Lucky’s body tautened. “I tried.”
“Not good enough. The Last Riders didn’t stop until they found Gavin’s body, but I’ll never have my brother’s body to bury.”
“I regret it every day of my life; what more do you want?”
“I want more than that. I want you to feel the pain of losing someone you love, to not be able to say goodbye to them, not have their body to grieve over. I want your life to become a living Hell like mine.”
“My life has been a living Hell since the day Kale was killed.”
“It doesn’t seem that way to me. From where I’m sitting, your life seems pretty sweet. You have the church, The Last Riders, and enough pussy to keep ten men satisfied. Is there anything you don’t get that you want?”
“Yeah, not to worry about you killing someone innocent because you hate me.”
Bridge casually stood, staring at him mockingly. “I guess you can’t have everything.”
“I’m engaged to Willa because she’s about to lose custody of the children she’s caring for, not because I care about her. Besides, she’ll make a decent pastor’s wife and keep the parishioners off my back about marriage.” Lucky threw out every excuse he could think of to place doubt in Bridge’s mind. “I’m never going to let myself care about a woman and put her in danger from you. If I cared about Willa, there would be no way I would marry her.”
“You trying to do some reverse psychology bullshit on me?”
“I’m telling you the truth,” Lucky stated, looking Bridge dead in the eyes.
“When have you ever told the truth about anything? You lied to me about keeping Kale safe. You lie to your parishioners about being a just man. You lied to everyone to make those drug busts. I don’t believe a word you’re telling me, but I will find out the truth before I kill her.”
“I’m not going to let you hurt Willa. The only one who is going to get killed is you. I’m done giving you a chance to make your move. I loved Kale like a brother, and out of respect to him, I’ve put up with your shit, but it’s over. I won’t warn you again, Bridge.”
“Your luck and time have run out.” Bridge left his office with those words hanging heavily in the air.
His worst fear had come true—Bridge had taken the target off his back and placed it on Willa’s. God help him if his lucky streak failed him a second time.
Chapter 13
“Having fun?”
Willa took a drink of her pink lemonade, nearly choking on the taste, and was unable to answer Lily’s question until she got her breath back.
“Are you okay?” Concerned, Lily hit her on the back.
“I’m fine,” Willa assured her, placing her glass back on the table.
Lily smiled, not touching her own glass. “I’ll be back in a minute. I need to use the restroom,” she excused herself.
“Too strong?” Evie asked Willa sympathetically. “I screwed up and let Penni make the drinks.”
Shade’s sister had tagged along with Lily and Beth to her bachelorette party. Penni was visiting for a couple of days before leaving to set up for a concert the rock group she managed was having in a city a couple of hours away.
“I didn’t,” she protested. Then, seeing Willa wipe the tears away from her eyes with a napkin, she corrected herself. “Well, maybe I added a little too much. The recipe is a work in progress.”
“Don’t touch anything that bitch makes,” Killyama yelled from the end of the table.
Penni stiffened. “Everyone begs for my recipes.”
“Yeah, they beg you not to make them anymore.” Killyama sniffed the brownie she had in her hand.
“Why is Killyama smelling the brownies? Didn’t the recipe I give you turn out?”
“I didn’t make those.” Penni glared at the woman who belonged to the neighboring biker club from Jamestown.
Beth had become friends with them, and they were always included when she planned a party, just like Willa was. Beth and Lily didn’t want anyone to feel left out.
“Your recipe was fine after I tweaked it a little,” Penni continued.
“How did you tweak it?” Willa asked curiously. Her brownies were one of her most requested items.
“She turned them into pot brownies. Damn near killed me the next day, vomiting them up.” Killyama glared.
“I didn’t tell you to eat half of the pan.”
“Who makes pot brownies in Kentucky? And for a baby shower?”
Penni didn’t look bothered by Killyama’s sarcastic question. “I didn’t make them for the shower. I told you that I was experimenting with the recipe, and Rider accidently put them on the table with the desserts.”
Willa broke into the argument between the two women. “How did they turn out?”
“They rocked, but I had to quit making them.”
“Why?” Willa asked.
“Because they made me a little cray-cray. It took me a while, but I realized they had a weird effect on me.” Penni drank her glass of pink lemonade in one swallow as a look crossed her face that Willa recognized as one she used when trying to perfect a recipe.
“What kind of effect?” Winter asked, passing the brownies to Penni.
“They made me hornier than hell.”
The women at the table burst into laughter.
“Beer does that for me,” Winter said when she managed to catch her breath.
Diamond grinned next to her. “Knox’s tongue ring.”
Rachel muttered, “Cash kissing my neck.”
Beth was next in line. She turned red yet admitted her weakness. “Razer’s tattoo.”
“Stud racing his bike. I fuck him as soon as we get home.”
Willa’s face felt like it was on fire from the women’s intimate admissions.
“Rider makes me horny when he works out. I just want to lick his abs.”
“Me, too,” Jewell wisecracked. “And I have.”
Lily came back to the table, sitting down next to her. “What is everyone laughing about?”
