Shade
Page 74
“You don’t have to tie me down to do that.”
“Would you enjoy it as much?”
Lily laughed, shaking her head at him as she wrapped an arm around his leg and laid her cheek against his thigh.
“Anyway you take me, I enjoy,” Lily confessed, staring up at him holding their child.
A serious look crossed her face before she laid her head back on his thigh. Shade reached down to smooth her tumbled hair.
“Thank you.”
“What for?” She looked up at him in confusion.
“For John.”
“You’re welcome, even though your fifty percent responsible for him being here. It’s not cramping your style being a dad?”
“Hell no, but I do have to admit to one thing,” Shade said in mock seriousness, leaning forward to hand her their child.
“What’s that?” She smiled worriedly, taking John into her arms. Then her nose wrinkled as she began laughing.
“Not crazy about changing his diapers.”
* * *
Shade jogged across the beach, feeling the warm sand under his bare feet. Drawing closer to the attractive woman sitting on the lounge chair in a dark blue bikini, he came to a stop.
“Mind if I join you?” he asked, staring down at Brooke’s surprised face which quickly turned pale. She sat up in her chair, looking around the exclusive beach resort. Seeing several people nearby, she relaxed.
“Yes. I’ll call security—”
“Why would you do that? Unlike you, it’s not my method to kill anyone with witnesses around.”
Shade sat down in the chair next to hers, and the waiter immediately approached for his order.
“Bring me what’s she having. A mojito?” Shade looked at her questioningly, and Brooke nodded. “Charge it to my room.”
Shade leaned back on the chair as the waiter left, feeling her eyes greedily taking in his tattooed chest. The sunglasses hid his eyes which were blazing with hatred for the woman.
“Did you really think you could hide from me when you skipped bail?”
“How did you find me?”
“Because I’m a nice guy, I’ll tell you. It was easy. All I had to do was follow the money trail. Merrick and your parents are providing you with ample funds, even enough to take care of that pesky scar Lily gave you, I see. It was smart to pick a place where the United States doesn’t have extradition.”
“I thought so. I left a letter in case…” Brooke replied smugly.
“In case you were killed? Yeah, I know that’s what you told Lily. Kaley told Train where he could find it. He said it only took one lick to her pussy before she was singing like a bird. You should have picked someone better to confide in. Needless to say, I destroyed it and the rest of the information on me you managed to fuck out of the poor sucker you had wrapped around your finger in the CIA. He no longer works for the agency, by the way.” Shade nodded to the waiter to place his drink on the table between the two chairs where Brooke’s drink was sitting.
“Why are you here?” Brooke took her sunglasses off, glancing around the beach once again.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t bring any of The Last Riders to drag you back to jail. You have nothing to fear from me. I promised Lily I wouldn’t lay a hand on you or shoot you.”
“You did? I’m beginning to wonder what I ever saw in you. You’ve become just like every other man I know—a pussy,” she said nastily.
Shade shrugged. “It was never my intention to impress you, anyway.”
Brooke’s eyes were caught by the striking woman walking down the beach toward them in the tiny, black bikini which barely covered her gorgeous body. The bottoms barely covered her front.
“You ready for lunch, Shade?” The woman had Brooke flushing in anger as she came to a stop by Brooke’s chair, forcing her to look up into the bright sun.
“Does your wife know you have a new whore?”
When the woman took a step forward, Shade got to his feet and caught her arm, holding her back.
“Here, take my drink and go over there and wait for me.” Shade handed her his drink then watched her walk away in appreciation.
Bringing his focus back to the sole reason he was here, he stood up. “Goodbye, Brooke.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Of course. It’s a beautiful day, and I don’t plan on spending another second of it with you.” Shade stood up and walked a few feet before she stopped him.
“I don’t understand. Why…?”
Shade paused, turning back to her. “What? Oh … I forgot to tell you. Evie said goodbye, too.” He began to walk away again. “Enjoy the sun, Brooke. It’s the last day you will ever fuckin’ feel it on your face.”
“Shade … wait!”
He didn’t stop. Walking away, he could hear the fear and frustration at his presence when she had thought she was out of his reach.
Shade dropped down in the lounge chair next to the woman who had helped him exact his revenge by being the perfect distraction.
“Finish your drink. Our plane leaves in a couple of hours.”
Killyama picked up her drink, staring in puzzlement at Brooke who was finishing her Mojito.
“That’s it?”
“Yes. I’m ready to go home.”
“So, we’re even now for you saving Fat Louise?”
“I told you that, if you came here with me for a week, the slate would be wiped clean.”
“I know, but I didn’t expect us to be staying in separate rooms when you said it.”
“Did you really expect me to cheat on Lily?” Shade asked with a raised brow.
“No, but I thought…”
“That it would be Train here when you arrived?”
Killyama remained silent, taking another sip of her drink.
