Taking Risk Series

by Toni Aleo

  I shake my head. “No.”

  “Have you eaten?” she asks, and I shake my head again.

  “No.”

  “Why don’t you come to get food for everyone with us,” my da suggests. “Get some air.”

  “I don’t want to leave her,” I say, lacing my fingers with hers.

  “Declan, come with us,” Lena says after a moment. “You need to eat, and you need to be strong for her. Fiona can keep guard, and she’ll call if anything happens.”

  “Yeah, Declan, I will. Go get us some food,” Fiona says. “I’m hungry.”

  “Then you go get it. I can’t leave her.”

  No one says anything, and I lay my head gently on her leg, matching my breathing with hers. Taking in a deep breath before letting it out to calm myself, I feel on the brink of losing it, and I don’t know how to control that.

  I feel my father beside me before he speaks, and I wish he’d go away.

  “Declan, son, I need to speak with you. Come with us. We’ll be back in no time.”

  I don’t want to go, but I can hear it in my da’s voice that he needs me to follow him. Thinking it may concern Casey, I get up and send a look to Fiona. “Call me if anything happens.”

  “I will.”

  Kane squeezes my shoulder before dropping into the seat I just left and leaning into the bed. I follow my parents and Lena out of the room. Nothing is said as we get the food and head back. I am starting to think this is pointless until my da turns to me and says, “How are you holding up?”

  I shrug. “I’m here.”

  He nods. “Kane tell you they got that fucker? He is in jail as we speak, and my legal team is building a case. I told them that we would let them know when Amberlyn wakes up.”

  I like that he says when Amberlyn wakes up, but it still doesn’t ease my pain. As much as I want Casey to go to jail and rot, I wish more than ever it was he in that bed instead of her. Looking up at my da, I say, “Thank you.”

  He looks at the ground as he says, “So she stepped in front of you?”

  My throat goes tight as my heart speeds up in my chest. “Yes.”

  “My God,” my ma breathes. “That is such a selfless act and just shows what kind of person she is.”

  “The most amazing,” Lena says. “I liked her from the moment I met her, and I can’t wait to get to know her once she is better.”

  Lena laces her fingers with mine and smiles up at me. I try to return the sentiment, but I don’t think I will smile again until it’s for Amberlyn. I feel my eyes flood with tears, and I want to go back to her, but before I can, my da says, “I was wrong to think what I did of her, and I am sorry for that, son. I plan to tell her the same. I owe her the world for keeping a part of me alive.”

  When a tear spills over onto my cheek, I hate myself for looking so weak in front of my father, even though he bared some of his heart to me. I never thought this day would come, but looking up to meet his gaze, I can see the pain and concern that the last couple of days have brought onto him. I look away as I take in a deep breath.

  “Thank you,” is all I manage to say before I head back to Amberlyn’s room to hand out everyone’s sandwiches.

  Everyone leaves to eat except for Fiona and me. While she eats, I hold Amberlyn’s hand, my sandwich on my legs as I watch her breathe. It makes me feel better to see that she is alive, but I hate that the future is still unsure.

  It’s well past eight that night when the doctor finally strolls in. My sandwich has been left on my legs, uneaten, and it falls to the floor once I see who has entered. Kane wakes Fiona, and we watch as he looks Amberlyn over and checks her file.

  “Good news, everyone. She is ready for the tube to come out.”

  I feel as if someone has kicked me in the gut. I bow over, holding the side of the bed. “She is going to be okay?” I ask because that has to mean she is going to be okay. Right?

  “We will see. We aren’t out of the dark yet, my friends, but we are close. She is a strong woman, that’s for sure.”

  I nod as Fiona’s hands come around my wrist. I look over at her to see the tears spilling over and rolling down her cheeks. “Yeah, she is,” she agrees, sending me a grin.

  I swallow hard as I look back at the doctor. “Okay, let’s clear out of the room while I do this, okay? There is a glass window you all can watch from.”

