Lucky's Choice (5 page)

Willa turned away, not wanting the children to see her blinking back tears that were not only from frustration but exhaustion.

“Willa?” Leanne’s worried voice had her turning back to the children, pasting a composed expression on her face.

“Charlie, help the girls get cleaned up in the bedroom while I straighten up the living room. Leanne, can you pick up the decorating bag and place the items on the counter? They’ll have to be washed.”

Leanne began picking up the markers. “I’m sorry, Willa. I should have paid more attention to what they were doing.”

Sissy made no attempt to help her sister. Her stubbornness, surely a result of the traumatic adjustment she was going through. It had to be hard on the girl losing her mother, then her uncle, and then being forced to live with the woman who had killed him.

“Are you finished with your homework, Sissy?”

“As much as I can do on my own. I’m not good in chemistry.” She snapped the computer closed, carelessly tossing it onto the couch.

“After I finish dinner, I could help you…”

Sissy snorted. “How could you help me? You’re a stupid, fat cow!”

Willa flinched, but she didn’t let her expression betray her hurt.

“A friend of mine is very good in chemistry. I could call her and ask if she would be willing to help,” Willa offered.

“Who?” Sissy asked suspiciously.

“Rachel Adams.”

“That’s Jace’s cousin.”

Willa saw the first spark of interest in the girl since she had moved in her home.
Leave it to a male to accomplish what I can’t,
Willa thought.

“Yes. Would you like me to call her?”

Sissy tried to unsuccessfully appear disinterested. “Whatever.”

“I’ll call as soon as I finish picking up.”

Sissy began to put away Charlie’s game controllers then helped Leanne without Willa having to urge her. When the living room was done, and she had settled the little ones in the backyard to play with the cat she had adopted, she placed the call to Rachel.

“Hello.”

“Hi, Rachel, this is Willa. I hate to ask, but I have a favor if you’re not too busy.”

“Not at all. What do you need?”

“I was wondering if you would be able to help Sissy with her chemistry homework tonight. I know it’s an imposition at this late notice.”

“I’m sitting here, bored to death while Cash is working late at the factory. I can be there in thirty minutes.”

“Thanks, Rachel.”

“No problem. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Willa hung up and glanced at a waiting Sissy. “She’ll be here in thirty minutes.”

Sissy nodded then went back inside the house without a thank you, wearing the same expression of dislike that she constantly wore.

Willa played with the children outside for twenty minutes then hustled them inside so she could finish dinner.

She was wiping Caroline’s face off when the doorbell rang. She went to answer the door, but Sissy was already opening it.

“Hi, Rachel. I really appreciate you helping Sissy.”

Rachel came inside with a bright smile on her face, relieving Willa of the thought that she had possibly put her out.

“I was only watching some television, Willa. I don’t mind at all.”

Willa left Rachel and Sissy alone as she went to the kitchen, afraid she would draw a sharp comment from Sissy. She let the children play at the table with the Play-Doh she kept on hand for the girls to keep them busy when she was baking so as not to disturb the tutoring session.

She fixed dinner plates for the children, sitting at the table with them while they ate. The younger girls played with their food more than they ate, but Willa didn’t force them to finish their food. Charlie finished his plate, even asked for seconds. The children were each so different it kept Willa on her toes to keep them satisfied.

When Charlie finished, she took them upstairs and readied them for bed. The girls were yawning, while Charlie was fighting bedtime. Willa let them all lie on her bed and put on their favorite show as she lay and watched it with them. Chrissy fell asleep, cuddled next to her, while Caroline and Charlie watched the program.

Once it was over, she put the girls in bed before checking on Charlie. She pulled his covers up from the bottom of the bed, covering the boy who was staring up at her.

“Willa, I’m sorry I gave the girls the bag. I wanted to play my game, and they were bugging me.”

Willa smiled down reassuringly at the sleepy-eyed boy. “It was Sissy and Leann’s responsibility to watch you and the girls. You’re a little young to be a babysitter. But I do want you to be more careful with what you give them, Charlie.”

“I will. I promise.”

“I’ll take that promise and give you one in return. I won’t leave the girls with you anymore without a responsible adult.” Willa made the vow to herself and Charlie, always learning from her mistakes.