“For what it’s worth, Train wasn’t happy when I called in all his IOUs. He’s going to be even madder when I tell him about that swimsuit you have on. He’ll probably never play poker with me again, and he’s my second best mark.”
Killyama grinned evilly. “I’ll let you take a picture to give the fucker something to think about. So, The Last Riders all know we’re here this week? How did you explain that to Lily?”
Screams and yells filled the air as people ran to the lounge chair where Brooke was hunched over, her body twisting and turning in excruciating pain.
Shade watched in pure fucking pleasure as she died.
“I told her I needed to set up a trial study for Rachel’s plant.”
Epilogue 1
Four Years Later
“I told you so,” Shade said, coming up behind her to place his arms around her protruding belly.
“What about this time?” Lily said softly.
“That Evie would have her baby first.”
“You bet against your own child?”
Shade shrugged. “King did, too.”
Evie shook her head at the two men as she settled on the couch. Lily handed her baby Sophia, who was sound asleep.
“John, don’t you dare eat that. It’s almost dinner time. Go tell Aunt Beth and Uncle Razer dinner’s ready.” Lily took the cupcake away, watching as John put on his coat before he ran out the front door. Then she pulled the wrapper off and took a bite of the pink cupcake.
“I’m telling,” Shade said, taking the cupcake away just to place the last bite in his mouth.
Evie and King shook their heads at the couple.
“You two shouldn’t fight on your anniversary.” Evie handed the baby to King.
Evie wasn’t the only one to blink back the tears at the expression on King’s face in that moment.
Shade handed his wife a napkin when she asked, “Can you take the turkey out of the oven for me?”
He went to the oven, pulling the gigantic bird out. “Couldn’t you find a bigger one?”
“That was the biggest.” Lily set the platter on the counter for him to transfer the turkey to before she went to place the sides on the table.
> Shade watched to make sure she didn’t try to lift anything too heavy.
John ran back in, holding the door for Beth and Razer and their children. He was glad he had listened to Lily’s suggestion when she had asked for a bigger dining room when he had rebuilt their home.
Shade relaxed during dinner. They had decided to have a family dinner before Lily and the others went to church. The following day, they would share Christmas dinner at the clubhouse.
Shade stayed home alone when everyone else went to church, using the opportunity to put together a few of the toys Lily had bought for John. He had barely managed to do half before they were back.
As Lily finished cleaning the kitchen, Shade took John upstairs for his bath where he shaved while his son played.
“Daddy?”
“Hmm?”
“Mommy said you married her on Christmas Eve.”
“That’s right.”
“I’m going to marry her on Christmas Eve when I grow up.”
Shade laughed, splashing water on his face then drying off with a towel. Picking another one up, he dried off his son before helping him dress in his pajamas.
“You can’t marry your mother when you grow up,” Shade said as they went into John’s bedroom.
“I can, too!”
Shade pulled the covers down, giving his son a stern glance.
John’s bottom lip trembled as he climbed into bed. “Why can’t I marry her?”
“Because she’s already taken. You have to catch your own.”
“How do I do that? Do I sneak up behind them and grab them?”
“No, that might get you arrested by Uncle Knox, so don’t do that. You have to be sneaky. You have to make them like you first, a whole lot. Then, when they think you’re the most special thing on Earth, like Daddy did to Mommy, you tell her your secret.”
“I do?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the secret?”
“That you love her and think she’s the most special thing on Earth, too.”
“I can do that.”
“I know you can.” Shade ruffled his hair before bending down to place a kiss on his son’s cheek.
“Night, son.”
“Good night, Daddy.”
Shade turned to the door, seeing Lily standing in the doorway. She gave him her smile as she passed by him to kiss John and tuck him in bed.
Shade waited for her in the hallway, closing the door behind her when she came out.
“Happy anniversary, Shade.”
“Happy anniversary, Lily.”
“Do you still think fifty years isn’t going to be long enough?” Lily teased.
“Yes,” Shade admitted. “Not nearly long enough.” He lifted her into his arms, carrying her into their bedroom where he placed her on their bed. Then he lay down next to her, enjoying the peaceful tranquility of the night. It wouldn’t be much longer before their nights of sleep were interrupted with the sounds of a crying baby.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Wishing my baby girl would hurry and get here.”
“I love the rainbows and unicorns you painted on the nursery walls. It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Shade smiled down at her before nuzzling her neck.
“Shade?”
“Hmm?
“I think you’re the most special man on Earth, and I love you.”
Epilogue 2
Another Fourteen Years Later
“John Wayne Hunter!” Lily scolded.
His son turned around, avoiding his cousins’ amused eyes as he turned back and walked back to his mother.
“You forgot your backpack.”
John blushed, picking up the backpack.
“Be safe, John.”
His son’s face gentled as he stared back at his mother, who was doing a horrible job keeping it together. John grabbed her for one more hug, “I will, Mom. I’ve promised you a thousand times.”
“I know, I know.” Shade placed his arm around Lily’s shoulders, pulling her close to his side.