  We do as he asks and watch from the window he mentioned. Finally, two nurses come in and they slowly remove the tube. Washing his hands, the doctor looks back at me as he says, “Now we wait for her to wake. Talk to her, don’t shake her or anything, but encourage her to wake up.”

  Taking our spots beside her, I take hold of her hand and kiss her palm.

  “It looks positive, folks. Stay that way for her,” he says before leaving the room.

  Kissing her palm once more, I stroke her wrist as I try to hold back my tears. Fiona is crying, looking extremely stressed out, and I know I look the same. I’m not sure how long it is going to take her to open her eyes, and I hate the unknown. I worry for her, and I find myself praying that she wakes up, that God and her parents allow me more time with her. I promise them that I’ll love her and treat her the way they all would want me to. All I need is more time.

  As minutes turn into hours, I start to get frustrated. The doctor said to stay positive, but it’s hard when she isn’t responding to anything I say. I’ve done everything—touched her, talked to her, even kissed her, and nothing has worked. So has Fiona, and she hasn’t moved an inch. Her eyes haven’t fluttered or even given me any kind of hope that they are opening. Thankfully, though, her chest continues to rise and fall, and that is promising, but I still crave to see those aquamarine eyes. To kiss those sweet lips and utter the words that have been dying to come out for days.

  “I want to tell you I love you, Amberlyn, please,” I whisper. “Just wake up, look at me. Tell me you love me too.”

  “Do you think she can’t hear us?” Fiona asks. “Maybe I should scream at her?”

  I raise my eyebrows before shaking my head. “Don’t, she’ll come at her own time.”

  She nods before dropping her head onto the bed, looking at me from across Amberlyn’s body. “I hate him, and I know that when she comes to, she’s gonna tell me to forgive him. I don’t know how to do that.”

  Biting into my lip, I take in a deep breath. “Yeah, I know.”

  Lacing my fingers with Amberlyn’s, I run my thumb along the back of her hand.

  “She’s gonna wake up, right?”

  I shrug, keeping my eyes locked on Amberlyn. “I fuckin’ hope so.”

  But my hopes don’t come true on my time. It’s well into the small hours of the morning and still nothing. That’s three days without my love. Three days of worrying, of my heart breaking, and fear of the unknown getting the best of me. With my head laid against her thigh, I run my fingers along her palm, fighting off sleep just in case she wakes in the middle of the night. Yawning loudly, I close my eyes only for a second to rest them. They are killing me. Hell, everything hurts. I just want her to wake up and tell me she loves me so we can move forward with our lives. Opening my eyes, I take in a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh. Leaning up, I glance over at Fiona to see that she is sleeping. She’s been a constant presence during all of this, and I can’t wait to tell Amberlyn how loved she is.

  Looking up to admire her angelic face, my gaze meets hers and I jump up, my chair falling behind me. Her eyes are wide as she looks around, running her free hand down her face.

  “Amberlyn,” I cry out, cupping her face in my hand before dropping my mouth to hers, basking in the feel of her lips against mine. It brings tears to my eyes, the thought that all this could have never happened again. “God, love, I thought I lost you.”

  “I’m alive, right?”

  I nod quickly, bringing my lips to hers again as I vow to never stop kissing this gorgeous woman. Pulling back, I look into her flooded-with-tears eyes and say, “Yes, and my God, Am
berlyn, I’m so glad because I love you so much.”

  A smile pulls at her lips, and my mouth immediately does the same. “I love you,” she whispers.

  Relief floods me as my heart feels like it’s about to come out of my chest. Kissing her hard on the lips, I hear Fiona yell before she is hugging us, too. Soon everyone is in the room, fussing and loving all over Amberlyn. Still holding her hand, I watch, while internally, I am thanking the heavens above for keeping her here. My heart has gone back to a normal pace since my eyes met hers, and I’m okay with that. All I wanted was for her to be awake, and I have that now. The road ahead will not be easy, but I’ll be with her every step of the way, loving her and continually telling her how much she means to me.

