Truly, Madly, Whiskey(89)

Crystal took a moment to study her brother, seeing even more of their father in him. She knew it was because he was no longer stealing or skirting the law.

“I think that’s why Dad gave her so long to straighten out,” Jed said. “I think he hoped for the same thing.”

“Dad would be proud of you, Jed.”

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You can’t imagine how much it means to me to hear that.”

Thinking of her father committing to taking her and Jed away from their mother brought a wave of sadness. It must have been so hard for him to make that decision. She wondered if he’d given her the worry dolls because of the person her mother had become, and not, as she’d thought, because he’d known she’d need them for the traumatic years ahead.

She watched Jed, and focused on the here and now, which was too damn good to be set aside for questions she’d never have answers to.

Bear blew her a kiss as he and Bullet carried a dresser to his truck. She couldn’t have been happier than when she’d heard that Bullet and Bones had finally backed Bear in his confrontation with their father. He deserved everyone’s support for all he’d done for his family over the years.

“I’m glad you’re coming back to Peaceful Harbor,” she said to Jed.

“Me too. It’ll be like coming home. I owe Bear a lot, between hiring me thirty hours a week at the garage and ten at the bar and hooking me up with Quincy for the apartment.” He stepped closer, his eyes warm and brotherly. She’d missed that look so much a lump rose in her throat. “But mostly I owe him for making you so happy. You deserve to be happy.”

Bear winked as he headed back inside, full of badass swagger.

“I do love my biker boy.”

She and Jed walked inside together to get another load of his belongings.

“I wish I could have been there for you when you left school. I know I said it before, but I can’t stop thinking about it. I went back and gave Mom hell for what she said to you.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” She grabbed a box from the counter. “What’s in the past is in the past.”

“I know.” He hoisted a box into his arms. “I just wanted you to know that I may not have been there to have your back, but I do now, and I always will.”

“Thanks, Jed.”

“Hey, sugar,” Bear said as he passed, carrying one end of a desk. “We’re thinking of hitting a café for lunch on the way out of town. Sound good?”

“You know I’m always hungry.”

“Some things never change,” Jed teased.

An hour later they drove the loaded trucks to a café at the edge of town. Tucked against Bear’s side, with Jed beside her and Bullet walking behind them like a bodyguard scanning the crowd, Crystal stifled her amusement. Going anywhere with Bullet, Bear, and Bones was like having three bodyguards. But she’d had no idea Jed had that much of a protective side. What else would she learn about him? She couldn’t wait to find out.

The line was eight people deep, and her bladder was full of coffee. “I’m going to run to the ladies’ room,” Crystal said to Bear. “Would you mind getting me a turkey sandwich with lettuce?”

Bear scanned the café, his eyes landing on the sign for the ladies’ room across the room. “Sure, babe.”

He gave her a chaste kiss. She felt the heat of his gaze as she walked away, and she swore she felt Bullet and Jed’s eyes on her, too. After using the bathroom, she read a text from Gemma as she headed back to the men.

Finlay just called. The catering is all set! Four more weeks!! How long until you get back with Jed?

They’d picked up their dresses and met with Finlay, the caterer, last week to go over the final menu for the wedding. Crystal wondered what syrupy-sweet Finlay might think of the tatted-up groomsmen. She stepped aside to let someone pass and sent Gemma a quick text.

You will be the most gorgeous bride EVER. We stopped for lunch. Will call when we get back.

When she looked up from her phone, Bear’s eyes were trained on her, and her pulse went wild. His lips curved up in a loving smile, which was so different from his playful or seductive smiles. She adored every one of them. She moved through the people waiting to collect their food at the pickup counter. Bullet’s ever-watchful eyes drifted over the shoulder of the guy he was talking with, to Crystal, then around her, before returning to the man in front of him. Jed was busy talking to a tall blonde. Go Jed.

The guy Bullet was talking to turned, and Crystal froze as the face from her past stole the air from her lungs. No. No, no, no.

Flashes of the attack slammed into her.

That face. Those cold, hard eyes.

She was slipping.

Going under.

His hands tore at her clothes.

She fought for clarity, refusing to let him win.

I’m not afraid of you.

She was breathing too fast, too hard.

Bear.



IN THE SPACE of a second the color drained from Crystal’s face. Bear swept her shaking body against him, his heart racing. “Baby? What’s wrong?”

Jed came to her side. “Crys?”

Her mouth was moving, but no words came. Bear put his ear close to her mouth, and her whisper sent fire through his veins: “It’s him.”