Widow's Undoing

by L. Wilder

  “Seriously? They never mentioned it to me!”

  “I told them I was giving you time.” He eased over and kissed me on the temple. “Told them you wanted to take things slow and all that.”

  “So, you’re good with moving in?”

  “Hell, yeah.” A smirk crossed his handsome face. “I’ve been wooing you for months now trying to get ya to come around.”

  “Wooing me? Is that what you’ve been doing?”

  “Apparently, I’m not as good at it as I’d hoped.”

  “You’re very good at it.” I slipped my arms around his neck, pulling him towards me. “I’m ready. I’ve been ready.”

  “So, we’re gonna do this thing?”

  “Yeah, Roman. We’re gonna do this thing.”

  He crashed his mouth down on mine, kissing me with all the love and emotion he had bottled inside of him, and as I kissed him back, I knew I’d found my person. Roman wasn’t just my boyfriend and lover. He was my best friend, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life loving him the way he loved me.

  Epilogue

  Widow

  Three Years Later

  Corry’s big day had arrived. He was finally graduating from high school—a day he swore would never come. Being a typical eighteen-year-old male, he thought time passed too slowly, and his senior year was just dragging on. I, on the other hand, thought time had flown by. It seemed like only yesterday that I was pulling off on the side of the road to help Frankie. Back then, I only had my brothers and an occasional phone call to my mother and brother. Now, I had it all—Frankie, Corry, Sean, and our two-year-old son, Jackson. My life was complete which was something I hadn’t expected at my age.

  I’d just gotten Jackson dressed for graduation, and he was looking like a million bucks. His crystal blue eyes seemed even bluer with the little grey dress shirt and khaki shorts his mother had picked out. He was feeling quite proud of his new outfit and was all smiles as we went to find his mother. I went to our bedroom and bathroom, and when I couldn’t find her there, I checked the kitchen and the boys room. She was nowhere to be found, so after checking the bathroom one last time, I went to check outside. I opened the back door and called out, “Frankie?”

  When I didn’t get a response, I shifted my hold on Jackson and started down the steps. As soon as I got to the doorway of the garage, I called out to her again, “Frankie?”

  Still no answer. I was just about to turn around and go back inside when I was hit with a whiff of cigarette smoke, which had me heading out to the front yard. I walked over to the bushes by the front steps, and sure enough, Frankie was there puffing away on a cigarette. When she spotted me standing there with Jackson, she immediately tossed it on the ground and stomped it out with her foot. “I know. I know. I’m just having a hard time with all this graduation stuff.”

  “Why the hard time?”

  “Because my oldest baby is leaving me, and I’m not sure if I’m ready for him to go.”

  “He’s not leaving you, Frankie. He’s going to be here all summer, and even when he goes to college, he’s just going to MTSU. He’ll be like thirty minutes away.”

  She stepped out of the bushes as she said, “He’s still leaving.”

  “He’ll be back.” I cocked my eyebrow as I told her, “Didn’t know you still had a stash.”

  “Momma,” Jackson cried as he extended his hands towards Frankie.

  “I didn’t either until I went and looked, but don’t worry. It was my last one.” She took him into her arms and smiled. “Well, don’t you both look handsome.”

  “I think we cleaned up pretty well.”

  “That you did.” When she started back towards the garage, she asked, “You talk to your mother? Are she and Madden going to make it today?”

  “Already told ya not to get your hopes up about that.”

  “I know, and I haven’t. I just wanted to be sure she knew we wanted her to be there.”

  “I called her and told her all about it. She said she’d try, which you know means she isn’t gonna make it.” I shrugged. “Madden has to take one of the kids to some birthday party, so they aren’t coming either. But Menace and Rafe are coming. Pretty sure Country is, too.”

  “That’s awfully sweet of them.” When we got back inside, she handed Jackson back over to me and said, “Let me grab my purse, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  “Okay. I’ll let Sean and Corry know it’s time to go.”

