The woman screamed in pain, dropping to her knees.

 “At least you didn’t call me fat this time. I appreciate that.” Willa bent her thumb back farther.

 “You’re going to break my hand,” Jenna sobbed.

 “All it takes to make me stop is one word,” Willa said heartlessly.

 “Sorry! I’m sorry.”

 Her cries made Willa sick. She didn’t want to hurt her, but she was done being treated like a dog from the pound who expected nothing except torture. The confidence in herself that her parents had never instilled in her had developed since her marriage to Lucky. He may not love her, but he had given her one gift—the ability to face fear and to stand up for herself. It was something he was going to regret as soon as she got home.

 Willa released Jenna, watching as she lurched to her feet.

 “I’m going to be sick,” she mumbled, putting her hand over her mouth then running toward the restrooms.

 “I guess she couldn’t handle the pain. It does hurt like a mother.” Sex Piston laughed.

 “Thank you for showing me that move,” Willa toasted Killyama.

 “I told you it would work when Sex Piston showed me that bald spot on your head,” she toasted her back.

 “Do you want to dance some more?” Willa drained her glass, motioning to a pale Jenna coming out of the bathroom to bring her another one.

 “Hell yes, but do you think it’ll be safe to drink anything she brings you.”

 “I don’t plan to drink it. I just wanted to piss her off some more.”

 Willa went to follow Killyama to the dance floor, pausing only long enough to give Shade a firm glance when she saw he had pulled out his cell phone.

 “Don’t even think of giving my husband a heads-up. He told me that you’re really a big softie under that exterior of yours. He told me you cried when you asked him for Lily’s hand in marriage.” Willa crossed her fingers behind her back.

 Lily looked at her husband with tears in her eyes. “You did?” she gushed. “He never told me that. That’s so sweet.”

 Willa had noticed, the madder Shade became, the more impassive he became, and she smiled in satisfaction when he slid the phone back in his pocket. Some of Lucky’s luck was beginning to rub off on her.

Chapter 36

 Lucky looked up from his hand of cards for the fourth time. “Winter text you back yet?”

 “Not yet,” Viper answered impatiently. “I just texted her. Give her time.”

 “They should have been home an hour ago. Willa’s not answered my texts for the last two hours. Shade hasn’t answered … I’m getting worried.”

 “I’m sure they’re fine,” Viper said, throwing a twenty into the pot.

 Lucky absently threw in a twenty then another to raise the stakes.

 “If I had a woman, she would answer my texts.” Rider threw in his money. “She’d know there would be hell to pay if she didn’t.”

 Lucky threw the brother a disgusted look. “How in the fuck do you ever get laid?”

 “The women love me.” Rider’s smug face was nothing but a challenge to Lucky.

 “Tell me one woman who loves you,” Lucky said sarcastically.

 “Willa, she loves me. She told me so, and she wrote me into her will.” Rider flipped him off.

 “Don’t get cocky. She’ll write you out of it next month.” At least she had settled down about changing her will weekly since Diamond had gone up on her rates. Now she only did it every month.

 “Maybe, maybe not. She said she thinks I’m special.”

 “You are. You only have one brain cell left from that weed you smoke, and it’s struggling to survive. She thinks of you like a kid brother,” Lucky mocked.

 “No, she doesn’t. Besides, I’m older than her.”

 “Chronologically, not mentally.”

 Rider looked at him suspiciously. “What in the fuck does that mean?”

 Lucky rolled his eyes. “I rest my case.” He laid his hand of cards on the table, leaning back to gloat a little himself as he raked in his winnings then looked at his cell phone again.

 “Want me to text her?” Rider offered, taking out his cell.

 “If she won’t text me, why would she text you?”

 Rider ignored him, texting Willa.

 A sudden thought came to Lucky’s mind.

 “Why do you have Willa’s number?”

 Rider didn’t look up from texting. “I text her a couple of times a day.”

 “What in the fuck do you text Willa for during the day?”

 “I don’t always text her. Sometimes, she texts me.”

 Lucky decided he was going to have a long talk with his wife when she arrived home.

 “She text anyone else here?” Lucky gazed around the table at the brothers who refused to look at him. He barely looked at the cards that Viper dealt him. Turning in his seat, he looked at Train sitting at the bar, playing with Jewel’s nipple.

 “Does Willa text you?”

 “She has a couple of times.”

 Lucky turned back around, staring down at his cards and frowning. Not paying attention, he bet too much on the hand. Showing his cards, he drank the rest of his beer as Rider smirked, gathering his winnings.

 “Relax, brother, we’re just fucking with you. Guess I’m not as stupid as you thought.” He waved the cash he had just won under his nose.

 The sound of the front door opening was the only thing that saved Rider from the ass-whipping he was about to get.

 Shade walked in with Lily, Winter came in slightly weaving, Beth wasn’t in much better shape, and Diamond and Rachel each seemed sober yet had a glazed look to their eyes. Willa was the last to come in. She had left looking sleek and elegant, but coming back, she looked like a holy mess. Her hair was messed up, one side higher than the other. The handkerchief that had been placed between her breasts was missing, leaving her cleavage on display, and her beauties were barely held in place by the red bra that was showing.

 The other wives went to their husbands, while Willa totally ignored him.

 Winter tugged Viper’s arm. “I’m tired. Let’s go to bed.”

 “You drink some beer?” Viper teased.

 “Yeah, that’s it. Let’s go,” she hissed, nodding her head toward the stairs.

 “O … kay.” Viper went toward the steps with his wife who couldn’t leave the room fast enough.

 “Let’s go, Shade. Stori’s waiting for us, and I need to feed John.” Lily tried to tug her husband along.

 “You go along. I want to drink a beer. You don’t need me to feed John.”

 Lily threw her husband a wild look before fleeing the room.

 Lucky was beginning to have a suspicion that something wasn’t right when Willa, instead of greeting him, went to Moon who was sitting on a chair with Ember sitting on the arm, rubbing her hand under his T-shirt.