Shade

by Jamie Begley

  Shade didn’t know how to answer; it was something Razer and Beth would have had to deal with sooner or later.

  Seeing the hurt in her eyes, Shade told the woman, “I’d say she’s more pissed at Razer right now. Does it really matter, though? I thought I told you to keep becoming a member on the down-low after Viper left this morning?”

  “You did,” Natasha said miserably. “But she saw the bandage covering my tattoo.”

  Shade’s face hardened. “Go downstairs to my room. I’ll be down in a minute,” he ordered the shivering woman, seeing more desire than fear in her face.

  Natasha took off running toward the kitchen.

  “You really going to punish her for an accident?” Evie asked.

  “No, but I plan on taking her mind off whether or not Beth is mad at her.”

  The door opened, and the amused group watched as Razer packed Beth upstairs. A minute later, his bedroom door slammed shut.

  “I accidently bumped Natasha. That’s how Beth saw the tattoo,” Ember confessed with a grin.

  Shade’s cold blue gaze went to Ember. “Then I guess you get to share her punishment.”

  * * *

  Shade felt like shit warmed over when he walked through the back door into the kitchen after cleaning the remains of the party from the backyard. He had been up all night fucking. He’d pulled clean up duty as punishment for not telling Razer about Beth’s brakes.

  Determined nothing was going to stop him from going to sleep, he paused when he found Beth and Razer in the kitchen. Deciding to let his rolling stomach settle down before going to bed, he sat down next to Razer and swiped the coffee he had been about to drink.

  “Hey, Shade, where were you last night?” Beth asked.

  Shade paused, wincing when Beth laughed at his reaction.

  “Yeah, Shade, where were you last night?” Razer joked as Beth set down a new cup of coffee in front of him.

  Shade wanted to punch Razer in the face for aggravating him. “I was visiting a sick friend,” he said with a straight face.

  “That was kind of you. Do they need any help? I could go down before we go for a ride,” Beth offered.

  “No, thanks,” Shade managed to get out.

  The innocent woman would run screaming from the house if she saw the sick friend of his still tied to his bed downstairs. He planned to untie her and send her away before going to sleep.

  “Are you all right? You sound as if you’re coming down with something. Is your friend contagious?”

  “No. If I need any help, I’ll ask Evie. They know each other very well.”

  “You do that. Evie will stay on top of the situation.”

  “Yes, she will,” Razer heartily agreed.

  Shade’s shoulders slumped. He wanted to pound Razer into the ground because he liked to brag that Evie’s favorite position when she fucked him was being on top.

  “Why are you both up so early?” Shade questioned while wanting his sunglasses to dim Beth’s blinding smile.

  “Razer is taking me for a ride this morning.”

  Shade stared down at the plate of food Beth set in front of him.

  “I thought you might be hungry.”

  Shade almost lost the contents of his stomach at the sight. He started to slide the food away yet stopped when he saw her disappointed expression. Instead, he picked up the fork, gingerly taking a bite.

  Seeing Razer in his riding clothes, he had been curious as to where they were going, but by that point he was wishing his boots had kept on walking.

  “Where to?”

  “If it’s okay with Razer, I thought we could ride to see my sister.”

  “Cool with me,” Razer said as Shade almost vomited up the bite he had taken. Razer saved him the humiliation when he slid the plate toward him and began eating Shade’s food.

  “Mind if I ride along?” Shade asked, trying to keep the small bite of egg he had forced down to stay in his heaving stomach.

  “I don’t mind, but…” Beth frowned, trailing off.

  “What?” Shade asked.

  “Don’t be surprised if my sister is a little nervous around you.”

  Shade’s lips tightened. Had Lily told Beth she didn’t like him after he had carried her into the house?

  “Any reason why?” Shade probed, his stomach twisting tight.

  Beth’s face went blank. “Probably the whole biker aura.”

  He relaxed. His appearance intimidated a lot of people; as a result, it wouldn’t surprise him if a girl as young and innocent as Lily was frightened of him merely from seeing his tattoos.

