Shade

by Jamie Begley

  “We’re almost there. I have two other patients to check on, and then I’ll be back.”

  “I would feel better if you stayed here,” Shade stated.

  “I can’t. Other patients—”

  “He can’t. He’s busy…”

  Shade ignored Lily’s protest, his expression impassive as he stared down the doctor. “Those are my brothers out in the waiting room.”

  The doctor’s eyes widened at Shade’s silent threat. “I’ll call another doctor in and go over my patients with him. I’ll be right back.”

  Shade nodded.

  “Shade! You can’t threaten a doctor, or they’ll throw us out of the hospital. They’ll call the police…” When Lily’s head fell back to the pillow and she began panting, Shade counted her through her contraction.

  “Okay?” Shade said when it was over. “I’m going outside to talk to Viper for a second, but I’ll be right back. We have a couple of minutes before your next contraction.” Shade started to release her hand.

  “Don’t leave me.” Lily gripped his hand tighter, refusing to release him.

  “Lily, I’m right here. Let Shade tell the others how you’re doing. They’re worried.”

  She stubbornly kept his hand, pulling it tighter and pressing it against her chest. “I don’t want him to leave.”

  Shade could feel her pounding heart under his hand.

  He bent over the bed, catching her mouth with his. “I will be right back. I’ll stay by the door. Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise.” He stared deeply into her eyes. “Angel, no one is better than me.”

  Her hand reluctantly released his.

  Shade looked back at the monitor. “I’ll be back in one minute.”

  As soon as she nodded, watching him leave with frightened eyes, Shade stepped out of the door to where Viper and Lucky were both waiting.

  “I don’t have much time. I want brothers in the hospital at all the entrances and exits, outside her door—” Shade began.

  “Already taken care of. We called Knox. He went to the church and found out Brooke and her baby are in Georgia. Pastor Merrick told Knox she’s been there for two days, that she couldn’t have threatened Lily.”

  “How convenient,” Shade said snidely.

  “That’s not all. Knox went to the obstetrician’s office, and the security camera’s footage for the whole building was off for the four hours Lily was there.”

  “Son of a fucking bitch!” Without that footage, they had no proof Brooke was in Treepoint.

  “Parking lot?”

  “That, too,” Viper confirmed.

  “Who has Brooke found capable of doing all this shit?” Lucky asked with a worried frown. “As soon as Lily is able, take her to the clubhouse in Ohio and stay with her there until we can take care of Brooke. Cash wants her. He’s on his way to Georgia now, so let him deal with her,” Lucky advised.

  “Tell Cash to just watch her. I’ll take care of Brooke,” Shade said grimly.

  “You heard what Lily said. If you make a move—”

  “I won’t make a move unless all my bases are covered.”

  “How did she find out the information she gave Lily?” Viper questioned. “There’s a leak somewhere.”

  “I’ll deal with that,” Lucky said.

  Shade nodded. Lucky could find out who the traitor was and deal with them. Brooke was the one he wanted.

  “I need to get back inside.”

  Viper stopped him. “Take care of your woman, and let us handle the rest.” They gripped hands.

  “Is she doing all right?” Lucky’s concerned gaze stared into his.

  Shade opened the door, holding it open. “Would you like to see her for a minute? I know she would want to see you.”

  Lucky was inside the room in a second.

  “That was nice of you.” Viper held his hand up. “I know, you’re not a nice person,” he countered as he laughed.

  “I’m not,” Shade snapped. “But I will always give Lily what she needs.”

  Both men stood in the doorway, watching as Lucky, Beth, and Lily prayed. Most things, he would be able to give Lily himself, but this was not one. Deep down, he knew it was the reason for his jealousy of Lucky. He filled a part of Lily’s heart Shade couldn’t. For that, she had Lucky and always would. Whether Lucky was a pastor or not, he would give Lily the spiritual reassurance she needed. Hell, Lucky had almost made a believer out of him.

  Lily stiffened on the bed, beginning to pant again.

