Dangerous Love Read online

  “Let me guess; you want me to pay you for pictures that don’t exist?”

  “They exist.” Harvey lowered his voice deviously, no longer wanting to draw attention to himself. “Even if it’s not her, which I ain’t saying it’s not, if I pass them around town to several of my buddies and say it is Lily, they’ll believe me.”

  “No, they won’t.”

  Harvey’s rotted smile turned gloating. “Even if they don’t, Lily will think they will, and I’ll make sure that Lily knows the pictures are going around town.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you will,” Shade drawled out.

  “Of course I like Lily. She’s a good lay, but damn, you could spare her a lot of heartache if you see things my way.”

  “And your way involves money for your silence? Is that what you’re saying?”

  “I want my job back. Of course I’d need a raise, too.”

  “I’m sure you’d like that, but it isn’t going to happen.”

  “Then I guess we’re done talking, aren’t we?”

  “Yes, we are.” Shade rose, laying his palms down on the table as he stood over the blackmailing shithole. “You should order a hamburger. Mick makes the best one in town.” Straightening, Shade took out a hundred-dollar bill and laid it down on the table, enjoying the greedy light that appeared in Harvey’s eyes.

  “What’s that for?”

  “For whatever you want to use it for. Let’s just say Jewell forgot to give you your severance pay.”

  “Does that mean you’re willing to come to an agreement on the pictures?”

  “It means have a beer and burger on me. They’ll be your last.”

  CHAPTER 5

  “Is something wrong with the cake?”

  At Willa’s question, Lily realized she hadn’t taken a bite of the cake she was holding in her hand.

  “No, I was waiting to see where Shade wanted to sit, but he seems to have disappeared.”

  “I passed Shade and Rider as they were going into the garage. They want to see the new motorcycle that Colton built.”

  The dread that filled her when she couldn’t find Shade lightened. It didn’t disappear completely, though, because of the way her husband had been acting since he came into the thrift store and discovered Harvey harassing her.

  He hadn’t mentioned it again after leaving her in the store. In fact, when she tried to bring it up again that evening, Shade had changed the subject.

  Seeing that Willa was still looking at her expectantly, she lifted her fork and took a bite of the cake.

  “It’s delicious,” she told her, forcing herself to give her a carefree smile. “It’s almost as good as the one you made for me.”

  Beaming, Willa started talking about how beautiful the ceremony was.

  “She made a beautiful bride,” Lily agreed, her thoughts still on Shade.

  “Dalton didn’t look bad either.”

  Both women flushed when Dalton flashed them a smile. As if sensing they were talking about him, he came out of the dining room, holding a generous portion of his wedding cake.

  Their eyes weren’t the only female gazes following him throughout the room. The movie star’s charisma was like a magnet for women. That he was nice, made him harder to resist.

  Shyly glancing away from his smile, Lily found hers caught and held by her husband’s. She wasn’t the only one caught staring. Willa had been caught, too.

  While Lucky’s expression was indulgent and speculative at watching his wife ogle another man, Shade’s had her body going taut. Lust hit her like a strike of thunder. It always did when he looked at her as if he could read her mind.

  Shade was possessive, dominant, and protective over her. They were characteristics that stabilized the panic attacks that had chained her within their grasp until he set her free. He kept all her fears and anxieties at bay by knowing that anything or anyone that could harm her would be dealt with by him.

  She had grown older and stronger during their marriage. At one time, a man like Harvey would have sent her into a full-fledged panic attack. Now, she wasn’t frightened by him. She just pitied him that he was courting his own death.

  Lily was under no illusion about what Shade was capable of. She had had the proof laid before her eyes when a woman who was in love with him had tried to blackmail her into leaving him. She had tried to leave him for his own safety, but Shade had said something then that always stayed with her. If you leave me, I might well as be dead. To hear him put into words the same exact feeling she felt, each step away from him tore her soul apart.

  John’s sudden arrival had put a stop to her leaving, and even knowing what Shade was capable of, she never considered leaving him again. It had taken a lot of soul-searching to come up with the answer. She had found her answer in a passage from the Bible that Pastor Dean had left in her hospital room when he visited her after John’s birth.

  She had seen the Bible sitting on the table by her bed and opened it to the page with a book mark sticking out.

  (Psalm 10:17-18)

  O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;

  you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

  to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,

  so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

  Lily still remembered reading that verse and looking across the room, seeing Shade holding John and the love in his expression. The love he had shown her when he looked up and saw her watching him.

  God had gifted her a warrior. A warrior who sometimes did the dirty work that no one else wanted to do because society or their own conscience wouldn’t let them. A warrior who believed his deeds were branded on a soul that would never deserve love. From her or God.

  She did. God, how she loved him.

  Moving to his side, she used her fork to cut him a piece of cake before lifting it to his mouth.

  His gaze caught hers as he opened his mouth.

  “Do you like it?”

  Her husband didn’t look toward Willa at the question. “Almost as much as the one you made for me and Lily.”

  “That’s the same thing she said.”

  Willa’s laughter didn’t break the spell between them, each lost in the silent duel of desire that was rising between them.

