His father would have told dispatch to call rather than himself handling it, as if he didn’t know Viper personally. Even when they were alone in public, they were to keep up the pretense of not knowing each other; his father would be able to give them information. That was the only way they had to find Gavin’s murderer and to help Lucky bring an end to the traffickers.
Once Viper ran out of the bar with Razer hot on his heels, Shade went outside to see Razer jump in Viper’s car as he was peeling out. Shade climbed on his bike, determined to follow. Unaware the other brothers were doing the same, Shade wondered if Lily had been contacted about her sister’s accident.
He hadn’t seen her for months. Even though she’d already turned eighteen, she was still too young and innocent for him. Therefore, he had made sure to stay away from places he would see her when she was home from college.
Evie had informed him of the day she was leaving. He had parked his bike on her street in the shadows that morning, watching as the sisters had gotten into the already packed car.
Lily had looked beautiful as hell, but her expression had been unhappy. Her violet eyes had held even more pronounced shadows than usual. Shade had wanted to ask her why she was leaving if she really didn’t want to go. However, he had moved farther back into the shadows when he had seen her glance in his direction.
He was sure she couldn’t see him, since he was too good at hiding in plain sight, but she had somehow sensed she and Beth weren’t alone. If she had sensed a predator was near, she’d been right.
He had remained long after they had left before he had returned to his bike, heading back to the clubhouse where he could douse his desire to chase after her with whiskey and Bliss.
Snapping out of the memory, Shade parked his bike next to Viper’s car then followed the men inside, standing back in case Lily was there. He didn’t want anyone observing him when he saw her; he wanted privacy while he gauged his own reaction to seeing her for the first time since she had left.
Maybe he was no longer attracted to her. Honestly, he hoped his interest in her was gone.
He didn’t have to worry about attention, though; everyone was watching Ton fight the nurse to see Beth.
“Let me go, woman. I have to check on that little girl.”
The nurse argued back, trying to keep Ton in his wheelchair. Then Viper tried to calm his father, too, but the man was too upset, trying to convince his son he had not been drunk when he had hit Beth’s car.
Shade felt the air hit his back as the electric door slid open. As Ton demanded Viper shoot him for hurting Beth, Shade was shocked to see Beth come to a stop nearby before moving forward. Shade didn’t understand. Beth was right there, trying to calm Ton down. Then her words hit Shade like a bullet.
“You have to calm down. Remember your blood pressure. You don’t want me to be worried about you, too, do you?”
Shade didn’t hear anything else as he realized only one other person would have been driving Beth’s car—Lily.
Shade forced himself to stand still as Beth convinced Ton to go with the nurse. Then the sheriff walked out of a room down the hall, drawing everyone’s attention.
“How is she?” Beth asked.
“Lucky. She has a concussion, a sprained ankle, and she is going to be sore as hell for a couple of days, but all that research you put into purchasing a safe car paid off.”
Shade went outside, sucking in a deep breath. He didn’t have to question if his attraction to Lily had lessened or not. He had his answer.
Shade paced back and forth outside the E.R. door, trying to keep from going in and demanding to see with his own eyes that Lily was all right. The brothers and his president would look at him like he was crazy, and he was at the moment. Although he had never even spoken to the young woman, she had his insides twisted into a knot.
Since when did he care for anyone? It wasn’t in his emotionless soul to give a fuck, yet something inside her spoke to him. She made him feel human, as if he was real and not a man who lived constantly in the shadows.
Razer strode outside, pausing when he saw Shade. “You know about Lily?”
“I heard. How is she?” Shade asked despite himself.
“Beth is with her. She told the sheriff her brakes didn’t work. It could have been much worse; Beth drives all over the county in that car. She could have driven off a mountain.” His hoarse voice showed Shade wasn’t the only one who was coming to the realization that he cared about someone.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“You want to go back to the clubhouse?” Razer asked, getting on his bike.
“Fuck no. I’m going to have a look at Beth’s car.”
*
Shade sat next to Razer near the entrance to the hospital.
“There they are,” Razer said unnecessarily, since Shade had seen them the instant they came outside.
After Razer pulled forward, bringing the dark blue car to a stop in front of the hospital, Shade opened the door and got out to see both sisters staring at them in surprise.
“Your chariot awaits, ladies.” Shade grimaced at Razer’s lame comment. He was trying to ease the women’s tension, but it sure as shit hadn’t worked.