“Yes?”

 “I can’t breathe. Is that normal?”

 Lucky chuckled, rolling off her. His hand gently massaged her back, brushing her damp hair away from her face while he looked down at her, his smile widening.

 “What’s so funny?”

 His humor was beginning to mess with her confidence.

 He rose up, leaned over her, and placed a gentle kiss on the curve of her ass. “Good girls do wear red.”

Chapter 35

 “Is that a new dress you’re wearing?”

 Willa twirled. The black dress that came to her knees was made out of a slinky material that made her feel sexy.

 “Yes, do you like it? I’ve been waiting for it to go on sale forever. I got it for half off.” Willa stood still so her husband could get a good look.

 “I like it.” He came up behind her, staring back at her in the mirror.

 The black dress was simple. The most exciting thing about it was where the top of the dress crossed in the front, leaving a deep V. With her golden cross necklace, it gave the contradictory appearance of both saint and sinner. She was about to take sinner out of the equation.

 Reaching into a drawer, she pulled out a black lace handkerchief, tucking it between her breasts.

 “Siren, you just ruined it, but that’s okay since I won’t be going with you and the other women.” He stepped closer to her back, his hand touching her neck then sliding forward to the deep V.

 “Are you sure you don’t want to go?” Willa asked.

 “Go to Crazy Bitch’s graduation party? Hell no.”

 “I won’t have anyone to dance with,” Willa complained.

 “I’ll dance with you when you get home. If I danced in front of those women, I might not get out alive. I still have nightmares from Beth’s wedding reception.”

 Willa laughed at his expression.

 “It’s Friday night. Are you sure you want to leave me alone with the women?”

 “I trust you.” Willa tucked the handkerchief in more securely.

 “You’re a cruel, cruel woman. Are you wearing my new, red bra?” Lucky tried to snatch the handkerchief but Willa smacked his hand away, stepping quickly out of his reach.

 “Technically, it’s my new, red bra, and yes, I’m wearing it … and the panties that match,” she teased.

 “If I didn’t know Shade was going to be watching you …”

 Willa narrowed her eyes in a mock threat.

 “I would go,” he finished lamely.

 “Shade is so sweet to drive us.”

 “He’s only doing it because Lily wants to go, and I picked you up the last time you all went out drinking,” he reminded her. “I didn’t hear you calling me sweet then,” he said grumpily.

 “The next time it’s your turn to pick us up, I’ll make a note to remind myself. Besides, I don’t drink, and neither does Lily. I only got drunk during my bachelorette party because Penni spiked the lemonade, and she’s not going to be there tonight.”

 “Praise God,” Lucky muttered.

 “I heard that, and it wasn’t nice, but I agree. I don’t ever want to feel the way I did that next morning. It was horrible.”

 When her cell phone dinged with a text message, Willa picked it up, reading it.

 “Shade said to shake my ass; they’re all waiting.”

 “Since when did Shade start texting you?” Lucky tried to take the cell phone, but Willa slipped it inside her purse.

 “Gotta go. I love you, husband.”

 Lucky pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

 “What are you doing?”

 “Telling Shade you’re on your way.”

 Willa shook her head at her husband’s disgruntlement. “Are your fingers crossed?”

 She was still laughing when she went upstairs to see Winter, Beth, Lily, and Rachel were all waiting for her in the kitchen. They were picking Diamond up at her house in town on their way.

 Shade’s expression was impassive as he put his phone back in his pocket.

 “Sorry about that,” Willa apologized, knowing Lucky had sent a nasty message.

 “No problem.”

 She followed the group out of the kitchen, wanting to apologize again, but she decided to let it go. Shade and Lucky shared a complicated relationship. They antagonized each other half the time and took each other’s back the other half.

 She wished Lucky would figure out that most of Shade’s aggravation toward him had to do with helping Lucky release the stress of his PTSD. If it was directed at Shade, it wasn’t directed at himself—which, in some twisted way, worked for Lucky—and Shade had recognized the calming effect it had on him. On a psychological level, Lucky needed The Last Riders; his sanity depended on them.

 Since he had moved back in with The Last Riders, he slept better, and the nights he didn’t, he kept her busy by making love until he was exhausted enough to sleep. It wasn’t perfect, though.

 Sometimes, when they were watching television or each reading, she would catch a sad look on his face and knew he was missing the church, despite the fact that they both attended regularly. The new pastor was good, if a little standoffish, but she got the feeling that Lucky would rather be the one behind the pulpit.

 Diamond was waiting for them when Shade pulled up in Lucky’s Yukon. The women chatted all the way to Jamestown. Lily sat in the front with Shade, their hands clasped on the console.

 Her marriage to Lucky was good. She couldn’t ask for more from a husband or be happier, but Lily’s and Shade’s relationship, she had to admit, made her envious. From the looks of the other women in the vehicle, she wasn’t the only one.

 By the time they arrived, the party at the Destructor’s clubhouse was in full swing. Willa was never good at parties, but with such few men there, she relaxed, especially being surrounded by so many of her friends.

 Stud and another man who bore a resemblance to him were at the bar, drinking beer. Shade joined them while Willa, Lily, and Beth found room at the table Sex Piston, Crazy Bitch, and Killyama were sitting at.

 “About time you all got your asses here.” Crazy Bitch slung back the beer in her hand.

 “Sorry, I was late finishing a cake, and I took a long time getting dressed,” Willa admitted.

 Crazy Bitch waved away her excuses. “That’s okay. You’re rockin’ that dress. Want a beer?”

 “No, thanks. I’ll take a diet soda.”

 Killyama’s chair scraped back as she took the drink orders.

 Willa reached into her pocketbook for some cash.

 “Forget it. It’s a club bar; we don’t pay unless it’s the expensive shit. Then it’s B.Y.O.B. Since we’re celebrating tonight, Stud volunteered to splurge and even buy that.” Sex Piston waved her empty beer bottle at Killyama.

 “Does Stud know?” Crazy Bitch joked.

 “Not yet.” Sex Piston stood up, taking Lily’s hand, and the two went onto the dance floor.