“I need to go shower. I’ll be back in a few,” Shade said, turning on his heel as he heard Lily and Beth talking.
“I’ll call her after dinner then let you know her answer.”
“I can get Razer to drive you to the airport,” Beth offered.
Shade closed the door then went down the steps to his room. Taking out his cell phone, he made the call he was already dreading.
“Hello, bro, what’s up?” Penni answered.
“I need a favor.”
There was a brief silence. “Does this involve Lily?”
“Yes, she wants to come stay with you,” Shade said, already knowing her answer since the two had become firm friends during their time as roommates, which was what he had intended. However, the unexpected consequence was that, more often than not, she had sided with Lily against him while still taking his money.
“Cool! I miss her like crazy. I now this fun bar we can go to—”
“No,” Shade snapped. “I want you to tell her no, or better yet, make up an excuse. You’re good at that. I heard the whopper you told your mom on why you couldn’t spend the summer with her.”
“I’m not going to blow Lily off.”
He heard the steel behind his half-sister’s voice and knew there wouldn’t be any changing her mind, unless…
“You know that old bike of mine you’ve been wanting? I’ll give it to you. I’ll even teach you how to ride it.”
“Fuck.”
Shade knew he had her. He merely needed to tighten the noose.
“I’ll start your allowance back again.” Shade had quit giving her money when she had graduated and found a job.
“Dammit! Why does she want to come down? And it better be the truth, Shade!”
He decided to give it to her. “Because she wants to run.”
“If you’ve done anything to hurt—”
“I love her. I would never hurt her,” Shade admitted. If he had to confess it to the world, he would to keep her. Then he unashamedly told the biggest lie he had ever told. “I’m trying to work up my courage to ask her out, but she’s nervous about being around all the brothers.”
“Awe. I can tell her their bark is worse than their bite. Let me talk to her and—”
“No!” Shade said sharply then made his voice soften with fake meekness. “If she knows I called, she’ll get mad and never go out with me.”
“All right,” she agreed grudgingly. “But I’m going to come see her as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Penni.”
“You’re welcome. Just don’t make me sorry I did this,” she warned before hanging up.
After showering and changing, he went back upstairs and fixed himself something to eat. Beth was telling Lily how good she looked. Shade agreed; she was much healthier than when he had driven her in from college.
“You have color in your cheeks again. I hope being here this week has shown you that they really care about you.”
“Yes.”
Beth and Razer got up from the table. “Let me know what Penni says.”
Lily stood up, hugging both Beth and Razer goodbye.
Shade was glad Lily was trying to put her hurt feelings behind her. Beth loved her and hadn’t intentionally tried to hurt Lily. She had tried to protect her—they all had. It had backfired, of course, because they had smothered her with that protection. Then, when she had cut herself off from it, Lily hadn’t been able to handle it.
After Razer and Beth left, she told everyone goodnight except him before going downstairs. Shade followed behind her, giving her enough time to reach his room and make her call. He wanted her to know all avenues of her planned escape were closed.
She had a big smile on her lips which fell flat when he casually walked into the room, shutting the door and locking it behind him then leaning back briefly against it. The cell phone was to her ear, but her eyes were on him.
Shade straightened from the door, going to the dresser where he took off his shirt then his boots, placing them to the side. Walking barefoot, he went to the large closet that was against the wall where her clothes were kept. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a keychain, unlocking the other side of the closet which held his neatly arranged equipment.
One after the other, he pulled out various items, testing their weight in his hands. He took out a thick ruler, which he smacked against his hand before putting it back in the closet. He then pulled out a flogger, which he slapped against his thigh before putting it back in the cabinet.
“Yes,” Shade heard her strangled reply to something Penni must have said.
Shade lost track of the conversation while he debated which toy he would use on Lily first. He knew which one he wanted to use, but she would have a panic attack, and he didn’t want that. He was going to have to start out slowly, despite wanting to give her a lesson a seasoned sub would cry over.
Shade pulled out his favorite paddle. It was thin and covered in leather. He smacked it against his palm, finding it was perfect for what he wanted. Happy with his choice, he shut the closet door then walked to the chair and sat down, staring directly into her eyes.
Her gaze tore away from his, going to the door. She was smart enough to realize she couldn’t make it. Shade wasn’t going to underestimate her again, already figuring out her next move by seeing her body tense in preparation.
“Make sure you do. I’m planning on coming for a visit.” She spoke into the phone quickly.
All of a sudden, Lily jumped from the bed, making a run for the bathroom. She didn’t make it, though. Halfway there, he had her around the waist, lifting her from the floor.
“Oh, no you don’t.”
“Don’t you dare touch me!” Lily yelled.
“I am going to do more than touch you. I’m going to teach you a lesson that you will never forget, Lily,” Shade promised.
She was about to scream, terrified, when he sat her down on her feet in her corner and took a step back.
He could feel her fear. She should be afraid, he thought grimly to himself. She had pushed him past his limits, but she was more than able to defend herself against him; she had proven that earlier. Therefore, it was time she faced her fears head-on, and come what may, he was going to rip away the barriers she used to protect herself from him. She needed to see the real Shade or as much of himself as he could show, anyway.
He pulled the chair to face her, taking a seat. “I think it’s past time we straighten out a few things.”
Her hand went to the rubber band as she pressed back against the wall.
“Cut it out. You’re in your safe zone, and I won’t touch you when you’re there.” Shade leaned back against his chair.
“I joined The Last Riders when I left the military. There are eight original members. When we started the club, we decided women would be members, too. Both the men and women have rules as to how they can join. The men, if they want to enter and we want them as a part of the club, pick four of the eight original members to go up against. If they can handle themselves, they become members. The women need six votes from the eight original members to join. To get the votes, the member either fucks them or has an orgasm as a result of their play.”
