“Could you show me that move again? I have a few pounds I need to lose,” Train asked seriously.

Shade shot a threatening glare at him as he set the drinks down on the side table.

Lily went to get one, picking an orange soda. Shade pulled her back down on his lap. That time, she didn’t try to wiggle away.

Stori came down the stairs dressed in a bunny outfit which was even more suggestive than Jewell’s wench costume. She began dancing with Hound, a brother from Ohio who was putting his hand on her ass, grinding her closer to his hips.

“You never told me you knew how to pole dance.”

Lily turned bright red. “My gym at college taught an exercise class using the pole.”

“Lord have mercy,” Shade muttered.

He wasn’t embarrassed to admit to himself that he enjoyed watching strippers perform. It was highly erotic watching the way they moved. The really good ones had a sensuality which was hard not to appreciate, and he had shown a great many of them his gratitude. Lily, on the other hand, was unaware of her sexuality, but once she learned to accept it, she would be able to drive a man to his knees.

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.

“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.

“Razer, call Rachel and tell her to get here as fast as she can. Beth, call her doctor.” Shade could do nothing except hold on to the woman he loved more than life itself as her tortured screams scored his soul with an agony he couldn’t stop.

His friends stood back, giving him space as she fell to the floor. All he could do was hold her, repeating her name as soothingly as possible.

Beth returned, falling to her knees beside him, calling for Lily as she held her hand. It seemed like forever, each minute ticking by endlessly, until Rachel ran through the door Cash was holding open.

“Move out of her way,” Cash ordered everyone.

Shade didn’t make a move to release Lily whose voice had broken from her screams of terror until Rachel motioned for him to move over, and he complied shakily. She sat down on the floor by Lily’s head, pulling it onto her lap. Her graceful hands went to Lily’s temples, pressing her fingers along them while rubbing in soothing circles.

Then everyone went silent as Rachel’s hushed voice spoke to Lily. “Lily, what do you need me to do?”

“Shade will come.” He tensed when he heard her hoarse voice.

Lily was staring blindly up at the ceiling, lost in a world of terror where he couldn’t reach her. He wanted to snatch her up and drive her to the hospital, but the doctor was on his way and he would get there quicker than taking her to the hospital.

“Where is he? Shade? Shade! Where are you, Shade? Was I bad? Is that why you’re not here? Shade, please help me. I’m so scared.