“I thought Beth would have been here by now,” Lily stated, noticing Train and Cash were pouring drinks at the bar.
“Beth won’t be here tonight. Mrs. Langley had surgery to remove her gall bladder and she’s staying with her at the hospital,” Evie said, taking a seat across from her.
Lily looked at Shade sharply before her eyes went back to the bar where several members were going back and forth, taking beers.
“But I need to talk to her.”
“I’m sure you do, but it’s not going to make a difference.” Shade replied.
Lily’s hand went to her wrist as Viper and Winter came in through the front door. A breath of relief left Lily. Winter would drive her back to college or drop her off at her house.
Viper stopped at the bar long enough to take a beer and the couple came to sit down on the couch, forcing Lily to slide closer to Shade.
Winter sat next to Lily. “I’m relieved to see you up. How’s it going?” Winter asked.
“Fine,” Lily said, not letting her eyes go to the beer bottle in Viper’s hand. “Do you think you could give me a ride back to my house? I really need to get back to school.”
“You’re going to be staying here. Didn’t Shade tell you?”
“He mentioned it, but—”
“Did he tell you why?” Viper asked, looking at Shade.
“Yes, he did. Someone tried to hit me with a car then break in my house, but at school, I’ll be perfectly safe.”
“Lily, when Cash followed the prints to who tried to break into your house, they led to the house behind yours. Someone’s been watching you for some time.”
“That house belongs to a couple who vacation here a couple of times a year. It’s usually empty,” Lily explained.
“Knox traced the ownership of the house to a corporation and that’s as far as he can get. Cash said that whoever has been staying there is watching your house. There were video cameras, Lily.”
Lily felt frightened that someone would invade their privacy to that extent.
Winter took her hand. “That’s not all.”
“Your dorm room had listening devices planted there. There’s really no safe place for you to stay other than here, for now. Cash and Knox are both trying to find out who could be doing this, but until they do, you have to be patient. At your home, you would inevitably be alone, but what if Beth or Razer’s presence didn’t deter them? You don’t want them hurt because you didn’t take our help, do you?” Viper’s harsh words had her shaking her head in denial.
“Of course not.”
“Good, then everything is settled.” Lily was glad Winter was relieved. She just wished she could say the same thing.
“I was afraid you wouldn’t listen to reason. I’m sure Beth will be relieved, too. She doesn’t want you unhappy, but she wants you safe,” Viper told her.
“I know.” Lily didn’t know what else to do or say. She really didn’t want to stay here. They were obviously used to living a lifestyle that she didn’t fit into; however, it was the only option she had available right then.
Viper took another drink of his beer and someone turned the music up louder. Winter and Evie started talking about Mrs. Langley while Lily half-listened as her eyes wandered the room, which had several sitting areas. The members had spread out throughout the large room.
Her gaze caught on Bliss sitting with Cash. She had leaned forward and her top had fallen open at her breasts. Cash’s hands had come out, tracing the outline of a tattoo that Lily couldn’t see.
She hastily turned her gaze away, joining into the conversation with Evie and Winter. She felt Shade get up then return. He handed her a bottled water while she saw he had a beer in his hand.
Lily ran her hand nervously through her hair. She desperately wanted to snap her rubber band, yet she didn’t want him asking why in front of the others.
She noticed then Cash and Bliss walking up the steps to the upper floor.
Winter leaned sideways, breaking off her conversation with Evie. “The members will watch how they behave around you for a while, but eventually you’ll walk into an embarrassing situation. Just do what I do: leave the room.” Winter’s face was blood red as she talked, letting Lily know she was as uncomfortable as Lily was discussing the topic.
“At least she did the first few times,” Viper corrected her, cutting into the conversation.
Winter threw Viper a dirty look.
“Bring it on, pretty girl,” Viper warned.
Winter’s face went an even darker shade of red.
Evie got up. “Anyone want another beer?”
“I’ll take one,” Viper spoke up.
Lily started fiddling with the rubber band around her wrist.
“Sorry, Lily. The men might refrain from acting inappropriate around you, but there’s no way to keep them from their alcohol.” Winter said.
Lily couldn’t help it; she burst out laughing. “I guess beer outranks sex.”
They laughed in return and Lily began to get as comfortable as she could, which wasn’t much, but it was a start. When none of the men drank excessively or acted out of control, Lily had the feeling they were trying to accumulate her slowly. She didn’t know whether to be charmed or angry at their behavior.
Evie sank back down in her chair, taking a long swallow of her own beer.
“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.” Lily’s face went pale at Evie’s suggestion of her taking a drink. “I was only joking,” Evie said in apology.
Shade’s hand went to her face. “Stop it, Lily. No one expects you to drink. Okay? Evie was only joking like she would with anyone else.”
Lily nodded her head. Would she never be able to act normal? Lily didn’t feel like she fit in anywhere.
“I think living here for a while might be good for me.” Lily always tried to look on the bright side of things. “I need to get used to being around different people. This will make me quit being sensitive about people drinking around me. I wonder if cowboys drink a lot.” Lily looked at Evie this time, being the one to make a joke.
“Like a fish,” she answered.
Chapter 15
Lily stifled her yawn as she looked at her cards. She and Shade had been playing several games of poker with Winter and Viper.
“It’s time for bed if you’re going to start back at the factory tomorrow,” Shade told Lily when Winter reached forward to claim her winnings, which were mainly IOUs for punishments. Lily had been told they usually played for money, but Winter preferred to play for punishments; that way, when she got in trouble and had to pull a punishment, she would cash in one of her IOUs.
“I haven’t had to do a punishment in six months,” she bragged.
Viper ruffled his wife’s hair. “Unless it was the ones you wanted.”
Winter slapped his hands away. Lily got to her feet, smiling down at the couple. “I’ll probably have to find another way to pay you back for my IOUs. I probably won’t be around long enough to pay all those back.”
Winter looked doubtfully up at Lily, but replied, “I’m sure we’ll work out an arrangement.”
“Goodnight,” Lily said, following Shade to the door that went downstairs. They went down the steps, Lily feeling terrible about taking Shade’s room from him for the next several days.
She went into his room, going to get her pajamas, which were sitting on the chair.
She stiffened when the bedroom door closed and Shade went to one side of the bed, pulling off his t-shirt as he went.
“What are you doing?” Lily asked, shocked.
“Going to bed.”
“Oh, where am I sleeping?”
“In the bed next to me.”
“No, I’m not.” Lily shook her head.
“Yes, you are.”
“No, Shade, I’m not.”
“I don’t sleep on couches.”
“Then I will,” Lily said firmly.
“What are you going to do if one of the brothers stumbles into the downstairs d
runk?” Lily looked at the door fearfully as Shade continued, “This room is off-limits, but the other rooms, not so much. We have an open-bedroom policy.”
“Even Winter and Viper?”
“You think you’re going to put Viper out of his bed?” Shade asked with a raised brow.
No, she didn’t. No one was going to make Viper do anything he didn’t want to do, and she had seen the obvious way Viper’s hand had intentionally stroked his wife’s thigh under the table. It was hard to miss with Winter constantly swatting it away.
“No, but maybe Evie?”
“Evie doesn’t sleep alone; none of the women do. Go get changed, Lily. I’m tired. It’s not like it’s the first time we’ve shared a room.”