King(51)

Evie could still remember Shade’s face when he had come into her bedroom while she was staying with his mom and Penni. She had known it was bad before he had even opened his mouth. The horror of Levi’s death still gave her nightmares. She had once felt she’d been the reason he had died; it had taken Shade a long time to convince her she hadn’t been responsible.

When Lily had hit her head during the robbery in Sex Piston’s shop and had nearly died, it had brought the pain of losing Levi back to both her and Shade. She had heard how violently he had reacted at the hospital and had wished she could have been there to help him as he had been there for her over the last seven years.

Evie walked across the room, raising the blinds to let the sun inside. Moving to the next window, she raised those blinds, as well, wishing Brooke would just leave. However, she wouldn’t leave until she came to say whatever it was she considered important enough to confront Evie with.

“What do you want, Brooke?”

“I want to make peace between us; you, me and Shade.”

It dawned on Evie then exactly why Brooke was there. “Please, don’t tell me you haven’t given up the hope of getting Shade. For God’s sake, Brooke, you’re pregnant with Merrick’s baby!”

“This was an accident, and one I don’t intend to let affect my life. Besides, many men find women attractive when they’re pregnant.”

Evie stared at her sister in disgust. “How have you managed to hide your true colors from Merrick?”

“Merrick only sees the good in everyone.”

“He must to be married to you. Although, the Lord knows I’ve tried unsuccessfully to find anything redeemable in you, so I’m not sure where he finds it.”

Brooke looked down at her watch. “I need to get back to the church. I’ve offered to help Lily in the store this afternoon.”

Evie’s blood ran cold.

“Do not mess with Lily.”

“I never expected Shade to end up with someone so meek and mild. She was quite a surprise. I never even expected him to be married, so it was quite a shock when she was introduced to me. Dean didn’t tell Merrick because he didn’t know we were sisters, which, by the way, caused me to have a lot of explaining to do to Merrick.”

Evie could only imagine the fake look of innocence on Brooke’s face as she had lied to her husband. Brooke had always managed to make Evie look like she was jealous and resentful of her.

“Whatever it is you’re thinking of doing, I wouldn’t, Brooke. Shade is never going to have anything to do with you—he hates you more than I do—and if you try to hurt Lily, you’ll see a side of him you never imagined existed.”

Brooke actually shuddered in anticipation at her warning. “You really are sick!” Evie said.

For a brief moment, Brooke’s face twisted into a mask of hatred. “I told you years ago he was mine, but you didn’t listen to me, Evie. You turned him against me. Well, he’ll see me in a whole different light now. You’ll see.”

“No, he won’t. He loves Lily.”

“For now. There isn’t much I can do until after the baby is born anyway.” Brooke turned toward the door. “You really need to get some furniture. I believe the church store has a few pieces sitting around.” With that, Brooke sauntered out the door.

Evie wanted to slam it shut and lock it behind her. Instead, she closed it softly, not wanting to give Brooke the satisfaction of hearing Evie’s anger.

She raised the windows, letting the fresh air in to relieve the room of Brooke’s cloying perfume and fill the house with a faint breeze after it had been sitting empty since being broken into before Lily and Shade had gotten married.

Evie was about to pack her suitcase upstairs when she heard the roar of motors coming down the street. She didn’t wait for them to come to the house; she flung the door open, running outside. Jewel and Raci jumped off the backs of the bikes they were riding on.

“Why didn’t you call? We would have picked you up at the airport,” Jewell complained.

“I didn’t want to get you guys in trouble for missing work. I know what a slave-driver Shade can be,” she teased as Shade sat watching the commotion of her greeting everyone from his bike.

“How did you know I was back? I was getting ready to call.”

“I saw you when the security alarm went off,” Shade stated matter-of-factly while his eyes searched her face.

“I forgot to key in the code.”

“Your visitor must have distracted you.” Her eyes were caught by his; he had seen on the camera and came.

“She didn’t stay long.”