Lily sent him a quelling look as Rachel walked out, timidly approaching the water where Cash was waiting for her.
Crash took the last two beers out of the cooler before standing.
“Anyone want to go on a beer run?” No one spoke up.
Razer sighed, kissing Beth on the cheek before rising.
“I’ll go with you. We can take the truck. I’ll ride my bike back.”
Shade tossed him the keys.
“She’s going to have a hard time when she finds out about the club,” Lily said, drawing his attention back to her.
Shade reached for the beer Train was handing him.
“Yes, she will, but you did, too. It depends how much she wants to be with Cash, but I think she’ll get over it. It’s not easy for him, either. He likes women who like to play and play a lot. They both are going to have to do some giving and taking.”
“Like us?”
“Like us,” Shade agreed.
“Is it worth it to you, Shade?”
Shade saw Beth’s anxious face when she heard Lily’s question.
Shade stared back at Lily. “Lily, you’re worth me giving up the club if I was left with no choice. You mean everything to me. Are you not happy with the club in our lives?”
The other members quieted, listening in to the conversation going on between them.
“I can’t imagine them not being in my life,” Lily answered softly. “It would be like losing a part of myself if I lost them. They make me feel safe and cared for.”
Shade nodded, taking her hand.
“Don’t worry, Lily; you’re never going to lose us. Once The Last Riders claim you, we don’t let go of what’s ours.” Viper spoke for the whole group who all nodded at his words.
Bliss and Rider had come out of the water and had paused behind them, listening to the conversation. Beth handed her a towel, which she used to wrap around herself before crouching down behind Lily, hugging her from behind.
“We would never give you up. You’re too special to us.”
Lily placed her hands on Bliss’s, squeezing them in a return of affection.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m exactly where I belong.”
Chapter 88
Lily was practically skipping ahead of him. Shade reached out, taking her hand and making her wait for him.
“Quit being a slow-poke,” Lily chastised him with a grin. She was already impatient. She had been ready long before the rest of The Last Riders who were following along behind them.
“The town festival isn’t going to be gone before we get there.”
“No, but the best food will be. I’m hungry,” Lily complained.
“You’re always hungry,” Shade teased her as they neared the tables that had been set up for the crowd to sit at. It was surrounded by booths which had been set up to serve food made by the townspeople.
“Hi, Rachel!” Lily called out when she saw her friend sitting at one of the tables.
When Cash took a seat next to her, Shade and Lily shared a look, wondering why Cash was giving Rachel a heated glare.
“Hi, Lily,” Rachel greeted Lily, ignoring Cash.
“You’re not eating?” Lily asked, looking down at the empty place in front of Rachel.
“I’m afraid to. There’s enough fatback in those dishes to take down a horse,” Rachel joked.
“I’m starved. I’ll be back in a minute.” Lily left, going to the different booths.
Shade and the rest of the men remained seated.
“Exactly when did you sneak out?” Cash asked, breaking his silence.
“Around two. Don’t worry. I didn’t walk home; Cheryl gave me a ride,” Rachel told him.
Cash didn’t look any happier with her answer. Rachel shrugged, clearly not concerned that Cash was still angry.
Beth gave her a wink while Shade and Razer shook their heads at each other. Beth was protective of Rachel because she was Lily’s age.
“You’re not hungry?” Rachel asked Beth.
“I’m with you. Thank God I’m not pregnant anymore and don’t get the cravings Lily does.”
The women turned to watch as Lily went from booth to booth, getting samples of everyone’s food.
“When did Brooke learn to cook beans and greens?” Rachel asked.
Shade was surprised the evil bitch could boil water.
“I have no idea,” Beth said then added, “You going to try it?”
“No, it would be too depressing if she can cook as good as she looks.”
Lily came back to the table with a huge plate, sitting down between her and Mag.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Rachel asked Cash.
“Later.” Cash was staring at the Freedom Riders who had sat down a few tables away.
“You don’t like them, do you?” Rachel questioned when she saw where Cash was staring.
