"No, thanks. I'll take a diet soda."

Killyama's chair sc.r.a.ped 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 s.h.i.t. Then it's B.Y.O.B. Since we're celebrating tonight, Stud volunteered to splurge and even buy that." s.e.x Piston waved her empty beer bottle at Killyama.

"Does Stud know?" Crazy b.i.t.c.h joked.

"Not yet." s.e.x Piston stood up, taking Lily's hand, and the two went onto the dance floor.

Willa watched, surprised at the natural way Lily moved on the dance floor, although s.e.x Piston danced exactly how she imagined she would. Her sensuality made her glad Lucky had stayed home. The other women gradually began going to the dance floor until Willa was sitting at the table alone.

"Why aren't you dancing?" Killyama asked, setting the drinks down on the table.

The woman trailing behind her set the rest on the table. Willa thought she looked familiar in the dim light. When she straightened, Willa wanted to leave.

"h.e.l.lo, Jenna."

Jenna walked off without acknowledging her.

"What bee crawled up her a.s.s?" Killyama's angry frown made Willa even more uncomfortable.

"She doesn't like me. She's Lucky's ex-girlfriend."

"Don't let that club wh.o.r.e ruin your night. Get your a.s.s up," she ordered.

Willa wasn't left with a choice. She rose at the woman's demand and found herself dragged to the middle of the dance floor.

Willa had one of the best times of her life. The biker women were such vivacious dancers that it was easy not to feel self-conscious. Eventually she relaxed, forgetting Jenna was in the clubhouse.

After an hour, she managed to escape Killyama and Crazy b.i.t.c.h, who were both dancing with her, to return to the table to rest and take a drink of her soda.

"You want another one?" Crazy b.i.t.c.h asked, sitting down at the table and fanning herself.

"No, thanks."

"You should have what I'm having." Crazy b.i.t.c.h pushed her drink toward her.

"What is it? I don't drink alcohol."

"It's a Long Island Iced Tea," Crazy b.i.t.c.h said, starting to take it back.

"I like tea."

Willa was hot and thirsty, and her diet soda was hot and tasted terrible. Before Crazy b.i.t.c.h could take it back, she took a drink of the icy beverage.

"This is delicious," Willa said.

Crazy b.i.t.c.h started to say something, but the man coming toward their table distracted both women.

"You going to dance with me tonight, Crazy b.i.t.c.h?"

The woman leaned back in her seat, critically surveying the good-looking man who was confidently waiting for her reply.

"Calder, I'm never going to be drunk enough to dance with you. Why don't you ask that wh.o.r.e behind the bar to dance with you?"

"Why do you always have to be a f.u.c.king b.i.t.c.h to me?" The man's face grew angry at her rejection.

"Three reasons, Calder." Crazy b.i.t.c.h raised one finger. "Because you're a d.i.c.k." Another finger went up. "Because you f.u.c.k anything that moves with that d.i.c.k." A third finger went up. "Because I already got rid of one d.i.c.k and don't need another to replace him."

The man spun on his booted heel.

Crazy b.i.t.c.h waved her fingers at his departing back. "Bye, d.i.c.k."

Willa took another long drink of the tea, not wanting to laugh at the man's injured pride.

"I wish I could do come-backs that good. I get tongue-tied and cry."

"f.u.c.k crying. It's never solved a f.u.c.king thing. My boot up someone's a.s.s, on the other hand, has solved several problems of mine." Crazy b.i.t.c.h stood up. "Want another?"

"Yes, please. I need to get the recipe and make a pitcher for the clubhouse. I'm sure they'll like it."

"I am, too, since it has-"

"b.i.t.c.h, what's taking you so long?" Killyama asked, motioning for her to come back onto the dance floor.

Willa jumped up, going back to dance with her.

Three songs later, they all groaned when someone slipped a slow song into the playlist. The floor emptied out. Willa sank back on her chair, picking up her tea as Lily and Beth both sat down. It didn't take Shade long to take a seat next to his wife, bringing her a gla.s.s of the tea she was drinking.

"It tastes good, doesn't it?" she asked Lily after she took a drink.

"I love tea. s.e.x Piston makes sure she stocks it behind the bar when she knows I'm coming."

"I hope it's all right that Crazy b.i.t.c.h gave me some, too."

Lily looked at her strangely. "That's not-"

Jenna set down beers in front of s.e.x Piston, Killyama, and Diamond who flopped down next to Willa. When she finished, she started to leave then paused, staring down at Willa with a fake smile of friendliness that didn't fool her.

"Thought I'd save Crazy b.i.t.c.h the ha.s.sle of going to the bar for refills. How's business going, Willa?"

"Fine," Willa answered warily, taking another drink of her tea nervously. She had been the victim of bullying too many times not to see it coming. Jenna wasn't the type to do anyone a favor. Her sole intention of coming to the table had been to get in her face.

"If you want, I can write down my recipe for frosting."

"Why would she want your f.u.c.king recipe? How hard is it to open a can?" Crazy b.i.t.c.h snickered, which only made Jenna angrier.

"It must be pretty d.a.m.n good for Lucky to say it tasted better than Willa's when he licked it off my t.i.ts."

All the smiles at the table disappeared.

Willa tried to keep her face impa.s.sive so Jenna wouldn't know the hurt she had inflicted, but the woman wasn't done.

"Lucky enjoying riding that bike he won off Rider?"

Although Willa had noticed that Lucky was riding a bike other than his red one, she had a.s.sumed it was a club bike.

"I think it's hilarious as s.h.i.t that he's riding a bike he won betting Moon he would ride you first."

"He made a bet with Moon that he would have s.e.x with me first?"

"Yes. Of course, both agreed to let the other f.u.c.k you when they got you in the club."

Willa looked across the table at Shade and knew Jenna was telling the truth. Her perfect world tilted off its axis.

Over the span of her life, Willa had been the recipient of many hurtful comments, too many to count. However, none had ever hurt to the degree that Jenna had just inflicted.

Shade started to say something, but Willa shook her head. She didn't need him to defend her nor the women who had heard the insult. She didn't need anyone to defend her, not anymore.

"Lucky may have gotten the motorcycle, but I got the ring." Willa lifted up her hand, flashing the big, pink diamond that was on her wedding finger.

Jenna's face flushed angrily.

"The only thing you ended up with was another club to wait on. This time, without getting paid, and the men certainly don't have to make a bet to have you. They don't even have to ask, do they?"

Jenna's hand went to her hair, nearly jerking her out of her chair, but Willa had been prepared for her reaction. It wasn't the first time her hair had been used as a weapon against her.

Willa braced herself, taking the pain before her hands went to Jenna's, finding her thumb and bending it back mercilessly.

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." s.e.x Piston laughed.

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

"I told you it would work when s.e.x Piston showed me that bald spot on your head," she toasted her back.

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

"h.e.l.l 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 p.i.s.s 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 impa.s.sive 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 h.e.l.l to pay if she didn't."

Lucky threw the brother a disgusted look. "How in the f.u.c.k 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 c.o.c.ky. 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."