The gun muzzle pressed harder against his head. “Why should we give her back, maybe this time we should steal one of your women, Cash. See how you like it.”

“Stop it Tate. Put down that shotgun Greer. Dustin bring out his friend.” In the doorway, Cash could see a woman come outside. The shining spotlight only allowed him to see her silhouette as she leaned against the front porch post.

“Put down your guns and leave them alone.” All three men slowly lowered their weapons, reluctantly following the woman’s firm orders.

“Rachel, get back in the house,” Greer told her.

“No need. While you three dumbasses were out here arguing, their buddy was climbing in the bedroom window.”

Tate shoved Cash’s shoulder as he walked past him to the porch. Dustin came out with Rider in a stranglehold, throwing him forward before he went to stand on the porch.

“Rider!” Cash stopped Rider before he could attack Dustin. Rider stopped, but Cash knew Rider wasn’t happy being called off.

Cash and Rider both walked to the front porch. As he moved closer, he saw Rachel. He hadn’t seen her since she was a kid. Her long hair was plaited down her back, coming to an end at the curve of her ass. She stared back at him with direct grey eyes and a winsome smile.

“Well, if it isn’t the famous Cash Adams,” she said mockingly.

Cash took in the oversize flannel shirt and loose jeans.

“How are you Rachel?”

“I was doing pretty good until I heard gunshots when I was checking my plants, went to see where the shot come from and found Lily sitting on the ground spaced out,” she said with a worried frown.

“We will take her back to her sister,” Cash said, studying the changes in her body since the last time he had seen her in town surrounded by her brothers.

“I want to talk to Beth before anyone takes her anywhere,” Rachel told him firmly. Cash didn’t argue, pulling his cell phone out to call Razer. Rachel was trying to protect Lily. He admired the way she was able to control her crazy ass brothers while letting Cash know he wasn’t taking Lily anywhere without Beth’s okay.

“Razer, there’s someone that Beth needs to talk to….”

Shade leaned against the wall, evaluating the situation before making a move towards Lily. Rachel had left, leaving them alone after a quick word. He was lucky that he had met her before, when he had made a couple of purchases for the brothers.

Lily was sitting in the corner of the bedroom on the floor with her face in her knees, arms wrapped around herself, rocking back and forth. The red rubber band the counselor had given her was on her delicate wrist. Penni had told him the counselor had told Lily to snap it against herself when she became too frightened to deal with a situation. Penni had told him that at first she would see Lily snapping it constantly, but it had begun tapering off to just a few times a day.

“Lily?” Shade tried to soften his harsh voice. He had seen her this way a couple of times. Beth had told Razer that only time would draw her out of her self-induced trance. It was her safety mechanism.

Shade slowly walked toward Lily before hunching down in front of her rocking form.

“Lily.” This time his voice was more forceful, commanding her attention. The rocking stopped. Coming to a decision, Shade reached out lifting her into his arms. It wasn’t the smartest decision, he found himself with a wildcat in his arms.

The unexpected fury of the woman had him forcing her against the wall to gain control of the nails going for his eyes. Pinning her against the wall with his body, he didn’t try to grab her hands, merely blocking her moves.

“Lily stop it now!” He said in a firm voice. “Aren’t you worried about Winter, she’s worried about you. She was crying she was so worried, Lily. Beth is probably scared out of her fucking mind, Lily.” Shade kept her pinned against the wall as he kept repeating Beth’s and Winter’s names. Finally he saw a light of reality break through her blank expression.

“Shade?” Her voice whimpered.

“Yes, baby.”

Lily sucked in deep breaths as if her chest was going to explode. Her hand wiped at the tears on her face. “Is Winter safe?”

“Yes, Beth’s friends stopped and helped. Winter is waiting with Beth. They are both waiting to hear from us. You okay?” Shade asked worried about the blood he had found on her clothes. His eyes searched her body finding a scratch with drying blood on the underside of her forearm.

Lily nodded her head still trying to catch her breath. “Lily, breathe slowly,” Shade ordered her in a hard voice.

Lily jumped, but her breaths gradually slowed. Shade took a step back giving her some room.

“Can we go now?” Lily said, her soft voice gaining strength. Lily sidled pass Shade making sure her body didn’t come into contact with his.

“Yes.” Shade backed away giving her enough room to slide by him.

Shade opened the bedroom door, letting Lily go ahead of him following her outside.

Lily walked out the door coming to a sudden stop, finding the yard filled with The Last Riders. Winter watched from the back of Viper’s bike as Beth jumped off of Razer’s bike running to her sister, nearly knocking her down. Shade’s hand on Lily’s back held her steady. Winter smiled. After the sisters talked for a few minutes, they moved toward Razer’s bike.

Shade got on his bike and started the motor. Viper had Knox ride it up the old mountain road to be waiting on Shade. Knox was now riding with Rider. Viper fired his engine too, waiting.

Shade rode his bike up next to Lily.

“Lily,” Winter could tell by her face she didn’t want to ride on that bike, she wanted the safety of her sisters arms. She wasn’t ready to lose her comforting strength after the nightmare of the night. Winter heard Beth ask Razer to call Mick to bring her car.

“Get on Lily, I’m taking you home.” Shade’s firm voice had Lily moving reluctantly towards him. She climbed on behind him, holding his sides with her legs, and trembling hands taking his helmet. As soon as it was on, Shade throttled his engine.

“Let’s go home, pretty girl.” Viper pulled out in the lead with the other’s following down the winding road. Winter wasn’t afraid of riding in the dark anymore. With The Last Riders, she didn’t have anything left to fear.

Chapter 18

Winter nervously smoothed down her skirt. Viper grasped her hand giving it a squeeze.

“Don’t look so nervous,” Viper said smoothly.

He wasn’t helping; Viper was part of the problem. He was dressed in one of his suits looking like the cold-hearted bastard before her assault.

“That’s easy for you to say, they’re too scared of you to say anything nasty.”

“If they know what’s good for them, they won’t say anything nasty about you either,” Viper said in a threatening voice.

Ms. Richards came out of the closed doors of the School Board’s meeting.

“They are going to call us back in a few minutes. They are going to open the meeting to the public. I wish you would have taken my advice and waited for your hearing.”

Her lawyer didn’t sound very happy with her decision. Winter could understand her apprehension, looking around the hallway at the public ready to fill the meeting room. All the women of The Last Rider’s were present. That morning as she was leaving she found everyone waiting for her in the kitchen, including Viper who had disappeared while she was in the shower.