Willa would die before she repeated the conversation they had been having while she was gone.
“Everyone is telling each other what makes them horny. What puts you in overdrive?” Crazy Bitch shouted out loud enough to be heard from the outside.
Lily stood back up. “I’ll get us some regular lemonade from the kitchen.” She paused before leaving. “With Shade, all I have to do is look at him,” she admitted before fleeing.
“Me, too.” Crazy Bitch slammed her glass down on the table. “I want to count his tats. She ever tell you how many he has?” she asked Beth.
Beth looked aghast at the thought. “No, she hasn’t confided that detail to me.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know… Maybe because she doesn’t want to share, and I don’t want to know.”
“Liar.”
Willa seriously became worried how some of the women were going to get home. Several were already drunk, and the others were well on their way.
Rachel rose from her seat taking Lily’s empty one.
“I wanted to thank you for covering for me. Jace told me what you said at the sheriff’s office. You took the blame for telling Jace about the motorcycles when it was me. I didn’t think when I told him that he would actually try to break into the factory. I was going to ask Cash if he thought it would be okay for Rider to show him.” Rachel had leaned sideways to whisper in her ear. Willa smelled the strong smell of alcohol on her breath.
Willa leaned back trying to escape the fumes. “Let’s just say we’re even for the tutoring.”
Rachel gave her a quick hug. “That works for me.” Willa was relieved when she returned to her own seat.
Once Lily returned with a fresh pitcher of lemonade, Willa was going to ask for a clean glass yet saw Penni’s look of reproach. Taking a deep breath, she sipped the one she had made.
Willa tried not to feel guilty as she ate a piece of
pizza after she drank several more sips of her lemonade. Then she decided she didn’t care about her waistline and reached for another slice.
“Willa, you never did tell what creams your coffee.”
She was about to swallow the cheesy goodness when Killyama’s question sent it down her windpipe. She thought she was going to choke to death before she could clear it.
“I don’t know,” Willa confessed hoarsely. “I’ve never had sex.”
The women quit talking to stare at her in bemusement.
“Why are you staring at me like that? I’m not the only one here who remained chaste until they were married, right, Rachel?” Willa wanted to kick herself, remembering belatedly the humiliation Rachel had suffered at Mrs. Langley’s birthday party when Cash had told everyone that he had slept with Rachel.
“It’s all right, Willa. I’m not ashamed to admit I had no will power where Cash is concerned.”
“Beth was—”
Beth cut her off, looking embarrassed. “Sorry, but … no.”
Willa looked toward Diamond.
“Nope, I lost mine in college.”
Willa’s eyes went to Sex Piston.
“Are you crazy? I lost mine in high school.” Something told Willa she wasn’t telling the truth.
Deciding to go for a sure thing this time, Willa turned to Lily.
“I think I’ll go get some—something…” She trailed off, standing up and fleeing again.
Willa’s shoulders slumped. She was the only virgin left in Treepoint over the age of eighteen, and she had a feeling she was going to die a virgin.
She put the pizza in her hand back on her plate.
“I’m a virgin.”
Startled, Willa glanced at Penni.
“You’re lying,” Killyama scoffed.
“I am not. I may have fooled around some, but I’ve never been with a man. I’ve wanted to, but I always change my mind.”
“How did the men take it?” Willa asked.
“Half understood, some were kind of nasty, and for the rest, I used the self-defense moves Shade taught me.” Penni shrugged. “I want to find my soul mate the way Shade found his. I meet a guy and think this could be the one. Then I get to know him, and I simply want to be friends. The men I date tell me I’m playing hard to get.”
“Like a stick of fucking dynamite. If you ain’t giving it up, then they’re doing something wrong. So why haven’t you fucked anyone yet?” Killyama asked, turning everyone’s attention back to Willa.
“It’s not like I’ve had a lot to choose from.”
“So you and Lucky haven’t?”
Willa shook her head, wondering at the woman’s heavy frown.
Willa heard Lily sit back down at the table.
“Are they still talking about sex?” Lily asked.
“Yes.” Willa poured herself some more lemonade, not sure which was the non-alcoholic one.
Taking a sip, she wanted to pour it back in the pitcher; however, she took another sip when Penni smiled at her with pride. Willa couldn’t bring herself to dampen her belief that it was good and took yet another drink.
“I have some books Killyama lent me,” Lily offered.
“Those aren’t going to help her.” Willa began to get nervous when the woman became lost in thought then snapped her fingers. “I know. Have you seen Saw?”
Willa and the other women at the table stared at her blankly.
“Uh … no.”
“You should.” Killyama poured herself another glass of lemonade from the spiked pitcher.
“Are we still talking about sex?” Willa asked Lily in confusion.
“I hope not.”
“Me, too.” Willa started to take another bite of pizza then realized she had lost her appetite. Instead, she sipped her lemonade which was getting better and better.
* * *
Lucky stared down at his watch. “How much longer do you think they’re going to be?”
Shade crossed his arms over his chest. “You never know. When they have their parties, it can last an hour or four. It pretty much only ends when the liquor and food are gone.”
