by Lee Wardlow
“There has to be another way,” Matt declared.
AJ snorted. “I know you have feelings for the woman, but would you risk our mother’s life for a piece of ass, Matt.”
That caused an explosion between my two brothers. Matt shoved AJ. Heath had to get between them to stop any further altercations.
“She’s a human being,” Disa said.
She was right.
“Not a piece of property that you just turn over without conscious thought of what he will do to her. Not that I want anything to happen to Rachel. I also happen to love your mother.”
“I agree with Disa,” Elijah said. “You can’t just give this woman back to him. We need to call Dad and get him home, so we can tell him what happened.”
“This is what happened,” AJ snapped throwing the picture in front of Elijah.
My brother was a sensitive soul. He was tender and kind to most people. He stood and handed the picture back to AJ. There were tears in his eyes. “You are a dick AJ. You always have been one.” He walked out of the dining room and Jenny went after him.
Matt called Dad and told him he had to come home. I didn’t even want to see his reaction. My mother was terrified. I had never seen her afraid of anything. She was bound and gagged and tossed in a corner in a dingy room. A room that had no clues as to where she was being held and she was afraid. That fact tore my heart out. I didn’t like it that my mother was afraid.
I called her doctor’s office. “What are you doing?” Matt asked. “Finding out if she made it to her appointment,” I told him.
The receptionist answered my questions only because she knew me well. Mom hadn’t made the appointment. “Is she, all right?” Betty Sue Donaldson asked me.
“She’s fine Betty. I’m sure. Probably a flat tire. You know Mom. She’s always leaving her phone somewhere and can’t call home or cancel her appointments when things come up.”
She chuckled and agreed with me. Then I disconnected the call and laid my phone on the table beside the empty envelope. “So, she was taken some time, after she left the house at two this afternoon and four-thirty when I tried to call her after court. Her appointment was at three forty-five.” My brothers agreed with my timing estimation not that it helped us any.
Dad arrived fifteen minutes later. I could see the worry on his face before he even saw the picture that AJ handed to him. To say that he was stricken didn’t begin to cover his reaction. My father slipped into an empty chair to keep from falling to his knees.
I slid the letter across the table to him. He read it then AJ told him what he had told us, “I say we give Ron Parson what he wants. Lilah,” he repeated.
Dad shook his head. He rubbed his hands over his eyes which were watery and sad. The man was lost right now. “AJ if only it were that simple. He’ll kill your mother and Lilah.”
“How do you know that?” He snapped at Dad and leaned on his hands, both palms flat on the table by our father.
“Ben, call Hawk.”
Dad got up and got the whiskey out of the cabinet behind the table. He poured himself a shot downed it and poured another. “I left Seth in charge of the bar. I hope he’s ready for this.”
“Dad, how do you know?” AJ asked.
Our father snorted at AJ. “He can’t have any witnesses AJ. You aren’t stupid. Once he has Lilah. He won’t need your mother.”
Hawk was at home. He sounded terrible, coughing and sneezing as he answered his personal cell. “Hawk, I know you’re sick, but Ron Parson has Mom.”
“Fuck,” he coughed then he sneezed. “I told those boys to leave shit alone, but they just couldn’t listen. I’ll be right there.”
The women left the room with the babies since Hawk sounded like he was dying. AJ let him in the house when he arrived ten minutes later.
Dad poured him a whiskey shot. If this kept up, I might want one too. He looked at the letter then he looked at the picture of Mom. He blew his nose then he looked at Heath.
“Well, Heath, AJ what are you going to do to get your mother back because your dad is right…if you give him Lilah, Rachel is as good as dead.”
THE END
FOR NOW…
About the Author
I’m a small-town girl who has always loved to read and write stories. I’ve been in the Information Technology field for a long time (translation Computer Geek/Project Manager). While laid off several years ago, I dusted off my manuscripts and self-published my first book which was Welcome to Hell: Rediscovering First Love about small town in Michigan known as Hell. It is a real town with my own special fictional twist. I wrote it in 1997-98.
