by Kelly Moore
Epilogue
Fallon
“I can’t believe she’ll be two years old in a week.” I stretch out in a chair and watch my daughter play in the sand.
“She looks so much like Derrick,” Sean says as he helps her build a castle with a moat around it.
He’s learned to read lips as well as sign. He’s even taught his niece sign language. She picked it up so easily.
“She’s just like him. Personality and all.” Sadness fills my voice. “He’d love her so much.”
“I’m sorry. I wish the two of you could’ve had a life together.”
“Me too.”
“Did I ever tell you I’m glad you brought me with you?”
“Multiple times.” I laugh. I shade my eyes from the sun and look out over the water. “Do you think they’re still out there looking for us?”
“I have no doubt that my brother has never quit looking for you.”
“I don’t know how it all played out. Maybe he thinks I left him at the altar.”
“I’m sure Nina wanted her credit.”
“Hopefully, she’s gone by now, or she got bored with keeping track of us, and we could go home.” It’s wishful thinking on my part.
“You know that’s not true. She leaves us clues that she knows where we are.”
“It’s been a few months since the last one. She’s never gone that long before.”
“If another month goes by and we’ve not received anything, we’ll talk about it then. We’ve done everything we can do to keep them safe. We can’t risk it if she’s still watching us.”
He’s right, and I know it. I can’t count how many times I’ve picked up the phone to call Rebel, only to hang up in tears. Especially when I found out I was pregnant. I wanted him to know so badly that he was going to be a father. I want Lily to know him. She deserves to have a father. I know Sean has played the role, but he’s not Rebel.
When she was born, Nina sent gifts. She sneaked in the hospital nursery and took a picture of her. She made sure I knew about it when she called me. She was actually nice, for Nina. She’s sent me several letters since then, telling me she’s sorry that she took my life away but not sorry enough to set me free from our agreement. She sends Lily books with little notes in them. I always write her back to the only address she’s ever given me, which is a post office box number.
It’s taken me a while to find out who I am again. I got lost in all the mess with Nina. I’m still me, only stronger, braver, and self-confident. I’ve had to be for my daughter. I’ve kept up my self-defense classes, and I’ve stockpiled some weapons. I’m preparing for the day that Nina comes after us. I don’t want to kill my sister, but I will never let her near Lily or Sean.
“I promise you one day, Lily, you will know your father,” I say under my breath. For now, I’ll watch and wait and cherish the moments I have with her, knowing I’ve kept her and Sean safe from my sister.
Also by Kelly Moore
Whiskey River Road Series
Coming Home, Book 1
Stolen Hearts, Book 2 Winter 2020
* * *
The Broken Pieces Series in order
Broken Pieces
Pieced Together
Piece by Piece
Pieces of Gray
Syn’s Broken Journey
Broken Pieces Box set Books 1-3
* * *
August Series in Order
Next August
This August
Seeing Sam
* * *
Brooklyn Series in order
Taking Down Brooklyn
Taking Back Brooklyn
Taking Jake
* * *
Epic Love Stories Series can be read in any order
Say You Won’t Let Go
Fading Into Nothing Audiobook version
Life Goes On. Audiobook version
Gypsy Audiobook version
Jameson
* * *
Rescue Missions Series can be read in any order
Imperfect
Blind Revenge
* * *
Fated Lives Series
Rebel’s Retribution Books 1-4
Theo’s Retaliation Books 5-7
Thorn’s Redemption
* * *
The Crazy Rich Davenports Season One in order of reading
Dare To Enter
Hot Mess
The Loon
F%#king Screwed
Don’t Wake the Dead
Then There Were Four
I Promise to Obey…Nothing
Boos & Booze
* * *
Coffee Tea or Me
Free Ebooks by Kelly Moore
About the Author
"This author has the magical ability to take an already strong and interesting plot and add so many unexpected twists and turns that it turns her books into a complete addiction for the reader." Dandelion Inspired Blog
Armed with books in the crook of my elbow, I can go anywhere. That’s my philosophy! Better yet, I’ll write the books that will take me on an adventure.
My heroes are a bit broken but will make you swoon. My heroines are their own kick-ass characters armed with humor and a plethora of sarcasm.
If I’m not tucked away in my writing den, with coffee firmly gripped in hand, you can find me with a book propped on my pillow, a pit bull lying across my legs, a Lab on the floor next to me, and two kittens running amuck.
My current adventure has me living in Idaho with my own gray-bearded hero, who’s put up with my shenanigans for over thirty years, and he doesn’t mind all my book boyfriends.
If you love romance, suspense, military men, lots of action and adventure infused with emotion, tear-worthy moments, and laugh-out-loud humor, dive into my books and let the world fall away at your feet.
Whiskey River Road
Coming Home Book 1 Sneek Peek Chapter 1 Clem Calhoun
I park the truck on the edge of the concrete slab that has two other pickup trucks on it. Slowly getting out, I blow out a lengthy breath while trying to convince myself that I’ve done the right thing by coming home. I smooth down my long, chestnut-colored hair and adjust my simple army-green dress. Ethan gets out and walks around to my side of the truck.