“They’re in a restaurant with a bar,” Lucky reminded him.
“Then we’re going to be here for a while. Don’t expect any of them to be sitting in church in the morning, either. Lily will be the only one there, and you’ll be lucky if the rest show up for the evening service.”
“Willa will be in church. She doesn’t drink,” Lucky bragged.
“Right … We’ll see. Penni’s in there.”
“What does Penni have to do with it?”
“It means Willa’s going to come out either drunk or high,” Shade advised.
“Not Willa. I know her like the back of my hand.”
“Brother, you don’t know shit about Willa, but I know my sister, and I’m telling you, there’s no way Willa’s coming out sober.”
“Wanna bet?” Lucky goaded.
“Hell yes. You going to win the way you won the bet with Moon?”
Lucky didn’t feel guilty about picking the motorcycle he had tried to buy off Rider for the last six months.
“I didn’t cheat.”
“You didn’t cheat, but getting engaged to her made Moon believe you fucked her, and you didn’t tell him any different. It also keeps him from trying to get her in his bed until you’re willing to share … if you do.”
“Willa would have an anxiety attack if I touched her, much less have her take part in one of the club’s parties.”
“Like I said, you don’t know shit about Willa, and you’re too chicken shit to find out.”
“I’m not chicken shit. Willa and I aren’t a couple. You know we’re only engaged to get Flora to leave the kids alone.”
“I keep going back and forth, trying to make up my mind on who’s the dumber fuck: you or Rider.”
“Neither of us. Moon is.” Lucky grinned, unrepentant. The brother deserved to lose the bet for thinking Willa would be an easy conquest.
“So what does the winner get?”
“You have to bring Train back from Ohio. He’s calling me every hour to come back because I told him I would go.”
“Who would go instead?”
“Send Moon back. He’s the one who made the mess in the first place.”
“All right, and if I win, you have to let me out of my promise to you.”
Lucky’s face turned serious. “Pick something else. I’m dealing with Bridge.”
“You’re doing a crap job. He’s watching every move you make.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I’m watching him.”
“You can watch, just keep your promise.”
“If I win, I want you to tell Willa the truth about the club. It’s only a matter of time before Sissy or someone else tells her, and it will hurt less coming from you.”
Lucky nodded. He had already decided to tell her when she wasn’t surrounded by the children.
“Then we have a bet?”
“It’s a bet.” Lucky repeated, knowing either way, he lost.
The door to King’s restaurant opened, and the women came stumbling outside.
Shade took his cell phone out of his pocket.
“Who are you calling?”
Shade looked up. “Knox. We’re going to need more cars.”
Chapter 14
“Why are we at the church? I don’t feel like asking for forgiveness right now.”
“You will in the morning,” Lucky muttered, unlocking the side entrance that led to the part of the church he had moved back into when he had become pastor again.
When the church had been built, the back portion had been designed for the pastor and his family to live. If you came inside the side entrance, you wouldn’t assume it was attached to the church, but it was a large home.
Willa stumbled in the darkness before he could flip the light switch o
n. Lucky closed the door with his foot before sweeping Willa into his arms.
She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. “It’s too soon to carry me over the threshold. Be careful or you’ll throw your back out.”
“Stop.”
Willa pouted up at him, seeing his stern expression. “Are you mad at me for getting drunk?”
“For getting drunk, no. I get mad when you put yourself down. I’ve told you not to do it in front of me.”
“I’m sorry. Don’t be mad at me.” She laid her head on his shoulder, patting his chest.
The woman was irresistible when she was drunk because her guard was lowered, showing the real Willa. She had cracked jokes and sang as he had driven the bitches back to Jamestown. Stud had met him halfway and Willa had hung out the door, waving good-bye to them and asking Stud if Sex Piston had been a virgin when they were married. Sex Piston had put her own window down, yelling at Willa to shut the fuck up before she got out and whipped her ass. Then Willa had thrown the woman air kisses, reminding her she had promised to cut her hair.
Lucky had driven off while the women were still yelling back and forth to each other. There was no way he was going to make the same mistake Razer and Shade had made and allow Willa to become friends with the biker bitches. He was going to nip that one in the bud.
“Where are we going? I need to get home to the kids.”
“You would wake them up, and I didn’t think you’d want your neighbor to see you in this condition.” Lucky walked down the hallway, easily carrying her weight.
He opened one of the spare bedrooms, placing Willa down on the bed. As she stared up at him in bemusement, Lucky felt his dick getting hard. The woman was cute as hell when she was sober; drunk, she had a seductive look he had never seen on her before. Apparently, being drunk gave Willa a lethal amount of confidence that Lucky was smart enough to know would be hard to resist if he stayed much longer.
“Go to sleep.” Lucky gritted his teeth, heading for the door. He was getting sick and tired of protecting her from himself. Hell, he had never pretended to be a saint.
“Night.”
He made the mistake of turning around at her slurred parting and saw that she was still lying in the same position he had laid her down in. Her legs were half off the bed, and she was lying sideways.