  “Finish eating, Beth, so we can get on the road. Lily will be fine. She needs to get used to the biker aura. The sooner, the better.”

  Amen to that, Shade thought to himself.

  Shade finished his coffee then got up. “I’ll meet you at the bikes. I need to get my sunglasses from my room.”

  Razer gave him a mocking look as he went downstairs to get his sunglasses and untie Bliss who pouted at him when he did and tried to tug him down to her.

  Shade pried her hands loose. “Let go. I’m going for a ride with Razer.”

  “Can I go?”

  Shade picked up his sunglasses and wallet from his nightstand. “No.”

  He left without giving her any further explanation. All the women knew their place with him—it was in his bed, not out of it.

  Once outside, Shade climbed on his bike and started the motor. He was bat-shit crazy to be going out as tired as he was, but the opportunity to see Lily up close was too good to pass up.

  Within a few miles, the sleep fog disappeared with the wind hitting him in his face.

  As soon as they rode past the city limits, Shade heard Razer’s yell. “Wide fucking open, brother.”

  Shade increased his speed, riding beside Razer’s bike on the narrow, two-lane road. A little ways later, Razer motioned down at his tank as they neared a gas station.

  Shade got off his bike to pump the gas.

  “I need to go to the restroom,” he heard Beth say; however, Shade wasn’t taking his eyes off the bikers pulling into the station as they parked to the side of the building, wearing their colors.

  “Fuck,” Razer grunted when the women got off the bikes and followed Beth into the store.

  “Be prepared,” Shade warned as the over-bloated bikers managed to get off their bikes and then came toward them.

  “This is the Destructors’ territory. Why are you wearing your colors through our town?” one dumbass said who Shade thought actually believed he was Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

  “We’re just passing through. We’re not looking for a challenge.” Razer tried to prevent the fight he could see brewing. Shade could have told him it was a wasted effort, though.

  “Then take off your colors until you’re out of our territory.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” Shade said, taking the nozzle out of his gas tank.

  “It is, mother fucker, or we’ll take them. It’s your choice.”

  “The choice is yours. Go back to your bikes and wait for your bitches, or I’ll shove my boot up your ass,” Shade warned.

  “Fuck you.”

  Three of the five men took him on while two went for Razer. Shade wondered why the larger numbers always went for him when Razer was the bigger of the two of them.

  Cars in the lot started peeling out when they saw the fight break out. Shade felt his lip sting as one of the bikers managed to slam a fist into his face while he was taking down the fat-ass Dwayne.

  Pinning the dumbass down with his boot on his throat, Shade swung his fist at another one, knocking him back long enough to grab the third one by his neck, twisting him until his back was to Shade’s front. He wrapped his arm around the biker’s throat then twisted his neck until he cried out in fear.

  “Tell them to back off, or I’ll break his fucking neck.”

  “Ace?” the one he was holding whined down at the one he had pinned to the dirty con
crete.

  Shade lifted his foot just enough to let him gasp out the order. “Back off!”

  The bikers all pulled back except the two Shade had in control.

  “Razer?” Shade didn’t take his eyes away from them as Razer moved to where he could see them.

  Pulling his gun out of his saddlebag, Razer motioned for the men to leave. Then Shade threw the one he was holding away while lifting his boot. The fake Dwayne shakily gained his feet, holding his throat.

  “You going to leave us alone, or do I need to finish things?” Shade moved his hand to his side, slightly lifting the side of his vest enough to show the butt of his pistol.

  “Like you said, we don’t want any trouble.” Ace backed away, leading his men back to their bikes.

  After Shade climbed back on his bike as Razer put his weapon inside his saddle bag, the bikers avoided glancing in their direction when the women came out together.

  Razer and Shade started their bikes as soon as Beth planted her ass on Razer’s. Thankfully, the rest of the trip was uneventful.

  Shade memorized the small campus as they rode through it to Lily’s dorm, stopping his bike next to Razer’s as Beth went inside to get her sister.

