“I’ll talk to her tonight.”
“The sooner, the better. I don’t want to give Brooke any opportunity to damage what you and Lily have.”
“If that bitch causes you any more problems, you tell me immediately.”
“I will. I promise.”
Shade gave her a brief nod before going to his bike, watching as the excited women left to go shopping. Sighing, he sat down.
He had mistakenly believed he and Lily would have a peaceful life after their honeymoon. King was no longer trying to break them apart, and Lily was no longer in danger from her past. He had thought their troubles were over. According to Evie, however, they were just beginning.
* * *
Lily rolled over to face him, her hand reaching out to cup his face. “You’re the best husband.”
“I hope you always think so, Lily,” Shade said seriously. “I really do.” He sat up in the bed, turning on the lamp.
Lily blinked at the light.
“Sorry,” Shade apologized. “But I need to talk to you.”
“Is something wrong?” Lily sat up in the bed.
“You remember when I told you Evie and I went to high school together?”
“Yes.”
“I went to school with her sister, too.” Shade stared at Lily. “I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable in church, and I wanted to make sure there was a need to tell you before I did.”
“Shade, you’re frightening me.” Lily’s voice trembled.
“Lily, Brooke is Evie’s sister.” When Lily’s expression turned angry, Shade raised his hand, stopping her angry outburst. “She and Evie do not get along. Evie hasn’t spoken to her in several years, and I didn’t think it was my place to talk about Evie’s relationship with Brooke. I have only talked to her a few times, which I couldn’t avoid, and I have never touched her, nor have I ever wanted to.”
“I can understand Evie not wanting to talk about her past. I don’t like to discuss mine, either. I thought you were going to tell me you had a relationship with her. I learned to accept the women at the club, but I’d feel strange looking at my pastor knowing you and his wife … Well, you know.” She waved her hand in the air.
“Fucked each other?” Shade asked, trying to keep a straight face.
“I don’t think you should talk like that about a pastor’s wife. God might punish you,” Lily said seriously.
“I’ll take my chances where Brooke is concerned. She’s an evil bitch.”
“Shade…”
“Listen, I wasn’t finished,” Shade interrupting her. “While I didn’t care for Brooke in high school, unfortunately she developed an obsession for me. Evie had a boyfriend. Levi and I hung out together, we played football, and both of our fathers were in the service. It was through him that Evie and I became introduced. We would even party and double-date together. Brooke always tried to butt in, which I didn’t pay much attention to until it was too late. I had believed she was trying to bug Evie. At one point, I even thought she had a thing for Levi.”
“But it was you she was interested in, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.” Shade’s voice became unconsciously harsh. “She began to flirt with me.”
Shade would never forget the night he had showed up at Evie’s house. He was meeting Evie and Levi there to watch some movies. When Brooke had answered the door, he had gone inside thinking Evie and Levi were waiting. They hadn’t been. When he asked Brooke where they were, she explained they had gone out to dinner with her parents.
“Why did Evie text me to come over then?” Shade had asked impatiently, turning toward the door.
“She didn’t. I did, on her phone when she was getting ready,” Brooke had admitted, gleefully proud of herself.
Shade had turned back to see Brooke removing her T-shirt and jeans.
“They won’t be back for a couple of hours.” She was wrapped around him the next instant, rubbing her naked tits against his chest. He had jerked her arms away from him, taking a step back.
“I don’t care if they don’t come back until tomorrow. I’m not fucking you.”
“Why not? You fuck everyone else,” she had snapped. “I’m prettier than any girl you go out with.”
“No, you’re not.”
Brooke’s ugly expression proved his words; however, she deliberately softened it in an instant, trying to look sexy. “I can do things for you they can’t.” Brooke had licked her lips, staring down at his jeans before raising her eyes to his. “I’ll even let you hit me if you want to.” She reached down on the couch, picking up a plastic rod that was used on blinds.
“Why do you have that?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Bethany told me how you like sex. I wanted to know why you saw her more than the other girls you go out with.”
“Bethany wouldn’t tell you.” His eyes narrowed on the bitch holding the rod casually in her hand. “Touch her again, Brooke, and I’ll take more than that belt to you,” Shade threatened.
The girl actually shuddered at his words.
“I mean it, Brooke. I’m not going to fuck you. I’m never going to fuck you, but I’ll wring your fucking neck if you touch another one of the girls I see.” Shade went to the door without looking back.
Brooke tried to catch his arm, but he jerked it away, going out the door. Brooke is crazier than I am, Shade had thought then, and he still believed it.
Shade saw Lily was expectantly waiting for him to finish.
“I had several girls I was dating and she would bully them at school, making it miserable for them. One was Bethany. I saw her a little more often than the rest, and that was why Brooke picked on her the worst.
“Prom night, Levi, Evie, Bethany, and I were coming out of a restaurant. Levi and I went to get the car while the girls waited at the door. We weren’t even at the car yet before we heard the girls screaming and ran back. A car had jumped the curb and hit Bethany and Evie. Evie had a couple of broken ribs and a broken leg.”
