Shade's Fall (The Last Riders 4)

“I made you my shield of love, always protecting me. Even now, all grown-up, you tried to protect me, Callie.” Lily’s hands reached out, one to each of her friends to take. Their hands grasped hers, tears falling from each of their eyes. None of them wanted to break the circle to wipe them away.

Lily looked at her friends. “I didn’t forget you, Sawyer, or you, Vida. And I didn’t forget Callie. I’m still here.”

Chapter 44

Lily stood on the snow bank, shivering though she had dressed warmly. She just wanted to see them one more minute.

She put out her hand, knowing how ridiculous it was, but it actually looked like she was holding the lights.

A warm blanket was draped over her shoulders. She hadn’t even heard his footsteps in the crunching snow.

“What did I tell you about sneaking out of the cabin, Lily? I’m going to punish you when I get you back inside,” Shade’s seductive voice whispered into her ear.

“I couldn’t resist, Shade. Isn’t it beautiful?” Lily whispered reverently. “I didn’t know anything so beautiful could exist.”

“I didn’t, either,” he said, rubbing his cheek against hers, his tone just as reverent.

“All these years I’ve waited to see this. It’s more spectacular than I ever believed possible.”

He swept her up into his arms, packing her back inside the warm cabin, shutting and locking the world outside.

Shade had hot chocolate on the table in front of the couch and a warm fire blazing a few feet away. She sipped her chocolate from the mug as she watched him throw a log onto the fire.

He stood up, going into the bedroom then coming out with a small package, handing it to her.

Lily opened the tiny package. Inside she found the exact replica of the flower that Gaige had destroyed.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Thank you, Shade. I love it.” She reached up, kissing his cheek.

“I’m going to go take a shower. Can I trust you not to sneak out again?”

“Yes.” She curled her legs under her, sipping her hot chocolate.

She was still sitting and staring into the flames when he came back wearing sweatpants. His tats stood out in the firelight as he put some more logs on the fire.

He sat down next to her on the sofa, his arm on the back of the couch. “What are you looking so serious about?”

Lily shrugged, avoiding his question.

“Lily?” His blue gaze demanded an answer.

“Nothing, really. I was just thinking.” She looked up at him.

His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb wiping away the lone tear clinging to her lashes. “About what?”

“It’s just that I waited such a long time to see the Northern Lights… it would have been disappointing if they hadn’t been as beautiful as I thought they would.”

“I’m sure it would have,” he said gently.

“I was just thinking that you said you had waited for me since Razer had met Beth, and then I thought that… what if I wasn’t what you wanted. You might become disappointed.”

“You did a lot of thinking while I was in the shower.”

“I know.” She nodded her head.

“Lily, you only saw the Northern Lights in pictures. It’s different having expectations of something that you don’t know anything about. I grew to know you over the years; what a warm, loving woman you are, how you can’t stand anyone hurt, and how strong you were to survive a childhood that would have seriously fucked up anyone else. Angel, I didn’t have expectations. I knew I wanted that sweet girl whose beautiful soul I could see in her eyes. The more I grew to know you, I wasn’t disappointed— I was captivated by everything I had learned. It was like unwrapping a pretty Christmas package and finding a work of art inside that’s priceless. So, no, I wasn’t disappointed.”

Lily looked at her husband who always tried to give her what she needed. “You’re definitely not what I expected. Giving me flowery speeches on Valentine’s Day, a trip to Alaska to make my dream come true, even being a nice guy and giving Georgia’s brother her job, so that he would be able to support his kids and hers while she’s in prison.

“The first time I saw you, all I could think about was how scary you looked with all those tattoos. Then they ended up being the reason I fell in love with you,” Lily said ruefully.

“You fell in love with me because of my tats?”

“I understood their meanings.” She reached up, touching the stars on the side of his neck. “The stars are your guide so you always know what’s important, the compass so you never lose your way home.” Her fingertips brushed the one on his collarbone. “Strength and loyalty, meant someone strong enough to always protect me.” Her hand glided down to the tat scrawled across his chest. “Only Death Can Stop Me—someone who will always be there for me. When I realized their meaning, I realized I had found him.”

“Who?” Shade’s tender voice was another reason she loved him. He gave her gentleness; not all the time, but when she needed it most.

“I knew I had found my cowboy.” Lily’s arm circled Shade’s neck, touching his lips with hers in a kiss that expressed how much she loved him.

It had been a long journey from Queens City, Texas. Behind her she had left a life that she would never forget; however, she had learned to forgive because each moment had set her on the path to Treepoint, Kentucky, where she had found a new sister and family who would protect her for the rest of her life. The Last Riders would be a force for anyone to reckon with. Most of all, she had found Shade; a strong, protective and gentle man who loved her.

She felt Shade lift her up into his arms, laying her down on the blanket in front of the fire. She smiled as she opened her arms to her husband. She had been right; God had heard her prayers better in the mountains.

r /> * * *

Razer closed the bathroom door, seeing Beth standing by their bedroom window, staring out into the starry sky. He came to stand behind her, his arms slipping around her waist.

“What are you doing?”

“Saying thank you. There were times I didn’t think my prayers were going to be answered, but they were.” Her pale blonde hair shone in the moonlight coming through the window.

“I don’t think Shade has ever been referred to as the answer to anyone prayers.” Beth turned to look at Razer.

“He was mine. I prayed for someone strong enough to keep Lily safe and take away her nightmares, and he sent me Shade. Lily wasn’t the only one who had her prayers answered; mine were, too. If Cash had left town and not looked back, I would never have met you.” Beth looked at the still-arrogant man whose heart she had managed to capture.

“Divine intervention?” Razer said wryly.

Beth nodded her head while Razer shook his.

“I don’t know if I believe that, but I’m more than happy with the way things turned out.” His hands slipped the robe off her shoulders before they lifted her breast to his mouth. He sucked her nipple into his mouth, his hand sliding down across her stomach toward her… His hand caught on a piece of tape. He stepped back, looking at the gauze taped across her tat.

“What’s this?”

“It’s your Valentine’s Day present,” Beth said with a smile.

Razer went to his knees so he could take the gauze off. He saw the tat she had gotten on her hip when she first became a member—a razor blade cutting into her flesh and a tiny drop of blood that was in the shape of a heart with the date of their marriage inside. She had told him it represented him. When he had seen the tattoo, he had thought it was cool to have his symbol on her forever.

Razer swallowed hard when he saw what she had just had done. A tiny blue heart was underneath his.