“I don’t want to know,” Lily moaned.
“I’ll call her after dinner then let you know her answer.”
“I can get Razer to drive you to the airport,” Beth offered.
Shade closed the door then went down the steps to his room. Taking out his cell phone, he made the call he was already dreading.
“Hello, bro, what’s up?” Penni answered.
“I need a favor.”
There was a brief silence. “Does this involve Lily?”
“Yes, she wants to come stay with you,” Shade said, already knowing her answer since the two had become firm friends during their time as roommates, which was what he had intended. However, the unexpected consequence was that, more often than not, she had sided with Lily against him while still taking his money.
“Cool! I miss her like crazy. I now this fun bar we can go to—”
“No,” Shade snapped. “I want you to tell her no, or better yet, make up an excuse. You’re good at that. I heard the whopper you told your mom on why you couldn’t spend the summer with her.”
“I’m not going to blow Lily off.”
He heard the steel behind his half-sister’s voice and knew there wouldn’t be any changing her mind, unless…
“You know that old bike of mine you’ve been wanting? I’ll give it to you. I’ll even teach you how to ride it.”
“Fuck.”
Shade knew he had her. He merely needed to tighten the noose.
“I’ll start your allowance back again.” Shade had quit giving her money when she had graduated and found a job.
“Dammit! Why does she want to come down? And it better be the truth, Shade!”
He decided to give it to her. “Because she wants to run.”
“If you’ve done anything to hurt—”
“I love her. I would never hurt her,” Shade admitted. If he had to confess it to the world, he would to keep her. Then he unashamedly told the biggest lie he had ever told. “I’m trying to work up my courage to ask her out, but she’s nervous about being around all the brothers.”
“Awe. I can tell her their bark is worse than their bite. Let me talk to her and—”
“No!” Shade said sharply then made his voice soften with fake meekness. “If she knows I called, she’ll get mad and never go out with me.”
“All right,” she agreed grudgingly. “But I’m going to come see her as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Penni.”
“You’re welcome. Just don’t make me sorry I did this,” she warned before hanging up.
After showering and changing, he went back upstairs and fixed himself something to eat. Beth was telling Lily how good she looked. Shade agreed; she was much healthier than when he had driven her in from college.
“You have color in your cheeks again. I hope being here this week has shown you that they really care about you.”
“Yes.”
Beth and Razer got up from the table. “Let me know what Penni says.”
Lily stood up, hugging both Beth and Razer goodbye.
Shade was glad Lily was trying to put her hurt feelings behind her. Beth loved her and hadn’t intentionally tried to hurt Lily. She had tried to protect her—they all had. It had backfired, of course, because they had smothered her with that protection. Then, when she had cut herself off from it, Lily hadn’t been able to handle it.
After Razer and Beth left, she told everyone goodnight except him before going downstairs. Shade followed behind her, giving her enough time to reach his room and make her call. He wanted her to know all avenues of her planned escape were closed.
She had a big smile on her lips which fell flat when he casually walked into the room, shutting the door and locking it behind him then leaning back briefly against it. The cell phone was to her ear, but her eyes were on him.
Shade straightened from the door, going to the dresser where he took off his shirt then his boots, placing them to the side. Walking barefoot, he went to the large closet that was against the wall where her clothes were kept. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a keychain, unlocking the other side of the closet which held his neatly arranged equipment.
One after the other, he pulled out various items, testing their weight in his hands. He took out a thick ruler, which he smacked against his hand before putting it back in the closet. He then pulled out a flogger, which he slapped against his thigh before putting it back in the cabinet.
“Yes,” Shade heard her strangled reply to something Penni must have said.
Shade lost track of the conversation while he debated which toy he would use on Lily first. He knew which one he wanted to use, but she would have a panic attack, and he didn’t want that. He was going to have to start out slowly, despite wanting to give her a lesson a seasoned sub would cry over.
Shade pulled out his favorite paddle. It was thin and covered in leather. He smacked it against his palm, finding it was perfect for what he wanted. Happy with his choice, he shut the closet door then walked to the chair and sat down, staring directly into her eyes.
Her gaze tore away from his, going to the door. She was smart enough to realize she couldn’t make it. Shade wasn’t going to underestimate her again, already figuring out her next move by seeing her body tense in preparation.
“Make sure you do. I’m planning on coming for a visit.” She spoke into the phone quickly.
All of a sudden, Lily jumped from the bed, making a run for the bathroom. She didn’t make it, though. Halfway there, he had her around the waist, lifting her from the floor.
“Oh, no you don’t.”
“Don’t you dare touch me!” Lily yelled.
“I am going to do more than touch you. I’m going to teach you a lesson that you will never forget, Lily,” Shade promised.
She was about to scream, terrified, when he sat her down on her feet in her corner and took a step back.
He could feel her fear. She should be afraid, he thought grimly to himself. She had pushed him past his limits, but she was more than able to defend herself against him; she had proven that earlier. Therefore, it was time she faced her fears head-on, and come what may, he was going to rip away the barriers she used to protect herself from him. She needed to see the real Shade or as much of himself as he could show, anyway.
He pulled the chair to face her, taking a seat. “I think it’s past time we straighten out a few things.”
Her hand went to the rubber band as she pressed back against the wall.
“Cut it out. You’re in your safe zone, and I won’t touch you when you’re there.” Shade leaned back against his chair.
“I joined The Last Riders when I left the military. There are eight original members. When we started the club, we decided women would be members, too. Both the men and women have rules as to how they can join. The men, if they want to enter and we want them as a part of the club, pick four of the eight original members to go up against. If they can handle themselves, they become members. The women need six votes from the eight original members to join. To get the votes, the member either fucks them or has an orgasm as a result of their play.”
“I don’t want to know,” Lily moaned.