“And Bethany?” Lily prompted.
“She was paralyzed from the waist down.”
“Oh, my God.”
Shade nodded. “It was a hit and run. It was so quick, the driver disappeared before Levi and I could get back.”
“You believe Brooke did it, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I could never prove it. I left Georgia after graduation, and I haven’t seen Brooke since. Evie was attacked when she was in the service. Levi was dead a month after that; he got in a fight with Evie’s attackers. One of the men had a connection with Brooke. I believe she was responsible for that, also. Evie had come home with me during a short layover, and she had told her mother.”
“It could be coincidences.”
“Maybe, but I don’t believe so. You have to be careful around her. I don’t want you to go anywhere that someone else can’t see you with her in the church,” Shade stated firmly. “I wish you would quit, but I know you won’t,” he added when he saw she was about to protest.
“I won’t, but I’ll be careful. I promise,” Lily said, lying back down.
Shade turned the lamp off, lying back down with her.
Lily laid her head on his shoulder, her hand massaging the tension out of his muscles. “Shade, do you know what happened to Bethany?”
Shade rolled to his side. His angel always was more concerned with someone else rather than herself. She was the one in danger now. Brooke had hurt Bethany for no reason other than he had fucked her more than the others because she enjoyed being dominated by him.
“She’s still living in Georgia, happily married with two children.” He had made sure when he began making money that Bethany had the best care and had given her a sum of money she would be able to live off for the rest of her life.
“Good.” Lily stroked down his arm. “I bet she still misses you. You would be hard to replace.”
“Not so hard. She managed to find someone.”
“I wouldn’t. If you left me, I would still be waiting,” Lil
y murmured drowsily.
“Angel, me leaving you isn’t going to happen.”
Chapter 77
Shade was facing his wife while she leaned against one of the large oak trees, waiting for him to finish his conversation with Viper and Rider. It was the Fourth of July picnic, which he’d had no intention of attending, nor had he been planning to let Lily until she had told him Brooke had returned to Georgia for a visit with her mother.
Shade thought it suspicious the way Brooke kept going back and forth between Georgia and Treepoint, but he really didn’t give a fuck other than wishing she would keep her ass there.
“When are you going to fill the club in on what’s been bothering you the last couple of days?” Viper asked.
Shade kept his eyes on Lily who had started looking pale recently. He had been deliberately trying to get her pregnant since their wedding night. Only when she had his child would he feel less threatened by the thought that she would leave him.
If she found out his final secret, that he was a cold-blooded killer, the child would tie her to him. He felt no rush of emotion at the thought of his child. He would be a good father and simply pretend like he did with everyone else.
He shrugged.
Lily was staring at him with a soft smile on her face. For a flash of a second, her face turned to one of heated desire before she blushed, regaining her composure. Shade caught the look and returned it with one of his own. With her not feeling well, he hadn’t touched her the last week, wanting to give her time to rest and regain her strength.
“Had a couple of things on my mind, nothing to worry about. I’m going to go back to the clubhouse. Later.” Shade didn’t wait to hear their replies.
He strode across the yard to his wife who was frantically looking around to make sure no one was watching them. He gave her a wicked grin as he drew closer, and she tried to escape to the picnic table.
“Come here.” He caught her around the waist, pressing her against the tree.
Shade slid his hand across her flat belly. If she didn’t feel better in a few days, he was going to make her go to the doctor.
Bending down, he whispered, “Going somewhere?”
“I was going to get something to eat,” Lily murmured shyly.
“You ate just a little while ago. Let’s go home and have dessert. I have some chocolate mousse in the refrigerator. I made Evie get the recipe off Henry.”
Once Lily nodded her acceptance of them leaving as she smiled, Shade placed an arm around her shoulder, maneuvering her through the crowd.
As they approached the gate to the backyard, King reached out to open it with Evie by his side.
“Leaving early?” King searched her face as Lily turned a bright red.
“The heat is getting to Lily. We thought we would go home until it cools down then come back for the fireworks,” Shade explained with an impassive face.
King smiled down at Lily. “I’ll see you later tonight, then.”
“You two have fun,” Lily said quickly as Shade led her to his bike.
“They make a cute couple.”
Shade rolled his eyes at her. “Cute doesn’t come to my mind when I see them together.” Shade said, getting on his bike.
“Really, what does?” Lily asked, getting on behind him.
Shade looked at the couple still watching them. Evie had been the happiest he had seen her these past few months since high school. King had returned to town not only to get to know Lily better, but to continue the relationship with Evie which had started in Queens City.
“Never mind. They are cute together,” Shade said, starting his bike. He could just imagine King’s expression when he told him Lily’s choice of words. “We need to invite them to dinner,” Shade suggested to his wife. He would have to cash in another of Winter’s IOUs to get her to make another batch of mousse, but it would be worth every spoonful.
* * *
They had been out on the water for over an hour. Shade and Rider both had their fishing lines in the water. He looked over at King as he lit a cigar. The man was hopeless at fishing. Shade had to give him credit, though; he had never really expected King to show for the fishing trip.
