Lily walked up the short flight of steps to Shade’s house. She sat down on the top step and looked out at the view. It was breathtaking. She remained there until the sun went down.

Darkness had always been her enemy, but she didn’t feel afraid as she sat there in the dwindling daylight. She felt a tear slide down her cheek, not knowing why. Thinking on it, she realized she had never fit in anywhere; not with Beth’s family, not college, and now not there at the clubhouse. It was like always being a guest in someone else’s home and never having one of her own.

The beauty of the mountains had always comforted her and moments like this were very profound to Lily; she was grateful God had created such beauty. It soothed something torn and broken inside of her that she didn’t know how to fix.

Right then, gazing out at the mountains—for that fraction of a moment—she felt like she belonged.

Reluctantly, Lily got to her feet and returned to the clubhouse. She heard music as she went down the basement steps, and when she got to the bottom step, she saw Raci and Cash dancing by the pole, Rider and Bliss kissing on the couch, and Shade sitting next to them as he watched Raci and Cash with a beer in one hand.

Raci was dancing seductively, grinding her butt back onto Cash’s pelvis. His arms were on the pole, trapping her between his arms.

Lily took a shuddering breath and tried to rush through the basement to Shade’s bedroom, but as she passed he reached out, snagging her wrist and pulling her down on the couch next to him. She started to protest, but his low words forestalled her.

“You can sit out here with me or you can run and hide in the bedroom, wondering what I’m doing out here with them.”

“I don’t care what you’re doing,” Lily snapped.

Shade straightened away from her. “Then run away.” He lifted his beer to his mouth, leaning back against the couch.

Rider was sitting with Bliss on his lap, his hand under her t-shirt, the tanned expanse of her stomach showing.

Lily almost got up and ran into the bedroom, not wanting to witness anymore, but no one was really paying any attention to her.

Cash’s hand went to the waistband of Raci’s short skirt, his fingers sliding underneath.

Lily tensed, turning her head away to see Rider’s mouth sucking on the flesh of Bliss’s neck while his hand had slid further up her top.

Lily tensed, ready to fly off the couch.

“Look at their faces, Lily.” Shade’s words had her eyes flying up to his.

He was leaning closer to her, his chest just brushing against hers. Her breasts tightened and her breathing accelerated. This went against everything she believed in, to sit there as the two couples made out in front of her, but the look Shade was giving her held her in place.

Lily turned her head, her eyes going to Raci as Cash’s hand had now completely disappeared under her shirt.

“Does she look frightened?” Shade asked.

Lily’s eyes lifted to Raci’s face. The woman wasn’t scared; her face showed her excitement as her hips wiggled back against Cash and her head fell back against his shoulder.

Her eyes moved away, going back to Bliss whose breasts were now uncovered, Rider was twisting her nipple. She saw her tattoo with four daisies and a date in the middle. Lily remembered Shade telling her that the women got tattoos after they got a vote from the last member. She looked closer at the daisies, realizing that it was formed into a chain. Lily wasn’t so innocent that she didn’t realize the significance. She paled as her mind went through The Last Rider members, which of them were the ones that had sex with Bliss the day she had earned her tattoo.

Lily tried to get up, but Shade’s body had her sinking further back into the couch cushions.

“You understand that tattoo, don’t you?”

“You disgust me,” Lily spat.

“You’re not even going to ask me if one of those daisies is me?” Shade mocked.

“I don’t have to.” Lily tried to turn away, but was pinned in place, her hand covering the flesh over her heart.

Shade moved her hand away, his replacing it. “I was, and Winter wasn’t any happier to find out Viper was, too. Evie and Cash were the other two.” His hand rubbed against the flesh his hand covered as if he knew the stabbing pain his words elicited. “Bliss likes to show off so it was a matter of time before you saw it, now that you’re living here.”

“For now.” Lily was more determined than ever to find a way to save Beth’s house and find an escape for herself. No wonder her juvenile kisses hadn’t excited him.

Raci’s moans drew her attention. Cash picked the woman up, throwing her over his shoulder before carrying her up the steps.

“I’m not stopping you; you can leave anytime, Lily. I’m sure Beth won’t be heartbroken for long. On the other hand, you could start enjoying living here. Look at Bliss. I don’t think there’s any place else she wants to be.”

Rider’s hand was no longer under her shirt; it was now under her skirt, which had ridden up to show the woman wore no underwear. He was rubbing her between her splayed thighs. Her hand had gone into his jeans as she unzipped them. Lily thought she might black out from watching them until Shade placed his mouth against her throat.

“See how wet she is. She isn’t afraid to let him touch her. She’s enjoying every minute of it.” One of Rider’s fingers slipped inside of Bliss and the woman moaned. “She loves to fuck.”

Shade stared at Lily as he ordered, “Give her another finger, Rider.”

Lily watched helplessly as Rider followed Shade’s directions. Bliss moaned louder when Rider’s two fingers glided in and out of the woman’s slippery sheathe. “See. She’s enjoying his fingers in her pussy,” he said as his mouth whispered against the shell of her ear before he pulled away and directed to Rider, “Rub her clit harder, Rider. She enjoys a little pain.”

Lily’s own thighs pressed together.

“Shade…” Bliss moaned

“Let her come, Rider.”

Lily tried to tear her eyes away as Rider’s fingers stroked even faster and Bliss raised her hips before plunging herself down on his hand. Her small scream had Lily jumping up from the couch, unable to watch any longer.

“Run, Lily. It’s not going to change the fact that you’re mine. And the next time a woman moans my name, it will be you.”

Lily took his advice, running from the room and the look of dark desire in his eyes, aware she was escaping because he let her.

* * *

The next morning, she dressed in the bathroom then went back into the bedroom where Shade was still getting dressed. The silence between them was uncomfortable. She had gone to bed early the night before and had left Shade in the other room, her mind tortured with thoughts of him touching Bliss after she had run from the room.

“Do you mind if I take the day off? I have a few things I need to take care of today.” Her cold voice drew his warning gaze. She couldn’t bear to be near him in the factory today; she needed a respite to get her body and thoughts back under control.

“No, go ahead.”

“Thanks.” This time she was smart enough not to let her own feelings show.

Lily left him getting dressed, going upstairs where she poured herself a cup of coffee. Most of the members were rushing around to get to work on time.