by Jamie Begley
“Hot damn. Let the good times roll,” Rider said, jumping off the table he had been sitting on.
Lily tried to hide her feelings, yet from the sharp look Shade threw Rider at his insensitive comment, she knew she had been unsuccessful.
Lily picked up the scraps of paper lying on her table, throwing them in the trashcan before going back to the table and picking up her purse.
“See you guys Monday.” Lily was going out the door as Bliss was coming in.
“Finished for the day?” The pretty member of The Last Riders was extremely feminine and petite, making Lily feel like a gauche fifteen-year-old. She gave her an open smile until her eyes went behind her back and a frown replaced it on her face.
“Yes, have a good weekend, Bliss.”
Lily turned her head and saw Rider and Shade staring back at her with cool smiles. Thinking she had mistaken the worried frown, she started out the door then paused, staring down at the outfit Bliss was wearing. The blue jean shorts were tiny as well as the swimsuit top that tied between her breasts. The tat on her breast drew her attention until Bliss hurried past her into the factory.
Lily waved her hand goodbye, closing the door behind her.
She climbed into her car, whistling, relieved to be away from Shade, who managed the factory and its workers. Being in his presence every day the past summer was getting on her nerves. She couldn’t believe she was looking forward to school starting back in a month. She had thought she would dread it with Penni graduating in May, but now it couldn’t come soon enough.
Beth and Razer, The Last Riders, and even Sex Piston’s crew believed she was a walking, talking disaster waiting to happen, regardless of how many times she reminded them that none of the incidents she invariably became involved in were her fault. She simply always managed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn’t her fault that it happened a lot.
One incident, three months ago, resulted in her almost dying. Ever since then, Shade had watched over her like she was Typhoid Mary and he was just waiting to see what catastrophe would strike next.
Lily didn’t want to hurt Beth’s feelings; however, Razer’s friend was a real jerk. She felt guilty as soon as the word crossed her mind. She tried to find the best in people, but Shade made it really hard.
The familiar strain of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” sounded from her purse right as Lily was about to pull out of the parking lot. She put the car in park before she reached inside her purse for the ringing cell phone.
“What’s up?” Lily asked, seeing her sister’s name on the caller I.D.
“Lily, are you still at the factory?” Beth asked.
“Yes.” Lily didn’t tell her she was sitting in the parking lot, ready to pull out.
“Is Rider there?”
“Yes, he’s talking to Shade and Bliss.”
“Oh.” Beth paused. “That’s probably why he’s not answering his phone.”
“Yes,” Lily said without hesitation.
“Can you do me a favor?” Beth’s sister sounded tired and frustrated. “My car is broken down at Ms. Langley’s house. Can you ask Rider if he can bring the trailer to pick it up? Razer and Viper are going to meet him here to help. They were at the grocery store when I called. I told him I’d call Rider and get him to meet them at her house.”
“No problem. I’ll tell him right now,” Lily offered.
“Thanks. I’ll see you later.” Beth disconnected the call.
Lily backed into the lot, parking again. Getting out of the car, she went toward the factory with her thoughts on her sister. Opening the door, she came to a stop.
Rider was standing behind Bliss, his arm around her waist with his hand splayed across her bare stomach. Bliss’s face was filled with uninhibited excitement as she looked at Shade who was standing a few inches away, staring back at Bliss. Both men had expressions of desire written plainly across their faces.
A shard of pain went through Lily’s brain at the same time that the metal door closed with a loud snap, and the tableau turned to stare at her standing at the doorway.
“Uh, um.” Lily had to force herself to focus, trying to get her mind in working order. “Rider, Beth’s car is broken down at Mrs. Langley’s house. She needs you to bring the trailer. Excuse me,” she explained her presence to the three frozen in place before turning tail and running. Her hand hit the metal door rail and the door flew open. Lily ran to her car, her face flaming at overreacting and making a fool of herself as always.
She opened her car door hastily, getting back inside. She was reversing out of the parking lot when she saw Shade, Rider and Bliss come out of the factory. She waved at them before turning her car to exit out of the parking lot.
Lily took deep breaths; a headache was beginning, making driving difficult. Reaching into her purse, not taking her eyes off the road, she searched for her sunglasses. Finding them, she slid them on, hoping it would help the headache that was threatening to make her vomit.
Her hands tightened on the steering wheel while she continued to take deep breaths then released them several times, focusing on her breathing and not on the look on the two men’s faces with Bliss between them. Shards of pain again attacked her at the mere thought.
Starting over, she redirected her thoughts, making herself mentally remember what had gone into each order she had filled that day.
She had just finished reciting her fifth order when she thankfully pulled into the driveway of the house she shared with Beth and Razer. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lily got out of her car, going to the door and unlocking it.
Turning on the lights, the tension lessened as she entered the home she had been raised in since her adoption. Shutting the front door, she grabbed a bottled water from the refrigerator in the kitchen before then going upstairs to her room.
The soothing colors of her room relieved her nerves even further. Going to the medicine cabinet, she took out a prescription bottle and removed a pill, swallowing it with another drink of the bottled water she had carried upstairs.