  When the women walked outside hand in hand, Shade could only stare. He was just as awestruck by Lily’s beauty as he had been the first time he had seen her. The difference between the two was stark. One sister was so light and golden, her smile as bright as the sun, her loving nature obvious as she held her sister’s nervous hand. The other, a dark enigma who only let her guard down when she looked at her sister.

  The male students walking by stopped, appreciating the beauty walking among them. The female students, on the other hand, were not as appreciative.

  “Bet you a six pack those bitches hate her guts,” Shade muttered.

  Shade let his gaze catch several of the men and women and they all soon hurried on their way, smart enough to know they were out of their league.

  Beth smiled at Razer and Shade.

  “Lily, you remember Razer and Shade.”

  “Hello.”

  “I told Lily we could go eat lunch. Maybe a little shopping if it won’t put you guys out.”

  “Not at all. You girls climb on the bikes,” Razer answered.

  Beth immediately went to Razer’s bike and climbed on, but Lily stayed frozen. Shade wasn’t going to put up with it. He kept his focus on Lily, ignoring Beth trying to get off the bike to help her and Razer telling her to stay put.

  “Come here, Lily,” Shade ordered, easily recognizing the wounded look in her eyes as Lily’s body went taut and she threw a wild look at her sister. His stomach clenched in fury. He had seen the same look before after Evie had first been attacked.

  Before Beth could do anything, Shade threw his extra helmet into Lily’s grasp. The only way to get her on his bike was to distract her from her fear.

  “Get on the bike. I’m hungry. Move that sweet ass, or I’ll put you on the bike myself.”

  Lily hesitantly followed his order, getting on the bike, putting on the helmet as Shade started it up, and then they pulled out with a roar of motors.

  The restaurant they chose was small with a family atmosphere. They sat talking after they had eaten until the waitress started throwing them dirty looks. Afterwards, they drove to the small strip mall where the sisters wandered around arm in arm, window-shopping and occasionally going inside one of the small stores. Razer and Shade sat on their bikes, keeping a close eye on the women.

  They came out of one shop with several bags. Shade noticed Lily’s laughter die when she saw him, not paying attention to Beth’s frown.

  “What wrong?” Razer asked.

  “How are we going to get the bags to campus?” Beth asked.

  As Razer and Shade split the load between them, stashing the bags of clothes into their saddlebags, one bag dropped and a waterfall of colorful underwear fell to the pavement.

  “Oh.” Lily immediately bent, hastily putting the clothes back inside the bag.

  One bright red pair fell by Shade’s boot, and before Lily could pick it up he had the silky material in his hands, his dick hardening behind his zipper when he felt the soft material, imagining the panties covering her pussy.

  With a face as red as the underwear she had just purchased, Lily could only mutter her response. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” Shade’s response was just as strangled as he regained control over his body. As a Dom, he always had control of his dick. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had an erection, which was beyond his ability to control.

  Shade had to grit his teeth all the way back to the campus. Her arms circling his waist and her breasts pressed against his back made him want to keep riding when Razer pulled up in front of Lily’s dorm room. Shade wanted to grab her hands as they fell away from his waist, feeling as if the sun had moved behind a cloud.

  Shade pulled out Lily’s bags as the sisters said their goodbyes.

  He kept his face impassive when he heard her soft voice addressing him.

  “Thank you for bringing Beth. Goodbye.”

  Shade’s heart sank further with every step she took away from him.

  “Brother, she’s too young.”

  Shade turned his mirrored gaze to Razer. “You think I don’t know that? It’s the only reason I’m letting her go back inside,” Shade admitted. Loyalty ran deep with Shade; he wasn’t going to lie to another brother. “I can wait.”

  “You sure?” Razer’s doubt-filled voice questioned.

  “I’m sure. I won’t touch her until she’s twenty-one,” Shade promised, seeing the dubious look didn’t disappear from Razer’s face. “Have I ever gone back on my word?”

  “No, but I’ve never seen you look at a woman the way you do Lily.”