“Are you mad at Leanne and Sissy?”

Willa shook her head. “I don’t get mad. I just want to take care of you and your cousins.”

Charlie’s eyes drooped as she turned out his light, closing the door softly as she left.

Willa knocked on Leanne’s door, opening it when she heard the girl’s reply. The fifteen-year-old was sitting at the desk Willa had purchased for her.

“It’s almost bedtime.”

“I’m almost finished. I was about to take my shower.”

When Willa turned to leave, she saw that Leanne was about to say something, but didn’t. The girl knew she had made a mistake, yet like her older sister, she wasn’t ready to take responsibility for the house being in chaos when Willa returned.

“Good night, Leanne.” Willa left, wishing the girl would learn to trust her. It was going to take time, and Willa realized the adjustment was clearly as difficult for her as for Sissy. Just because she was the least troubled, it didn’t mean her emotions weren’t in turmoil.

Willa went down the steps as Sissy and Rachel were closing the laptop.

“Thanks, Rachel.” The friendly tone in the usually abrasive girl had Willa raising her brow.

“Sissy, I left a plate for you in the kitchen,” Willa told her, hoping her better mood would save her from another of Sissy’s stinging retorts.

“I’m not hungry.” Sissy brushed past her as she went to the steps.

Willa moved to the side of the couch, seeing Rachel’s concerned gaze. It was the same expression everyone always gave her. They believed she was weak and helpless. She wasn’t, though. She simply didn’t like confrontations, preferring to go out of her way to avoid them, but that didn’t make her a wimp. It made her cautious.

“Is there anything else I can do to help out?” Rachel offered.

“No, I have everything under control.” Willa kept her voice firm.

“All right then. Don’t hesitate to call if you do. I imagine it can be overwhelming with five children and a business to run. I don’t mind pitching in if you need me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Willa walked Rachel to the door where Rachel paused with a confused frown directed at her.

“Can I ask why you didn’t help Sissy?”

“She didn’t think I could.” Willa refused to show that her feelings had been hurt by a teenager. After all, everyone knew teenagers were difficult to deal with.

Willa tried to be understanding. If Sissy needed to spill her venom in her direction, then she could tolerate it until her relative could be found.

“You didn’t tell her that you won the science award four years in a row?”

“Sissy wanted you. I think she wanted an in with your cousin Jace.”

Rachel shuddered. “She asked me several questions about him, which I avoided. Those two together would not be good.”

Willa stiffened. “You think Sissy would be a bad influence on Jace?”

Rachel shook her head, laughing, and then placed her hand on her arm. “Relax, mother hen. Jace would be a bad influence on Sissy. Drake is constantly getting him out of trouble.”

“In that case, I agree.” Willa smiled back. “The last thing I need is to deal with a teenager whose hormones are going crazy over a bad boy.”

“Take it from me; some bad boys are worth the trouble,” Rachel quipped.

“I’ll take your word for it.” Willa said tiredly, already thinking of the baking she was going to have to do before she could go to bed.

A strange look crossed Rachel’s face. “I have a feeling you’re going to find out for yourself.” Her hand dropped to her side when Willa took a step back. “Goodnight.”

Willa closed the door after Rachel left, shivering at Rachel’s words. She didn’t need any more trouble in her life. She was almost at her breaking point.

“God, if you’re listening, please … please let me get these children settled before anything else can go wrong. If not, then give me the strength to bear whatever you have in store for me because, from that look on Rachel’s face, I’m going to need all the help I can get.”

*
*
*

Lucky stared out the window into the darkness of the mountains, seeing a lone figure walking across the backyard. He watched as Lily stood, staring out at the mountains with her head bowed, and he felt a lump rise in his throat. No other parishioner had more faith than the woman who was obviously praying.

As a flicker of movement caught his attention, he turned his gaze to where Shade stood in the shadows of the gazebo, keeping his wife within view. Lucky’s mouth quirked. The lucky bastard kept Lily on a tight leash she was unaware of, or if she was, she didn’t mind. Lucky hadn’t figured out which one it was yet.

“You done?”

Rider’s question drew his focus back toward the bed he had just left.

