Beth sighed. "All right. On a brighter note, the bathroom is finally done and they laid the carpet, so Razer and I are going to spend the night in our new home."

"I know. Jewell told me they delivered the carpet today."

Lily dried her hands before going to the refrigerator. Opening the door, she reached inside and took out a bucket of Champagne on ice with a ribbon tied around the bottle. Turning, she handed it to Beth. "I wish you many years of happiness, sister."

Beth took the Champagne bucket, her eyes watering. "Lily, I couldn't have asked for a better sister. I love you."

"I love you, too." The women hugged.

Razer got up from the table, throwing down the cards he had been dealt. "Ready? I'm done with these card sharks. If I don't leave now, Cash will be riding my bike tomorrow."

He walked to Lily, pulling her close for a hug. "Thanks for the booze, lil' sis. Thanks for the green, Shade. We'll see you guys Sunday." He grabbed a squealing Beth into his arms and Lily rushed to open the side kitchen door for them.

"You're joking about the green, right?"

Razer winked on his way out the door.

Lily shut the door behind them, throwing the dishcloth at Shade.

He caught it midair. "What did I do now? Did I say anything about you giving booze to your sister?" Before she could say anything, he added, "I know, I know. It's legal."

Lily went toward the living room, taking a few steps forward before she realized she hadn't escaped upstairs early enough and now the party was in full swing.

"I don't think that's legal," Shade said from behind her as they watched Jewell giving Rider a b.l.o.w.j.o.b while Train was sitting behind her, smacking her on her bare bottom.

Lily walked sedately to the steps, determined not to run. She almost made it through the crowded room before two stunning blondes, one short and pet.i.te and the other long and leggy, descended on Shade with smiles of welcome.

"We've been looking for you. Jewell said the kitchen was off-limits, and your room. What's up? We've missed you, Shade. Hook us up with a room and give that flogger of yours a workout. The last marks you put on us are gone, we need a refresher."

Lily didn't think the woman would ever shut up, each sentence more d.a.m.ning than the last.

Lily's fantasies, which had been burgeoning, withered and died.

"You can have the third bedroom on the left; no one is using it anymore." Lily spun on her feet, heading back toward the kitchen. Shade caught her within a few steps, lifting her up into his arms, and then carried her struggling body back to the steps.

"Shade?" one of the blondes tried again.

"Cash!" Shade snapped.

"I'll take care of it." Cash ushered the women away from Shade, giving him room to pack Lily up the stairs.

Lily tried to get away as soon as they were away from the steps. When she saw she wasn't going to get away, she froze in his arms. As soon as the door closed behind them, he set her down on her feet. Lily hurriedly moved away from him.

"Lily."

Lily held her hand up, stopping whatever he would say. She sat down calmly on the bottom of the bed, facing him. "What do you want from me, Shade?" She could tell her blunt question startled him. "Are you wanting a platonic friendship, friends who have s.e.x, or were you wanting me to fall in love with you? Exactly what do you want?"

"I told you. I want you."

Lily nodded her head. Standing up, she went to the dresser, pulling out her ponytail holder and then started brushing her hair while looking at herself in the mirror.

"You don't even know who you want." Lily reached out and briefly touched the mirror she was staring into. Her lips twisted ironically. "You want me because you think I'll be the perfect submissive for you. That weak-minded Lily can be guided and manipulated into being exactly what you want."

She strode angrily across the room to stand in front of him, sinking to her knees. In perfect posture, she knelt with her back straight, her head lowered, her hair falling against her face. Her hands lay palm-up on her lap.

"I could be everything you ever dreamed of having in a woman." Lily's impa.s.sive voice didn't show an ounce of emotion. "You and those women downstairs play games for a few nights a month, but I have dreams and they don't include being your little pet."

Lily got to her feet. "I hope you enjoyed that because I will never," she pointed her finger in his chest, "ever do that again, you big jerk."

