Wicked
Whiskey
Love
The Whiskeys
Melissa Foster
This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.
WICKED WHISKEY LOVE
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2018 Melissa Foster
EPUB Edition
V1.0
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Cover Design: Elizabeth Mackey Designs
Cover Photography: Golden Czermak, FuriousFotog
WORLD LITERARY PRESS
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
A Note to Readers
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
About Mad About Moon
More Books By Melissa Foster
Acknowledgments
Meet Melissa
A Note to Readers
Bones Whiskey is the most mysterious of the Whiskey siblings, and I loved getting to know him better. He’s a powerful, compassionate man who lives within the eye of a storm and unleashes his wrath only when absolutely necessary. Sarah Beckley brings out his best qualities, and her painful past brings his introspective nature to a whole new level. Bones and Sarah are a perfect match, and if you’re female, be ready for an ovary explosion when you see him with her children. The man is a romantic, loving force of nature, and he is exactly the man Sarah needs. I hope you love them as much as I do and that you enjoy their sexy, emotional love story.
Each of Sarah’s and Bones’s witty and wonderful family members and friends will also be getting their own happily ever after. Several books are already published and available for your enjoyment (TRU BLUE, TRULY, MADLY, WHISKEY, DRIVING WHISKEY WILD, and RIVER OF LOVE). If this is your first introduction to the Whiskey family, each book is written to stand alone, so dive right in and fall in love with the Whiskeys.
Remember to sign up for my newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out on future Whiskey releases:
www.MelissaFoster.com/News
For more information about my fun, sexy romances, all of which can be read as stand-alone novels or as part of the larger series, visit my website:
www.MelissaFoster.com
If you prefer sweet romance with no explicit scenes or graphic language, please try the Sweet with Heat series written under my pen name, Addison Cole. You’ll find the same great love stories with toned-down heat levels.
Happy reading!
~ Melissa
Chapter One
THE RUMBLE AND roar of the Dark Knights Motorcycle Club cut through the cheering crowd as they led Peaceful Harbor’s Halloween parade down Main Street. Even in costumes the Dark Knights were an intimidating bunch, but Sarah Beckley wasn’t afraid. Two months ago Bullet Whiskey, a Dark Knight, had rescued Sarah and her family after they’d been in a horrendous accident. In the months since, the Dark Knights had come out in droves to assist them. They’d pulled together a fundraising rally to help pay for their medical bills, helped her find a job and babysitting for her two children, and drove her brother, Scott, to physical therapy when she was unable. Sarah didn’t know much about bikers’ lifestyles, but she’d learned a few things lately. Their families went well beyond bloodlines and birthrights, extending to claiming and protecting the friends and families of each and every member of the Dark Knights. To be included in such a group was an honor.
Sarah glanced ahead at her three-year-old son, Bradley, riding in a sidecar attached to Bones Whiskey’s motorcycle. She couldn’t see Bradley’s face, but she knew her sandy-haired warrior was grinning from ear to ear as he waved at the people on the sidewalks. He had been excited about the parade, but the prospect of riding with Bones had left him too elated to sleep for the past two nights. Her gaze shifted to Bones, the all-too-hot physician/biker, and her heart raced. He had taken to her children like an adoring uncle and to her like a hungry, protective man, as if she were his to protect, rendering her not only sleepless, but hot and bothered, for weeks.
Not in a million years had she imagined sitting on a float waving to a community of people who treated her and her children as one of their own, much less catching the eye of someone like Bones. But here she was, sitting atop a giant cupcake-shaped chair Bones had insisted he and his overprotective clan of biker brothers build for her, surrounded by a gaggle of new friends who had embraced her family and brought them into the fold of the close-knit community. Not for the first time since moving to Peaceful Harbor, Sarah took stock of her life, thanking the powers that be for her good fortune—powers that until now she had been sure were evil.
How had she gone from homeless to happy?
Twice?
If all these people knew the truth about her background, would they still be as accepting? Or would they hide their husbands and children, treating her as the pariah she’d often felt like?
As the float rolled to a stop, Dixie Whiskey, Bones’s sister, tossed her red hair over her tattooed shoulder, straightened the seashell bikini top of her mermaid costume, then shimmied to adjust her shiny green sequined skirt. Ever the biker, she’d paired the outfit with chunky black leather boots. “Finally! If I have to smile for one more second, I’m going to scream.”
“I loved every second,” Sarah said honestly. She knew what it felt like to be alone, hungry, and scared, and she treasured every second that she wasn’t. Bathing in the warmth of good feelings, she gazed down at her eleven-month-old daughter, Lila, looking precious in her red onesie with THING 1 printed on the front. Her little hand rested on Sarah’s burgeoning baby bump, which proudly displayed THING 2. At five and a half months pregnant, Sarah felt good, and maybe more important, for the first time in her life she was truly, deeply happy.
Therein lay the problem.