Then I wrote another novel, You Were Born for Me and I just kept writing. I absolutely love the Pointe Royal Series. I had a hard, time quitting them. Adam and Joy were my favorite couple and I’ve grown and gotten better as I’ve written more books.
I had always wanted to be a writer, but I kept letting things get in the way. I’m artistic as well as having a love of reading other author’s Romance novels. Other genres of books such as Stephen King and John Grisham are often favorites of mine too. A good Sandra Brown novel will get me every time too.
I have one daughter with 5 grandchildren and a son-in-law I love to pieces. Life is never boring with them around. I’ve been with my husband Bill for years. We have two dogs, Dixie and Koda. Dixie hasn’t forgiven us for bringing home Koda. She was top dog until he came around.
The Sherwood Series is my latest series. Always about a small town. I love those little towns like I grew up in. They aren’t as exciting as I make them to be, but I love them all.
Sherwood, Ohio is a small town where some residents live well below poverty. It’s a tobacco farming town near the Ohio River. Most residents need to drive far to find gainful employment. Most love the small town where they grew up or they hate it. It makes a man, or it breaks men’s spirits. They live here, and they die here, or they live it all together and never look back.
Danni Rose
Jackson Hand was one of those men who left Sherwood and never looked back. It almost broke Danni but she’s fallen in love with someone unexpected but someone her family adores. Her oldest brother’s best friend, Walker Wild.
Walker, ex-con, took the fall for a crime his brother committed. A crime, most who don’t know him will never let him forget his past. He loves his best friend’s sister.
There’s lots in the way of these two getting together besides Walker’s own opinion that he isn’t good enough for her. The return of Jackson Hand to the town of Sherwood will be the biggest complication in Walker’s mind but not Danni’s. What Danni wants, Danni will fight for. She’ll wear Walker down one way or another.
Elijah
I would be the first person to tell you that I’m an anxious guy. I have loved Jenny Hartfield since probably the day that she walked down the stairs to go to our Junior prom with me. She took my breath away.
I have admired her since she knocked Tommy Ward’s teeth loose. That was in the first grade. I knew then that she was strong and didn’t need anybody until her parents died. Then she needed me, and I was there for her. I was there for her, a little too much after Don, her dad died. That is when we first had sex.
I thought maybe I could keep her as my best friend, my sidekick. My lover too without complicating the relationship with marriage.
What was I thinking? I was afraid of losing her before I even sealed the deal, as my grandfather said.
He set me straight. I got over myself and well the rest is history. She had something she was hiding from me though because Jenny wanted to know that she was loved by me first and foremost.
Boy talk about being anxious…
Ben
You know what happened?
I have a daughter.
You know that I held her in my arms at the hospital. What you don’t know is that I spent hours with her, giving her a bottle, holding her, hugging her, kissing her. Then I gave her back to a nurse and left the hospital.
For the last six weeks, I’ve been missing her. Getting drunk, which isn’t like me at all, trying to figure out what I should do. I wanted to be her father, but you see I had messed up.
I let the one woman I thought I could love, get away. I knew it the morning after I slept with her cousin. I’m not sure that she would ever forgive me. Now, I had a daughter to think of and she came first but I couldn’t stop thinking of Disa Riley…
I’m not sure Disa can ever give me a second chance since the mother of my daughter is her cousin Jasmine Riley. I’ve lost the love of my life but gained a daughter.
Heath, AJ, Seth and Matt will have stories to follow.
My Point Royal series is about a small Ohio fictional town based very, very loosely on my own experience growing up in small town Ohio. They are about family with a hint of romance, all with happy endings.