“No.”
“Why? They seem friendly enough.”
“So was Ted Bundy.”
Shade agreed with Cash’s harsh comparison.
“I can’t eat anymore.” Lily pushed her plate away, looking queasy.
“You only ate a biscuit.” Rachel said.
Shade frowned, bringing his attention back to Lily. Her plate was practically untouched.
“I guess it’s not agreeing with the baby.” Lily turned green, getting up from the table with his help. Seconds later, she darted to the nearest restroom inside the church.
Shade stood beside the table. Lily hadn’t had an upset stomach since the early stage of her pregnancy. If she didn’t come out soon, he would check on her.
“No need wasting food.” Mag reached out, pulling the plate toward her.
“I heard things didn’t go well last night,” Beth broached the subject tentatively of Rachel attending her first Friday night party.
Rachel made a face. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“I was shocked the first time I went, too. I ended up leaving.” Beth’s face was red from embarrassment. “Lily ran back to college.”
“I tried to run, but Viper wouldn’t let me,” Winter gently butted into the conversation. “It was after my attack. Believe me, if I’d had use of my legs, he wouldn’t have been able to catch me, either.”
“I would have caught you,” Viper stated.
At that moment, Shade saw Mag pass out at the same time Beth screamed, her chair falling back.
“No!” Rachel screamed at the same time Beth yelled for someone to call nine-one-one.
Shade already had his phone out, dialing the number.
Mag had turned deathly pale and had passed out, her head falling back over the wheelchair. The men quickly pushed it back from the table, laying her on the ground. Beth frantically took her pulse while Shade moved Lily back as she came out of the restroom, turning her so she couldn’t see what was going on. Cash knelt by his grandmother, holding her hand.
“Her heart is racing,” Beth told Cash.
Rachel was staring down at Mag, crying. Going to her knees beside Mag, she laid her hand on her heart.
Shade could see she was going to try to help her the way she had helped Lily and Cash.
They all watched in amazement as Rachel used her gift to save the old woman. Whimpering cries passed her pale lips as she focused on her.
Crash took the last two beers out of the cooler before standing.
“Anyone want to go on a beer run?” No one spoke up.
Razer sighed, kissing Beth on the cheek before rising.
“I’ll go with you. We can take the truck. I’ll ride my bike back.”
Shade tossed him the keys.
“She’s going to have a hard time when she finds out about the club,” Lily said, drawing his attention back to her.
Shade reached for the beer Train was handing him.
“Yes, she will, but you did, too. It depends how much she wants to be with Cash, but I think she’ll get over it. It’s not easy for him, either. He likes women who like to play and play a lot. They both are going to have to do some giving and taking.”
“Like us?”
“Like us,” Shade agreed.
“Is it worth it to you, Shade?”
Shade saw Beth’s anxious face when she heard Lily’s question.
Shade stared back at Lily. “Lily, you’re worth me giving up the club if I was left with no choice. You mean everything to me. Are you not happy with the club in our lives?”
The other members quieted, listening in to the conversation going on between them.
“I can’t imagine them not being in my life,” Lily answered softly. “It would be like losing a part of myself if I lost them. They make me feel safe and cared for.”
Shade nodded, taking her hand.
“Don’t worry, Lily; you’re never going to lose us. Once The Last Riders claim you, we don’t let go of what’s ours.” Viper spoke for the whole group who all nodded at his words.
Bliss and Rider had come out of the water and had paused behind them, listening to the conversation. Beth handed her a towel, which she used to wrap around herself before crouching down behind Lily, hugging her from behind.
“We would never give you up. You’re too special to us.”
Lily placed her hands on Bliss’s, squeezing them in a return of affection.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m exactly where I belong.”
Chapter 88
Lily was practically skipping ahead of him. Shade reached out, taking her hand and making her wait for him.
“Quit being a slow-poke,” Lily chastised him with a grin. She was already impatient. She had been ready long before the rest of The Last Riders who were following along behind them.
“The town festival isn’t going to be gone before we get there.”