Lily started to gather her pajamas.

"Those blonde Barbies are more plastic than the dolls." She turned to look at his face as she was about to go into the bathroom.

"What are you doing?"

Shade was standing with his arms across his chest, watching her as she ranted at him. "Watching your a.s.s jiggle."

"My a.s.s? That's all you can say?" Lily's mouth opened and closed. "If I said what I really wanted to, I would have to pray for forgiveness every night for a week." Lily went into the bathroom, pulling off her clothes and throwing them down on the floor. She turned on the shower before stepping underneath the water. She soaped her body and was rinsing off when the shower door opened and Shade came in.

"What are you doing? I'm naked."

"I can see that." Shade's voice turned seductive. Lily covered her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with her hands, unable to keep her eyes from traveling down his lean body. His whole body was covered in tats, everywhere except his d.i.c.k, which was long and hard, pointing upward toward his belly.

Shade grinned when he saw what she was staring at. "Ignore it. Come here."

"Ignore that thing. You're joking, right? Get out! Didn't you understand a thing I just said to you?"

Lily was torn between keeping her b.r.e.a.s.t.s covered and covering her mound. Shade, on the other hand, had no trouble.

Reaching to the side, he picked up the body wash and began washing his body.

"You're seriously not getting out?" Lily screeched.

"No. You take forever in the shower."

"Fine, you can have the shower." Lily tried to pa.s.s him, but he refused to move, blocking the door.

"Move your hands." Shade's voice deepened. Lily's hands trembled against her wet flesh. "Eyes to me, Lily. Move your hands." Lily couldn't help herself; she lowered her hands to her side.

Shade crowded her closer to the shower wall, his chest brushing the pointed tips of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. His mouth lowered to her breast, gently licking the drops of water away from her nipple. Lily felt the tip tauten and become a nub. Shade sucked the nipple into his mouth, and her breast was lifted with his hand squeezing the plump flesh. Lily felt her stomach clench, yearning for his touch.

She turned her head to the side and Shade lifted his. "Look at me while I suck your breast. I don't want you to take your eyes off me."

Lily nodded her head.

Shade's mouth went back to her breast and Lily moaned as he teased the tip with his teeth.

"You wanted to know what I want. I want these b.r.e.a.s.t.s to suck." Shade lifted his head from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and then went to his knees, his face going between her thighs as he used his hand to widen her stance. "I want this p.u.s.s.y." His tongue went to the cleft of her p.u.s.s.y, sliding between the folds, searching the moist warmth of her silky flesh.

Lily closed her eyes. A flare of pain struck between her thighs as his teeth bit down on her c.l.i.t briefly before releasing the tortured flesh.

"I told you not to take your eyes off me." He licked at the flesh, taking the sting out and filling her with a pleasure she didn't know could possibly exist. The more he licked at her, the more she wanted.

His tongue went to her opening, entering a tiny bit then withdrawing. Shade's hand slid up her leg, going between her thighs, parting her flesh and finding the wetness his tongue had been playing in.

"You're nice and wet, Lily. Do you know why?"

It took Lily a moment to find her voice. "Yes."

"Tell me why."

"Because I want to come."

"That's right, baby, and I'm going to let you. Do you know why?"

"No," Lily whimpered, her hips arching into his touch.

"Because you're mine and I take care of what's mine. I don't need a pet. I want a flesh-and-blood woman, and yes, Lily, you will kneel in front of me again because it will be one of my needs, just like I plan to satisfy all of yours. Every single one."

As his finger slid deep inside her, Lily's legs almost gave out, but Shade stood up, bracing her body with his against the shower wall. His finger slid deeper and her hands went to his chest, her nails digging into his flesh as his finger began to pump in and out of her slick p.u.s.s.y. She kept her eyes on his blue gaze, seeing that he was in complete control of not only her body but his own. His c.o.c.k was pressed against her belly, but Lily wasn't frightened.