Pointe Royal Series Books
You Were Born for Me- Declan Moore and Stevie Bond
Never Leave Me – Noah Moore and Lexi Michael
I Knew I Love You When – Codi Moore and Jessie Gatlin
For Always – Scarlett O’Halloran and Ben Murdoch
I Will Always Love You – Tegan O’Halloran and Rhett Martin
At Last – Shawn Martin and Bronagh Riley
I Told You So –Delany O’Halloran and Ian Black
The Beginning and The End- Pointe Royal - The Final Book
What She Wanted - Part 1 of Joy’s Story
What She Got- Part 2 – Joy’s Story
Pointe Royal Series – 3rd Generation
Promise Me – Ronan Moore and Skylar O’Halloran
A Guarded Heart – Jamie Moore and Dia Clifton
A Guilty Heart – Liam Moore conclusion to A Guarded Heart
Club Amor Series
One Wild Ride – Mia and Jaxson part 1
Coming Undone - Mia and Jaxson part 2
Dantea’s Hell – Sebastian and Dantea’s Story
Ruby Lake Series
Second Chances
My Sweet Bobbie
Goose Creek Series- The Daughtry Family
Jorga
In My Dreams
Home is Where You Are
Breathless
I’ll Always Catch You
Smoky Mountain Series
Forever- Deacon and Sierra
Never – Sasha and Julius
Wild – Baker and Mac
Dangerous – Sierra and Nikolai
BloodWar – The Kings
Trouble – Alexi Bessonov
Coming Soon – Creed King
The Summer of Sins
McGuire Family Saga
Killing in God’s Name
Maya Michael’s story of struggle against oppression in America.
The Timekeeper
A man who saves souls from damnation by helping them alter tragedies in their future by changing their past lives.
Cannons and Corsets, A Civil War Novel
Follows Raven Truth and her family through their lives surviving the Civil War. Espionage, love and babies always trying to do the right thing while keeping themselves alive during the bitter, bloody war.
Sons of Vengeance – Sequel to Cannons and Corsets
The year is 1880, the Civil War has been over for fifteen years, but the South is still splintered by race and violence. The Klan is lawless. Freedom isn’t what is should be for the black community. The chains of slavery aren’t left behind. The children of the Truth family have grown. Ash Justice is waiting to hear from West Point. Jace Grant faces an uncertain future. Not knowing what he wants to do with his life; only that he doesn’t want to follow in his brother’s footsteps.
Jack Truth witnesses a hate crime by the Klan against his aunt’s close family friend and employee and his life’s path changes dramatically. The appearance of Kristoff, William’s nephew explains his disappearance for Raven and throws Layla Truth’s life into turmoil.
The sins of the past come back to haunt the Truths, the Grants and Maxwell Pleasance. Somebody is out for vengeance. The sins of the father will be placed on the heads of the sons.
Dark Secrets of the Craft
Ana’s Disappeared
Waking Promise
Stella’s Sorrow
A story about 5 powerful witches and the 5 brothers who are their guardians. The witches discover the strength of their powers and their true destiny.
The Naughty Librarian
A story about two writers who knew each other in childhood living next door to each other. Both working on their next novels while lusting after each other. Lots of fantasies being played out here.
Backlash
Charlize Wood has carried a secret since she was fifteen. No one knew, not her best friends Tommie or Wiley Cooper, first cousins. Now, fourteen years later, someone wants her to remember that night. Men who were involved. One who knew her well dragged her into the woods near her home. One she knows well. Sees him every day almost. One will disgust her when she discovers his identity. The third…there needs to be some secrets in Hope, Ohio.
Only Her -A Haley Cove Novel
Luka has returned to Haley Cove for his high school sweetheart. A girl he left behind 10 years ago, to make his way in the world. Skylar and his family have been keeping a secret from him. Her name is Ava.
7 Brides for 7 Brothers Series
The Christmas Bride
Kyle Baird and Hugh Steward
Hugh discovers Kyle’s been keeping a secret from him for four years but he’s not going to let it get in the way of their happiness. Her sister Machara’s ex-psycho boyfriend might.
The Valentine Bride
Machara Baird and Finlay Steward
Finlay and Machara have never been able to get it together. For 11 years, they have broken up and gotten back together. Now, she’s pregnant with twins. It’s sink or swim for the sake of their babies. This is their last chance to make things right.