“No, but the best food will be. I’m hungry,” Lily complained.
“You’re always hungry,” Shade teased her as they neared the tables that had been set up for the crowd to sit at. It was surrounded by booths which had been set up to serve food made by the townspeople.
“Hi, Rachel!” Lily called out when she saw her friend sitting at one of the tables.
When Cash took a seat next to her, Shade and Lily shared a look, wondering why Cash was giving Rachel a heated glare.
“Hi, Lily,” Rachel greeted Lily, ignoring Cash.
“You’re not eating?” Lily asked, looking down at the empty place in front of Rachel.
“I’m afraid to. There’s enough fatback in those dishes to take down a horse,” Rachel joked.
“I’m starved. I’ll be back in a minute.” Lily left, going to the different booths.
Shade and the rest of the men remained seated.
“Exactly when did you sneak out?” Cash asked, breaking his silence.
“Around two. Don’t worry. I didn’t walk home; Cheryl gave me a ride,” Rachel told him.
Cash didn’t look any happier with her answer. Rachel shrugged, clearly not concerned that Cash was still angry.
Beth gave her a wink while Shade and Razer shook their heads at each other. Beth was protective of Rachel because she was Lily’s age.
“You’re not hungry?” Rachel asked Beth.
“I’m with you. Thank God I’m not pregnant anymore and don’t get the cravings Lily does.”
The women turned to watch as Lily went from booth to booth, getting samples of everyone’s food.
“When did Brooke learn to cook beans and greens?” Rachel asked.
Shade was surprised the evil bitch could boil water.
“I have no idea,” Beth said then added, “You going to try it?”
“No, it would be too depressing if she can cook as good as she looks.”
Lily came back to the table with a huge plate, sitting down between her and Mag.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Rachel asked Cash.
“Later.” Cash was staring at the Freedom Riders who had sat down a few tables away.
“You don’t like them, do you?” Rachel questioned when she saw where Cash was staring.
“No.”
“Why? They seem friendly enough.”
“So was Ted Bundy.”
Shade agreed with Cash’s harsh comparison.
“I can’t eat anymore.” Lily pushed her plate away, looking queasy.
“You only ate a biscuit.” Rachel said.
Shade frowned, bringing his attention back to Lily. Her plate was practically untouched.
“I guess it’s not agreeing with the baby.” Lily turned green, getting up from the table with his help. Seconds later, she darted to the nearest restroom inside the church.
Shade stood beside the table. Lily hadn’t had an upset stomach since the early stage of her pregnancy. If she didn’t come out soon, he would check on her.
“No need wasting food.” Mag reached out, pulling the plate toward her.
“I heard things didn’t go well last night,” Beth broached the subject tentatively of Rachel attending her first Friday night party.
Rachel made a face. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“I was shocked the first time I went, too. I ended up leaving.” Beth’s face was red from embarrassment. “Lily ran back to college.”
“I tried to run, but Viper wouldn’t let me,” Winter gently butted into the conversation. “It was after my attack. Believe me, if I’d had use of my legs, he wouldn’t have been able to catch me, either.”
“I would have caught you,” Viper stated.
At that moment, Shade saw Mag pass out at the same time Beth screamed, her chair falling back.
“No!” Rachel screamed at the same time Beth yelled for someone to call nine-one-one.
Shade already had his phone out, dialing the number.
Mag had turned deathly pale and had passed out, her head falling back over the wheelchair. The men quickly pushed it back from the table, laying her on the ground. Beth frantically took her pulse while Shade moved Lily back as she came out of the restroom, turning her so she couldn’t see what was going on. Cash knelt by his grandmother, holding her hand.
“Her heart is racing,” Beth told Cash.
Rachel was staring down at Mag, crying. Going to her knees beside Mag, she laid her hand on her heart.
Shade could see she was going to try to help her the way she had helped Lily and Cash.
They all watched in amazement as Rachel used her gift to save the old woman. Whimpering cries passed her pale lips as she focused on her.