  We got the boys loaded up and headed over to the high school for graduation. Just as I’d expected, Mom didn’t make it. Marc and his better half were there, but sat off to their own, making sure to keep their distance. I was pleased to see that Menace and Rafe showed up with Country in tow. Even Doc and Hawk tagged along with Marlowe and Remington. They’d all come to show their support, and it meant the world to us both, especially me. Frankie was a crying, blubbering mess all through the graduation proceedings. I don’t know what I would’ve done if Marlowe and Remington hadn’t been there to console her.

  I’d tried to ease her mind about Corry going off, but I hadn’t been able to get through to her like they had. She wiped away her tears and was actually smiling when Corry stepped up on the stage and took his diploma. We all clapped and cheered, calling out his name like he’d just won the fucking lottery. I had no doubt we’d embarrassed the hell out of him, but he knew we were there, and we loved him. That’s all that really mattered. When the graduation was over, Corry came rushing over to us. As soon as he’d said a polite but brief thank you to everyone for coming, he turned to Frankie and said, “Sean and I are heading over to Joseph’s. We’re gonna eat there, and then, I’m heading to Emma Grace’s house for the graduation party. I’ll drop Sean off on my way over.”

  “So, y’all aren’t going to eat with us?”

  “Come on, Mom. We can eat with y’all any time.”

  “But this is your special day.”

  “Yeah, I know.” He shrugged and smiled as he told her, “That means we can go, right?”

  “Yeah, but you both owe me a dinner tomorrow night.”

  “Sure thing.” He gave her a big hug then said, “I’ll be home by one.”

  “By twelve-thirty, Corry.”

  “Fine. Twelve-thirty.”

  He was about to turn to leave when I called out to him, “Corry?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Remember the rules,” I ordered.

  “I know. No drinking and driving.” He smiled as he said, “You might wanna make sure you keep your phone on tonight.”

  We knew there would be times when they’d find themselves in a predicament, so I told them I would pick them up anywhere and at any time of night without any questions. All they had to do was call. I gave him a nod as I said, “I definitely will. You just be careful.”

  “Will do.” He stopped and studied me for a moment, then walked over and wrapped his arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. “Thank you, Ro. Thank you for everything.”

  Before I had a chance to respond, he let go and ran off to join his buddies. I stood there for a second, trying to swallow the knot that had formed in my throat. Frankie slipped her arm around my waist as she whispered, “The boys are very lucky to have you.”

  I looked down at her and Jackson, and my chest tightened as I told her, “I’m the lucky one. Make no mistake about that.”

  We thanked everyone for coming, then gathered up Jackson and headed back to the house. Once we had him down for the night, Frankie came into the kitchen and stood in front of me, looking at me with nothing but love in her eyes. “I wanted to thank you for tonight. Actually, I want to thank you for all the nights ...and all the early mornings and long afternoons. You being there has meant so much to me and to the boys.”

  She brought her hands up to my face, pulling me close as she pressed her lips against mine. I’d never dreamed I could be as content as I was with her, but I was. I truly was. Frankie was my everything. I pulled back and looked down at her as I said, “Ther
e’s no place I’d rather be.”

  “You know...we’ve got some time before Corry drops off Sean.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Um-hmm.” She started to step backwards, smiling mischievously as she whispered, “Bedroom?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  Like two horny teenagers, we rushed to the bedroom, eagerly kissing and pawing at each other like we hadn’t just had sex the night before. “How long do you think we have before Sean gets home?”

  “An hour?” She quickly unzipped her dress and let it drift aimlessly to the floor, then watched eagerly as I freed myself from my jeans and boxers. “Maybe longer.”

  As I stood there looking at her gorgeous blue eyes and sexy smile, I couldn’t imagine loving her more. My eyes zeroed in on her hands as she reached behind her and unhooked her lace bra. She took her time letting the straps cascade down her shoulders and slowly down her arms, revealing her perfect breasts in her own time and way. Damn. She knew just how to torture me in all the right ways.

  Unable to resist a moment longer, I stepped towards her and pressed my mouth against her. Her lips were so soft, so warm, and as her tongue brushed against mine, a deep moan vibrated through my chest. My hands became possessive, roaming, squeezing, and pulling her tightly against me. Damn. I’d never get enough of this woman. Never.

