The Last Riders - First Four Votes (79 page)

She fled up the steps, hearing his mocking laughter following behind.

L
ily came
downstairs the next day to Beth and Razer’s concern. Assuring them that nothing had happened other than a minor scare, she picked up her purse, ready for church.

She saw Beth looking at her dress without saying anything. Lily smoothed the dark navy dress down, wondering what was wrong.

“I thought we would drive the car to church this morning. I can take you back to the college after lunch at the diner.”

“I’ll get my backpack.” Lily went back upstairs to get the bag while Razer and Beth waited outside in the car.

Church was packed that Sunday. Lily nodded her head toward Rachel and other parishioners in the congregation as they went to take their seats.

Afterward, she talked to Pastor Dean briefly, moving on before he could mention the incident from the day before. She didn’t feel there was a need to rehash it.

Lily dreaded going to the diner after the service. If there had been a way out of it, she would have gladly taken it. Seeing the women she had come to know with their clothes off and Cash and Train, whose privates had been exposed, had been deeply embarrassing to her. It would be a long time before she would be comfortable around them again.

She squared her shoulders, walking across the street after making sure she looked both ways several times.

The others were already there when Lily sat down beside Diamond with Beth on her other side. She was facing the door of the busy restaurant, seeing that several families were having lunch. Pastor Dean came in, snagging a chair with Rachel’s family.

Lily ordered her food, listening to the conversation as she tried not to meet any of The Last Riders’ eyes, which was hard to do with Bliss and Evie seated across from her.

“How’s school?” Diamond asked sympathetically.

“Good. How’s Knox liking his new job?”

“I don’t think he can tell yet. He loves breaking up the fights, but he’s not so fond of getting dragged out of bed at three a.m.”

As Lily listened to Diamond, her eyes were momentarily caught by Shade’s until she managed to tear her gaze away, landing on a small family a couple of tables away.

The little girl had dark brown hair and was sitting with her mother and father as the waitress set their plates in front of them. It was the epitome of the perfect family gathering on a Sunday afternoon.

“We miss having you at the factory. No one likes to fill the big orders,” Evie complained.

Lily hadn’t minded filling those orders; she had considered them challenging while others considered them a pain.

“I miss it, too,” Lily confessed, truthfully. The job had kept her busy.

Her eyes drifted back to the table with the small family. The little girl was lifting her drink to her mouth when the person sitting behind her jarred her, forcing her to spill some of the juice from her glass onto her dress. The look of terror that came across her face had Lily freezing and her heartbeat soaring when the mother’s lips tightened. Picking up a napkin, she wiped the girl’s dress with rough movements. The entire time the mother kept up her brisk movements, the little girl’s eyes watered and she kept apologizing to her mother.

“Lily?” Evie’s voice had her eyes leaving the table momentarily.

“Diamond. Please call Knox.” Lily’s hoarse voice had everyone sitting at the table going silent as they looked at her. Lily’s hand went to the rubber band on her wrist, snapping it furiously as a dull headache began to pound at her temples.

Diamond took out her phone, calling Knox and asking him to come to the diner while Beth’s voice asking her what was wrong was drowned out by the loud pumping of her heart.

The little girl’s lips trembled when her mother’s hand disappeared under the table. Her obvious pain had Lily moving to the end of her seat, about to rise when the girl’s father spoke sharply to the mother, and he reached out to soothe the little girl. That simple movement brought a flash of pain that had Lily gripping her head, screaming in agony. She bent over in excruciating pain, her head in her hands. The pain felt like it was crushing her skull.

“Lily!” Beth’s voice yelled her name, but there was no going back; Lily had placed a barrier between them. She couldn’t reach for Beth this time like she had always done before.

Lily blindly rose from the table, trying to escape the pain, when a hand around her waist tried to hold her, but Lily fought free. She needed somewhere to hide and there was no place available. She screamed at the agony that was storming through her mind.

Lily fell to the floor, writhing in torment. She vaguely heard several people calling her name; however, her mind had blocked out everything except the door in her mind that was trying to open. She was too weak to keep it closed; the secrets it held wanted out. She saw herself standing in front of the door, trying to bar it from opening.