  “Go get that fucking doctor. Tell him time’s up.” Shade rushed back to Lily’s side, taking her hand as they began counting again.

  When it was over, he looked at Lucky, who was videoing it on his phone.

  “What are you doing?” Shade growled.

  “Videoing this for Lily. I’ll show it to her when she’s thinking of having another baby.”

  “I’m going to shove that phone up your ass.”

  “Shade!” Lily screamed.

  Lucky beat a hasty retreat.

  Shade stared at his wife without remorse. “He deserved it.”

  Lily groaned again, and Shade looked at her worriedly then the monitor. He was going to kill that fucking doctor as soon as the baby was born.

  “I want you to promise me something,” Lily moaned.

  “What?” Shade held her hand tighter.

  “I want you to promise me you won’t kill Brooke.”

  Shade shook his head. “I won’t make you a promise I can’t keep.”

  “Please, Shade, please. If she dies, then you’ll be blamed, and my baby isn’t going to be raised without a father the way I was. Please, Shade, promise me…” she cried, holding her stomach and crying out in pain.

  “Okay,” he snapped. “I promise I won’t lay a hand on her.” When she frowned up at him, he continued, “Nor will I shoot her.”

  “Or The Last Riders.”

  Shade remained quiet until she began whimpering. He gave in only when a tear slid down her cheek. “All right.”

  “Thank you.” Lily lay back on the bed, relaxing.

  His eyes narrowed on her face before going back to the monitor.

  “Did you just manipulate me into getting your way?”

  She grinned up at him unremorsefully. “I learned from a Master.”

  Chapter 91

  “Isn’t he beautiful?” Lily breathed, stroking his son’s cheek with a gentle finger.

  “Yes,” Shade said, staring down at her.

  “You did great, Lily,” Beth complimented as she reached out to hold her nephew.

  Lily was about to hand him over when the door opened. Fat Louise stood at the door with Cade by her side.

  “Can we come in?” she asked hesitantly.

  “Yes,” Shade answered, stepping back from the bed to lean against the wall as the couple entered.

  Fat Louise went to Lily’s side and looked down at his son. “He’s gorgeous. He looks just like Shade.”

  “Would you like to hold your godchild?” Lily offered.

  “May I?”

  Both Lily and Beth were smiling with affection at Fat Louise as Lily lifted their child to the woman. She tenderly took him, cradling the baby to her chest. As emotionless as Shade was, even he felt a twinge when the woman stared at the baby.

  Cade’s face was filled with concern for his woman yet gradually relaxed as Fat Louise told Lily everything she had bought for her godchild.

  “It’s in the car. I figured it’s too much to fit in the room with all the visitors I’m sure you’re having.”

  “Cade and I can go put it in the truck,” Shade offered, already heading toward the door.

  “Hi, Shade. Congratulations,” Rachel greeted him on her way in as they were leaving.

  “Rachel.” Shade nodded. “Go on in. I’ll be back in a few,” he said, sending Lily a reassuring glance before going out the door.

  Once outside, he stared in dismay at the loaded backseat and trunk.

  “Do
n’t blame me.” Cade raised his hands in the air. “Some of this is from the rest of the crew who are coming over later. I’m just the delivery man.”

  “At least I didn’t have to sit through a baby shower,” Shade grunted, lifting one heavy box.

  “You dodged the bullet on that one. They had one planned for tonight,” Cade told him as he followed him to Rider’s truck with an armful of stuffed animals.

  “My kid’s already saving his father’s ass.”

  When they finally went back inside to Lily and the baby’s hospital room, it was unnaturally quiet and Shade sensed the tension in the room. Beth’s face was pale, while Fat Louise and Rachel both looked troubled. Lily was the only one acting normal as she held the baby, chatting about breastfeeding.

  Shade and Cade hastily left the room, going to the lobby for a cup of coffee.

  Fat Louise and Rachel came out a few minutes later, and Fat Louise placed an arm around Cade’s waist as she stood next to him.

  “Anything happen when we were gone?” Shade asked curiously.

  “Nothing important.” Fat Louise lowered her lashes. “Cade, we need to go. I need to get back to work.”

