Lily stared down at him, her eyes brimming with tears. “Shade tells me that all the time.” Her impish smile was a thing of beauty.
Lucky said a silent prayer that he was fortunate enough to have this beautiful woman as a part of his life.
“Your faith gave you strength when you needed it most, Lily. I don’t know anyone who has a more beautiful, loving soul.”
Lily reached out to cup his cheek gently. “I do.”
Lucky saw Shade tense, but before he could say anything, he heard a sound at the door, and he turned, seeing Willa.
“I forgot my keys.”
Lucky rose as Willa went to the counter, avoiding his eyes.
“I’ll walk you to your van,” he said huskily, following her out the door.
They were halfway down the path before he took her arm and brought her to a stop.
“Willa, what I said to Lily—”
“Stop, don’t you dare take away from what I was just blessed to witness because you think my feelings are hurt. It was beautiful.” Willa swiped away a tear clinging to her lashes. “I don’t want to know what Lily’s had to endure in her life. I went to school with her, and there wasn’t a day that I didn’t see the pain in her eyes.” She leaned her head on his chest. “I honestly don’t know if I could have kept my faith like her. I pray to God I never find out. She’s stronger than I could ever be.”
“That’s not true,” Lucky replied.
“It is true. I’m weak, Lucky.”
“I don’t want to hear that come out of your mouth again. You’re strong, Willa.” Lucky couldn’t help letting his laughter escape. “Siren, you managed to scare The Last Riders into doing exactly what you want. We haven’t had to do the punishment bag in weeks because no one wants to piss you off.”
“That’s just because they don’t want to be written out of my will.”
“No, it’s because they don’t want you to whip their ass.”
Willa smiled, shaking her head up at him. “I can’t believe I used to be so afraid of them.”
“You’re not anymore?”
“No, I can’t imagine my life without them now.”
“Good, because Viper wanted me to ask you for a favor.”
She gazed up at him happily. “What?”
“He wanted to know if your company could give him a discount on a set of tires.”
Willa’s expression turned pained. “There’s something I needed to confess. We don’t make tires.”
Lucky plucked her up into his arms, twirling her in a circle, his heart filled with joy. He was no longer watching everyone else live their lives while he was trapped, merely watching. Instead, he had his own piece of Heaven. He was exactly where he was meant to be in this moment in time with this woman in his arms. The loneliness and sorrow were a fading memory. From the time he had looked up from his Bible and seen Willa, he hadn’t had a choice but to love her. No choice at all.
Chapter 38
“Explain to me why you wanted to make cupcakes tonight.”
Willa shot him a frazzled look. “Because I was in the mood to bake.”
“You don’t seem to be in the mood to bake. You seem more in the mood to punch someone.” Lucky leaned against the kitchen counter, drinking his coffee and watching as his wife carefully placed her creations on a cupcake tower.
“After I get this finished, I can relax.” She placed the last cupcake at the top, taking a step back to survey her accomplishment critically.
“Want me to taste-test your frosting for you?” Lucky teased.
“No, you’re not allowed to taste my frosting until I’m not mad at you any longer.”
“I could have sworn you didn’t seem mad last night when you were coming on my cock.”
She gave him a vindictive smile. “I told Shade you said he cried when he asked for permission to marry Lily.”
Lucky straightened. “You didn’t.”
“I did.” Willa wiped her hands on the dishtowel then folded it neatly. “He’s going to pay you back. You know that, don’t you?”
“You’re taking the imminent demise of your husband pretty well.”
“He won’t kill you.” She went to the oven, pulling out the huge tray of meatloaf she had made and setting it on the stove. “At least, I don’t think so.”
Lucky watched her go to the two crockpots she had sitting out, stirring the contents of each.
“Siren, I know the club eats a lot, but you’ve made enough to feed an army.” Lucky stared at the huge amount of food sitting on the counter. Beth had also helped by making a fruit salad, which she was sliding on the counter.
“That’s it. We’re done.” Willa stared down at her watch. “With three minutes to spare.”
“What—” The sound of the front doorbell ringing had Lucky raising a brow at the two women’s expectant faces.
Viper opened the kitchen door. “You have company.”
Lucky shot his wife a curious look, as it was obvious she knew who was there to see him. “It better not be Diamond. You promised me no more wills for at least six months.”
“It’s not Diamond,” she said, pushing him through the door.
Lucky walked farther into the club room, seeing a crowd of people he had never expected. The room was filled to capacity with the church members. It was so crowded people were lined up on the steps to the upstairs, and all the members of The Last Riders were lined up against all four walls, wearing their cuts.
“What’s going on?” Lucky asked.
Angus Berry moved to stand in front of him, and the rest of the deacons lined up behind him.
“We’re here to ask you to return as our pastor.”
Lucky had felt the loss of the church to his being, but he couldn’t return to the life that would take his sanity.
Lucky cleared his throat. “I can’t—”
Before he could continue, Angus raised his hand.
“Hear us out before you make your mind up. When you returned to the church, you told us you loved being a pastor, is that true?”