  “I can wait,” Shade repeated his words. “But when she turns twenty-one, despite whatever is going on with you and Beth in the future, I expect you to keep out of my business with Lily.”

  Razer’s hands went up in surrender. “I wouldn’t think of interfering. Besides, I won’t even be seeing Beth then. That’s years away.”

  Shade didn’t reply. His intuition told him the blond had Razer by the balls, but if Razer didn’t realize he was in ass-deep with Beth, Shade wasn’t going to be the one to tell him. He didn’t stick his nose in other brothers’ business, and he didn’t want them in his.

  Shade was going to miss sharing a woman with Razer, but he saw the advantage of Razer forming a deeper relationship with Beth.

  Shade wouldn’t have to lure Lily into the club. Beth would.

  Chapter 8

  Shade was woken up by a rough hand shaking his shoulder.

  “Beth’s disappeared.” Shade was instantly awake at Knox’s words.

  He slid from his bed, taking his jeans off the chair and pulling them on before tugging on his boots. His hand reached for his shirt as Knox strode from the room, and then Shade pulled it on over sore muscles as he followed him up the steps. It had been a while since he had fucked so many women in one night, and his body was feeling the after-effects.

  “Who saw her last?” Shade questioned, coming to a stop in the kitchen where all the members were gathered.

  “I did,” a pale-faced Razer told him, running a hand through his long hair. “I packed a couple of boxes to my room for her. She said she was going to organize them for Mrs. Langley. I went for a run and when I came back, I went out back to get the work schedule before going to my room to take a shower. She was gone.”

  Shade studied the occupants of the room. “Anyone else missing?”

  The members stared at each other, trying to figure out who wasn’t there.

  “Where’s Sam?” Shade asked sharply, knowing Knox had been with her until late in the night.

  “I don’t know.” Knox frowned. “I haven’t seen her since breakfast.”

  “Find her,” Shade ordered. “Evie, call the sheriff.”

  They were about to search t
hrough the house when Razer’s cell phone rang. Shade froze at Razer’s response to whatever was said to him.

  “We’ll be there as fast as we can. Wait for us.” He disconnected the call.

  “Viper saw Sam force Beth inside a house he was watching with Bedford in it. Sam had a gun on her,” Razer warned as they ran from the house to their bikes.

  Razer took the lead with a trail of bikers following.

  As they passed the sheriff’s office, he saw his father running to his patrol car. They rode by in a burst of speed Shade knew it would take him valuable time to catch up.

  He nearly lost control of his bike when he turned down an unpaved driveway. The brothers parked their bikes at the end of it, taking off at a dead run. Then they saw Viper and Cash giving the signal to be silent and the brothers lined up beside the house, waiting for Viper’s orders.

  Once Viper pointed at him, Razer, and Cash, they moved stealthily to the back of the house, going up a short flight of steps. Viper reached for the doorknob yet paused when the loud voices could be heard clearly from the outside.

  “I didn’t have time. The box was closed when I went in the room. How was I supposed to know she was smart enough to take the papers out?”

  Shade twisted his body so he could look through the dirty window. It looked like the box in question was sitting on a table.

  “You check!” Vincent Bedford screamed at his daughter.

  “I can go back and get the papers.” Sam turned to Beth and smacked her across the face. “What did you do with them?”

  Shade watched as Beth touched her stinging cheek, refusing to answer. He was surprised she was strong enough not to give in to their demands.

  “I will shoot your kneecap. I can look if I have to, but it will be quicker and less painful for you if you tell me where they are,” Bedford threatened.

  “I put them in the closet.” Shade could tell Beth was lying, and they knew it, too.

  “She’s lying.”

  “No shit,” Sam snapped back at her father.

  Furiously, she hit Beth again with the gun in her hand and Beth fell, barely managing to catch herself by grasping the end of the table. When her hand cupped her cheek, Shade saw blood on it, and so did Razer. Cash and Shade had to hold him back from storming inside the house. They needed to know what Bedford wanted from Beth. If they stopped it too soon and he was arrested, he would lawyer up. Then they might never have the answers they needed.