Cash's Fight(65)

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.
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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 whimper 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.