Returning to her bedroom, she slipped off her shoes before lying down on her bed that she made every morning before she went downstairs. She pulled the small quilt her mother had made for her that lay on the bottom of her bed over her, rubbing her cheek against the soft material, letting the pill she had taken make her drowsy.
Closing her eyes, she drifted off, escaping the migraine and the look on Shade’s face as he’d watched Rider hold Bliss.
* * *
Lily awoke from her nap with her headache gone. Finally feeling well enough to wash the smell of the factory off, she took a shower, washing her long hair. Afterward, she dressed in over-large sweat pants and a large t-shirt that hung on her body then brushed her wet hair, leaving it to dry naturally.
Going downstairs barefoot, she found her sister and Razer sitting at the table, eating dinner.
“Are you hungry? I kept a plate warm for you.” Beth’s eyes searched hers as she started to rise from the table.
“No, thanks, maybe later.” Lily picked up a glass from the counter, pouring herself a glass of tea before going into the living room and curling up on the sofa. Flicking on the television, she searched for a program to watch as she listened to Beth and Razer doing the dishes.
Beth eventually came over and sat down on the sofa next to her. “What are you watching?”
“A cooking show.” Lily saw the concerned look on her sister’s face. “Is something wrong?”
“No. No, I guess not,” Beth answered; her eyes looked over Lily’s shoulder then returned to hers. “Razer and I were going to the clubhouse, if it’s all right with you?”
“Of course,” Lily answered.
Beth sighed, getting to her feet and then going upstairs as Razer sat down in the chair next to the couch.
Lily liked Razer. He was laid back and always friendly with her while being a grouch to everyone else.
“How was work today?” he asked casually.
; “Fine.” Lily shrugged, not taking her eyes off the television screen. “I’m glad you and Beth are going out. You haven’t been to a party at the clubhouse since I came home from the hospital.” She’d had the misfortune of stopping by Sex Piston’s when both her and T.A.’s exes had decided to rob them.
During the robbery, her hand had been broken and she had developed a hematoma when she had hit her head. Since then, both Beth and Razer had been overprotective. They hadn’t left her one night by herself. Before, they would spend most of their weekends at the clubhouse.
Their new home they were building themselves was even situated behind the clubhouse. It was almost finished and Lily hadn’t been invited to even see it yet.
Her fingers went to the red rubber band on her wrist, snapping it against her flesh.
“What’s bothering you, Lily?”
Razer’s concerned gaze met hers. She gave him a reassuring smile but didn’t confide her hurt feelings at not being invited to the house. She hadn’t wanted to foist herself on them without being invited.
“Nothing that a little rest won’t solve, Razer.” Lily’s eyes went back to the cooking show on the television.
Razer’s cell rang and he headed into the kitchen to answer it.
The program was almost over when Beth came back downstairs. Her pale-blonde hair had been smoothed down and she had put on smoky eye shadow, giving her a sexy look. Her jeans and t-shirt with boots were all casual, yet Lily saw her lay a covered dress bag on the stair rail.
“I can’t wear my skirt on Razer’s bike.” She always explained with the same reason each time she carried her clothes to the clubhouse.
Lily picked at the red rubber band. They treated her like a child, and Lily was becoming frustrated that they watched everything they said around her.
“I guess we’ll be going.”
“Have fun.” Lily rose from the couch, giving her sister a hug, her frustration at her sister’s over-protectiveness disappearing at Beth’s look of concern. “Don’t worry; I’m going to spend the night catching up on my reading.”
Beth gave her a relieved smile. “What are you going to read?”
“I haven’t decided yet. I have one about discovering Alaska that I haven’t read. I usually read inspirational.” Lily smiled. “It may inspire me to leave the lower forty-eight.”
“Alaska?” Beth asked, picking up her dress bag.
“When I graduate, I’m thinking of going there. That’s why I wanted to work this summer. I’ve been saving all my paychecks,” Lily said enthusiastically.
“Lily, give me time to get over almost losing you before you start talking about going to Alaska.”
“All right.” Lily laughed, opening the door for her sister. Beth went out frowning while Razer’s amused chuckle had her looking up into his laughing eyes.
“Lil’ sis, I think you need to dream about visiting a warmer climate.” He followed his wife out the door.
Lily locked the door behind them, already missing their company. She didn’t enjoy being by herself. The problem was, she didn’t fit in with most groups. People her own age thought she was old-fashioned, older groups thought she was immature; the only place she really fit in was at church.
Lily went to the closet and took out her reading bag that she had placed there when she had come home from the library the other day. Taking the oversized bag to the couch, she took a seat, making herself comfortable before she pulled out the large book she was looking for.
The book had a cover of the Alaskan wilderness, which had instantly stirred Lily’s sense of adventure. Opening the book, she relaxed back against the soft cushions, tucking her feet underneath her.
She had just turned to the third page when the doorbell rang. Lily went to the door and checked the peephole, pausing before she opened it.
“Open the door, Lily,” Shade’s impatient voice sounded from the other side.