“You three watch out for each other, and you’ll be fine,” Shade advised his son.
“We will, Dad. I have to go; our plane’s boarding. Chance and Noah are already on board.”
When Shade held his hand out to his son, John ignored it, reaching out to hug him one more time.
“Bye, Dad.”
“Bye, son.” Shade stood there, watching his son board the plane which would take him, Noah, and Chance to basic training. He wouldn’t see him again for six months, and then John would only be able to stay for a few short days before he was given his first assignment.
“We should have never let him enlist.”
“We both agreed to let him make his own decisions, Lily.”
“That’s where we made our first mistake. The rest of our children, we’re telling them no,” she said firmly, getting inside the car.
It was a three-hour drive home, and Lily cried most of the way back. Shade pulled into the parking lot, bringing the car to a stop.
“You going to let the kids see how upset you are?” When Lily didn’t answer, he shook his head at her. “Well?”
“I’m thinking about it,” she snapped. “That way, if they think about joining, they’ll know how upset I was when John did it.”
“Do you want them to make their decisions based on how much it’s going to upset you?”
“Yes.” Lily crossed her arms over her chest.
Shade slid out of the car, going to the other side to open the door for her. She got out of the car but instead of walking up the pathway to their house like he expected, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest.
“I’m going to miss him so much.”
“I know. I am, too,” Shade told her, hugging her close.
Eventually she nodded, stepping away so he could close the door.
“What are you going to do with his bike while he’s gone?” she asked as they walked up the pathway, hand in hand.
“Put it in the storage room where Rider keeps his.”
They passed Beth’s and Razer’s house, which was dark. They had decided to stay in Lexington for the night and come back in the morning.
Shade held onto her hand as they walked up the steps to their porch.
“Shade?” He paused as he was about to open the door. “I’m sorry I cried all the way back. I’ll try harder not to be a crybaby. I promised myself I would be more like—”
“What have I told you about trying to be like those bitches?”
Lily laughed. “I was going to say like Beth.”
“Oh, that you can do.”
“I bet you’re regretting wanting fifty years of the trouble I’ve put you through.”
“Lily, where you’re concerned, I only have one regret.” Shade bent down and kissed her.
“What’s that?” Lily stared back at him with the same love in her eyes and expression as she’d had that long-ago spring day.
“That I didn’t catch you sooner. I should have sneaked up behind you and carried you away.”
“I would have had you arrested.” Lily shook her head.
“I knew the sheriff and had a lawyer who ended up becoming Attorney General. I would have gotten off.”
Epilogue 3
Another thirty-two years later
Shade walked behind John as his eldest son packed his mother to sit on the bench they had placed in the yard over twenty years before so Lily could sit and stare at her mountains.
John carefully placed her on the bench, moving aside so Shade could sit down next to Lily.
“You need anything, Dad?”
“No, thanks. We’ll be fine. Go enjoy the picnic.”
Shade leaned back against the bench, placing his arm around her shoulders. She laid her head against him.
“I shouldn’t have let you talk me into coming outside,” Shade said, seeing the pain she was trying to hide.
“Everybody’s here,” Shade told her. It was the first Fourth of July picnic they hadn’t attended.
Lily shivered next to him.
“Are you cold?” he asked in concern.
“I’m fine, Shade.”
Her hand reached for his as they sat watching their children and grandchildren enjoy the sunny afternoon.
Piper brought them both a bottled water.
“She looks just like you,” Lily said when their granddaughter ran off to play with one of Chance’s children.
Lily watched the huge crowd. “Did you ever dream our family would become this large?”
“Angel, my life with you exceeded any dreams I had,” Shade told her, brushing her lips with his.
Lily brushed the tears from her cheek then stared down at her wedding ring.
“Did I ever tell you about the day you said you saw me at the ice cream store?”
“No.”
“Beth had picked me up from school that day, I usually walked home, but her client had called and asked Beth to pick up a prescription for her. While they were filling the prescription, she decided to pick me up. As we drove to get the prescription we passed the ice cream store. I suddenly wanted an ice cream cone.” Lily laughed self-consciously. “I don’t even like ice cream. How many times do you ever remember me eating it?”
“None, actually,” Shade said, going back through their years together. Lily nodded at his answer.
“I just had to have it right then.” Lily relaxed against him. “I think it was meant for you to see me that day.”
“Angel, Treepoint is small, and I saw you again at the lake. All I needed was one look.” Shade tenderly picked up her hand bearing his ring. “Besides, I was only slightly interested in you that day,” he teased. “I actually didn’t fall in love with you until I saw you in that pink bikini at the lake.”
They watched as the men gathered to set off the fireworks, sending the children to stand on his porch so they would have the best view.
“They bought a lot.” Lily laughed, commenting on the fact that John, Noah, and Chance had purchased a lot of illegal fireworks. It had taken them over an hour to set them up, and they would be shooting them off when it was dark enough.