“Are you all right? Did I hurt you?”

Both of them were on their knees facing each other.

Lily shook as she stared up at him. “Is that what you’ve been holding back from me?”

Shade nodded, waiting for her slap or recriminations for hurting her. She shoved him hard against his chest, toppling him over onto the mattress before leaning over him, lowering her face to his.

“The next time I think you’re holding back on me, I will be the one sleeping on the couch.”

Shade laughed as her long hair fell forward and surrounded them. He lifted a hand, twirling a tendril around his finger. “I promise I won’t hold back with you anymore.”

Content, she dropped to his side, laying her head on his shoulder and placing her hand on his heart.

“I agree with you,” Lily said.

“Of course you do,” he stated arrogantly.

“Don’t you want to know about what?” Lily teased.

“I’m always right, but you can tell me which time you’re talking about,” he teased her back.

“Fifty years won’t be enough time.” Lily rubbed her cheek against his.

Shade lost his good humor.

Turning his head on the mattress, he said, “Don’t joke about that, or at least wait a while before you do. I haven’t recovered from you being in the hospital last time.” His eyes clouded at remembering how close he had come to losing her.

“I won’t.” She glided her hand over his chest, soothing him.

“Ouch! What the fuck was that for?” He stared at the bright red bite mark on his shoulder.

“Did you threaten to marry Bliss?”

“I might have, but I was desperate. I had already tried everything else.”

Lily rose up on her elbow. “And did you say you would give our son cheap formula?”

“You already knew I’m a tightwad.” Shade shrugged, moving his shoulder away from her vicious teeth.

“You ass!” Lily’s head fell forward as she burst out laughing.

“You’re not going to say anything about what I said about him joining The Last Riders?”

“Shade, he already belongs. We both do.”

Chapter 96

Shade woke and glanced at the clock before sliding silently out of the bed. Going downstairs, he fixed a bottle before treading back upstairs to the nursery. He opened the door then went to his son’s crib where John was wiggling, his hands waving in the air.

“Daddy’s here.” Shade lifted his son, changed his diaper, and then sat down in the rocking chair. He placed the nipple in John’s searching mouth as his foot set the chair rocking back and forth.

“You’re getting bigger every day. Your grandpa King brought you a fishing pole by today, said he was going to teach you how to fish.” Shade stared at the different sized colored fish he had painted on the nursery walls.

“Don’t worry; I’ll go with you and show you how to catch them. Your grandpa can’t fish for shit. The only thing he’s ever caught worth keeping was Evie.”

His son stared up at him with sleepy eyes that were now the exact color of Lily’s and King’s. Shade cupped his hand behind John’s head, ruffling the silky black hair.

Shade would never forget the day he had thought his son had been crushed underneath their house. The Last Riders had worked hard to help them rebuild it, only taking three months to complete. He was sure having a baby in the clubhouse had sped up the process. Not one Friday party had taken place while they had stayed there, despite Shade telling them it was unnecessary since he kept Lily and John downstairs. However, no one had wanted to. Instead, they had usually spent the Fridays grilling burgers and hanging out in the television room with the women fighting over who would hold John.

Shade lifted his son to burp him. When John finished, Shade made no attempt to put his son back to bed, cuddling him against his chest as he rocked his son back to sleep.

Staring down at his perfect son, he didn’t have to wonder at the emotion that filled him whenever he shared these private moments. It was contentment.

“You’re going to spoil him,” Lily warned softly from the doorway

“You can’t spoil a baby by holding him too much.” Shade lifted John closer to his chest as Lily came farther into the room, dropping down to the carpet where she rested her head against his leg.

“Do you miss it?”

Shade didn’t have to ask what she was questioning him about. It was their first night in their new home, and you could still hear the noises coming from the clubhouse. Shade was sure they were celebrating not having a baby in the clubhouse anymore.

“No, and if I do, we can always get Evie or Fat Louise to babysit.” He stared down at her with a wicked smile, not missing the shiver that coursed through her body and the tightening of her nipples against her thin gown. “Or I can wait until John’s asleep and tie you up to have my way with you then.”

“You don’t have to tie me down to do that.”

“Would you enjoy it as much?”

Lily laughed, shaking her head at him as she wrapped an arm around his leg and laid her cheek against his thigh.

“Anyway you take me, I enjoy,” Lily confessed, staring up at him holding their child.

A serious look crossed her face before she laid her head back on his thigh. Shade reached down to smooth her tumbled hair.

“Thank you.”

“What for?” She looked up at him in confusion.

“For John.”

“You’re welcome, even though your fifty percent responsible for him being here. It’s not cramping your style being a dad?”

“Hell no, but I do have to admit to one thing,” Shade said in mock seriousness, leaning forward to hand her their child.

“What’s that?” She smiled worriedly, taking John into her arms. Then her nose wrinkled as she began laughing.

“Not crazy about changing his diapers.”

* * *

Shade jogged across the beach, feeling the warm sand under his bare feet. Drawing closer to the attractive woman sitting on the lounge chair in a dark blue bikini, he came to a stop.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked, staring down at Brooke’s surprised face which quickly turned pale. She sat up in her chair, looking around the exclusive beach resort. Seeing several people nearby, she relaxed.

“Yes. I’ll call security—”

“Why would you do that? Unlike you, it’s not my method to kill anyone with witnesses around.”

Shade sat down in the chair next to hers, and the waiter immediately approached for his order.

“Bring me what’s she having. A mojito?” Shade looked at her questioningly, and Brooke nodded. “Charge it to my room.”

Shade leaned back on the chair as the waiter left, feeling her eyes greedily taking in his tattooed chest. The sunglasses hid his eyes which were blazing with hatred for the woman.

“Did you really think you could hide from me when you skipped bail?”

“How did you find me?”

“Because I’m a nice guy, I’ll tell you. It was easy. All I had to do was follow the money trail. Merrick and your parents are providing you with ample funds, even enough to take care of that pesky scar Lily gave you, I see. It was smart to pick a place where the United States doesn’t have extradition.”