“What did she do to make you so mad?”

 “She knocked Caroline down,” Willa answered, her concern for the little girl alleviated when she saw her standing next to Leanne.

 “Why would she want to hurt Caroline?”

 “She didn’t. She wanted to hurt me.” Willa picked up Caroline, brushing her hair away from her damp cheeks. “You okay, sweetie?”

 Caroline nodded, placing her thumb into her mouth. “I want my blankie.”

 “As soon as we get home,” she promised.

 Lucky buckled the girls in while Willa climbed into the front seat. When Lucky settled into his seat, he paused before starting the SUV.

 “I’ll talk to Jenna and make sure she doesn’t bother you anymore. You don’t have to put up with her much longer. She’s decided to move away.”

 “Don’t bother. It will just make the situation worse. She already thinks I’m the neighbor from Hell. That’s probably why she decided to move.”

 “I doubt that’s the reason, but if she tries to touch you again, she’ll find out exactly what Hell is.” Lucky’s vehemence brought a fleeting moment of concern for Jenna until she realized she was being ridiculous.

 Lucky may have been hanging around The Last Riders lately, but the pastor constantly preached about violence during his sermons. She seriously doubted he could harm a fly. She tried to ignore the voice at the back of her mind that reminded her he had also preached against promiscuity.

Chapter 12

 Lucky walked to the front of the crowded church. With every pew filled, he felt conscience-stricken at the welcome the parishioners were giving him.

 He stopped behind the pulpit and turned to face the expectant crowd, each waiting to hear his sermon. His hands gripped the sides of the wooden pulpit, sliding against the smooth wood that had been rubbed every Sunday by him during his tenure as their pastor. Then his eyes roved over the ones seated in the audience: Winter, Beth, Evie, Lily who was holding her child in her arms. Lucky swallowed hard at her bright smile. He felt his weakest whenever he looked into her violet eyes.

 He would never be the man she thought he was, and he felt like a failure each and every time. Not only because of her, but everyone there who wanted him to provide them with the guidance and ministering they needed. How could he help them find their way when he was more lost than them?

 His eyes came to rest on Willa who had Caroline and Chrissy on each side of her in the front row where he had asked her to sit. Charlie and Leanne completed the picture of a family, one he would never allow himself to have.

 Lucky bowed his head and heard the parishioners mimicking his action. He repeated the same prayer he opened each of his services with then raised his head.

 “I had planned a sermon for today, thanking you for allowing me back into the church. I planned to explain my actions of the past months and ask forgiveness from the Lord and you.” His knuckles whitened from the grip he had on the pulpit.

 “I love being a pastor. I always have. It’s something that I feel driven to do, but at the same time, I’m at war with myself. I want to stay your pastor, but for me to do this, I do not want to be judged by how you believe I should live as a servant of the Lord. Our belief in God is what has brought us here today. If you want to judge me, then do so on my work as your pastor in the past and in the future. If you’re not happy with that, I am useless to this church as the leader it needs.”

 Lucky opened his Bible and began reciting it as he gazed at Willa. She gave him the same timid smile she always gave him then glanced away, as though afraid he would read too much.

 He had spent the night before at her house, playing with the children then getting them ready for bed while she had baked. The smell had filled the house as the children had laughed. It had brought back memories of his own childhood, and he hadn’t been able to bring himself to regret stepping forward so he could keep them safe.

 The Wests sat in the middle of the church, piousness practically oozing out of them, while inside, the ugliness of their souls made him want to have them expelled from the church. He had made a promise never to divulge their secrets, and he wouldn’t, but he had every faith that God’s justice would be waiting for them, just as it was for him.

 He had pretended to be unaffected by Willa, leaving her with a brief goodbye. However, all the while, he had wanted to take her with him to the clubhouse and barricade them in his bedroom until he had found out everything he wanted to know about her.

 How soft were her breasts? Did her mouth really taste as good as he remembered? Would her pussy open to him in need or be tight with trepidation at the pounding he wanted to give her?

 Lucky dragged his mind away from the lust-filled images trying to overtake the holier images that he was trying to convey to the parishioners. He was willing to bet the bike he loved he would gain a more rapt audience if he were to describe the impure desires for Willa he constantly had to fight. Then he concluded the service, motioning for the organ to begin playing. Leaving the podium, he went to Willa, reaching out to take her hand. She shook her head yet rose from her seat.

 “Come stand with me. Leanne, you bring Chrissy, and Charlie, you hold onto Caroline.” The small group went to the doorway and stopped.

 “I can’t do this,” Willa murmured under her breath.

 “Yes, you can. Just smile and I’ll do the rest,” he reassured her.

 The congregation began lining up to speak to Lucky, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Willa give each parishioner a hesitant smile.

 Drake Hall with his son Jace and Jace’s friend Cal were the first ones in line. Drake bent down, giving Willa a kiss on her cheek. “I heard the good news. Congratulations to you both.” Drake reached out, shaking Lucky’s hand. Then the two younger men followed his example. “Willa, why didn’t you tell me you two were seeing each other?”

 “She wanted to make up her mind about continuing to see me. Willa was a hard woman to convince, but I finally managed to get her to admit I would make a good husband.” Lucky winked at Drake, giving the impression that Willa had kept him dangling like a fish on a hook.

 “She’s worth the trouble; that’s for sure.” Drake’s hand tightened on Willa’s, pulling her closer for a hug.

 Lucky’s mouth tightened into a grim line, his arm going around her waist and tugging her away from Drake to his side. “Yes, she is.”

 Drake took the silent hint, moving away with Jace and Cal.

 The women of the congregation moved in next, swarming Willa in a rush of hugs and well wishes.

 “Have you set the date yet?” Winter’s voice could be heard over the rest.

 “No—” Willa began.

 “Yes. November sixteenth. We want to celebrate Thanksgiving Day as a family.”

 The women stared at him in dismay at the close date.

 “That doesn’t give us much time to do any planning.” Beth bit her lip then gave Willa a determined look. “We’ll get it all done. If we can arrange Lily’s wedding on forty-eight hours’ notice, we can make a wedding that you’ll always remember with two weeks to work on it.”