SHADES: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series Book 3) by Nicole James

met Shades. That first time he pulled her to him and kissed her. At the memory, her hand lifted, her fingers absently touching her lips.
    Boot steps behind her startled her out of her daydream, and she turned to see Crash walk into the kitchen. When she found out he was planning to stay in town, she’d insisted he stay with her in one of the extra rooms in this big house. He’d taken her up on it, maybe because he’d sensed she was feeling just as lost and alone as he was after their shared loss. But he spent a lot of time at the clubhouse, even sleeping there some nights. Somehow she didn’t think he truly felt comfortable in either place.
    She smiled at him, her eyes moving over him as she noted that he seemed dressed to ride. A pair of sunglasses dangled from his mouth as he pulled his cut on. “Are you going out?”
    He grabbed the sunglasses out of his mouth and slid them on top of his head. “Yeah. There’s this annual thing at the clubhouse today. They do a big shrimp boil, drink some beer. It’ll be a good time. Come with me.”
    The smile faded from her face, and her stomach flipped at the thought of going back there and running into Shades. She couldn’t handle another face-to-face confrontation with him. Besides, she wasn’t even sure she was welcome there. At least, not by him. She shook her head. “I don’t think so, Crash.”
    “Skylar, you need to get out of the house. It’s a beautiful day. Come on, take a ride with me. It’ll be fun.” She shook her head again.
    “No, you go ahead. I’m not feeling much like being around people today.” She watched him rub his hand over his face, and studying him, she realized he somehow looked worried.
    “I know how you feel,” he admitted softly.
    She frowned, confused. “You don’t want to go either?” He shook his head, biting his lip. “Then why don’t you just stay here—with me?”
    “Skylar—” He paused, seeming to struggle with how to explain something.
    “What is it? Crash? Tell me.”
    “The thing is—I have to show, and I’m really not sure I can handle it without you. Most of the time I’m at the clubhouse, if I’m not tending to business, I’m off in the corner drinking alone. Drinking too much.”
    She realized just how much it cost him to admit that to her. Still, going there wasn’t easy for her. Crossing her arms, she looked at the floor wondering if she could do it. She knew in her heart Crash would never make her face something like that by herself. She couldn’t make him face it alone then, either. Turning back to the sink, she stared out the window, and then consented. “All right, then. If it’s important to you, I’ll go.”
    He approached her, his palm settling on her shoulder. “Does going to the clubhouse make you nervous?”
    “A little.”
    “No one will bother you if you don’t want them to, darlin’. I’ll make sure of that.”
    “I know you will.”
     
     
    ***
     
    Shades sat on the top of one of the picnic tables, his boots on the bench seat. His elbows on his knees, a red plastic cup of beer between his hands. He surveyed the grounds of the clubhouse and the turnout for the annual shrimp boil.
    Ghost took a hit off a joint and passed it to him. “You seen Tink?”
    Shades’ eyes scanned the crowd. Tink, a shortened version of her nickname, Tinker bell, was so named because she was a tiny little pixie of a girl with short spiked white-blonde hair. Her pointed chin, delicate features and big green eyes only added to her sprite-like appearance.
    “Nope, why?”
    Ghost blew out a stream of smoke and grinned. “She’s got on a little leather skirt. It’s drivin’ Hammer crazy.”
    Hammer was young, like them. He was a muscular guy, built like a brick house. Tattoos covered most of his broad chest, shoulders and arms. He had short dark hair and a heavy close-cut beard. The overall appearance gave him the look of a gladiator.
    “Well, if he didn’t nail everything in sight, maybe she’d