  Turned out, taking a chance on her was the best decision I’ve ever made.

  I hadn’t just found the love of my life.

  I’d found my home.

  The End

  More from the Ruthless Sinners coming soon.

  Be sure to check out the excerpt from Holding On after the acknowledgments.

  Acknowledgments

  If you or someone you know has had issues with domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

  I am blessed to have so many wonderful people who are willing to give their time and effort to making my books the best they can be. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to breathe life into my characters and share their stories with you. To the people I’ve listed below and so many others, I want to say thank you for taking this journey with me. Your support means the world to me, and I truly mean it when I say I appreciate everything you do. I love you all!

  PA: Natalie Weston

  Editing/Proofing: Rose Holub-Proofer, Marie Peyton-Proofer

  Promoting: Amy Jones, Veronica Ines Garcia, Neringa Neringiukas, Whynter M. Raven

  BETAS: Amanda Quiles, Tawnya Rae, Jessey Elliott, and Sherie Kaminsky Scott

  ARC Readers: Bloggers and L. Wilder’s Reader group

  Street Team: All the wonderful members of Wilder’s Women (You rock!)

  Best Friend and biggest supporter: My mother (Love you to the moon and back.)

  Excerpt from Secrets We Keep- Ruthless Sinners Book 3

  Prologue

  I was just sixteen years old when I saw them for the first time. I was in the doorway of my garage, helping my ol’ man patch a flat tire on my Kawasaki Vulcan. It was my first motorcycle, and while it was no Harley, I was proud to call it mine. Hell, I’d just about worn the damn wheels off it, which was why my father was outside giving me a hand.

  He was busy griping about missing the big game when I heard the faint hum of motorcycles coming our way. Like a moth drawn to a flame, I stepped out of the garage and down the driveway in hopes of getting a better look. The low rumble quickly morphed into a thunderous roar as the bikes continued in my direction. I was beside myself. Every fiber of my being was vibrating with anticipation; in my gut, I knew something big was about to happen. I just had no idea what it was—only that my life was about to take on a new direction.

  I ventured a little further down the driveway, and that’s when I finally saw them. There were at least twenty bikers, each wearing black leather jackets with Ruthless Sinners embroidered on the back. They rode side by side as they barreled down the road, power and confidence radiating off of them like nothing I’d ever seen. I wasn’t some sheltered kid who’d never seen bikers before, but I’d never seen so many so close. As I stood there in my driveway, I could actually feel the vibration of their engines rattling through my chest and was completely enthralled by the moment. I couldn’t move. I could only stand there with my eyes wide and my mouth gaping open. And then it happened. One of the bikers looked in my direction and gave me a quick nod, and when several others followed suit, my day was made. I was just a dumb kid who didn’t know much of anything, but one thing I was certain of: I wanted to be a Ruthless Sinner.

  Over the next few years, I graduated high school and even took a couple of classes at a local community college, but I never forgot about that moment in my driveway. In fact, I thought about it all the time. I was beginning to worry my idea of joining the Ruthless Sinners was just some pipe dream until the day I’d bombed yet another calculus test.

  I was in dire need of a drink, so I stopped off at Crockett’s, one of my usual hangouts, to grab a beer. Gladys, the bartender, was about eighty years old and southern as the day was long. She was never one to card, so I had no worries as I went up to the counter and sat down. Gladys hobbled over to me with a crooked-toothed smile and asked, “What’ll it be, son?”

  “Just a Bud Light for now.”

  “You got it.” She shuffled over to the cooler and grabbed a cold bottle, then brought it over to me. “There you go, Hun.”

  “Thanks, Gladys.”

  I opened the bottle and was just about to take a drink when I heard the front door open behind me. Seconds later, a man asked, “Did you card him?”

  “Don’t start with me, boy.”

  “Answer the question, Gran.”

  “No,” she said with a huff, “but he’s in here all the time.”

  “Don’t mean a damn thing.” The guy came up to the counter, and my chest tightened when I saw he was wearing a Ruthless Sinners’ cut. “They’re gonna shut you down over shit like this.”

