Rachel sighed. “Okay.”
“That’s the sister I know and love.” He teased a smile out of her before she disconnected the call.
Changing out of her church clothes, she put on her jeans and t-shirt. As she braided her hair back, she felt much calmer than she had before entering the room. Pulling out her computer, she backed up her notes on her plants. She was very meticulous on keeping up-to-date with the progress of the seedlings.
Afterward, she cooked dinner. Cash didn’t emerge from his room for the rest of the night. Aware of how strong her brothers’ hooch was, she would be amazed if he was able to get out of bed for a couple of days.
Her brothers might have given their approval, but they had made him pay for it.
* * *
“What are you doing?” Rachel came up behind Lily, seeing her trying to slide a chair to the corner.
“I was just trying to make some more room,” Lily explained.
“Shade would be furious if he saw you doing that.”
“Then it’s a good thing he’s not here, isn’t it? You’re not a tattletale, are you?” Lily wrinkled her nose at her.
“Let me catch you moving any more of this heavy furniture, and I’ll call him,” Rachel threatened.
“Okay, okay, you win. I just feel silly asking you to do things that I’m perfectly capable of doing myself.”
“I don’t mind.” Rachel slid the rest of the furniture closer to the wall.
“Lily?” They both jumped when they heard Brooke’s voice behind them.
“Hi, Brooke. What can I help you with?” Lily asked politely.
Rachel walked to the side, moving a headboard casually while listening to their conversation as she worked.
“I’m doing a church Bible group tomorrow, and Willa has several of the texts that we use. Would it be possible for you to pick them up on your way home? The pastor and I are having a dinner tonight with several of the deacons. If you can’t, I suppose…”
“No problem. I don’t mind at all. I’ll enjoy visiting Willa.” Lily smiled.
Willa will be relieved, Rachel thought. The woman would be a nervous wreck waiting for Brooke to arrive.
“Fine, then. That’s a relief. I was nervous about leaving my roast in the oven when I ran out.” Brooke gave them both a practiced smile. “I’m afraid cooking is not where my talents lie.”
“I’m sure you’re an excellent cook,” Lily complimented.
Rachel turned her back so Brooke couldn’t read her expression.
“Thank you, Lily. I better get back to my dinner. I’m making a cobbler for dessert. I’ve never made one before, but it’s Merrick’s favorite, so I thought I would give it a try.”
“I’m sure it will be delicious. I’ll drop the texts off in Pastor Merrick’s office in the morning.”
“Thanks, again. Goodnight, Lily, Rachel.”
The girls both told her goodbye, watching her leave in her expensive dress and high heels.
“You just saved Willa’s ass,” Rachel told her, coming to stand next to her.
“I know. I knew Willa would prefer me picking the books up. I’m supposed to meet Beth after work to go shopping, though. I’ll have to call her and tell her I’ll be late.”
“I could do it for you. I’m not doing anything. You could even leave early if you want,” Rachel offered.
“I may take you up on that. Beth will be waiting with the twins.”
“It all works out perfect, then.”
* * *
Three hours later, Rachel closed the church store. Her car was steaming hot, so she took off the lightweight jacket she had put over her dress. The church and the store always remained uncomfortably cool since Merrick had taken over. The mornings were the worst when she opened the store, the frigid air hitting her as she entered. She had mentioned it hesitatingly to the pastor, and he had told her he kept the air on the same setting as always, but he’d agreed it was cold also. He had promised to get Brooke to call the repairman, but that had been over a week ago. Rachel promised herself, if it wasn’t repaired soon, she would call the repairman on her own.
She made a left onto Willa’s street and saw Lewis’s car. When she had called earlier to tell her she was stopping by, she hadn’t mentioned Lewis would be there. Looking at her watch, she realized he must have just gotten off work.
Rachel parked her car next to his vehicle, careful not to block him in. Willa would probably thank her for stopping by and getting rid of the overbearing man.
As she drew closer to the door, she heard a scream from inside. Not bothering to knock, she flung the door open. Rachel let out a scream of her own when she saw Lewis had his belt off and was whipping Willa with it. Fury soared through her.
She ran toward him as he lifted the belt to strike Willa again, and without thinking, she pushed him away from Willa.