“Yes. I never lied about my love for the church or God, only my inability to walk the narrow path a pastor must walk.”
“A nondenominational church doesn’t have a path that narrow. They make their own, don’t they?” Angus Berry’s white eyebrows rose.
“Yes…” Lucky agreed, staring at the faces surrounding him.
“We voted to give up the Baptist church and become a nondenominational church. It’s time you quit fighting that war with yourself and come home.”
Lucky battled back the tight feeling in his chest. “What are you saying?”
“We’re telling you that we can’t sit through another long-winded sermon from a self-righteous pastor who wouldn’t understand the scriptures of God if the Almighty came down and explained it to him. We wouldn’t expect anything from you except what you’ve done the last few years, and that’s to be there when one of us is in need and give us a better understanding of God two nights and one morning a week. In return, we promise not to care if you want to drink a beer or ride that bike up and down the streets.”
“It isn’t anything we aren’t doing,” Myrtle muttered. “Well, except for the motorcycle. We’re too old for that.”
Lucky laughed. “You’re all sure?”
“Yes. We already told the windbag he’s done. Wasn’t too Christian the way he took it, but like we said, we’re not going to judge another man, even though I have to admit, it’s hard to do when I see him taking a twenty out of the collection tray every Sunday.”
“We would love to welcome both you and Willa back, Pastor Dean,” Myrtle spoke up, handing him his Bible that Willa must have brought upstairs.
His wife had known what the church was going to ask him and had made a feast for celebration. His wife had also known the answer he would give in return.
Reaching behind his back for Willa’s hand, he pulled her to his side as he
and everyone in the room bowed their heads.
“Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to serve you, for giving me not only Willa, who I will spend my life cherishing as my wife, but a holy home where we can share our love of You with others.
“John 4:18: ‘There is no fear in love.’ You have shown me that I do not need to fear losing my way. Your love will always light my path, carry me when I stumble, and You gave me Willa to walk it with until we find our way home to You. Amen.”
Lucky gazed at the room filled with everyone he loved, his hand tightening on the worn Bible in his hand that his father had passed down to him, and he would pass on to his son.
Willa wiped a tear away as she leaned against him, sharing her love and happiness for him without words. He had never been more thankful than he was at this moment in time.
Lucky stiffened, turning around to make sure Shade wasn’t standing behind him. He could have sworn he heard, “You’re welcome.”
Epilogue 1
“Why am I not surprised to see you?”
Lucky turned at Bridge’s snide comment as he was escorted into Knox’s office. Knox shoved his prisoner forward into the office, slamming the door closed behind him and leaving Lucky alone with the man it took all his control not to kill.
“If you’re expecting me to—”
“Shut up, Bridge. I’m done listening to the shit coming out of your mouth. I came by for only one reason, and it’s to tell you that Willa’s refusing to press charges. Sissy won’t, either; she thinks she’s in love with you.”
At Lucky’s disgusted expression, Bridge went on the defensive. “I didn’t touch that girl. I only gave her a room to sleep in while she hid out from everyone. I only wanted to use her to get to Willa. I didn’t intend to throw her, but she was biting the hell out of me. Her family’s already fucked her up enough.”
“She needs counseling, which Willa tried to get for her, but she refused. She’s ready now, so hopefully it can help her. If not, she’ll walk the same road as her mother and uncle, and she won’t have anyone to blame but herself.”
“Why isn’t Willa pressing charges? I figured she’d be pissed off with Sissy almost taking a nose dive off that cliff.” Lucky saw the regret in Bridge’s eyes that he would never voice. The man he had once loved like a brother had saved countless lives; therefore, to almost take one unintentionally must be a bitter pill to swallow.
“Because she has faith that you’ll realize your actions almost cost them their lives. She’s praying that almost succeeding opened your eyes to the price your revenge could take.”
“I see you’re not thinking the same way.”
“No, I don’t, which is why I’m here.” Lucky turned his back on Bridge, no longer able to look at him. Talking about almost losing Willa without beating Bridge to a bloody pulp was testing his resolve.
“During our last tour, Evie was hurt, and the men responsible not only nearly killed her, but got in a fight with Levi, Evie’s fiancé. When they were up for court martial, it looked like they were going to walk. Shade and the rest of the squad were ready to kill the fuckers before the trial was halfway over. One of the main attackers was a general who was using his rank. It was Evie’s word against four men. Levi’s death had already been ruled an accident, so the brothers were out for blood. I knew it was only a matter of time before Shade killed them, lost his career, and then spent the rest of his life in a military prison.
“I pretended to be drunk and started a fight in the barracks, and they threw me in a cell for a week that was next to the men who had attacked Evie. It took three days before the arrogant pricks started bragging. They gave every fucking detail, and I remembered it all.
“I testified against them, and with my record and past as a pastor, it was no longer just Evie’s word against theirs. They’ll be sitting in that prison until they need Viagra to get a hard-on, and even then, they probably won’t be saved from Shade.
“All the men gave me their markers. Each promised to repay me for putting those fuckers away. I didn’t do it for their markers; I did it for Evie and Shade.” Lucky turned back to face Bridge.
