter was safe.

Shade got on his own bike, starting it as he saw Knox sitting uncomfortably behind Rider. He owed the brother a favor for bringing his bike.

Once Viper also fired his engine, The Last Riders waited as one for their brother to leave. Razer’s new family was now their own.

Shade rode his bike up next to Lily.

“Lily.” He used the same tone of voice he had used with her inside.

Lily didn’t appear to want to be parted from Beth. He didn’t think she truly would feel safe until she was home.

“Razer, could you call and ask Mick if he would drive my SUV here?” Beth asked.

“Get on, Lily. I’m taking you home.” Shade’s firm voice had Lily moving reluctantly toward him.

Beth paused.

“Get on, Beth. She’s safe with Shade.” Razer and Shade’s eyes met as Lily climbed on behind Shade, holding his sides with her legs, her trembling hands taking his helmet.

As soon as it was on, Shade throttled his engine, and Viper pulled out in the lead with the others following down the winding road. Shade saw Beth turn around, checking to make sure Lily was okay. Beth had a long way to go with learning to trust him with Lily, but Shade had seen that night what Razer had been trying to tell him. It wasn’t about what anyone wanted to do for Lily; it would always be about what was best for her, and Shade could live with that.

Chapter 24

Shade was sprawled in one of the chairs at Rosie’s, enjoying a lap dance from the stripper Knox had hired for Razer’s bachelor party. He was wearing blue jeans and had pulled off his T-shirt in the hot bar.

She seductively ran her hands down his naked chest, grinding her pussy down onto his cock which was about to burst his zipper. “God, please. Shade, please.” Chastity’s face was a tortured mask of desire.

“What you want, bitch?”

“Your cock. Please, Shade,” she whimpered.

“Where you want it?”

“My pussy.”

“Can’t give it to you now.” Shade wasn’t about to fuck the woman with Winter at the front of the bar. “If you come back to the clubhouse, I’ll give it to you all night.” Shade bragged, half-drunk and horny.

The woman nodded frantically.

“Go give my brothers their dances. If you want to give them anything else, you can give them your mouth. Save your pussy for me.” If the dances hadn’t already been paid for, Shade would have dragged her to his bike already.

The woman shakily moved off Shade, heading toward Knox who was eagerly waiting his turn. She tugged off the flimsy, pink robe she was wearing, pressing her bare breasts against Knox’s chest as she went to work, grinding on him.

Shade half-stumbled toward the bar to get another bottle of whiskey. The counter was a large circle so Shade stood at the back part, hidden from view by the massive wooden shelves that held the liquor bottles.

Bliss was standing next to Train, who had become tired of waiting for the stripper and had removed Bliss’s top. “I heard you promise Chastity your cock.”

“You think I don’t have enough for the both of you?” As his fingers cupped her tit, tugging roughly at her nipple, Bliss moaned, pushing her hips toward his.

“I know you do. It just depends on whether you want to give it to me. Train has me too horny already, and I don’t want to beg for what you might not give me.” Bliss pouted.

“When have I ever not satisfied your greedy pussy?” Shade tilted his head until he could see around the wooden shelf and saw Winter arguing with Viper at a table where they sat with Razer.

Shade took a seat as Chastity came over to them, like she had somehow heard her name mentioned.

With his lap dance abruptly over, Knox shot him a middle finger, and Shade grinned back.

Bliss hadn’t bothered with panties, and her shaved pussy beckoned his drunken mind as she sat down in his lap, straddling him. “Please, you always wait until we beg.”

/> Chastity came up behind him, groping his throbbing cock. “I’m already begging.”

Cash, who was standing at the bar, slammed his beer down onto the counter, drawing his attention before walking hurriedly toward him.

“Lily’s here.”

It onl took that one word to have Shade out the chair, practically knocking Bliss into Train, who managed to catch her as she gave a small scream.

“Damn, Shade, be careful.”

He tried to shake off the fog surrounding his mind, when he noticed the wall of brothers between him and Lily, giving him precious seconds to get out of the precarious position.

“Sorry,” Shade apologized to the two. “What in the fuck is Lily doing here?”

“I don’t know,” Train said, giving him a hard shove. Usually, Shade would have returned it, but he let Train get away with it that time, figuring he deserved it.

Shade moved closer to the brothers who hid him from view as he tried to listen in on the conversation at Razer’s table. He was barely able to catch a glimpse of her between Knox’s back and Cash’s shoulder.

She was sitting at Razer’s table, flicking that fucking red rubber band.

Shade motioned for Mick to turn the music down.