Shade(149)

Lily laughed at his expression as she playfully hit his chest. Shade’s hand went to the back of her neck, tugging her head down to him so he could catch her mouth, feeling her relax against him. They were in a dark corner, and no one was paying attention to them.

Her arms slid around his neck as she kissed him back. Shade felt her breasts against his chest as he gave her another kiss to remember. Then his hand flattened against her flat stomach before sliding up to her shoulder, raising her back up to a sitting position.

“Let’s dance.”

“Okay.” She got to her feet and they went to the dance floor, spending the remainder of the evening dancing.

The rest of the members spent the night continuing to go between the two floors. Viper and Winter both showed up a couple more times before eventually saying they were going to bed.

It was getting late as Shade talked to Train and Evie while Lily talked to Beth. When she yawned, Shade noticed.

“I’m going to bed. I have to be up early to go to the church store.”

After everyone told her goodnight, Lily went into the bedroom.

* * *

He stared down at Lily sleeping in his bed before taking a shower. The smile playing on the corners of her lips affected him in ways he never knew were possible. Her peaceful sleep was deep, unmarred by the nightmares she was constantly trying to outmaneuver. Then his smile slipped when he thought about how he was going to kick Razer’s ass for not telling him Lily knew how to swing on a pole better than any stripper he had ever paid for.

His backstabbing brother knew there were three things he enjoyed in life: whiskey, pole-dancing, and Lily. He could finally enjoy all three.

He whistled low as he took his shower then dried off. He blow-dried his hair, not wanting to get Lily’s pillow wet, then shaved before going to bed.

His arm went around her waist, pulling her close. He rubbed his cheek against hers as he thought about how Lily had discovered she could fit in his world that night. He just had to convince her he belonged in hers.

Shade fell asleep with Lily against him, breathing in her scent. However, sometime later, his predatory instincts woke him, alerting him to danger. He gently moved away from Lily, not wanting to wake her until he found out what the issue was. He didn’t doubt the pervading sense of alarm sending out warning signals—his instincts were never wrong. He had seen too many soldiers who hadn’t trusted their instincts end up in a casket, so he didn’t hesitate when it came to his own.

He quickly pulled on his clothes and boots then went to the bedroom door, already smelling the deadly smoke on the other side. Going back to the bed, he started shaking Lily awake. There was no time to lose since there were no windows in his bedroom.

“Wake up, Lily!”

She jerked upright in the bed. “What’s going on?”

“Get up. The basement’s on fire!” He grabbed her from the bed.

Shade ran to the bathroom while she put her shoes on, coming back with a fire extinguisher he kept under the sink. There were sounds of screams from upstairs and running feet as the fire alarm went off.#p#分页标题#e#

“How are we going to get out of here?” She looked frantically around the room, seeing they were trapped inside.

“The brothers will get us out,” Shade said grimly.

Going to his dresser, he pulled out a couple of shirts and then ran to the bathroom again to wet them. He came back with the wet clothes, tying one across her face then his own.

Just as he finished, they heard the sounds of a fire hose and an extinguisher from outside the bedroom door.

There was a loud bang on the door, and Shade opened it. Viper stood on the other side with just jeans and boots on.

“Let’s go!” he yelled.

Shade took Lily’s hand, pushing her behind Viper as he followed. It was pitch-dark except for the dying embers of the blackened walls. Viper was carrying a flashlight as the brothers put out the fire with water hoses, spraying the smoking couch. The steps to the upstairs were destroyed, the blackened door closed.

Viper led them out the side door as Lily started to cough, choking on the smoke.

Shade picked her up into his arms, carrying her back to the main part of the house and into the living room before removing the cloth he had tied around her face.

Beth handed Lily a glass of water while Shade stood near her as she quit coughing long enough to take a drink. Then the glass was falling out of her hands, crashing to the floor as she grabbed her head. The crowded room went quiet the instant Lily began screaming.

Shade dropped down to his knees in front of Lily, knowing it was going to be bad. He had witnessed the gradual, spiraling ferocity of her panic attacks and knew this was the worst he had seen. Seeing Beth’s terror for her sister, his assumption that it was indeed the worst was confirmed.