The Pregnant Bride - A novella
Freya Bair and Coll Steward
Freya has love Coll since she was sixteen. He broke up with her to go to college or, so he told her. His mother leaving affected him like it did his brothers. He thought if he never committed to her he would never have to watch her walk away from him too. Freya is pregnant with his child. She’s about to break up with her long-term boyfriend, Zach Waters who would love to marry her while Coll can’t commit.
The Gifted Bride
Georgie Baird and Hunter Cole
Georgie was engaged to Davy Steward, but Georgie has visions of the past, the present and the future. That’s something Davy just can’t live with. Her love of all things spiritual, auras and crystals has pushed him to his limits. He asked for a break. She gave him back his ring and moved out of his home. Making a spontaneous decision she walked into Hunter Cole’s tattoo shop with purple butterfly picture in hand. She wanted a tattoo to commemorate her sister Machara. She not only got a tattoo from the sexy, bad ass tattoo artist, she found love.
The Tattoo Artist’s Bride
Dallis Baird and Bodhi James
Dallis had spent her whole loving one man. He died in Afghanistan on his last tour when she was twenty-three. Brodie Steward had awakened her ability to love again but he was closed off. Not ready for a relationship. His mother had left his family when he was twenty making him emotionally broken as she had been. Bodhi James was waiting for someone like Dallis. He had been hurt once but he was ready for love. He was ready for Dallis.
The Wounded Bride
Greer Baird
Greer will find love in a place she should have expected but didn’t see it coming. She will fight it at first. Then she will just let it happen because she realizes he was always meant to be hers.
Who Killed Donny Brinkman?
Donny Brinkman is dead. Brodie Steward and Greer Steward are suspects until they become hunted too. People from the night of Greer’s near rape are starting to drop like flies. Who wants them all dead?
Secrets, Lies
and Murders
Pete Garrett
Lucille Brinkman’s diary reveals secrets about her sons that start to make sense of the lives they have led. Pete Garrett is a loner fighting the need to drink as well as his own demons from his childhood, mainly his father Teller who returns to Severe after sixteen years. Desi Kane, Pete’s only salvation, if he’ll let down the walls he’s built high to let her in.
The Wedding Blues – a novella
Davy Steward and Caz Chapman
Davy and Caz have re-set their wedding date. No one is leaving town this time. Everything is smooth sailing this time. Right? The road to their wedding is paved with bumps and potholes but they will get married if Davy needs to carry Caz to the altar.
The Kidnapped Bride
Cameron Baird / Gray Steward
If she won’t give him a chance, he’ll take matters into his own hands. Gray will just have to kidnap Cameron and make her see things his way.
Ewan: Finding Myself
Ewan Steward’s Story
Ewan has spent his life hiding who he is and what he wants. He had tried to live a normal life for his family and be normal because that is what is expected of him. He’s finally finding out who he is and what makes him happy. One night at Mac’s bar in Severe he meets Tucker Barnes.
After Ewan leaves Steward Steel permanently, Tucker becomes his boss and changes his life in more ways than he could have imagined. Ewan finally feels like he knows who he is and has happiness but at what cost?
Bindi / Asa Story- Coming soon.
Life Unexpected
Kai Manzo is turning forty and forty never looked better…They were perfect together and then they weren’t, but Kai Manzo didn’t expect what Jake threw at her. He was leaving her for another woman. She and Roman were friends. He was her much younger, next door neighbor but after Jake left Roman filled a need in her that had been missing for some time. He helped heal her broken heart. Then life happened. Something she thought wasn’t possible. Roman was thrilled. She was terrified. When you least expected, life threw you some curveballs. Somebody up there, thought these two needed this. She wasn’t divorced from Jake yet. She had just turned forty. This was life. This was unexpected. Somebody was a comedian. She had to go with it and see where she landed. She had her friends, her daughter and Roman to see her through this and whatever else came her way