Lily did as he’d asked, coming face to face with Shade.
He held out his hand with keys in the palm. “Rider fixed the battery in Beth’s car.” Lily wondered why he hadn’t just left it at the clubhouse—Beth could have simply driven it home tomorrow—yet she stayed silent about that.
“Thanks.” Lily reached out, taking the keys from his palm, careful not to touch him.
“Do you mind if I come in? I want to order some Chinese and they won’t deliver to the clubhouse.”
“Of course not.” Lily opened the door wider, letting Shade inside before closing it behind him.
He pulled out his cell and then Lily heard him ordering his food as she retook her seat on the couch. Picking up her book, she started reading again, ignoring the man that had her jumpy again.
Shade took a seat on the couch beside her, looking at the book she was reading. Unconsciously, she stiffened, about to get up from the couch, but Shade’s hand on her thigh pressed her back into the cushions. Taking the book from her, he turned it so that he could look at the pages.
“You like Alaska?”
“Yes,” Lily said, remaining still.
Shade turned another page. “What do you like about it?”
“The snow. I love snow. I like how pretty it looks on the mountains in the winter.” Lily was aware of how silly she sounded.
“It snows in Kentucky,” Shade said absently.
“Not deep like it does in Alaska.” Lily looked at the pictures as he turned the pages, sinking back onto the couch.
“I’ve been to Alaska,” Shade commented.
“You have?” Lily asked, staring at Shade in surprise. She had never met anyone who had ever been there before. “Is it as beautiful as the pictures?”
“Yes, but I was too busy freezing my ass off to appreciate it at the time.”
Lily laughed at his expression.
He began flipping the pages of the book, describing the places he had been to in Alaska. He was describing Juneau when the doorbell rang.
Lily started to get up, but his hand on her thigh pressed her back down onto the couch once more. He went to the door, opening it to the delivery driver, who handed Shade a large bag after Shade pulled out the money to pay him.
Lily watched as Shade closed the door behind the delivery driver. He set the food down on the coffee table before going to the kitchen where he pulled out plates and forks then took out two bottled waters from the fridge.
He returned to the couch, setting the plates down. He then opened the bag of food and began dishing it out onto the two plates.
Lily sat stunned, not knowing what to do except to take the plate he had made for her out of reflex.
“But I thought—” Lily had assumed that he would take the food and leave.
“Eat, Lily. The food would have been cold before I got it back to the clubhouse.”
Lily immediately began eating, satisfied with his explanation. Chinese food was actually one of her favorites, but because Beth didn’t care for it, she didn’t have it often.
Curiously, Lily questioned Shade. “What other places have you been to?”
Lily ate while Shade talked about the different countries he had been to when he had been in the Navy. Listening, she was amazed that he had traveled as much as he had.
“My dad was in the service so we constantly followed him from base to base.”
“I bet that was fun.”
Shade shrugged. “I didn’t mind, but my mother got tired of it quick. That was the main reason they divorced.”
“I’m sorry,” Lily said sympathetically.
“Don’t be. They both remarried and have happy marriages.”
Lily finished her food, setting her plate on the table before curling back on the couch, watching as Shade loaded his plate with food again.
Lily picked up the book about Alaska, flipping through the pages while Shade finished eating then took their plates to the kitchen.
“I was going to do that,” Lily protested.
“Finish looking at your book. I’ll take care of them.”
Lily went back to looking through her book, only half-aware when Shade resumed his seat on the couch, looking through the other books on the couch.
“You have several books here on Texas and Arizona,” he said.
“Um, hm.” Lily turned another page before stopping. Her hands tightened on the book and her stomach turned. She gasped as a blinding pain struck her head again. She dropped the book to the floor as she tried to get to her feet to run to the restroom, feeling as if she was going to lose the food she had just eaten. That was the last thing she remembered.
Chapter 2
Lily woke to a concerned Shade leaning over her. She was briefly disoriented at finding herself lying flat on the couch, but the realization of what had happened came back quickly.
“Lily, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” She rose up, embarrassed, and Shade helped her back into a sitting position on the couch.
“What happened?” Shade asked, his blue eyes searching hers.
Lily put her hand to her head, but the pain was gone. “I don’t know. I was just looking through the book and suddenly got sick. Maybe I had a reaction to the food?”
“I think if it was the food, it would have just made you sick, not faint.”
“I had a terrible headache. I’ve had them on and off my whole life, but they’re getting worse. Do you think it could be from when I hit my head during the robbery?”
“I don’t think so. Your doctor did several tests to make sure everything was clear. Beth insisted he was thorough since there is so much new information coming out about head injuries.”
“I know. It’s just that I’ve never had two in one day before,” Lily said shakily, reaching for the bottled water sitting on the coffee table.
“When did you have the other headache?”
“On the drive home. I took a nap when I got home and felt better.” Lily sat the bottled water back on the table before reaching down to pick up the books on the floor, sliding them back into the bag.
“I see.” Shade handed her one of the books, giving her a speculative look, which she didn’t understand. She slid the book into the bag without looking at it.