Shade stood, going to the kitchen counter to fix himself a plate of food. “Is it me or did her mom and dad’s relationship sound like a Dom/sub relationship?”

 “It sounded fucked-up to me,” Jewel said, pushing her plate back angrily. “I wish that bitch was still alive so I could shove that book up her ass.”

 “Me, too,” Lucky said. “Her father was wealthy as shit, but he only gave Willa’s mother a small allowance. Willa won’t buy dish soap unless it’s on sale. She works her ass off baking, gives most of it away, and still manages to live on the income she has left. Meanwhile, she has enough money that she wouldn’t have to work for six lifetimes. She’s already made her will, leaving almost everyone in town money, but she won’t buy herself a fucking pair of panties unless they’re on sale.”

 Rider perked up. “She leave me anything?”

 “I made her take you out. I told her you had a motorcycle collection that was worth a fourth of what she had.”

 Rider’s face dropped. “A man never has enough pussy or bikes.”

 “A fourth? How rich is she?” A glint of interest sparkled in Winter’s eyes.

 “Don’t even think of asking her for donations for that school of yours. Who do you think paid for the new roof when the tornado hit?”

 “An educational foundation I applied to that Willa told me about…”

 Lucky nodded his head. “From what little Dustin told me, her great-grandfather invented a new method of treating rubber. He started a company in the 1800s that lasted until Willa sold controlling interest after her parents died.”

 “What’s the company’s name? Maybe I should invest if it has that kind of longevity,” Viper questioned.

 “I saw the paperwork. DB Rubber is the company. I’ve meant to Google and see what they do.”

 Rider burst out laughing. “Don’t bother.” He rose up and took out his wallet, taking out a rubber and tossing it on the table. “Look at the back.”

 Lucky reached for the condom like the one he had in his own back pocket, looking over the back of the small package. He couldn’t prevent his own laughter when he saw the company name at the bottom.

 “She told me they made tires and toys.”

 “I’m sure they do.” Jewell, usually the most serious of the women, was even laughing until tears came out of her eyes.

 “We can’t tell her we know; it would embarrass her to death,” Winter warned, wiping her own tears away.

 “Maybe she doesn’t know,” Viper said, trying to hold back his own laughter.

 “She knows. She’s the reason I haven’t Googled it yet. Every time I start to, she distracts me.”

 “What, with a rubber?” Jewell wisecracked, smacking the table with her hand when she couldn’t stop laughing.

 “Viper, don’t worry about investing.” Lucky tried to choke back his laughter. “Looks like we all already own stock.”

Chapter 30

 “Are they having a party tonight?” Willa watched Lily’s reaction as she filled the display with cupcakes.

 Lily looked up from a notebook she was writing inside as she sat on a stool behind the counter. “Yes, The Last Riders have one every Friday night.”

 “Are you going to be there?” Willa tried to pretend she only had a casual interest.

 “No, I don’t have a sitter for John. Shade and I only go about once every month or two.” Lily looked back down at the notebook she was writing in, a blush stinging her cheeks.

 “Oh.” Willa took her time putting the cupcakes in the display, trying to figure out a delicate way to phrase her question, but Lily saved her the trouble.

 “When Shade and I go to the parties, we stay down in the basement, and only a few people come downstairs. They don’t …We mainly hang out and dance.”

 “That sounds like fun.” Willa thought she could handle a night like Lily described. “Do you think Lucky would miss being upstairs during the parties?” Willa closed the display case, sick to her stomach as she waited for Lily’s answer.

 “No, I don’t know of him ever attending the parties. Maybe he goes for a bike ride.”

 “I would like that, too.” Willa gave a relieved laugh. “I was dreading tonight. I’m happy I was worried about nothing.”

 Lily turned sideways on her stool to face her. “Willa, Shade’s always been sensitive to my feelings, and I can’t imagine Lucky doing any less as much as he loves you.”

 “I know he loves me,” Willa said, meticulously cleaning the glass.

 “I can hear you thinking from over here.”

 Willa looked up. “Lily, I don’t feel comfortable talking about sex. My mother always told me good, Christian girls don’t.”

 “Beth and I were raised the same way,” Lily acknowledged, looking down again. “Both of us are married with children, and we don’t discuss sex unless Sex Piston and her crew are around. Even then, it’s usually just making jokes.”

 “I wish I were more like Killyama.”

 Lily nodded her head. “I wish I were more like Sex Piston.”

 “Maybe we could pay them to teach us,” Willa joked.

 “They would do it for free,” Lily replied with a grin.

 “I want to give Lucky what he needs, but I’m … worried that I can’t,” Willa said in all seriousness.

 “You should talk to Lucky. He’s really easy to talk to. When I’m … worried, he always makes me feel better.”

 “Me, too.”

 Lily tilted her head curiously. “Then why haven’t you talked to him?”

 “Because I’m afraid of the answer,” Willa admitted.

 “Well”—Lily stood up and took a five out of her wallet, placed it in the register, and then reached in the display case, taking out two vanilla cupcakes and handing one to Willa—“you might get the answer you don’t want, or you might find out there was nothing to be afraid of.”

 “I’m afraid it will be the former,” Willa said, taking a bite of the cupcake.

 “I was, too. Once, I asked Shade a question I was afraid of the answer to. It took me a long time to work my courage up, and I got the answer I didn’t want.”

 “What happened?”

 Lily stared her directly in the eye. “I realized I wasn’t as afraid of the answer as I thought I would be. The most important part of marriage is trust, and if I give Shade that, then any answer he gives me doesn’t matter.”

 Willa licked frosting off her bottom lip. “How did it work out?”

 Lily gave her a mysterious smile. “It was the best decision I ever made.”

 * * *

 Willa walked into the clubhouse at four-twenty. Her hesitation evaporated when she found the room empty. She was about to go in search of Lucky in the kitchen when she heard someone coming down the steps.