  Shade frowned and was about to ask Rachel what had gone on inside the room when his cell phone rang.

  He answered it, seeing Cash’s name on the caller ID. “Yes?”

  “We have a problem. Brooke isn’t here in Georgia, or if she is, I can’t find her. I’m going to stay a couple of days to make sure she isn’t hiding out at her father’s instead of with her mother. I’ll check on what friends she has, too. Evie is texting me some names, and she’s also going to call her family members to find out where she may be hiding.”

  “Thanks, Cash. I know it’s hard being away from Rachel when you just got married.”

  “Brother, I owe that bitch, too,” Cash said, hanging up.

  Shade slid his phone back into his pocket. It would be hard for Evie to talk to her family again, so Shade wouldn’t have wanted her to unless it was important.

  The brothers were taking shifts to protect Lily, and when Shade returned to his wife’s room Train was standing outside, keeping guard. Until Brooke was found, not only Lily’s safety was at risk, but also his son’s.

  When he went back inside the room, Lily was holding the baby as Beth sat on the bed next to her. Shade was about to probe further into the women’s strange behavior when the door opened behind him. The three people entering the room had him staring in surprise.

  “How did you get here so fast?” Shade asked.

  “Dad flashed his old badge. There’s three people stuck in Florida, cursing us right now for taking their spot on the plane.” Penni laughed, throwing herself in Shade’s arms. Shade hugged Penni back as his father reached his hand out to shake.

  “Had to get here to meet my new grandson,” his dad said with a grin.

  Rachel, his stepmother, moved to take Penni’s place within his arms when she moved away to the bed. Shade placed his arm around Rachel’s shoulder, leading her to Lily’s side.

  “Can I hold him?”

  “Of course.” Lily lifted the baby to her, and Penni grabbed and hugged her as soon as she released the baby.

  “Your timing couldn’t have been better. I was taking my vacation with the parents when Shade called and told us you had the baby. Have you decided on a name yet?” Penni asked.

  “No. I like several, but Shade says they’ll kick his butt in school if we picked any of them. I really like Brandon.”

  Penni and his father both grimaced at that name.

  “I told you so,” Shade reminded her.

  “I know the perfect name,” Penni offered with a mischievous smile.

  “What is it?” Shade asked cautiously.

  “Lily’s favorite cowboy, John Wayne.”

  “John Wayne Hunter,” Shade’s father repeated. “I like it.”

  “So do I,” Lily said, staring at Shade hopefully.

  Taking the baby from Rachel, he held his son as he walked to stand in front of his father. “Meet your grandson, John Wayne Hunter.”

  His father reached out, taking the baby into his arms as Shade went to Lily’s side, reaching down to place a kiss on her pleased face.

  “You don’t mind?”

  “No, a cowboy name beats a pussy name. Did you really think I would let you name him Brandon?”

  Lily laughed, giving Penni a conspiratorial look when she didn’t think he was looking. “I was going for Colin.”

  * * *

  The roar of his motorcycle going down the street never failed to give Shade a shot of adrenaline. He was on his way back to the hospital after going to the clubhouse to shower and change. He had snuck out while his family was there so Lily wouldn’t worry.

  The light ahead turned red. Slowing down, Shade came to a stop. As he waited for the light to turn green, he casually looked down the neighborhood street to his side, seeing a large group arguing in a yard and on the sidewalk. Recognizing a familiar figure, he turned down the street when the light changed.

  His mouth almost dropped open when he saw a little girl kick out at the biker dressed in leather.

  He parked his bike a few feet away from them and climbed off, striding forward as Willa came rushing out of a house.

  “You a-hole!” Shade lifted a brow as the girl who looked to be the oldest among the group of kids yelled at Lucky.

  “Sissy!” Willa moved between Lucky and the girl, handing Lucky a towel and a plastic bottle.

  “What am I supposed to do with this?” Lucky snapped, staring at the items in his hand.

  “I thought you could use them to clean it off,” Willa said, pointing at his bike.