“Are you ready?” He holds out his hand, and I take it. We head to the steps of the house, and he stops dead in his tracks.
“Why is there a shotgun leaning on the wall by the door?”
“That’s not a shotgun. It’s a rifle. I don’t know, maybe they had some coyotes out here last night.”
“Coyotes?” His gaze skims the area around the house.
The front door thunders open and my daddy, Chet Calhoun, steps out onto the painted wooden porch. “What the hell are you doing back here?” His heavy voice blares as his Adam's apple bobs. His silver hair and mustache haven’t changed, but I don’t recall the deep-seated wrinkles that now hang at his gray eyes. He’s older but stands just as tall and brooding as he always has.
“I wanted to come home.” I shrug one shoulder, unable to come up with anything else to say.
“You’re not welcome here.” He reaches behind him and grabs the rifle.
“Oh, Daddy, you’re not going to shoot me.” I brush the rifle downward, and he raises it again. “Then how about him.” He waves it in Ethan’s direction, and he scoots behind me.
Eighteen hours earlier…
* * *
“Does your family even know we’re coming?” The springs creak in the seat as Ethan climbs in the passenger side of my old pickup truck. The knobs rattle as he shuts the door and he immediately tries to roll down the window but struggles with the broken crank.
“No, and trust me, it’s better this way.” I turn the key over, and nothing happens. With a slap of my hand on the cracked dash, the engine sputters as it comes to life. My lucky charm always works. Its old bones make all kinds of noises, including a backfire that has Ethan jumping in his seat and banging his head o
n the bare ceiling of the truck.
“What the hell, Clem? Why do you still have this old truck anyway? Even the bumper doesn’t look like it wants to hang around on it. It’s holding on by one bolt. It’s a piece of shit. Is it even going to get us to Kentucky?” He rubs the side of his head.
“Ahhh, cover your ears, Lizzy.” I gasp and pat the dash like I’m consoling her. “She and I have been through a lot together. I’m pretty sure she’ll outlive me. Besides, once we get to the ranch, she’ll fit right in.” The sound of the gears shifting into drive drops heavily into place with a sharp grind. The engine gives one last hiccup before it jerks into motion. I glance over at Ethan, and he’s already digging through the bag of junk food and drinks that he bought when I stopped to fill up the gas tank.
It’s early, and the heat is radiating off the sunbaked long, narrow highway. The glass in my window makes a rubbing noise as I exert pressure to turn the window crank. It stops at halfway and won’t go any further, but it’s enough to let a breeze flow through once I open the sliding back window. The wind sends my dog tags hanging from the rearview mirror into a tornado spin.
Over the sound of the wind whipping through, I hear Ethan slurping his drink through a straw. I cut my gaze to him, and he shrugs.
He starts feeling around the seats and the center console. “Where are the cup holders?”
“You’ll have to hold it between your thighs because there isn’t any.”
“Jesus, Clem. Why couldn’t we have driven my new car?”
“Because that thing is pretty and a Corvette has no place where we’re going?”
“You make it sound like we’re going to The Hills Have Eyes.”
I giggle at his reference to the scary movie. “Have you ever been to the hills of Kentucky?” I add, in my not so frightening southern drawl.
“No. You know I’m a city boy from New York, but you’re scaring me just a little.” He pinches his fingers together.
“How did you and I ever become best friends?” I can’t help but laugh at him.
He finally gets his window rolled down and hangs his arm out. “I helped you get through basic training, and then you wouldn’t quit following me around.” His smile goes from ear to ear.
He’s right. I didn’t know a soul and was terrified once I enlisted. I had no idea why this charming city boy helped me, but he did. I could’ve easily fallen for his good looks and lean body. He has that all-American boy thing going on that all the women love. Jet-black hair, perfect teeth, and smile. Bright blue eyes that could make any normal girl’s libido rage.
I was still reeling from walking out on Boone on our wedding day. I haven’t spoken a word to him since. I wasn’t ready to jump into another relationship, much less a fuck fest with a hot soldier boy. I wanted to find out who I was besides a girl that was raised to be prim and proper but born with a dirty mind. After having my mouth washed out with soap enough, I learned to keep my thoughts to myself.
“It was you who kept pursuing me.” I snort.
He reaches over and spins the volume on the radio. He immediately starts humming to the country song playing. I introduced him to it, and now he’s a die-hard fan. I tap the steering wheel to the beat of the music and enjoy listening to him.
It isn’t long before I glance over and see his head lying against the doorframe with drool coming out of the corner of his mouth. Not a sexy look on him. It will be a boring eighteen-hour drive from Fort Carson to Salt Lick, Kentucky if he’s going to sleep half the ride.
I pull my dark, round sunglasses from the visor and focus on the drive. I can’t help but wonder how my family will take me coming back. I was just a young girl when I left. Returning at twenty-eight, I have a better perspective on what I want out of life, and the things I once hated about the ranch, I now think fondly of and have an aching in my heart to return. My older sister Ellie and I have written for years, and she’s kept me somewhat in the know about Mom, Daddy, and our two brothers. The last email I got from her was pretty nonspecific. She said there was trouble at the ranch, and Daddy’s health wasn’t the best. I figured now was the best time to return. I’m free of the army and can start a new life. But first I need to make some amends.
