Shade(122)

“Who would try to break in the house?” Lily asked.

“I don’t know, but I plan to find out.”

It didn’t take long for Knox to arrive. Minutes later, Cash knocked on the door, as well, coming inside to listen silently as Lily told them how she had been fixing herself something to eat when she felt someone watching and decided to lock the door.

“Are you sure you saw the handle move?” Knox questioned.

“Yes. At least, I think so. Maybe I was just tense. I don’t know.” Lily brushed her hair away from her eyes.

“What happened to your hand?” Shade asked sharply, seeing the road rash. He wanted Cash and Knox to hear the story Lucky had told him.

“I fell this afternoon when I was coming home from the church.”

“How?” Knox asked.

“I was crossing the street, and a car was speeding. Pastor Dean pushed me out of the way, and I fell and skinned my hands and knees.” Lily shrugged.

Shade didn’t tell her Lucky had called him, not wanting to frighten her further.

The men stared at each other in silence before Cash went out the back door.

“Where’s he going?” Lily asked.

“To check things out,” Knox told her. “I’m going to make a report then look around myself before going back to the station. I’ll call Razer and let Beth and him know what’s going on.”

“Okay,” Lily said.

“Shade?” Knox turned to him. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave her alone.”

“I’ll stay until they get home,” Shade agreed, already having made that plan.

“Sounds good. Later.” Knox went out the door.

“Do you think they’ll be able to find anything?”

“Probably not, but Cash is good. If there’s anything to be found, he’ll find it.”

Lily nodded before going into the kitchen where she began putting food away. She then started to eat a cold, grilled cheese when she saw him about to argue with her for not eating. Afterward, she placed the dirty dishes in the sink, leaning against it wearily.

“Go to bed. You look exhausted.”

Lily turned to the steps, snapping out, “Don’t you get tired of ordering me around?”

“No.”

Lily began to make another comment when he raised his brow and crossed his arms against his chest, waiting.

“I can’t believe I ever thought you were a gentleman.”

Shade burst out laughing. “I’m no gentleman.”

“No shit.” Lily clapped her hand over her mouth. “You’ve driven me to cussing.”

“Lily, cussing isn’t going to be the worst thing I teach you.” Oh, yeah, he was going to teach her plenty.

Shade couldn’t help laughing some more when she immediately ran upstairs at his comment. She must have read the lust-filled fantasies going through his mind.

* * *

Shade had finished his breakfast by the time Lily came in the diner with Diamond, Winter, Viper, Evie, Razer, and Beth. She took the seat farthest away from him, facing the door while the others crowded around the table.

Watching Lily, Shade thought her attitude toward Beth seemed slightly cool. It was going to take a while for that relationship to heal.

The harried waitress refilled his cup then took the orders for the rest of the table while Shade surveyed the room around him. The restaurant was packed, and several tables were filled with faces he had never seen in town before. When his gaze drifted over where Rachel was sitting with her brothers, her nephew, and Holly, she nodded at him and he returned it. Then Lucky came into the restaurant and joined them, bringing his focus back to his table.#p#分页标题#e#

Lily and Diamond were talking, and he could see the women becoming good friends. Despite Diamond being older, she was sensitive to other women’s feelings, something Shade hadn’t seen that often in the opposite sex.

As Lily listened to what Diamond was saying, their eyes met momentarily until she tore her gaze away to stare off somewhere in the restaurant. Shade shifted his attention to the table with a small family. He studied them, trying to see why Lily was focusing on them.

There was a little girl with dark brown hair sitting with her mother and father as the waitress set their plates in front of them.

“You want to go for a ride after lunch? I want to go to Jamestown. I’m thinking of asking Stud to build a bike for me,” Rider said.

“I wouldn’t mind the ride,” Shade agreed.

Lily was talking to Evie as Shade listened to Rider describe his perfect motorcycle. Shade didn’t want to know how many bikes the brother had. He kept them stored in the back of the factory and would change the bike he was riding as often as he did the women he fucked. He had one Shade had debated buying from him, but he had his broken in the way he liked, so he didn’t feel the need for a change.