Evie was giving Beth a baby shower at her house, and Sex Piston was attending along with her crew. Those bitches had been a powerful motivator for the fishing weekend the brothers had organized.
Stud had fucked it up for the men when he had attended Sex Piston’s baby shower; therefore, the brothers had decided the fishing trip would save Razer’s ass from having to go.
Lily had pressured him into inviting King. Bonding with King wasn’t high on Shade’s to-do list, but Lily had promised him a night of sex when she would do anything he wanted. That was all Shade had to hear to move King up his list. Shade consoled himself with the knowledge that he wasn’t the first man to be bribed by pussy, nor was he going to be the last.
“We could go back to shore and get you another pole,” Rider offered.
“No, thanks. I would probably lose that one, too,” King stated, biting down on his cigar in frustration.
Shade’s lips twitched. King had lost his pole when a fish he was trying to land took off with it. King’s face had been priceless when the pole had disappeared under the water.
“Don’t feel bad. We’ve all lost poles. Of course, we were all drunk as shit at the time,” Rider joked.
King looked toward Shade, who was sure he was waiting for a smart-ass comment to come from him; instead, he kept his eyes on the lake.
“How’s Lily adapting to the new minister and his wife?” King asked.
“She’s adjusting, but there’s not a connection with Merrick like Lucky.”
“Dean’s living at the clubhouse now?” King broached the subject Shade was sure he was the most interested in.
“Yes,” Shade answered.
“How’s that working out?”
Shade sighed while turning to look at him, noticing Rider had a smile on his face as he listened.
“If you want to know if he participates in the club’s activities, yes, he does. Not that it’s any business of yours. Lily and I have our own separate house. Neither of us want Lily to see him when he’s partying, so I text him when Lily’s in the house. Dean cares about Lily and has no desire to tarnish his image to her.”
“That’s a lot of work for you two to make sure Lily isn’t uncomfortable.”
“She’s worth the trouble.”
“Yes, she is. Now that I’m in town, I want to get to know her better.” King hesitated before adding, “Both of you. I don’t want to invade your lives, just become a small part of it. I want to be able to have a relationship with my grandchildren when you two have a child.”
Shade could imagine the hit it took to King’s pride to admit he wanted a relationship with the children he and Lily would have.
The boat went silent; the only sound was the water lapping against the side.
“Got another cigar?” Shade eventually asked. If the man wanted to end the silent war between them, he wasn’t going to say no. He wasn’t the one who had started it, and King had something Shade needed more than he wanted to maintain the antagonism between them.
“Yes, I do.” King pulled his stash out of his tackle box, offering one to Rider and him.
King relaxed on his seat while they talked, the atmosphere lightening on the boat. Shade actually managed to talk to King a couple of times without wanting to rip his arrogant head off.
Shade and Rider both managed to catch six fish before the sky darkened, and they decided to go back to camp. They docked the boat, carrying their tackle boxes and poles as they walked to the cabin. The others had fished from ashore and had already begun frying their catches.
“Where’s your pole?” Viper asked King from the grill.
“He lost it,” Rider volunteered the information.
As The Last Riders broke into laughter, making jokes at King’s expense, King took it good-naturedly. If he was going to maint
ain a relationship with Evie, then King was going to have to get used to the brothers giving him a hard time. Fuck, they were going easier on him than if Shade had been the unlucky bastard to lose his pole.
Viper and Cash served up the fish. Then, after dinner, they all pitched in to clean up outside before going inside to get away from the insects and play some cards.
Shade looked up at the flashes of lightning as he went inside the cabin, frowning. Lily was still terrified of storms.
He managed to play three games, listening to the thunder get closer and closer. By the middle of the fourth hand, a loud burst of thunder shook the cabin. Shade stood up, going to his bunk. Every instinct in his body was screaming that he had to get the fuck out of here.
“What are you doing?” King asked when he saw him gathering his things.
“I’m going back.”
“Why?” King looked down at his watch. “It’s after midnight.”
“I know what time it is. The storm is getting worse, and Lily is afraid of storms.”
“She’s with Evie and Beth; she’ll be okay. We’re heading back in the morning, so there’s no need to hike back a mile to the truck in this storm. Call her if you’re worried,” Cash advised, throwing two poker chips into the pile in front of him.
King didn’t say anything; instead, he crushed his cigar into the ashtray and got to his feet.
“What are you doing?” Shade stopped putting on his jacket.
“Going with you.” King put on his boots then his jacket.
“There’s no need for you to leave.”
A sense of urgency filled him, and King would slow him down. The storm was nearly overhead, but Shade didn’t believe that was what was causing it. He had been outside during too many storms to attribute that to his instinct to protect Lily.
“We’re going back in a few hours, anyway. Might as well go now,” King stated.
Shade didn’t argue further as King reached to open the door after grabbing one of the flashlights.
“Wait a minute. Let me get my things. I’m going, too,” Razer said, getting up from the table and gathering his things.