“Don’t you dare touch her again!” she screamed at him.
Lewis stared angrily at Rachel. “Get the fuck out!” He came toward her with the belt raised and Rachel froze. She wasn’t going to let him scare her.
“Willa, get up and go call Knox now.”
When Lewis swung back toward Willa, Rachel’s words stopped him cold. “If you lay another hand on her or me, my brothers will kill you. I’m going to be real fair to you, Lewis, and tell you that you have three days to get out of town before I tell my brothers what happened here.”
“I’m not afraid of your fucked-up brothers,” Lewis snarled.
“Then it’s your life to kiss goodbye. Because I’m telling you, when Greer hears what you were doing in here, he’s going to kill you for thinking you could raise a belt to me and get away with it.”
Willa tried to shuffle to the side, but Lewis bent down and jerked her to her feet by her blond hair.
“You stupid cunt. Go sit down on the couch until I’m ready to deal with you.”
“Stop it, Lewis. Rachel can leave, and we can sit down and talk.”
Lewis’s hand flung out, backhanding Willa across the cheek, knocking her down to the floor. His foot then kicked her sharply in the stomach.
“You fat-ass bitch! I don’t know why I want you anyway,” he snarled.
Rachel lost control of her temper.
“You son of a bitch.” She flung herself at him when he drew his foot back to kick Willa again. Rachel pummeled him with her fists wherever she could strike. When he tried to grab her hands, she raked her nails down his face before he could get a tight grip. Her legs kicked at him, desperately trying to nail him in his groin.
However, as his fist came out, striking her in the stomach, her breath left her in a rush as she fell to her knees. She tried to gasp for breath but couldn’t get it back. Lewis’s hand struck her cheek, knocking her to the floor. Before she could get her breath back, he was on top of her. His face was filled with fury, all control lost.
His hands went to her throat, tightening into a grip that took what little oxygen she had left. Black dots filled her vision as his triumphant face loomed over her.
A sudden, loud pop had Lewis falling to the side, blood gushing from his chest.
It took several seconds before Rachel could get her breath back enough to rise up on her elbow.
Willa was standing in her kitchen doorway, holding a gun in her hand. Rachel turned her head to the side, seeing Lewis’s blank stare at the ceiling.
Rachel heard Willa’s frightened wh
imper and forced herself to sit the rest of the way up. Managing to get to her knees, she crawled toward Willa, who had blood coming out of her nose and a swollen cheek.
“Willa, it’s okay.” Rachel gingerly reached out to take the weapon from her, placing it carefully on the floor next to her.
“I killed him.” Her horrified whisper broke Rachel’s heart.
“If you hadn’t, he would have killed me,” Rachel soothed her. “What set him off?”
“I don’t know. He came banging on my door. I had forgotten to lock it after my last delivery, and he came in before I could stop him. He was in a rage when he got here.”
Tears were pouring down her cheeks as she began trembling. Rachel knew shock was setting in.
“Where’s your phone? I’ll call Knox.”
Willa looked wildly around before managing to point to her purse. Rachel got to her feet, feeling every sore muscle in her body. Opening Willa’s purse, she called the Sheriff’s office, explaining what had happened. She disconnected the call when the dispatcher said Knox was in route.
Rachel went back to Willa, sitting down next to her on the floor, placing her arm around her trembling shoulders.
“I’m going to burn in Hell for killing a man.” Willa covered her hands with her face.
“The only one who’s going to Hell is Lewis.”
Chapter 23
Rachel sat in Knox’s office as he questioned Willa in the interrogation room. She hoped he didn’t traumatize the woman any further than she was.
She looked up expectantly when the door opened to see Cash come in.
“You all right?” His concerned gaze had her nodding. Somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to be upset that Lewis was dead.
Her brothers came in the door behind him. Unlike Cash, they were furious.
“It’s a good thing he’s dead—”
“Greer, calm down. It’s all over, and I’m not hurt. The best thing is that he’s not going to hurt Willa anymore.”
Tate pulled her out of the chair and into his arms. “I’m happy that you were there for Willa, but I lost ten years off my life when Knox called and told me what happened.”
“I’m fine, Tate.” She circled his waist.