“I’m making a liquor run into town. Need me to pick anything up?”
“No, I’m good.” Shade was talking to Train when Lily came out of the backroom where the seeds were kept refrigerated. Gaige had followed her in a few moments before, and Lily’s reaction was one Shade recognized. The bastard had done something to upset her.
She was trying to blank out, like she had the day at the lake and the day the bikers had attacked her and Beth. She had her cell phone to her ear, since whenever she was frightened, she always wanted one person: Beth. Her sister was her security, and she clung to that tightly when she was afraid. Shade wished just once she would turn to him. He was more than capable of protecting her.
Lily went to her workstation.
Even from inside his office, he heard her whimpers. Either Beth was unable to calm her, or she wasn’t answering.
As the front door of the factory opened and Razer walked through, Lily took a step toward him, still whimpering.
“Lily!” Shade moved around Train, coming to the doorway of his office.
Lily had stopped when he said her name, her hands going to her hair.
He was afraid she would tear it out if he didn’t calm her down. “Lily, come here. Now!”
Lily’s feet changed direction, and she moved toward him.
“Go take your chair.” She needed a safe zone; her submissive side was begging for direction.
“I need Beth,” she said between chattering teeth.
“Go take your chair,” Shade repeated, his expression hard. He took her jaw in his hand. “What did I tell you about me repeating instructions?”
“Shade?” Razer wanted to help Lily, but the way he and Beth were handling Lily’s problems wasn’t working.
She had to learn to build herself up to where she was strong enough to calm herself. Razer had to learn Shade wasn’t going to put up with any interference with what he thought was best for Lily, and it was just as good a time as any.
“I will handle this, Razer.” He maintained eye contact with Lily, giving her the strength she didn’t have for herself.
Seeing Lily’s whimpers had stopped, Razer backed off.
Shade’s hand dropped from her face before giving Train a quick look. Train had also seen Gaige go into the back room.
“I’ll take care of it,” Train acknowledged his silent order.
Shade came inside the office and shut the door.
“Go stand in the corner, Lily.” When she didn’t move right away, he snapped, “Now.” The more authority he used, the more she responded.
Lily was a natural submissive. Her abuse as a child by a figure of authority had fucked her up, though. He had to teach her that, if she followed his instructions, he would give her the care and affection she craved without harming her.
Lily immediately went to the corner where she stood, facing the office while Shade took his seat back at the desk and resumed doing his paperwork as if she wasn’t there, giving her traumatized mind time to recover.
He heard her take a deep, shuddering breath then saw her lean her head on the wall. Shade wanted to hold her close and soothe her, but he made himself wait; she needed him to have the control she didn’t.
“Stand up straight.” Shade didn’t take his eyes off his paperwork, pushing a few buttons on his computer before making more notes.
Lily straightened, her hand going to her wrist.
“No.” That time, he looked up, daring her to snap the rubber band.
Her hand reluctantly fell to her side. Then her breathing gradually slowed, and her pale face returned to a rosy glow.
“Come here, Lily.” She came to his side as he pushed his chair back from his desk. Reaching out, he grasped her hand, jerking her down to sit on his thigh.
Lily started to go wild.
“Sit still,” Shade ordered, and she instantly followed his directions. He wanted her to see she would be rewarded.
Shade didn’t attempt to touch her further, his hand going back to the computer screen, moving the cursor to begin going through the emails.
“The Farthings ordered three more cases of MREs. I think they’re planning for World War III.” He went down the emails, checking them off one by one. Sometimes he would make a remark, and sometimes he wouldn’t.
“So, what happened to get you upset?” Shade finally asked as he scrolled down the list for the next email.
“When I was in the back room, Gaige came in. I was bent over the refrigerator, and he slid his hand underneath my dress.”
“I would be upset if he tried to touch my ass, too,” Shade remarked, still working and not looking at her.
Lily laughed.
“Did he try to stop you from leaving the room?” Shade probed gently, not wanting to upset her again.
“No. I probably overreacted. I know how silly I sound.”
“You didn’t overreact. He had no business touching you,” Shade said, his hand going to her hip, adjusting her so she sat more comfortably on his leg. Subliminally, he was giving her the message that he was the only one allowed to touch.