Every time Sarah had dropped her guard, her world came crashing down around her. She knew better than to let the comfort of these warm, welcoming friends sway her into believing she was on solid ground.
Sarah glanced at Bones as he climbed off his motorcycle. Denim strained over his powerful thighs. He whipped off his helmet, and his sexy dark eyes sailed over the sea of heads separating them, landing on her with the heat of a volcano. His lips curled up into a panty-melting smile that made her forget she was a pregnant mother of two and caused her to think about all the dirty things she’d like him to do with that beautiful mouth. Because of her history with men, his attention was as disturbing as it was comforting. She consta
ntly battled the urge to dig deeper into his comfort versus hiding her and her children away from the rest of the world just in case…
Bones tossed her a suggestive wink. Her stomach dipped, and she looked away, her cheeks burning. But his draw was too strong, and she had to steal another glance.
Her heart thundered as she took in his handsome, rugged features and a body that put every other man to shame. She noticed several women watching him. He didn’t seem to pay any mind to the attention he drew as he talked with Bradley, Sarah’s real Thing 1. Her boy was as enamored with Bones as she was. He’d refused the Dr. Seuss–themed costumes in favor of matching Bones.
Bradley hadn’t even batted an eye when four-year-old Kennedy, the daughter of their friends Truman and Gemma Gritt, had convinced all the guys in their group to dress up as cheerleaders while she dressed up as a football player—with a pink tiara, of course. Bradley carried his pom-poms proudly and had even been willing to wear the skirt. The men, however, weren’t quite as open to the idea. They’d donned denim shorts, white T-shirts that read TEAM KENNEDY across the front, black leather vests with the Dark Knights emblem on the back, and their biker boots. Pom-poms were not optional, and most of the men had them crammed in their back pockets.
Bones seemed to enjoy taking her family under his very sexy wings. He had insisted on buying Bradley a little leather vest and boots. The tattooed, burly bikers had revealed their hearts of gold, and her little boy had been over the moon to be included. Bones did a lot for them. He was helping Scott finish their basement, and he helped Sarah with the kids when they went out as a group. Sarah was still learning to accept such generosity and was slowly coming to understand that not all gifts were given expecting something in return.
As her friends moved toward the edge of the float, their significant others appeared like the cavalry to help them. Bullet lifted his fiancée, Finlay, into his arms, kissing her on the way down. His thick arms and body swallowed her up as their rottweiler, Tinkerbell, who had ridden on the float with Finlay, whined for attention. Finlay owned the catering company for whom the float was built, and she looked adorable in a short pink skirt and white apron that proudly displayed Finlay’s in fancy pink script, along with a big, puffy baker’s hat. The petite blonde had been another saving grace for Sarah after the accident, preparing allergen-free meals for her day after day.
Bullet and Finlay were getting married next weekend. Although Finlay was as demure as a bunny and Bullet was like a beast ready to charge, they made love look easy.
Sarah had once believed love could be something, though certainly not easy. She’d since learned how treacherous even thinking about being in love could be.
On the other side of the float Scott helped Dixie and their friend Isabel climb down. He had that goofy look in his eyes guys got around hot girls. It was nice to see him involved and happy.
“Daddy!” Kennedy hollered to Truman as he approached. She clung to Gemma’s hand. “Get me and Mama!”
Carrying Lincoln, their toddler, Truman reached for Kennedy. “Come on down, princess.”
“I’m a footballer, Daddy!” Kennedy climbed down as Bear, Bones’s younger brother, helped Gemma down, then reached for his wife, Crystal.
She noticed Bones holding Bradley’s hand and heading her way. The love and support of the Whiskeys was beyond admirable. She swore their protective nature was woven into the very fabric of their beings. The crowd pushed forward, and she lost track of Bones and her boy.
Scott pushed through the crowd and reached for Lila. “Give her to me, and then I’ll help you down.” He didn’t seem to care how silly he looked dressed as the Cat in the Hat to match their Dr. Seuss theme, and she loved him even more for it.
When they’d first reconnected, she’d seen hints of their father in his facial features. She’d mentioned it to Scott, and he’d stopped shaving and had let his hair grow out. Sarah didn’t think that mattered now that she’d gotten to know him. There was no hint of her father left in him.
“I’m not sure I should give up my baby to a giant cat-man,” Sarah teased as she handed him the sleeping baby.
Scott had kept a heavy hand on Sarah’s shoulder during the entire parade. No doubt he worried that this life they were creating could go up in smoke at any moment and she’d disappear again. It would take a pack of wolves to separate her from the brother she hadn’t seen in so many years she’d thought she’d lost him forever.
They’d only just reunited, and the first night they’d gone out to celebrate, they’d gotten into the car accident that had landed her babies and Scott in the hospital. Lila had scars on her face and arms, and Scott was still doing physical therapy to strengthen his legs, which had been broken in the accident. Thanks to Bullet’s fast thinking, they’d all survived.
