The Last Riders - First Four Votes Read Online Free PDF Page B

throat as she reached out to give Lily’s hand a quick squeeze. She would often touch Lily, noticing others close to her made excuses to do the same. Beth didn’t take offense because she knew they did it for the same reason as her own; to reassure themselves that Lily was still within their reach. Women of less beauty had made fortunes with their looks, but they could not compare to Lily since it wasn’t only her physical beauty that drew everyone in the room’s eyes; her gentle spirit shone in her face and made her all the more radiant. Charles walked up, taking Lily’s hand to hurry her towards the door.
    Beth watched them go. Lily and Charles had grown up together. In fact, he lived just a couple of houses down from them and he was just as protective of Lily as she was, if not more so. He had loved Lily since he had first seen her introduced in her parents’ church. When he placed an arm around Lily’s shoulders as they went out the door, Lily casually moved away. She didn’t return his feelings and never would.
    Beth sighed and stood to leave the restaurant, still feeling the biker’s gaze on her back. She was thinking that the walk home would help exercise off the chili cheese fries she had for lunch.
    She hadn’t gotten far when a shiny, black, monster of a truck pulled up next to her.
    “Want a ride home?” Razer asked. The look on his face plainly said that he expected her to refuse.
    “Yes.” She firmly squashed her own internal voice that was asking what the hell she was doing. She was done being intimidated by them. Their behavior yesterday had been kind and Beth was not going to repay them with snobbery.
    She moved to the other side of the truck as an expressionless man with the tattoos and wearing sunglasses jumped out, helping her into the front seat. He paused until she slid over to the middle of the seat before getting in next to her and firmly shutting the door. Razer then waited for her to buckle her seatbelt before moving back into the light traffic.
    Beth self-consciously pulled down the cream skirt of her light dress to cover her thighs that had become exposed when she had slid into the truck.
    “I live down Pine. It’s just—”
    “I know where it is.” Beth nodded at his words. “That’s Shade next to you and Train in the back.”
    “Hello.” She turned to look at the men as they were introduced, receiving a nod from each. Beth guessed the one wearing the sunglasses was Shade, as every time she had seen him he had been wearing them on the only part of his body she was beginning to think wasn’t tattooed. In the midst of the introductions, Beth wondered nervously who had decided on their nicknames.
    “What’s so funny?” Razer asked, seeing her smile.
    Deciding to be honest, Beth confessed, “I was just wondering how you decided what your name was, if you chose it or someone else.”
    “Depends,” Razer answered.
    “On what?”
    Razer shrugged. “A lot of things; it’s usually because we’re good at something.”
    “So because Shade wears sunglasses, he was given that name.” Beth smiled.
    “You think I’m called Shade because I wear sunglasses?" Beth felt his body shake in laughter next to her, and was instantly confused
    “Then why do you think they call me Razer?”
    “Because you like to shave?” Beth answered, noticing his cleanly shaven face, unlike his friends who seemed to like the shadowed look. This time loud laughter could be heard from the backseat.
    Beth could see Razer fighting his own laughter. “Yeah, that’s it.”
    Before Beth could figure out their laughter, the truck pulled into her driveway. Shade sat still while, this time, Razer jumped out.
    “I’ll help you down.” He patiently held out his hand. As she unbuckled her seatbelt, she felt foolish trying to keep her skirt from flying up while holding her purse in her other hand. She slid toward his opened door where Razer held her hand until she regained her balance, shutting the door of