Lucky's Choice(68)

“What the fuck?”

“Sorry, Knox. Glad to see you, brother.” He slapped Knox on the back then placed his arm over the brother’s shoulder, which wasn’t easy. Lucky gave Shade a shit-eating grin as he came outside with Viper trying to hold him back.#p#分页标题#e#

“One of these days, you’re going to push me too far, and I’ll catch your ass before you can get away.”

“Ain’t gonna happen,” Lucky gloated, his expression turning serious once he saw Willa walking from the church parking lot and crossing the street toward him with Ria following next to her.

The expression on Willa’s face was neutral, but the wounded pain in her eyes had him stiffening, his arm dropping from Knox’s shoulder.

“I was about to go inside the church when I saw you.”

Lucky remained silent.

“Hello, Willa,” the other three men greeted.

She nodded her head in their direction.

“Did Travis and the children’s plane get off all right?” Knox questioned.

Willa’s face broke into a pain-filled mask. “Yes, thank you. I just got back.” Her hand holding Ria’s leash thrust toward Lucky. “Here.”

Lucky refused to take the leash from her hand. “She’s your dog.”

Willa dropped the leash. “I told you that it wasn’t your choice. Stay, Ria.” A lone tear slid down her cheek as she began to cross the street.

Lucky started to go after her, but Shade pulled him back. “She’ll come back. Wait.”

Lucky held his breath as Willa stepped up onto the curb on the other side of the road. When she reached her van, her hand was on the door handle before she turned around, coming back toward them.

“I told you I knew Willa,” Shade said softly, his hand dropping from his arm.

She had just stepped off the sidewalk, brushing her tears away, when the sound of a loud motor resonated through the air. Everyone froze except Ria as Lyle’s tow truck came flying down the street.

Lucky and Shade began running but he knew they wouldn’t be able to reach Willa in time. Willa screamed in terror as the tow truck headed straight for her.



“Willa!” Lucky screamed in agony, desperately trying to reach her in time.

 Ria ran out in the street her four legs easily out distancing the men racing to save Willa.

Willa screamed out the command for the dog to stop but Ria kept running, jumping up she knocked Willa backwards onto the sidewalk. The tow truck struck the brave dog before hitting the pole coming to a crashing stop.

“God, please let her be okay … please…” Lucky was unaware of the agony in the prayers falling from his lips as he and Shade ran to the other side of the tow truck. Seeing Willa laying on the ground took twenty years off his life, as he fell to his knees beside her.

Lyle began moving inside the truck, trying to open the truck door.

“Don’t move, Lyle!” Viper shouted to no avail.

The door came open and the town drunk fell out onto the road.

“Go take care of him, before I decide to kill him myself.” Lucky ordered Shade.

 Willa’s frightened eyes opened, staring up into his.

“Is Lyle alright?” She asked shakily.

“For now.” Lucky gritted out helping Willa to her feet.

“Ria!” Willa screamed, trying to get to the dog laying pinned underneath the tow truck.

He swept her up, backing away as fast as he could. “Don’t look, I’ve got you.”

Willa wound her arms tightly around his neck, screaming out Ria’s name. Her hysterical cries brought tears to his own eyes, seeing the dog couldn’t be helped.

Sirens filled the air as the ambulance arrived. Lucky ignored the pandemonium, carrying Willa inside the church while she sobbed, each one like a lash against his soul.#p#分页标题#e#

He talked softly to her as he walked through the church, carrying her to the part that was his home. Lucky laid her down on the bed then lay next to her, pulling her into his arms. He rocked her as she cried, his hands smoothing over her body to soothe her while checking to make sure she was all right.

“Sh … You’re going to make yourself sick,” Lucky whispered.

“Is … Ria dead?”

He knew Willa already knew the answer, but when you loved something, any chance was worth the pain of the answer.

“Yes, Willa, she’s gone. I’m so sorry, baby.”

She lay against his side, crying until she gradually quieted, falling asleep. Lucky continued to hold her as he stared up at the ceiling.

Some choices in life you made for yourself, and some choices were made for you. Seeing Willa nearly killed in the split-second before Ria had saved her had helped him finally make the choice he had been struggling with since the day he had stared down from the pulpit and seen Willa.