That seemed to be the story of their lives. Surviving. She wondered if any of the others were waiting for their own beautiful lives to implode, or if she was alone in that fear.
She hiked her baby bag over her shoulder and climbed down, taking Lila from Scott. They were quickly swept into the crowd as they made their way toward the motorcycles. Sarah peered around a heavyset woman and scanned the crowd, quickly finding the broad shoulders she’d know anywhere. Bones was surrounded by a group of women dressed in sexy costumes with short skirts and tight bodices. They were gazing up at him like he was the Wizard and held the answers to all their problems.
Sarah pushed through the crowd, and Bones turned, his dark eyes locking on her so intently she stilled. She lowered her gaze, looking for Bradley, and her stomach took a nosedive.
A woman dressed as a witch grabbed Bones’s arm, turning him away.
“Scott, where’s Bradley?” Panic gripped her as she spun around, searching the crowd. In her heart she knew Bones would never put her children in danger. But her children’s own father, the man who was supposed to protect them with his life, had put them in harm’s way. She no longer trusted her instincts like she used to.
“It’s okay. I’m sure he’s nearby.” Scott plowed through the mass of people, hollering Bradley’s name.
With her heart in her throat, Sarah pushed forward, clutching Lila and calling for Bradley. Bones spun around and quickly closed the distance between them.
His arm circled her waist, hauling her and Lila closer. “What’s wrong?”
She pushed out of his arms, panicked. “Where’s Bradley?”
“He’s with my mother, Babs, and Chicki. They’re taking him to get cotton candy.”
Relief washed over her. Babs’s and Chicki’s husbands were Dark Knights, and they were both as close as family to Bones. Babs babysat Lila and Bradley, and Chicki owned the salon where Sarah worked. She trusted them and Red, Bones’s mother, explicitly, but that didn’t stop her fear from tumbling out. “You’ve got to let me know before you let someone else watch him.”
“You’re absolutely right. I was just coming to tell you, but one of the nurses from the hospital cornered me. I’m sorry.” He drew her closer and then held her even tighter. “You’re shaking.”
“Damn right I’m shaking,” she said, trying to calm her remaining panic. “I thought my baby was lost. I need to see him. Can we—”
Bones was already on the move, barreling through the crowd with Sarah tucked against his side. He did that a lot, and she didn’t think she’d ever get used to the pulse of heat seeping from his body to hers. He hollered to Scott as they passed, and Scott joined them, making a beeline for the cotton-candy vendor.
“He’s with Red, Chicki, and Babs,” Sarah explained. The relief on her brother’s face was as pure and present as her own.
“Thank God,” Scott said. “I told you it was going to be okay. Bones would never let anything happen to Bradley.”
“Not a chance,” Bones said fiercely. “I didn’t mean to alarm you guys. I was heading over to tell Sarah when I got snagged by a nurse.”
Bones pointed to Bradley sitting on Chicki’s lap in the grass beside Red and Babs,
dousing the last of Sarah’s lingering panic. Bradley had sticky blue cotton candy all over his cheeks, and he was giggling as he held the sugary puff out toward Red. Red leaned forward, making a dramatic show of taking a big bite of the sticky treat, and then Babs did the same. Bradley giggled, and Chicki hugged him.
Sarah might be wary of fully trusting anyone, but seeing those women love up her son made her warm all over, and embarrassment for overreacting after Bones and his family had done so much for them nearly swallowed her whole. In addition to everything else the Whiskeys had done for her and her family, after Scott’s injuries had cost him his new job, the Whiskeys introduced him to the guys down at the marina, where he now worked.
Before she could apologize to Bones, Quincy, Truman’s younger brother, hollered “Scott” from across the street. He was with Isabel and Jed, Crystal’s brother. “Dude, want to hang with us?”
Scott glanced at Sarah. “You okay? I’ll stay if you want me to.”
“I’m fine. Go have fun. We’ll catch up later.”
As Sarah watched Scott cross the street, she noticed his limp was a little more pronounced and was glad he had his cane in the car in case he needed it. He had a permanent plate and pins in one leg. He’d been fortunate in his healing, and his doctors no longer anticipated future surgeries. He still had days when he couldn’t do as much as he would like, but at least he was out of the woods.
“Sarah, I’m really sorry,” Bones said, pulling her back to the moment.
When he looked at her as he was now, gazing deeply into her eyes like he meant every word, it was hard to concentrate. She liked to look at him too much, and she found herself trying to put the pieces of his life into some semblance that she could understand. He didn’t look like a biker, and yet the club was a huge part of his life. He was tall and clean-cut, and he didn’t have any tattoos like most of the other bikers did. At least none that she’d seen. Then again, Bones didn’t need ink to underscore his badassery. He had a commanding presence made even more powerful by the angular cut of his jaw and his piercing dark eyes. He was the kind of man women lusted after and men looked up to.
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