“Yeah?”
“Will you stay?”
“I’m not going anywhere, Rachel.”
* * *
When Cash opened Rachel’s hospital door, Shade was waiting on the other side.
“You got my text,” Cash stated.
“Yes. You sure Brooke is the one responsible?”
“We have no concrete proof of the poisoning other than she was there the day the plants disappeared from Mag’s house, but I found the motel her and Lewis were using. She was manipulating the stupid bastard.”
“She’s an expert at that.”
Shade’s grim visage had Cash questioning him.
“What are you going to do?”
“Nothing for now. I can’t take care of personal shit until the mess with Scorpion is cleared up. As soon as it is, I’ll deal with Brooke. I’ll keep Lily home for now. She’s far enough along that she shouldn’t put up too much of a fuss.”
“Good luck; you’re going to need it.”
“Lily won’t jeopardize our baby; she’ll listen.”
“I’ll ask Rachel if she’ll take over the store,” Cash offered.
“Thanks, brother.”
The men shook hands and parted.
Cash went back inside, staring down at Rachel sleeping. Shade was showing more patience than he would have. That crazy bitch was out to kill Lily, and it was going to take someone just as cold-hearted to stop her.
Chapter 33
Monday morning she wasn’t surprised when Cash asked her if she would manage the church store until after Lily’s baby was born.
“Of course.” Rachel was just as concerned for Lily’s safety as The Last Riders. The store was slow right now anyway.
“Is Knox going to arrest Brooke?”
“No. We have no proof. You didn’t see Brooke take the plants, nor did anyone see her put it into the serving she gave Lily. I looked in her kitchen and around the house, but I couldn’t find a trace of the plant to get a search warrant.”
“She’s going to get off scot-free?” Rachel couldn’t believe Brooke was going to get away with almost killing Mag.
“I wouldn’t say that, only that we can’t prove anything in a court of law. If we pressed for a larger investigation, the only tie to the plant is you.”
Shocked, Rachel’s eyes widened. It was true; she had been the one to uproot the plants and bring them into Mag’s home.
“Don’t worry, Rachel. Brooke will get exactly what she deserves soon.”
“Not soon enough,” Rachel complained, furious that the woman had almost killed Mag¸ and if Lily hadn’t had a bout of morning sickness, she would have fallen victim to the crazed woman along with her unborn child.
Cash’s arm circled her shoulders. “Want me to give you a ride to work?”
“No, I can drive.” Rachel started to move away, only to find herself hauled back into his arms.
“Make sure you play it cool with Brooke.”
“I will,” Rachel promised. She would be damned if she would let the woman know they were on to her.
“Good. Now give me a kiss,” he demanded.
“Did none of your women ever complain that you’re bossy?”
“No.” His eyes twinkled down into hers. “When I spanked them, they just wanted me to spank them harder.”
Rachel shivered at his words, at the picture it planted in her mind.
“I need to get to work,” she hurriedly changed the subject.
Cash gave her a brief, hard kiss on her lips. “Hurry home.”
She nodded before fleeing.
She was still staying with Mag. Cash had stayed last night with her in her bed, not wanting her gallivanting through the woods after being released from the hospital. Mag would be a few more days in the hospital before they released her.
Rachel had stopped to see her after she had been released. Mag had been beaming with pleasure at the birth of her great-grandchild. Rachel had been unable to break the news that she wasn’t pregnant to the happy woman. Looking to Cash for help, he had shrugged, ignoring the silent plea. Rachel promised herself that, as soon as she was feeling better, she would gently break the news to her.
It was anticlimactic that the day passed without incident. It wasn’t until she was about to close the store and Pastor Patterson stopped by that she found out Brooke had gone home to visit her mother. Only Cash’s warning had her remaining silent to her pastor of the viciousness his wife was capable of.
She closed the store to find Cash leaning against the side of her car, waiting for her. She looked around to make sure no one was around to hear their conversation.
“Brooke isn’t in town. She went to visit her mother.”
“She’s a smart bitch to get out of town,” Cash stated.
“It was everything I could do not to say something to that poor man. He’s completely clueless.”
“But you didn’t?” he asked sharply.
“No.”
“Good. Let Shade handle it.”
Rachel didn’t believe anyone but the police was capable of dealing with Brooke, but if that was the way they wanted to handle it, she would go along with it. For now.
“What are you doing here?” she asked curiously.
“I thought we would have dinner and hang out tonight at the clubhouse.”
Rachel knew if she and Cash were going to have a relationship then, sooner or later, she was going to have to deal with being there.
“All right. I’ll follow you in my car.”
Cash seemed about to argue with her but changed his mind, getting on his bike.
Rachel dreaded the coming evening and had to bolster her courage for the drive to the clubhouse. As she got out of her car, she noticed construction going on at the end of the factory.
“You’re expanding the factory?” she questioned.
“Yes. Business is doing well, so we thought we would add some more items to our inventory.”
“That’s great, right? Will there be more jobs becoming available?”
“One or two. It’s still in the planning stage.”
“You guys are quick. You already have the walls up,” she complimented, going up the steps to the clubhouse.
The kitchen was full as everyone was in line to eat the buffet of food laid out. Rachel relaxed when she saw Lily, Beth, and Winter. She was suddenly hungry.
Filling her plate with fish and a baked potato, she sat down at the table with her friends and their husbands.
“Thanks for waiting for me,” Cash said sardonically.
“Sorry.” Rachel blushed. She had just been s
o relieved when she had seen her friends that she had wanted to latch on to the safety of their company.
“It’s okay.”
Rachel thought he was trying to convey a silent message to her, which she understood, relaxing against the back of her chair instead of being tense at interacting with the women who had shared a sexual relationship with Cash for so many years.
“How was work today?” Lily asked.
“Fine. It was slow. You would have been bored.”
“It’s better than sitting and watching television all day,” Lily complained.
Rachel caught the entreating gaze she cast Shade, which he ignored impassively, continuing to eat his dinner.
Shade was a hard-ass. She had dealt with him several times when he had purchased weed from her brothers for the club. She had to agree with him, though; Lily was safer away from the church after Brooke’s attempt on her life.
“How’s Mrs. Langley doing?” Rachel asked Beth as she took turns feeding her boys. She hadn’t been able to go by as often since she had moved in with Mag.
“Much better. She’s finally getting over her gallbladder surgery. She actually got in her car the other day to go to the beauty shop.”
“I’m glad.”
After dinner, they went into the room next to the kitchen where there was a large television. Rachel sat next to Cash as the others settled around to watch a movie Train had rented.
She became so engrossed in the movie she barely paid attention as Lily and Beth told her goodnight. Winter and Viper had already gone to bed after they had done the dishes. Rachel liked the way they split up the house duties among them. She was disappointed when the film ended, wanting to watch another.
“It’s bedtime,” Cash said with a leer down at her.
Self-consciously, Rachel got to her feet, realizing they were alone.
“Go on up to my room. I need to check that the alarms are set for the night and all the doors are locked.”
“All right.” Rachel left him in the kitchen, going upstairs. She had to pass several bedroom doors on the way to Cash’s room, where some doors were open. As she passed the first door, a loud moan had her involuntarily glancing inside.
Train was lying on his back with Bliss on top. Rider was on top of Bliss, both men fucking her. Rachel stopped, stunned. She had heard of two men having sex with one woman, but she had never imagined a woman would actually enjoy it. Bliss was ecstatic, her loud moans and enraptured expression leaving no doubt she was experiencing the height of sexual enjoyment. Rachel found herself watching for several moments before she heard a sound from the end of the hall and fled to Cash’s room.