"Those other women downstairs are no comparison to you. I f.u.c.ked them, made them beg for me, but they weren't you. No matter how hard I tried to pretend they were." Lily began beating at his chest when he started talking about his women.

His finger slid in faster. "Not one of them could give me as much pleasure as you're giving me now with just my finger inside of you." Lily's heart ached at the tormented expression on his face. Her hands quit beating at his chest, rubbing the smooth flesh instead.

"It hurt so bad waiting for you, Lily. I thought I would lose my mind. No amount of liquor, women or pot drove you from my mind. I would ride on my bike all the way to your dorm and sit outside just to watch you go to cla.s.ses in the morning, then drive home and start the whole f.u.c.king thing over again.

"That night you were stuck in s.e.x Piston's beauty shop was the worst night of my life. I didn't get stuck in that traffic jam because I was already on the way to your dorm when Razer called me and told me what was happening.

"I swore when you were in the hospital ER that I was done waiting. Everyone knew I was waiting for you but you. I'm still waiting," he groaned against her neck.

Lily shuddered and cried out as her body convulsed in a series of climatic explosions that had her clinging to him while the water showered down on them.

Shade got out of the shower, drying her shivering body and then helping her dress in her pajamas before sliding on his shorts.

Lifting her, he carried her to the bed, lying down next to her before he pulled the covers over them, wrapping them in a snug coc.o.o.n and keeping her close to his side.

"Shade?" Lily whispered.

"Yes?"

"Can I see your flogger?" Lily giggled.

"Not tonight."

Chapter 29.

Vida stared out the window, watching for Colton's bike.

"He's not going to get here any faster with you watching."

"I know. I'm just nervous." Vida paced the living room from one end to the other.

Sawyer wanted to join her, yet she remained sitting on the comfortable couch, fiddling with her gla.s.s of tea.

A door slam sounded from outside and then the sound of motor bikes coming down the quiet neighborhood street sounded loud until the motors were cut off. Sawyer set her gla.s.s down on the table, standing up, unable to hide her own nervousness any longer as the door opened.

Kaden and Colton entered, followed by Ice and Jackal.

"Well?" Sawyer asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

"He got another postponement," Kaden said, unable to hide his anger.

"How much longer is this going to last?" Vida said. "We've been patient, but I don't think this trial is ever going to end." She sat down on the chair in the living room of the house she and Colton had bought.

The holidays were here, and she was miserable. This should be the happiest time of her life, and yet, neither she nor Sawyer could move forward in their own happiness until one last part of their past was resolved.

Callie.

"The state is still trying to cut him a deal, and his f.u.c.king lawyer is taking advantage of every loophole there is," Ice said grimly, leaning against the fireplace.

"There's another piece of bad news," Jackal spoke up. "Rip said Callie has moved into The Last Riders' Clubhouse. Penni's brother has laid claim to her."

Sawyer and Vida both turned to look at the scary biker.

"What does that mean?" Vida asked.

"It means The Last Riders aren't going to let you waltz into town and endanger their brother's woman."

"We don't won't to hurt Callie. We just want to talk to her," Sawyer protested.

"Until you can be sure that Digger won't figure out who she is, you'll be endangering her." Jackal's words had both Vida and Sawyer coming to the same reluctant conclusion.

"As soon as Digger's trial is over, we're going to Treepoint," Sawyer said sharply. "His lawyer can't drag it on for much longer."

"Maybe someone will take him out in prison. King's owed a lot of favors," Jackal said, looking down at his boots.

"If it wasn't for those women he's kidnapped, I would have killed him myself to keep Callie safe," Sawyer said, admitting her dark thought.

"What are you going to do if it comes down to them or Callie?" Ice asked.

Sawyer and Vida were quiet for several moments until Sawyer said, "I hope it doesn't, I really do, because I would pick Callie without hesitation. Digger would kill Callie if he could; those other women, as long as they're alive, would have a chance."