He was enjoying the show when the light from the doorway caught his attention. Lily had come in the door, abruptly halting as she watched them.

Shade froze at her expression, having no doubt she had seen the sexual excitement on their faces. He wanted to throw something. He hadn’t been going to participate; he had been about to leave and go to his room to take a shower.

“Uh … um.” It took her a second to speak again. “Rider, Beth’s car is broken down at Mrs. Langley’s house. She needs you to bring the trailer. Excuse me.” With that, she turned and ran, her hand hitting the metal door rail on her way out. The door flew open, and Lily ran to her car.

“Mother fucker!” Shade strode to the door with Bliss and Rider following.

Lily was already reversing out of the parking lot by the time he was outside. She waved at them, trying to appear normal, but there was nothing normal about Lily’s expression when she had seen them.

“Shade…” Both Rider and Bliss spoke at the same time.

“Stay away from me, Bliss.”

Shade went to his room, ignoring the members as he passed through the clubhouse. Once in his room, he took out his cell phone to call Razer.

“We’re on our way to the clubhouse, can it wait? Beth’s car isn’t—”

“I fucking know her car isn’t working,” Shade snapped. “Lily went back in the factory after I thought she had left. Rider and Bliss were there.”

“What did she see?” Razer asked furiously.

“Rider was holding Bliss, and I was watching,” Shade answered truthfully.

“If you can’t keep your dick in your pants, then stay the fuck away from Lily,” Razer told him.

Shade spoke between clenched teeth. “Don’t talk to me that way! You know damn well I haven’t touched anyone since she was hurt.”

“Where is she now?”

“I assume, from the way she took off, she was heading home.”

“As soon as Rider picks the car up, we’ll go check on her.”

“Call me and let me know how she is.”

Razer sighed. “I will, but Shade, you have to be more careful. I won’t let her be hurt.”

“Rider was going to punish Bliss.” Shade lowered his guard enough to explain.

“Fuck.” Razer paused. “He was going to let you watch?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn! You think he’ll do it tonight since he was interrupted?” Shade heard the humor return to Razer’s voice.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him when he gets there?”

“I will. Beth hasn’t seen him in action yet.”

“Later.” He really didn’t want to hear about how much Beth would enjoy the performance. She and Razer would fuck all night if they were allowed to watch. Shade had plans of his own, though.

Chapter 40

Shade stood in the doorway of the factory as Lily walked across the parking lot. He heard her greet Train and Kaley, who had become a regular hanger-on. From Lily’s concentration on the two, she knew her.

He held the door open for her as she approached.

“Good morning, Shade.” Lily smiled.

“Lily.” His eyes went to Lily before moving over her shoulder to Kaley and Train.

Lily brushed by him without stopping while Shade motioned for Train to get Kaley out of sight before closing the door. He didn’t want a repeat of Friday; therefore, he was going to have a talk with the brothers. The bitches needed to stay in the clubhouse unless they were working or going into town while Lily was at work.

Shade walked toward his office, seeing Lily studying the board where orders were posted.

He had spent Friday night with her instead of partying at the club, under the ruse of returning Beth’s fixed car and ordering food that couldn’t be delivered to the clubhouse. It had been the first step toward coming out from behind Razer’s shadow. Up until then, she had seen him as Razer’s best friend, whereas at the factory, she saw him as a boss. Friday night, however, he had wanted her to see him as a man.

He wanted her to learn to talk to him without being afraid. He had used the lunches so she could get used to them being alone. Now, he wanted her to get used to him in her home. He had every intention of being there frequently.

“I’ve been to Alaska,” Shade had commented.

“You have?” Lily asked, staring at him in surprise. “Is it as beautiful as the pictures?”

“Yes, but I was too busy freezing my ass off to appreciate it at the time.”

Lily had laughed as he had wanted her to.

He had flipped the pages of the book, describing the places he had been to in Alaska. They talked about his family, growing up with a dad in the military. Overall, the night had been comfortable, and after a while, Lily had seemed to relax and enjoy being around him, until she blacked out.

It had scared Shade half to death, but then she recovered quickly, explaining it was just a headache and she had had one earlier that day, after catching him, Rider, and Bliss in the factory, though she hadn’t needed to say that. Shade ended up sleeping on her couch, leaving early the next morning before she woke and before Razer and Beth came home.

Shade snapped out of the memory of Friday night when he saw Hardin come up behind Lily.

“Going to save one for me?”

She laughed, stepping to the side.

“I might if you weren’t so slow,” she joked back. She never fucking joked around with him so naturally.

Hardin took one of the orders off the board. “Why don’t you take one of the work stations next to mine, and I’ll show you how it’s done.”

Shade didn’t give her time to reply. “Lily’s work station is the one I put her at; yours is going to be at the unemployment office if you don’t get busy.”

Hardin hurried to his workstation at the sharp comment, while Lily gave him a reproachful look from her violet eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that, Lily. He deserved it. Get to work,” Shade snapped before going to his office. He barely restrained himself from slamming the door, leaving it open to keep Lily in his sight. That was why he had assigned her that particular workstation; he had a clear view of it from his desk.

Shade kept busy answering emails until Bliss came in carrying his and Lily’s lunch. She closed the door with her foot then set the tray down on his desk.

“Can I get you anything else, Shade?” Bliss stared down at him with her fuck-me smile.

He leaned back in his chair. Bliss was like a rapacious puppy which couldn’t understand why her master didn’t want to play.

“Yes. When you get back to the clubhouse, tell Train he better play it cool when he’s in public with Kaley.”

Bliss nodded. “Okay.”

Shade stood up and Bliss went taut, her nipples showing under her thin shirt. He opened the door for her to leave while she hid her disappointment, giving him a smile as she left, waving at Lily.

“Lily.”

Lily set down the box she was working on, going to Shade’s office. Shade sighed to himself at seeing her determined stride and clenched hands. Here we go again. Shade was curious what her new excuse would be to get out of sharing lunch with him.