“Who?” Shade asked, already knowing the answer.

“Brooke. She told me, if I didn’t leave you, she would turn over the proof to the sheriff in Jamestown. I told her we would get a lawyer, and she laughed at me. She told me…” Lily cried harder, raising her face to him. “Brooke told me she would kill you by hiring someone better than you, and that, if she couldn’t have you, no one would. She even said she had taken precautions so that, if anything happened to her, you would be blamed for it. I didn’t know what else to do but leave … I don’t want you hurt because of me,” Lily cried heartbrokenly.

“Angel…” Shade reached out, gently pulling her into his arms. “Without you, I’m dead anyway.”

Lily buried her face in his shoulder, unable to stop crying. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” she kept repeating.

Shade spoke soothingly to her, repeating he loved her over and over until she was lying spent against him.

“How did Brooke get to you?”

“She came inside the room the nurse showed me into.”

“How did she get in?”

“I don’t know. I just assumed she snuck inside. Evie was off today, and I didn’t know the nurse working.”

“Let’s go home.” Shade was going to the doctor’s office as soon as he was able to get Lily inside.

He started to lift her from the ground, but Lily frantically shook her head.

“I can’t. Brooke said, if I went home, she would know. Please, Shade, I can go stay with Penni until after the baby is born. We’ll talk to Knox and see what we can do to stop her.”

When Shade’s eyes caught Viper’s concerned gaze, he nodded silently, motioning the members to engulf the couple in their midst.

“Lily, listen to me carefully. We’ll stay in the clubhouse—”

She shook her head. “Brooke will know—”

“I’m going to see Brooke is taken care of. Trust me, angel.” Shade stood, helping Lily to stand. He started to take her arm to help her into the house but she gave a sudden cry, clutching her stomach and crying out in pain.

“Shade!”

He picked her up, carrying her toward the parking lot. He placed her in the truck while the brothers were climbing on their bikes with the women jumping on behind whoever was closest.

Her water broke as he was getting into the truck. He started the motor before backing up then followed behind Viper and Lucky as they pulled out onto the road. A long line of motorcycles rode behind the truck.

“Rider isn’t going to be happy with you,” Shade teased.

Lily gave a gurgling laugh. “Tell him he can put my name in the punishment bag.”

* * *

“Will you quit pacing? You’re making me nervous,” Lily moaned between labor pains.

Shade gave his wife a baleful look. “Should you sit like that?”

Lily was sitting cross-legged on the bed with a sheet over her while she rubbed her belly. “It eases the pain.”

The nurse came into the room, looking at the monitor. “You’re progressing nicely. We’ll be giving the doctor a call soon.” The nurse turned to leave again, and Shade moved to block her path.

“He isn’t here yet?”

“No, Mr. Hunter. This is the first child your wife has had, so I’ll explain once again.” Her condescending voice grated on Shade’s nerves. “Labor can take several hours. As soon as she’s dilated to a certain point, we’ll call the doctor, and he’ll be here within ten minutes.”

“And I told you I wanted him here now. Call him and tell him for me that, if his overpriced ass isn’t here in the next ten minutes, I’ll have the sheriff come and get him,” Shade growled.

The nurse flew out of the room.

Lily giggled. “That wasn’t nice.”

“I have a newsflash for you: I’m not fucking nice,” Shade said, beginning to pace again.

A soft knock sounded on the door.

“Come in,” Shade snapped, frustrated it wasn’t the doctor when Beth came inside.

“Can I stay?” she asked hesitantly.

Lily held out her hand for her sister.

“I don’t want to intrude on your special moment, but I’d like to stay.”

“I couldn’t imagine doing this without you.” When Lily’s soft voice came out laced with pain, Shade ran his hand over his closely cropped hair. “Besides, I might need you in case Shade gets thrown out of the room.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He crossed his arms across his chest. He dared any motherfucker to try to get him to leave. He would kick their ass out of the window.

It wasn’t long before the door was flung open and Lily’s doctor came in, still putting on his white coat.

“I’m here now. Let’s see how the mother-to-be is doing.” The doctor looked at the monitor before moving to the foot of Lily’s bed. “I’m going to check and see how much you’re dilated.”

Shade held Lily’s hand as the doctor checked her. When he was done, he removed his gloves.

“We’re almost there. I have two other patients to check on, and then I’ll be back.”

“I would feel better if you stayed here,” Shade stated.

“I can’t. Other patients—”

“He can’t. He’s busy…”

Shade ignored Lily’s protest, his expression impassive as he stared down the doctor. “Those are my brothers out in the waiting room.”

The doctor’s eyes widened at Shade’s silent threat. “I’ll call another doctor in and go over my patients with him. I’ll be right back.”

Shade nodded.

“Shade! You can’t threaten a doctor, or they’ll throw us out of the hospital. They’ll call the police…” When Lily’s head fell back to the pillow and she began panting, Shade counted her through her contraction.

“Okay?” Shade said when it was over. “I’m going outside to talk to Viper for a second, but I’ll be right back. We have a couple of minutes before your next contraction.” Shade started to release her hand.

“Don’t leave me.” Lily gripped his hand tighter, refusing to release him.

“Lily, I’m right here. Let Shade tell the others how you’re doing. They’re worried.”

She stubbornly kept his hand, pulling it tighter and pressing it against her chest. “I don’t want him to leave.”

Shade could feel her pounding heart under his hand.

He bent over the bed, catching her mouth with his. “I will be right back. I’ll stay by the door. Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise.” He stared deeply into her eyes. “Angel, no one is better than me.”

Her hand reluctantly released his.

Shade looked back at the monitor. “I’ll be back in one minute.”

As soon as she nodded, watching him leave with frightened eyes, Shade stepped out of the door to where Viper and Lucky were both waiting.

“I don’t have much time. I want brothers in the hospital at all the entrances and exits, outside her door—” Shade began.

“Already taken care of. We called Knox. He went to the church and found out Brooke and her baby are in Georgia. Pastor Merrick told Knox she’s been there for two days, that she couldn’t have threatened Lily.”