“Help me! Help me!” Lily screamed in terror.

She felt her head lifted and placed in someone’s lap. She tried to roll away from the agony, yet she couldn’t get away from it. It was everywhere around her—within her—suffocating.

“Help me!” Lily’s screams were tortured, but she didn’t know how to stop them. She was too scared of the door opening. She couldn’t let it open.

“What do you need me to do?” the voice, neither male nor female, asked in her mind.

“Help me shut the door!” Lily screamed.

“What’s behind the door?”

“Everything. Help me. She can’t get out.” Lily sobbed as the door opened a small amount.

“I’m helping you, Lily.” Lily saw another pair of hands helping her to press the door closed again.

When it was completely closed, she told whoever had helped her, “I have to lock it.”

Lily locked the imaginary door while the hands held it closed. After she locked it, she slid down the door, curling into a ball as she rocked back and forth.

“It’s okay, Lily. The door is locked again,” the voice assured her.

“I can’t remember what’s behind that door,” Lily sobbed, rocking back and forth, trying to comfort herself now that all those memories were locked away forever.

“Not today, Lily, but soon,” the voice said sadly.

“Not ever,” Lily replied, curling into a tighter ball.

“Soon, and I’ll help. Sleep, Lily. Go to sleep.”

Lily felt herself relax as soothing warmth spread through her body.

L
ily woke
, turning her head on the soft pillow and rolling to her side before she opened her eyes reluctantly. She closed them then reopened them again, not sure what she was staring at. Surveying the room, she saw the black furniture was modern. The dark carpeting looked thick and expensive in a huge bedroom she had never been in before. To one side there were two large, black leather chairs with a coffee table sitting in front of them, and a flat screen television was mounted on a pedestal on the wall that could be turned toward the chairs or the bed. A small refrigerator sat on top of a dark cabinet and a huge armoire made of dark wood stood against the wall.

Her head turned and she saw a mirrored wall facing the bed. Her pale face and slender body, dressed in conservative pajamas, looked back at her from the huge, California-king, pedestal bed. The wall behind the bed was also mirrored. Lily swallowed hard.

She turned and saw a large dresser with nothing on top and a chair by the bed. The room was immaculately clean. She couldn’t see any personal belongings; there was nothing to give her a clue as to whose room she was inside.

A door stood open where Lily could see a bathroom with the light on. Seeing the bathroom made the fullness in her bladder more pressing. Pulling back the soft-as-silk comforter, she raised herself up before sliding her feet out of the bed.

Getting to her feet, she felt a wave of dizziness, but she slowly managed to walk to the bathroom, coming to a stop when she saw the luxurious suite. It had a double sink with dark colors swirling throughout.

Closing the door, she used the restroom. Hesitantly, she washed her face with a washcloth that had been set out.

She looked over at the huge shower, which took up easily half of the bathroom. It was tiled in black and gray and had three steps leading down into the glass enclosure. She saw it had faucets surrounding it with the rain-type one from the top. It also had a tiled bench on one side. It was a fantasy shower. Lily wouldn’t be surprised if it had surround sound.

Dropping the dirty washcloth into a basket, she left the bathroom, going back into the bedroom while wondering where she was.

She was halfway to the bed when the door opened.

Lily didn’t know whether to be relieved or frightened at his familiar face.

“Where am I?” Lily asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

“My room,” Shade replied, coming in and shutting the door, carrying a tray.

Walking across the room, he set the tray on the coffee table. “Come and eat.”

Lily got up from the bed, going to the chair and looking down at the tray of food.

“How—did—why am I here?” She looked at Shade, not understanding why she was in his room.

“What do you remember?” Shade asked patiently.

Lily sat down on the chair, trying to remember what had happened before she’d woken up here. She searched her mind, trying to figure out her last memory.

“I was at the church helping Rachel.” Lily licked her dry lips. Reaching forward, she took the bottled water and opened it, taking a long drink.