  “Do you want some more?”

  “Yes.”

  Lily fed him another bite.

  “Willa, I wouldn’t mind a bite of yours.”

  Lily flushed at hearing Lucky’s husky request.

  “Get your own.”

  Lily couldn’t help laughing, breaking the moment she had been sharing with Shade by switching her focus to Lucky’s chagrined expression.

  “I would be happy to get you a slice,” Lily offered.

  “Never mind. If I eat another slice, I won’t be able to fit into my favorite pair of pants.”

  “Excuse me. I need to check on something in the kitchen.”

  Lily watched her friend leave with a flush high on her cheeks.

  “Excuse me.” Lucky’s eyes were following his wife’s retreating back. “I have something I need to check.”

  “I don’t think I want to know what Lucky’s going to be checking on, do I?” she asked Shade after Lucky was out of hearing range.

  “Probably not,” Shade agreed, moving his hand to her waist to pull her closer to his side.

  Trying hard not to become lost again, she cleared her throat. “What do you want to do for the rest of the day?”

  “It’s Valentine’s Day; it’s your pick. You want to hit up your favorite restaurant after we leave here?”

  “We already ate,” she reminded him. Her nipples tightened in response to the small caresses she could feel through the material of her dress. “Are you still hungry?”

  “No.”

  “Neither am I.”

  “Do you find Dalton attractive?”

  The out of the blue question didn’t faze her.

  “He’s very handsome. But do I find
him attractive personally? No. He’s not my type.”

  “He’s no cowboy, that’s for sure.”

  “That’s not why I’m not attracted to him.”

  “It’s not?”

  “No. I’m not attracted to him because he’s not you.”

  She felt his hand tighten on her waist.

  “I know how I want to spend the rest of the day.”

  “Me, too.”

  Shade took the plate away from her, placing it on the table before guiding her toward the door.

  “I need to tell T.A. that we’re leaving.”

  “She’s over there. Wave to her. She’ll get the message.”

  “I can’t be rude.”

  “Then let me. I don’t have a problem with it.”

  Lily stopped, giving him a reprimanding smile. “Just let me say goodbye. You can go tell Dalton we’re leaving.”

  “You have three minutes.”

  “I only need two.”

  As she started away, he grabbed her hand. Startled, she turned back, her eyes widening at the man.

  “Two minutes. I’ll meet you at the door.”

  Lily watched as, releasing her hand, Shade went around the fringe of the crowd, trying to circumvent being drawn into a conversation. She was just as anxious to leave.

  Her lips curled in a smile as she approached T.A. Usually, it was T.A.’s friends who stood out when they were together. Today, it was T.A.

  The woman was glowing with happiness. Her dress was white and sexy, making Lily wish she had worn something special for Shade.

  Coming closer, Lily hugged her. “You look so beautiful. Dalton is lucky he was able to convince you to marry him.”

  T.A. gave her a surprised glance. “Everyone else has been telling me how lucky I am.”

  Lily shook her head, releasing her friend. “Dalton is blessed to have you. You’re the most open-hearted person I know. You put yourself out there despite knowing Sex Piston, Killyama, or Crazy Bitch would give you grief for trying. You’re one in a million, and Dalton recognized how special you are.”

  “Please don’t make me cry. You’ll ruin my makeup.”

  Lily gave her another hug. “Don’t cry. You’ll make me cry.”

  The two broke apart, laughing.

  “I came over to tell you that Shade and I were leaving….” Lily looked at how stunningly gorgeous T.A. was and came to another decision. She had come up with the perfect Valentine’s Day present for her husband… if she was brave enough to see it through. “But I changed my mind.”

  “You’re going to stay a little longer?”

  “Would you mind doing me a big favor? I know it’s your big day, but it would only take a few minutes.” Lily lowered her voice, seeing Sex Piston and Crazy Bitch approaching them.

  T.A. conspiratorially lowered her voice. “What do you need me to do?”

  “Keep Shade occupied for a few minutes while I slip out.”

  “Sure thing. No problem.”

  Smiling, Lily used the opportunity to slip out through the crowd while Shade’s attention was focused on Dalton.

  “Of course I’m going to want a favor in return.”

  Lily didn’t miss the cunning look in T.A.’s eyes. Greer Porter always had the same expression when he wanted something.

  “What do you want?”

  “Just how far do Shade’s tattoos go down?”

  CHAPTER 6

  Shade stood at the doorway, sweeping the room with his eyes one more time. Lily was talking with T.A. one second, and the next, she had disappeared when Sex Piston, Crazy Bitch, Killyama, and her mother Peyton circled her within their group. He had lost sight of her when he left Dalton’s side to go around the crowd, and when he looked again, the women had dispersed into other small groups.

  Had she gone outside to wait for him by their SUV?

  Opening the door, he went outside, seeing their car was missing. She left without him.

  He took out his phone and texted her, not understanding her reasoning for not to waiting. Not expecting her to reply, though, when she was driving, he went back inside the house. No one seemed ready to leave as the music from a band floated inside from the backyard.