  “Well then, I guess they’ll just have to shut me down,” Gladys picked up a rag and started wiping down the counter as she grumbled, “’cause ain’t nobody gonna tell me who I can and can’t sell to.”

  “It’s the damn law, Gran.”

  “Like you’re one to be talking about the damn law.’”

  “You’re the most stubborn grandmother on the fucking planet, you know that?”

  "Maybe, but I’m no more stubborn than you.”

  “How am I being stubborn? I’m just trying to look out for you.” Ignoring her response, the guy glanced over at me and shook his head with a sigh. He didn’t seem to be much older than me, maybe a year or two at best, so I was surprised when he asked, “What are you ... seventeen? Eighteen?”

  “Actually, I’m twenty.”

  “No shit? Damn. You look younger.”

  I shrugged. “Just have one of those faces, I guess.”

  “Just so you know”—Gladys leaned over the counter—“he’s a college student. Taking him some classes down there at Nashville State.”

  “Hmm.” The guy’s eyes narrowed as he asked, “That right?”

  “Yeah.” I didn’t want him thinking I was some stuck-up college prick, so I quickly continued, “But I don’t know how much longer I’m gonna stick with it.”

  “Why’s that?”

  I wanted to tell him I’d always wanted to be a Sinner. Hell, it was sitting right there on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t make myself say the fucking words. “Just don’t think it’s for me.”

  “That your Vulcan out front?”

  “Yeah.” It was a solid bike. It had done me good over the past few years, but it wasn’t in the best shape. It needed a fresh coat of paint and a new seat. Hell, I was actually surprised he’d even noticed the damn thing. “Been looking to get a Harley, but I don’t have that kind of cash on me right now.”

  “I get it. I had a Yamaha for years before I managed to get my Harley.” He studied me for a moment, then extended his hand. “Folks call me Country.”r />
  “Nice to meet ya, Country.” I shook his hand. “I’m JR.”

  “JR?” His brows furrowed. “You a junior or something?”

  “Not exactly.” I wasn’t a fan of my full name and for good reason. It wasn’t exactly a popular name, and folks loved giving me hell about it. I grimaced as I admitted, “JR stands for Joshua Ralph. Didn’t much like either name, so I started going by JR.”

  “Ralph, huh?” A smirk crossed his face. “Can’t say I blame ya for going with JR.”

  “It is what it is.” I felt like a complete asshole. I’d finally gotten my chance to talk to a Sinner, and I’d done nothing but make a fool of myself. Feeling like a complete loser, I pushed my untouched beer over to the edge of the counter, then placed a ten down next to it. “Guess I best get going.”

  “You don’t want your beer?”

  “Nah. Not worth getting Gladys in trouble over.”

  I stood up, and as I headed towards the door, Country called out to me, “Hey, where you rushing off to?”

  “Nowhere in particular.”

  “You interested in checking out the clubhouse?”

  “Hell, yeah.”

  A smirk crossed his face as he snickered, “I like your enthusiasm.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s always been a dream of mine to prospect for the Sinners.”

  “Is that right?” He strolled over to me as he continued, “Well, here’s your chance to check it out, and while we’re there, I can get you a couple of beers without either of us having to worry about Gladys getting shut down.”

  I couldn’t believe my ears. I’d actually gotten an invite to the clubhouse. Even though I had another class in an hour, there was no way in hell I was going to pass up my chance. Trying not to sound too eager, I gave him a casual nod and replied, “That would be awesome.”

  He gave me a slap on the back, then walked out of the bar and into the parking lot. Seconds later, I was following him over to the Ruthless Sinners’ clubhouse. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I didn’t know what to think. My mind was racing like an explosion had just gone off in my brain. I took a few deep breaths, trying in vain to calm myself down. I needed to consider what I was doing, where I was going, but I was too keyed up to think about the danger I was putting myself in. When we pulled up to the gate at the clubhouse, I looked around in complete awe. The place was even better than I imagined, and as I followed Country through the guarded gate, a strange sensation washed over me. It could’ve been any number of things. Fear. Anticipation. Apprehension. Hope. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I liked it. I liked it a lot.