  That she is my everything.

  After what seems like hours of people, doctors, and nurses coming in and out of the room, I’m finally left alone with Amberlyn since Fiona went home to shower. She mostly sleeps, and I am fine with that. I just want to watch her, knowing she is going to be okay. Closing my own eyes, my head resting against her hip, I hold her hand, and soon, sleep takes me. I am thankful for it. I am exhausted, and for the first time since I held my hand over her wound, I feel relaxed.

  I know she is safe.

  That my love is still here with me.

  The next morning, she is more alert, looking beautiful but still so weak. I fed her Jell-O, and she actually laughed a little at my horrible job of feeding her. I think I got more on her nose because my hands were shaking so badly. Even though I know she is here and I know she is safe, I’m still so nervous and so scared. I’ve been waiting for what seems like forever to know why she did it. Why she risked her own life for mine? Holding her hand, I kiss her palm as she watches me, her eyes sparkling with love.

  Tracing the outside of her hand with my finger, I smile before I ask, “Why did you do it? Why did you take a bullet for me?”

  Clearing her throat, she reaches up to hold my face as her head falls to the side, a small grin forming on her face. “Because you have so much to lose. I couldn’t let you die when everyone needs you. I love you more than that.”

  “But the only thing that’s worth keeping is you, my love,” I say, choking on my tears. Cupping her face, I press my lips to hers before pulling back to look into her intoxicating eyes. “I’m so glad you didn’t leave me. I couldn’t live without you.”

  Running her nose against mine, she whispers, “How could I when our story is just starting?”

  Taking in a sharp breath, I nod, holding her gaze. “I love you so much, but please, don’t ever do that again.”

  Her smile grows as she slowly blinks before saying, “I’ll remember that next time.”

  Chuckling, I kiss her nose softly before moving her hair out of her face. “And you’re right; our story is not over, not by a long shot, my love. We have so much to do, so much to say, and the rest of our lives to do it.”

  She smiles as she nods. “I know and I can’t wait, Declan. Especially the part when I am there for you to be a constant support system while you run your distillery.”

  My head falls to the side as I hold her gaze. “Huh? What do you mean?”

  With her eyes so full of love that my heart aches, she says, “I mean that I need to get ready to be the Whiskey Princess and love my prince until my dying breath.”

  While I want that more than anything, I shake my head. “No, love, I refuse to rush you into that.”

  Setting me with a look, she asks, “Do you love the distillery?”

  I nod. “Yes, but I love you a lot more. I’ll let it go. All I want is you.”

  “See the only problem with that is that I love you so much that I won’t let you do that.”

  “Amberlyn,” I start, but she shakes her head, holding her hand up to stop me.

  “Yes, this isn’t what was planned, and yes, it is fast since we haven’t been dating long. I also know we haven’t had sex but, Declan, we’ll get to it. I love you and you love me, so let’s do this. I believe in us, don’t you?”

  My shoulders fall as I cup her face in my hands, my heart coming out of my chest with all the love I have for this girl. “Of course, but it’s so much to ask.”

  Slowly shaking her head, her mouth curves in a grin as she says, “How do you know? You haven’t asked.”

  Holding my gaze, I can see the challenge in her eyes, and it only makes my heart race more. I know this would be considered crazy in the eyes of some, but to me, it’s not crazy; it’s the only way I want to live my life.

  With Amberlyn by my side.

  “I don’t have a ring or anything, love. I can’t do this now.”

  “I don’t need that stuff. I only need you.”

  The way she says it knocks the air out of me. I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life, and knowing that Amberlyn is right there with me has me grinning like fool. It’s scary, and I’m not sure how this will all play out, but I know there is nothing else to do than to ask my love to be mine for the rest of my life.

  So looking deep in her eyes, I whisper, “Will ya marry me, Amberlyn?”