Daddy and I used to be close, but I’m sure Boone’s heart wasn’t the only one broken that day. I love my father, but he was always so controlling of his family. “We’re cattle ranchers and racehorse breeders and trainers. That’s what we do, and that’s what each of you will do.” I can still hear his firm voice in my head. He was the one that insisted that I marry Boone. He’d hired him as the lead trainer when I was sixteen years old. My love for the horses had me following in his shadow like a little lost puppy dog. It didn’t help that I was a horny teenage girl, and all I could think about was what was under the fly of his faded blue jeans. He was five years older than me. He only thought of me as the boss’s baby daughter until I turned twenty. I was a late bloomer, and my girls didn’t blossom until then. That’s when he started to look at me like a man looks at a woman, and I ate it up.
He taught me everything I know about training racehorses and other things. I was comfortable with him and enjoyed his company. There was a raw sexual force between us that I didn’t understand. My father saw that. Well, not the sexual part. He would’ve skinned my hide. He pushed us together. He said we’d make a powerful team in the industry.
Boone was sweet in a rugged sort of way. He’d flex his biceps, and my sex drive would approach a meltdown level. I was in a constant state of a puddled mess between my legs just looking at him. He was a true cowboy from Texas. The song, “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy),” always skirted around my mind when I was near him.
My dad found him hanging around the tracks and took him under his wing. His dark-brown sexy, soft curls and killer smile made it easy to fall for him. I loved him, but I wanted more out of life, and he deserved someone that didn’t feel stuck. In hindsight, I picked a really bad day to decide I couldn’t be who he or my father wanted me to be.
Seven years in the army, I grew up. I traveled overseas and learned the cybersecurity industry. I only ended up in Colorado six months ago. It was the first time I’d been in the same place as Ethan since we were assigned to an army base in Europe. I stayed there, and he went on to Germany. By then, I only saw him as a friend and not someone I wanted to hop in the sack with.
I know I should’ve made more attempts to talk to my family after I left, but Daddy was so angry. He told Ellie to tell me to never come home again. He wouldn’t take any calls from me, and he forbid my mom to talk to me. My older brother Wyatt is thick as thieves with my father. He lives and breathes the business, so he only does what he’s told to do.
My brother Bear, who’s only a year older than me, was too busy being a ladies’ man to care what was going on with anyone’s life but his own. Ellie’s always been a sweet, innocent girl and loved the ranch. She swore she’d never leave.
I’ve been lost in my thoughts for hours, listening to Ethan snore. I reach over and shake his leg. “Hey, I need to stop for fuel and to use the ladies’ room.”
He wipes the drool off his face with the back of his hand. “How long have I been sleeping?”
“Four hours. You never even woke up the last time I fueled up.” I pull off the highway into a mom-and-pop station. Ethan helps out by pumping the fuel while I run inside.
When we get back onto the road, Ethan is driving. He keeps trying to adjust the seat to fit his lengthy legs. “You really haven’t spoken to Boone since you left him at the altar?”
“No. Ellie said he didn’t want anything to do with me. I can’t blame him.”
“You’ve remained pretty closed-lipped about the story other than the basics, even from me. Why don’t you tell me the details, being that I’m going to meet all of them? I think you should spill it.”
Resting my head on the back of the seat, I let the wind cool my face and bring back clear memories. “I remember Ellie zipping me up and watching me i
n the mirror. I’d been in my own head, frantic about what I was about to do. The dress suddenly felt like hot glue on my skin. My head started spinning, and I felt woozy. Pictures of my future flashed before my eyes. I recall telling my sister, 'I…I can’t do this.’ I ripped the veil and the flowers out of my hair that she had spent the last hour fixing.
“She asked what I was talking about. She kept telling me that Boone and half the town was waiting for me in the church.
“My chair scooted across the floor as I fought to stand because my legs felt like wet noodles trying to hold myself up. My dress got caught underneath one the legs, and it ripped a layer of frill off. I screamed for her to unzip me. I twisted my arm over my head to tug at the zipper, but my hand was shaking so much I couldn’t get a grip on it.”
I stuff my hands between my legs and look down. “Ellie kept saying she didn’t understand. I can still feel her pulling the zipper all the way to my lower back, and I shrugged out of my dress.
“I told her that I did love Boone, but that I was only twenty-one years old. I wanted more out of life than the ranch and racehorses. If I had married him, it would be all I’d ever know. Traveling from horse track to horse track would be all I’d see of the world. I needed more, I wanted more, and it was such a confusing time for me.
“She cried, telling me that I’d been born and bred into this. That Daddy told her I’d become one of the best horse trainers he’d ever seen.
“I couldn’t get in my skinny jeans fast enough. I remember telling her, that’s what he wants for my life, and what about what I want? That never mattered to him. She tried to convince me that it did, but I knew better. Then she kept repeating the question, what about Boone?