  Shade’s eyes went to Lucky’s bike sitting in the driveway next to Willa’s house.

  He went closer, staring at the motorcycle that had been spray-painted with the word “Blasphemer,” while Willa grabbed the items from Lucky’s hands and went toward the bike.

  “I’ll clean it for you.” Willa was about to spray the words with the cleaning solution when Shade stopped her.

  “What happened?”

  “Lucky thinks one of the children or I did this while he was inside Jenna’s house. I told him they didn’t, that they were playing in the backyard, but he doesn’t believe me.” Willa’s lashes blinked furiously, trying to hold back the tears brimming in her eyes.

  Shade stared back angrily at Lucky who was flushing a guilty shade of red.

  “I didn’t say they did. They”—Lucky pointed at the little boy and older teenager—“were both out front when I came outside, and Willa was going inside her house when I got here two hours ago. I was just trying to ask if they had seen who did it.”

  “That wasn’t the way it sounded to me,” Willa said, contradicting Lucky’s explanation.

  “Then I’m sorry.” Lucky pointed at his bike. “I was just angry when I saw that. Maybe I over-reacted.”

  Willa ignored his apology, again moving to clean the word written across the entire frame of Lucky’s bike.

  “Don’t touch it, Willa. I’m going to call Knox and get him to come and take pictures and see if he can find any prints.”

  A frightened look came to her eyes as she stared at the children behind his back. “That’s not necessary. I can pay for the damages.”

  “Why would you pay for something you’re not responsible for?” Lucky snapped.

  “I don’t want you thinking we did it. There’s no need for a police report.”

  Shade was guessing from her worried frown that one or more of the children had been in trouble since the death of Lewis.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Lucky said as the front door to the house that Lucky was parked in front of opened, and Jenna came outside.

  She was dressed in a short, black skirt and a red, silky blouse. She used to work at Mick’s until King’s new restaurant had opened, and then she had been hired to work there. Shade had recognized her house when he had pulled out. Several of the b
rothers had partied there throughout the years since they had come to Treepoint. Jenna at one time had even tried to become a member of The Last Riders, but her temperament with the other women had kept her from getting all the votes she had needed.

  “I thought you left,” Jenna said, coming to Lucky’s side and placing an arm around his waist.

  “I was side-tracked,” Lucky said without moving away from the woman.

  Shade didn’t miss the hurt look that flashed briefly across Willa’s face, and he was sure Lucky hadn’t missed it, either.

  “Who…?” Jenna stared at the bike sitting in her driveway then at the children standing near. “You fucking brats. You need to have the—”

  “Shut up, Jenna!” Lucky interrupted. “They didn’t do it.”

  “Then who?” Her eyes went to Willa. “You jealous bitch.” Her hand flew out, smacking Willa across the face before Lucky or Shade could stop her.

  Willa cried out, her hand going to her cheek.

  Lucky grabbed Jenna back while Shade stepped forward, fury storming through his body.

  “Go to work, Jenna. I’ll deal with you later,” Lucky said harshly.

  Jenna paled. Nodding her head, she went to her car and got inside, but not without shooting a retributive look toward Willa as she drove away.

  “If she touches Willa again, we’re going to have a problem,” Shade warned. “She’s a friend of Lily’s.”

  “I’ll talk to her tonight,” Lucky said, reaching out to pry Willa’s hand away from her face, but Willa jerked away from Lucky’s touch.

  “Since you don’t want my help cleaning the paint off, there’s no need for us to be here. Shade, go ahead and call Knox. I’ll talk to him when he comes. Let’s go, kids.” Willa bustled the kids inside her house, the flaming red hand print on her cheek standing out starkly.

  Lucky winced at the sound of her front door closing. Any other woman would have slammed it shut, yet the quiet sound of the door closing was a testament to the embarrassment the woman had just suffered.

  “Don’t say a fucking thing,” Lucky said between clenched teeth.

  Shade simply took out his phone, calling Knox and asking him to come to Jenna’s house.

  “On my way,” Knox said, hanging up.