Shade got out of the shower, drying her shivering body and then helping her dress in her pajamas before sliding on his shorts.

Lifting her, he carried her to the bed, lying down next to her before he pulled the covers over them, wrapping them in a snug cocoon and keeping her close to his side.

“Shade?” Lily whispered.

“Yes?”

“Can I see your flogger?” Lily giggled.

“Not tonight.”

Chapter 29

Vida stared out the window, watching for Colton’s bike.

“He’s not going to get here any faster with you watching.”

“I know. I’m just nervous.” Vida paced the living room from one end to the other.

Sawyer wanted to join her, yet she remained sitting on the comfortable couch, fiddling with her glass of tea.

A door slam sounded from outside and then the sound of motor bikes coming down the quiet neighborhood street sounded loud until the motors were cut off. Sawyer set her glass down on the table, standing up, unable to hide her own nervousness any longer as the door opened.

Kaden and Colton entered, followed by Ice and Jackal.

“Well?” Sawyer asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

“He got another postponement,” Kaden said, unable to hide his anger.

“How much longer is this going to last?” Vida said. “We’ve been patient, but I don’t think this trial is ever going to end.” She sat down on the chair in the living room of the house she and Colton had bought.

The holidays were here, and she was miserable. This should be the happiest time of her life, and yet, neither she nor Sawyer could move forward in their own happiness until one last part of their past was resolved.

Callie.

“The state is still trying to cut him a deal, and his fucking lawyer is taking advantage of every loophole there is,” Ice said grimly, leaning against the fireplace.

“There’s another piece of bad news,” Jackal spoke up. “Rip said Callie has moved into The Last Riders’ Clubhouse. Penni’s brother has laid claim to her.”

Sawyer and Vida both turned to look at the scary biker.

“What does that mean?” Vida asked.

“It means The Last Riders aren’t going to let you waltz into town and endanger their brother’s woman.”

“We don’t won’t to hurt Callie. We just want to talk to her,” Sawyer protested.

“Until you can be sure that Digger won’t figure out who she is, you’ll be endangering her.” Jackal’s words had both Vida and Sawyer coming to the same reluctant conclusion.

“As soon as Digger’s trial is over, we’re going to Treepoint,” Sawyer said sharply. “His lawyer can’t drag it on for much longer.”

“Maybe someone will take him out in prison. King’s owed a lot of favors,” Jackal said, looking down at his boots.

“If it wasn’t for those women he’s kidnapped, I would have killed him myself to keep Callie safe,” Sawyer said, admitting her dark thought.

“What are you going to do if it comes down to them or Callie?” Ice asked.

Sawyer and Vida were quiet for several moments until Sawyer said, “I hope it doesn’t, I really do, because I would pick Callie without hesitation. Digger would kill Callie if he could; those other women, as long as they’re alive, would have a chance.”

“Sawyer…” Vida went to her friend’s side.

“It’s the truth, Vida. Callie deserves to be happy and safe, and this time we’re old enough to do something. I’m going to talk to Penni again and make sure Callie is okay.” Sawyer shook her head when she saw the men were about to protest. “I’ll be careful not to rouse her suspicions, but I want to make sure she’s happy with The Last Riders.”

“And if she isn’t?” Ice asked Sawyer, but it was Vida who answered.

“Then I guess we’d have a fight on our hands.”

* * *

Lily woke up early Thanksgiving morning to put the turkey on to cook. The factory had been closed all week to give everyone a chance to go home for the holidays. She had spent those days with Rachel, preparing to open the church store on Friday. They would take turns working in the store until Pastor Dean found someone to work full time.

Lily hummed to herself as she moved around the kitchen. She had volunteered to help cook the dinner, but Beth would come over when she woke to help. Pouring herself a cup of coffee, she blew on it as she walked across the kitchen to sit at the table.

Bliss came into the kitchen wearing a t-shirt that barely came to the top of her thighs and her short, spiked hair was messed. She was halfway across the kitchen before she realized it wasn’t empty.

“I didn’t know you were down yet. I was just getting a drink.”

“I woke up early to put the turkey on,” Lily explained uncomfortably.

Bliss went to the fridge, taking two bottled waters. Lily expected her to leave; instead she came to the table and took a seat in front of Lily.

“I want to apologize.”

“For what?” Lily asked.

Bliss bit her lip. “For flirting with Shade in front of you. I know you caught me a couple of times; I wanted you to.”

“Why?” Lily lowered her eyes, not wanting the woman to see she had succeeded in hurting her.

“Because I was having Shade withdrawal,” Bliss admitted regretfully. “Truthfully, I was hoping you’d get mad enough to leave and everything would go back to normal.”

“With you and Shade back together again?”

“Yes, but not like you’re thinking. All of us enjoy having sex with each other. When Razer, Viper and then Knox quit fucking us, it didn’t bother me. To be blunt, there’s plenty of dicks around here to scratch an itch if a girl gets one. The thing is, Shade scratches a particular itch of mine that none of the others do.”

Lily sat there listening quietly to Bliss discuss her and Shade’s sex life. Her stomach churned, however she couldn’t bring herself to say or do anything to hurt Bliss’s feelings.

“I even acted out with Razer, hoping Shade would… but he didn’t.” Bliss paused. “I was wrong, and I apologized to Beth and Razer. We’re cool now. Beth understood and I hope you do, too.”

Lily smiled at her. “Of course. I didn’t mean to come between you and Shade’s… um…” She didn’t know how to continue.

Bliss smiled. “You can say I’m a submissive. It doesn’t bother me. Lily, you do know that Shade isn’t your typical man, don’t you?”

Lily turned bright red, almost knocking her coffee cup over. “Typical is not a word I would use to describe Shade.”

“No, he’s not,” Bliss sighed then caught herself, giving Lily a rueful smile. Standing up from the table, she picked up her water bottles.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.” Bliss paused, waiting for it.

“What made you change your mind about trying to break me and Shade up?”

“The night of the Halloween party. I’m not going to lie and say I won’t miss Shade, but I can say that I don’t mind so much if it’s you.”