  Feeling the vibration of his phone, he saw that Lily answered his text. There was no way she could have reached their home so soon.

  Didn’t want to wait.

  Staring down at the message, his worry switched to irritation.

  Not wanting to send another text while she was driving, he texted the only brother who wasn’t here and didn’t have any plans for the day.

  Need a ride.

  Ask someone else.

  Come and get me from the reception.

  I can see where you are. Give me five.

  “Shade, would you mind helping Dalton pack my suitcases downstairs?”

  About to go outside to wait, Shade gritted his teeth at T.A.’s request.

  “He just went upstairs. I can’t have him throwing his back out. He’s going to need it tonight.” She winked.

  “Sure.”

  Impassively masking his irritation, he went up the stairs.

  “I told T.A. I didn’t need any help,” Dalton said, coming out of the bedroom carrying two suitcases and a duffel bag.

  Shade took one from him. “She’s worried about your back.”

  At his comment, Dalton handed him the other suitcase, too.

  Shade lifted a mocking brow.

  “I’m just being cautious. I’m not a young man anymore.”

  “You look in pretty good shape to me.” Shade nodded toward the steps, motioning for him to go first.

  “I used to think so. Now I think she’s trying to cash in on my insurance policy.”

  “Both these suitcases hers?”

  “Yes. My things are in the duffel bag.”

  “Could be she’s competing.”

  Dalton came to a stop on the stairs to look back at him. “Competing against who?”

  Shade shrugged. “Take your pick. Can’t be easy for her having so many women chasing after you. This isn’t your first marriage either. Not only does she know that it was very happy, but she was a famous model. What would you do if the shoe was on the other foot?”

  Dalton paled at the thought that he might be right.

  “Jesus,” he muttered. “What should I do?”

  “You’re asking the wrong person. I don’t have a bad back.”

  When Dalton remained unmoving, Shade sighed irritably. He wanted to get home to Lily and see why she had left him behind.

  “Do you eat every time you’re hungry or do you space it out?”

  “What?” Confused, Dalton stared up at him blankly.

  “Do you eat pancakes every time someone offers them to you? Even when there’re nuts and whipped cream tempting you? Just because she decides those pancakes are too damn good to pass up, it doesn’t mean you have to break.” Deciding to be even more blunt to save himself further irritation, he explained, “When T.A. wants to fuck, you don’t have to give her a full meal every time. There’re other ways to keep T.A. satisfied without fucking yourself to death. If that doesn’t work, Greer Porter sells a protein drink that will give you the stamina of a rabbit. Knox swears by it.”

  Doing his one good deed for the day, he gave Dalton a sharp nod of his head. “My ride is waiting.”

  “Sorry.” Dalton finally started moving.

  When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Shade paused briefly by Gavin. “I’ll be right back.”

  “I don’t have all day.”

  Shade ignored the rude comment, carrying the suitcases to the garage. Then, leaving Dalton to store the luggage in the trunk of his rental car, he went back inside to find Gavin no longer standing where he had left him.

  Thinking that Gavin had gone outside, he was about to go out there when he saw him heading outside the patio door. Turning in his direction, Shade trailed after him, registering that Gavin must have been drawn outside by the music.

 
“I’m searching for you

  Calling for you

  Hoping for you

  Praying for you

  Can you hear me?

  Oh, why can’t you hear me?”

  Stepping outside, Shade saw Mouth2Mouth had set up at the end of the pool and the wedding guests were outside listening.

  Spotting Gavin, he made his way to his side.

  “I’m ready.”

  “She’s the one you and the brothers have been protecting?” Gavin rasped out without taking his eyes off the woman singing.

  “Yes.”

  If asked, anyone in Treepoint would say Shade was a coldhearted bastard, but even his cold heart felt sympathy for the damaged man by his side.

  Gavin had lived through years of hell and humiliation, only to find the freedom he had fought so hard for wasn’t a balm for the jagged cuts that had permanently scored his soul.

  “I can see why he wants her.”

  Gavin hadn’t shown any interest when The Last Riders had their meeting discussing Ginny’s protection. Not that he had attended any of the meetings. Even though he lived in the clubhouse, Gavin either remained reclusive in his room or went on motorcycle rides that would stretch to several days’ absences.

  The days he was gone were torture for Viper, not knowing if Gavin would come back or if he had ridden his bike off one of the mountains that surrounded their small town. Each member of the club had unsuccessfully tried to breach the wall Gavin had surrounded himself with.

  Shade waited until the song was over before speaking.

  “You want me to introduce you?”

  Gavin turned his attention to him. “No. You ready?”

  Shade raised a mocking brow. “I told you I was.”

  Shade was used to most people giving him a wide berth, but with Gavin, they practically froze, as if afraid a wild lion would break free of his cage, finding themselves on the dinner menu. What they didn’t know was that unless he was protecting someone else, Gavin wanted to stay far away from them.

  The brother who had been dragged out of the hellhole he had been forced to survive in wasn’t the same one who he had served with in the military. Back then, Gavin had been happy and carefree, always ready for a good time, yet there had been no better to turn to when shit hit the fan.