“I didn’t know anything happened to Evie.” Bridge’s face had gone pale, his body taut with anger.
“No one did. It was kept quiet. They said it was out of respect for Evie, but everyone knew it was to protect General Lander and his son’s reputation. It happened two weeks after Kale died. You were stateside with your family.”
“I served with Evie.”
Lucky continued as if Bridge hadn’t spoken. “I never took any of them up on their markers until Viper and I returned from Kale’s memorial service, and Viper told me Shade was coming after you.”
Lucky still remembered how harshly Bridge had told him to leave when he and Viper had arrived. Viper had heard every threat.
“I called in his marker not to kill you, and he has kept it all these years. You were like a brother, and it’s not easy to kill a brother, even when Willa’s life hung in the balance. When Willa was in surgery, repairing her shoulder, I released him from that promise. Willa and I are trying to start a family. She could have been pregnant, and you could have succeeded in killing Willa and my child. I thought I could protect her from you, but I won’t take that chance again.
“What it comes down to is a choice between you and Willa, and she will win every time, so I’m done fucking around with you. I have a better use for Shade’s and the rest of the brothers’ markers now, and it doesn’t involve you.
“I’m giving you a last chance to move on, Bridge.” Lucky tossed a set of keys to Bridge who caught them in his hand. “Move on, leave Treepoint, and don’t come back. Kale is dead and gone, and there is nothing either of us can do to bring him back. If you ever try to come near Treepoint again, Shade will make sure it’s the last time you suck air.” Lucky went toward the office door, brushing past Bridge to open it.
He paused without looking back. “Ride as far as you can, Bridge, and find a place that you can call home.” Lucky’s voice became choked, remembering all the times they had spent together when they were in the service. “I was fucked up when I came out of the service, too. The difference is I became a member of The Last Riders, and they helped me keep my sanity. You turned them down, and you’ve been lost ever since.
“Goodbye, brother. I pray you find peace. I already have.”
Lucky walked out of the office, coming to a stop at seeing all the brothers waiting outside the door. They were there to support him, just as they always had and always would.
* * *
Willa had lunch waiting for them when they arrived home. The men ate while sitting around and talking when Shade went to the counter, taking a cupcake.
Lucky was eating his own meal as he looked up to see Shade take a bite. An expression of complete ecstasy came over his face as he took another bite.
He turned to Willa who was sitting next to Lucky with Lily and John sitting on her other side. “What flavor are these?”
Willa broke off her conversation with Lily to answer his question. “Oh, those are chocolate bourbon. The recipe was giving me trouble. I thought they would be a big seller during the Derby festival. I think I’ve finally got it right.”
“You sure as fuck have. Willa, I love my wife, but woman, if I had never met Lily, that asshole husband of yours wouldn’t have caught you. I would have put a ring on your finger after the first bite.”
Willa blushed, smiling in pride at her accomplishment.
“Willa, I’m going to need that recipe.” Lily laughed, not at all upset by Shade’s comment.
Lucky couldn’t say the same. He saw red.
Why did the brothers all think Willa would have succumbed to them over him?
“Willa wouldn’t have given you the fucking time of day.”
Shade finished eating his cupcake. “It wouldn’t even have been a competition.”
The last word wasn’t out of his mout
h before Lucky was out of his chair and lunging toward Shade who dodged his first blow. Lucky, unable to stop his momentum, fell against the counter, sending a Crockpot full of macaroni and cheese crashing to the floor. This time, as Lucky twisted, going after Shade again, he managed to send Shade backward against the counter, nearly toppling the cupcake tray.
“Watch the fucking food!” Rider said, jumping up from his chair to break the men apart with Train’s help.
“Lucky, there are children in the room!” Willa yelled at him angrily.
Lucky glanced at Beth’s boys and Shade’s son who were too busy eating the vanilla cupcakes that Willa had made to notice what the adults were doing.
Lucky shoved Rider off him, retaking his seat. Guiltily, he let Shade clean up the mess. Damn bastard deserved it for aggravating him.
“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Willa snapped.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized to the women.
“I don’t know what you became so jealous for.” Willa placed her hand over his.
“I don’t, either,” Lucky said, picking up his fork.
“Willa, after dinner, I brought those papers for you to sign,” Diamond said, handing Knox a cupcake before taking one for herself. The brother took it then reached for another before retaking his chair.
“You promised me no more changes to your will for at least a year.” Lucky frowned. He had hoped telling her that she would save money would be an added incentive.
“Oh, it’s not a will.”
The room went quiet as the members eavesdropped on their conversation.
“I signed over my house to Ginny.”
“You gave your house to Ginny?” Lucky was surprised Willa hadn’t mentioned that she was thinking of doing it. She had told him that she was keeping it for their future children. “Why?”
“Because she can’t afford an apartment and pay for college, too. Bliss is going to be her roommate. It will help her afford the bills.”
“She’s going to share the house with Ginny?”
“Yes, that way, Ginny can afford it until she gets her degree, and Bliss won’t be lonely,” Willa explained, waiting for his reaction.