“I wouldn’t have ever said anything, but I didn’t want her to hurt herself because she’d made a mistake.”
“It’s more than a mistake. She fucked up bad. She’s going to do some hard time for arson unless she can come up with a name. Cash is trying to trace the account, but he said whoever set the account up knows what they’re doing. He said it’s one of the best he’s ever seen,” Knox informed them.
“Fuck,” Shade exclaimed.
“Not only that, but Georgia says she doesn’t know the man who gave her the money. Said she was at the grocery store, and he drove a dark car up to her when she was putting groceries in her car. Handed her twenty thousand to do it then promised her the fifty thousand after it was done.”
“Did you check the store surveillance?” Viper asked.
“Sure did. The store erases the tapes after a month. I looked through them just in case we got lucky, but no such luck.”
“Damn,” Shade said. “I was hoping she had more information than that.”
“I’ll see if she can remember anything more in the morning. Maybe spending her first night in jail will jog her memory,” Knox responded, adjusting Diamond on his lap.
“We need to catch a break somewhere before whoever they are makes another move against Lily,” Shade said grimly. It was disconcerting to have someone so determined to hurt someone you love and not know why.
“I like your boots,” Lily said to Diamond.
That started a whole conversation about shoes which caused Knox and Shade to share a what-the-fuck look and roll their eyes. Finally, Shade could take no more of it.
“Let’s dance,” Shade interrupted them, his hand lifting her legs off his.
Shade saw her looking toward Train who had his hand between Bliss’s thighs as she sat on a stool at the bar. Several of the women who were allowed in the house were dancing suggestively with the members on the floor. Nickel was standing behind one, pulling her breast out of her top.
Lily hastily turned away.
“I think the floor is crowded enough.” she stood up.
“It isn’t downstairs,” Shade said, taking her hand. “Knox?”
“Coming.”
Shade turned to Viper and Razer. “Later.”
“Happy New Year, brother,” Viper said, lifting his beer up.
“You, too.”
Shade led Lily downstairs where he turned on a couple of the lamps then the music. He pulled up the workout mats, placing them against the wall before holding out his arms for her. She stepped into his arms without hesitation.
Knox and Diamond came downstairs, closing the door behind them, and then they began dancing next to them.
Shade was aware of Lily’s wariness to be around Knox. He was the one she had spent the least amount of time around her in this setting.
They danced several dances before Shade went upstairs, getting beers for him and Knox, bringing sodas for Lily and Diamond.
After sitting and talking for a while, Knox and Diamond went to the dance floor to dance again.
“Are you having fun?” Shade asked, sitting down on the couch next to her.
“Yes. I like Diamond.” Lily lowered her voice. “Shade, she really doesn’t believe that zombies are going to take over the world, does she?”
Shade laughed. “I have no idea. I think she just watches too many zombie movies.”
“See, that’s why I don’t watch scary movies.” She gave him an I-told-you-so look.
“Why? Are you susceptible to movies?”
“Scary ones. They give me nightmares.”
“Porn?” Shade leaned over her.
“No.” Lily hit his shoulder, laughing. Her laughter broke off when he stared down at her breasts.
Her sweater was barely on her shoulder, the cleft between her breasts slightly visible.
His mouth touched hers, parting her lips with a firm thrust of his tongue, demanding her response. She widened her lips, letting him take what he wanted from her.
He brought his hand to her shoulder, brushing the sweater off it. His mouth followed the path of the top while his other hand slid it off the other shoulder. Only her breasts held up her sweater.
Then Shade leaned closer to her, pressing Lily against the corner of the couch. His hand went to her thigh, sliding underneath her skirt and finding the edge of her panties.
The music changed to a different song and she pushed him off her, sitting upright. Lily looked quickly toward the dance floor. The couple dancing wasn’t paying any attention to them, lost in their own world.
Knox was standing behind Diamond, grinding his hips into her ass, his arm around her waist to pull her back against him. Diamond was dancing with her eyes closed, listening to the music, and Knox was only looking at Diamond.
Shade stood up, pulling Lily to her feet before lifting her into his arms. He carried her back to the bedroom where he set her on her feet next to the bed then turned on the bedside lamp.
He took off his clothes then reached out, taking off her sweater and bra, his lips kissing each nipple when he pulled it off.