Shade didn’t say anything as Lily set the bottled water back down on the tray, keeping her eyes on him.

“Lily, you had an episode at the diner after church on Sunday. That was two days ago,” Shade explained gently.

“An episode?” Lily’s greatest fear that she would lose her mind had begun.

“You became hysterical.”

“Oh, God. Where’s Beth? Why am I here instead of my bedroom?” Lily asked, trying to remain calm.

“You had to be sedated, Lily. The doctor felt it was best that someone kept an eye on you. Since Beth works, we agreed this was the best place for you now.”

“Where are my clothes?” Lily asked. “I want to get dressed.”

“Eat first. Your clothes are in the closet and drawers. I’ll show you when you finish.”

Lily picked up an apple slice from the plate, chewing on it. Swallowing the bite, she said, “I need to get back to school after I’m dressed. Would you—”

“Lily, you’re going to be staying here for a while.”

Lily shook her head. “I have to finish school.”

“You will. Beth talked to your school and arranged for a medical emergency so that you can complete your coursework on the computer.”

“But why can’t I go back to school?”

“Lily, someone tried to run you over with a car and then tried to break into your house. We feel it’s safer to keep you where we can watch who you come into contact with.” Shade talked about events he seemed to think she remembered.

“I can stay at my house,” Lily said, trying to take in what he was telling her, becoming frightened that she didn’t remember either incident.

Lily picked up the toast, nibbling on it.

“That won’t work with Beth’s work schedule. We need to figure out who tried to harm you twice.”

“I just can’t stay cooped up in your room.”

“You won’t. You can go back to work at the factory and finish your classes.”

“I don’t want to stay here at the club,” Lily protested.

“A few weeks won’t hurt you, Lily. By then, we may have some idea who is after you, and it will give you some time to figure out why you forgot the last few days.”

Lily looked away, not wanting to admit she didn’t want to remember. “Do you know what caused me to have the episode?”

“Yes. Actually, it was Diamond who figured it out. Do you want to know?”

“No.” Lily got to her feet. “Where are my clothes? I want to get dressed. Do you mind if I use your shower? I could use the one in the other bathroom; it doesn’t look as complicated.”

Shade’s lips twisted at her attempt of humor. “Use mine. I think you can figure it out.”

“All right.” She was relieved he stopped trying to jog her memory.

Shade opened one side of his closet, showing her clothes.

Lily took a step back. “Those are the clothes that I boxed up to give the church. I bought new clothes. I was going to buy some more.” Lily turned her face away but found her jaw caught in his tight grip.

“Those new rags you bought are the ones being donated. They look like what someone would wear to a funeral—all black, brown and grey. Since I’ve known you, you’ve worn dresses with every color under the rainbow. Why have you suddenly stopped wearing color?”

“I don’t know,” Lily said, confused.

“Yes, Lily, you do. There are some things I’ll let you hide from me for a while longer, others I won’t.”

Lily stiffened, trying to turn away from his firm grip.

“Why the dark colors?”

She mutinously refused to answer.

“We’ll stand here all day until you answer me.”

Lily didn’t answer as her hand went to her wrist to snap at the red band. Her searching fingertips couldn’t find it, though, and he wouldn’t let her look at her wrist; his hand was still on her jaw, forcing her to look at him.

“I took it.” At her look of horror, he spoke before she could. “I’ll give it back on two conditions.”

“What are they?” She
needed
the rubber band.

“You have to tell me about your clothes, and secondly, every time you snap it, you have to tell me why if I’m there. If I’m not, then you have to write it down in a small book I’ll give you. Each and every time.”

Lily thought frantically, trying to think of another substitute she could use, but she was also sure that he would have thought of that.

“All right.” Lily gave in to his demands.

Shade’s hand dropped to his side. Taking a step back, he demanded, “Tell me about the clothes.”

Lily licked her dry mouth, wishing she had the water. “I don’t know how to explain it. When I wore my dresses, the colors made me feel happy. I would choose the color some days because it matched the sky or the sun or was the color of a flower I saw.” Lily shrugged feeling juvenile.