  Not even hesitating, she says, “Hell yes, I will.”

  The end

  Continue reading for Becoming the Whiskey Princess!

  Becoming the Whiskey Princess

  Copyright © 2015 by Toni Aleo Books LLC

  This book is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Created with Vellum

  You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don’t recall them more clearly than ever, in times of great trouble?

  -Sirius Black

  Chapter 1

  Amberlyn

  I can’t breathe.

  The pain is unbearable.

  It is all consuming.

  My head is pounding, my body feels tingly, but most of all, my chest just burns with the pain of a thousand fires. I can feel my blood leaving my body. The heat of it running along my breast and armpit, gushing down the white gown I wear and staining it. I spent so much on that dress and now it is ruined.

  Because he shot me.

  I should have known better. The first time I saw him, I should have known he was nothing but a mistake. Since I’m not one to make mistakes, I really should have rethought that, but I didn’t. I allowed him to play a little role in my life, and now I’m paying for it. My mom always said that you learn from your mistakes, but will I die from mine?

  I knew from the beginning when we found Casey and Lena outside that it was going to be bad, but I never really thought it would end like this. That Casey really wanted to kill the love of my life. I couldn’t let that happen. Not with all that Declan had to live for. So I did what any other woman would do. I stepped into the line of fire. There was no other choice. I couldn’t let him die.

  My ears still ring from the sound of the gun. It vibrates my soul and makes my skin break out in gooseflesh. Even with all this going on, I’m not scared. Even though the pain exploded throughout my chest, taking my breath away, I know I did the right thing. I’m not scared to die. I’m not saying it’s ideal since I want to have a life with Declan, but I know I am dying for a good reason. Crumbling against him, I look into ice-blue eyes and I don’t regret my choice.

  I love him.

  I would do anything for him.

  Even die for him.

  And that’s exactly what I am about to do.

  I can hear my favorite song falling off his sweet lips, and I want to stay. I want to be in his arms for the rest of my life, but I can’t. I always thought that when you die, it woul
d be like the scene in Harry Potter when Harry finds himself with Dumbledore in the train station. Get on the train to die or go back; that’s always how I interpreted that part. It isn’t like that though. There is no train; there is nothing but light, and thankfully, the pain is gone. Nothing. I feel nothing. It’s almost as if I am floating. I look around for some sign of life, some sign of what I am to do next, and to my surprise, she stands there in all her ethereal glory.

  My mother.

  Dressed in only white, her gown sparkles much like mine as she stands with her arms extended out to me. Her dark red hair falls in a mass of curls down her shoulders. Her eyes, the same aquamarine as mine, are bright and happy, unlike how they had been when she was dying. She is smiling, her eyes welling up with tears, and I find myself fighting for breath again. Looking at her, I feel as if I am consumed with all the love in the world, and I honestly can’t believe it.

  My mommy is here.

  Running to her, I wrap my arms around her middle as her nose and lips press against the top of my head. My tears stain her dress as her arms hold me in close. She feels like I remember. Like home. And she smells like roses. Sweet, beautiful roses.

  “Ah, my sweetheart, my Amberlyn. Love, look at me,” she whispers against my temple, and I sob as she tips my head up, her fingers light against my cheeks as I meet her gaze. “So beautiful,” she says, kissing the side of my mouth.

  “Mommy,” I cry as my heart jumps into my throat. Searching her eyes, I want to believe this is real, but it can’t be. Or is it? I can feel her; I can smell her. I am holding my mother. It has to be real. “I miss you so much.”

  “Oh sunshine, I miss you more,” she says, holding me to her, her fingers running slowly through my hair like she used to do when I was a child. There wasn’t a day that passed where I wouldn’t lay my head in her lap and she would thread her fingers or braid my hair. It was perfect, but as I blink back the tears, she studies me with a look I’ve seen before. It was the same one she had when she told me she was dying.