“Not yet.”

Indifferently, Lucky stared at the woman lying on the bed, sucking Rider’s cock. Her body bore the marks of the rough sex he enjoyed, her ass bright red from his hand.

At his words, her gaze met his with trepidation. The woman hadn’t even blinked one of her impossibly long, fake eyelashes when he had asked if she wanted Rider to join them.

Lucky felt his tired cock twitch. The way she looked at him reminded him of Willa—fear and need intermingled. In Anna’s eyes, need reigned supreme, while Willa’s fear always had the upper hand when he was around.

Lucky let the curtain drop back in place, squelching the internal struggle he fought daily. He went to the bed, staring down at Anna sucking Rider’s dick, his own hardening and jutting upward. Leaning down, he moved his hand through her hair, pulling it back and forcing her to release the cock she had been eagerly enjoying.

“Dammit, Lucky, I was about to come!” Rider complained.

“Did I tell her to let you come?”

Rider’s head fell back against the headboard. “Brother, you’re killin’ me.”

They had begun the night in his room then made their way to the main floor for a few beers before heading upstairs to Rider’s room. Lucky made sure to leave the door open for anyone else who wanted to join in the impromptu orgy.

Viper secluded Winter in his bedroom whenever Lucky wanted to play since he was still uncomfortable to do so in front of her, but not to the extent he was with Lily. Therefore, the night had been a much needed release from the façade he still presented in front of Lily.

Lucky refused to admit to himself that guilt was the reason. He wasn’t the man Lily believed he was, and he never would be.

Lucky reached over to the night table beside Rider’s bed. Picking up the red candle, he held it over the blonde staring up at him cautiously. Her hand went behind her back to cover one rosy cheek.

“What’s your safe word?” Lucky took a step back from the bed, giving her space to make up her mind. “You just want to fuck? ‘Cause we don’t have to play if you’ve had enough.”

“Fire.” She licked her bottom lip. “I want to play, and I never have enough.”

I would bet my last paycheck on that statement being true
, he thought cynically.

Lucky tipped the candle, the hot wax slipping over the edge and dripping onto her stomach in a stream which trickled toward her cunt, stopping a centimeter from the fleshy lips, making the woman moan in ecstasy.

Lucky set the candle back onto the nightstand before reaching for the lethal looking knife he had placed there earlier. Expertly, he leaned over Anna, letting the tip of the knife rest against the base of her throat before sliding it down between her breasts toward her stomach without leaving so much as a scratch on her flesh. When he came to the line of wax, the knife slipped under it, removing it deftly and leaving behind a faint red line.

The hand holding the knife went upward before striking downward, burying the knife in the mattress between her splayed thighs, a hairsbreadth from her glistening pussy.

“Fuck, Lucky, you’re going to ruin my mattress.”

Lucky rose, lifting a brow at Rider’s hand on his cock as he tried to give himself the orgasm Lucky had interrupted.

Anna’s eyes narrowed in jealousy as Raci and Jewell strode in barely clothed and jumped on the bed.

Lucky made a couple of tsk sounds at the woman’s reaction. “I told you not to put your mouth on him. You were supposed to use your hand. Rider can’t resist coming in a woman’s mouth.”

His hands went to her thighs, tugging her downward until her clit rested against the hilt of the knife.

“Am I playing or watching?” Raci asked, staring enviously at Anna.

“Playing. Rider could use some help.” Lucky mocked Rider’s frustrated groan.

The brother was putty in a woman’s hand when she had her mouth on his dick, and Lucky had wanted to make sure the brother’s dick would be too sore from the hand jobs to ride his bike for a week, much less chase after Willa.

Raci immediately crawled toward Rider, hooking a knee over his hip before sliding her pussy down on his cock that he had rolled a condom onto before taking her hips and slamming his dick deep inside of her.

“What about me?” Jewell pouted.

“Have I ever left you out?” Lucky reached beside Anna, dragging Jewell across the bed toward him until she was hanging off the side of the bed. He reached for a condom on the nightstand, expertly sliding it on his thick cock.

If he and Rider fucked anymore tonight, they were going to have to grab more condoms from one of the other brothers.