Becoming the Whiskey Princess Read online

  “Nor do I. This is it. Me and you, mo stór.”

  “That’s how I want it.”

  We share a grin before pressing our lips together. Gathering her tightly in my arms, I deepen the kiss, hoping to portray how much love is in me for this woman. How my whole life is devoted to her. That is until a knock comes at the door.

  Parting quickly, I let my legs hang over the bed as Amberlyn says, “Come in.”

  In comes Mrs. Maclaster with a sullen look on her face. “Sorry to bother ya, but I just got the mail and this was in it.”

  She crosses the room and hands the letter to Amberlyn. I want to mind my own business, but the look on Shelia’s face has me nervous. Glancing over, I see who the letter is from and soon my blood is boiling.

  Casey Burke.

  “How can he send this to me?” she asks as she tears it open.

  “The inmates can send post if they like,” I answer as Shelia sits down in a chair by the bed. “Can I read it?”

  She nods before clearing her throat. “I’ll read it out loud.”

  My dearest Amberlyn,

  I hope that all is fit with ya. That you are happy and healing well.

  I first want to apologize for everything that I’ve done to you. I should have never touched you or hurt you in any way. I always felt like ya was seeing me and not what everyone said about me. It was intoxicating; you are intoxicating, that is. I can see why O’Callaghan is so in love with ya. You’re special. That being said, I never meant to shoot you. I know ya love him, but he has done nothing but hurt me over and over again. His family has run my name through the dirt. His sister broke my heart, his da tries to pay me off to leave, but I can’t. My ma is sick and needs me. She is dying, Amberlyn, and if you testify against me, she’ll die without my care. I have to be there. Please, don’t testify. I know you can turn this letter in and it’ll have me rotting in jail, but I’m hoping you’ll find it in yer heart to help me out. If not for me, then my ma. Please.

  Find it in yer heart. Please.

  Casey

  As the words leave her lips, I hate them. I hate every single word, and I want nothing more than to stuff them all down that eejit’s throat. They are all lies. All of them. But when I go to tell Amberlyn that, her eyes are full of tears and she is shaking her head as she slowly folds up the letter.

  “Well, then,” Mrs. Maclaster says.

  She chews her lip before looking over at her aunt. “Do you know where his mom is? Is she still at home?”

  Mrs. Maclaster nods. “Yeah, she was in a home, but there was no money coming in, so now she has a friend who comes in to care for her.”

  Looking over at me, Amberlyn meets my gaze. “I’m still gonna testify against him, he has to pay for his crime, but his mom shouldn’t pay for his mistakes.”

  “I mean, she did raise the gobshite,” I say, but she tsks me.

  “Declan.”

  I look away as I shake my head. “It’s true, though,” I say, and even Mrs. Maclaster agrees with me.

  “This is true, but I can’t help put her son away knowing that she’ll die without proper care.”

  Again I shake my head, knowing exactly what she is doing. “Ya have a heart of gold, Amberlyn.”

  “And you love me for it,” she says and I nod, kissing the side of her mouth.

  “I do and I’ll have my assistant call tomorrow to get her put back in the home, fully paid for.”

  She shakes her head. “No, I’ll do it with my money. I don’t want to make your dad mad.”

  Taking her hand, I kiss her palm before meeting her gaze. “Don’t ya worry about my da, I’ll deal with him. But, Amberlyn—”

  Her eyes start to water again. “Yeah?”

  “My money is your money, my love. Don’t ever forget that. And if doing this for that wanker’s ma will make you happy, then it’s done.”

  When the brightest grin comes across her face, I remember that I may never love her the same way her family did, but I’m going to try my hardest to love her even more.

  I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my whole life.

  I feel I say those words at least a dozen times when Amberlyn is in the room.

  But tonight, it can’t be because I’m biased and completely in love with her. No, it has to be because she is the sun, shining on us all. Blessing us all with her beauty. I mean, she’s fuckin’ sparkling.

  As she slowly comes down the stairs to meet me, I drink in every single detail. The way her hair is down to the side in a soft, loose braid that I know must have taken some time. There are little flowers throughout it, in the perfect spots to accentuate the braid. The dress she wears is formfitting, showing off all her curves and the parts of her that have me out of my mind for her.

  The dress is a color I’ve never seen on her before. The bodice is almost a soft pink rose color, very pretty, and has her skin glowing. It’s covered in stones and dips down lower than I know my mother would approve of along her breasts. It hugs her to the middle of her thighs and then the skirt is made of cream ruffles. It is a very stunning dress, but again, not something an O’Callaghan woman would wear.

  I like that though. I want her to have her own personality. She wasn’t born into this life, she is joining it, and I want her fun, quirky style to add in with the classic one of my family. I think she is gorgeous. Even though she is wearing more makeup than I like, it’s done very dramatically, but it works. She needs to stand out. I want the whole room, everyone, to know that my fiancée is downright magnificent.

  I hold my hand out and a grin pulls at my lips as she takes it, a small smile pulling at her light, nude-colored lips.

  “Dazzling, my love. Simply breathtaking,” I whisper before pressing my lips to the side of her mouth. She is so soft and smells like heaven. Pulling back, I look down into her grinning face and can’t help but fight for my next breath.

  “Thank you,” she says, lacing her fingers with mine. “I really like you in a tux.”

  I chuckle, liking that she approves of my attire. I can see the desire swirling in the depths of her stunning aquamarine eyes, and it takes everything out of me not to check the time. I’m giving this party an hour. After that, she is mine.

  Sucking in a deep breath, I tuck her hand between my ribs and bicep before letting it out. “Let’s go before I take ya against the wall, yeah?”

  She lets out a breathy laugh before saying, “I would applaud you for doing that, considering this dress is tighter than a little coat on a fat guy.”

  I laugh, loving her reference to one of my favorite movies, but then I set her with a look. “A dress doesn’t come between a man and his woman.”

  Grinning at me, she says, “Duly noted.”

  “Grand, now let’s go get this party over.”

  She hesitates and then glances at me. “I really don’t want to go.”

  The party is loud, not with music either, but with voices. It’s very intimidating and I don’t want to go either, but we both know we have to.

  “Me neither, but my ma would have both our heads if we don’t.”

  “I know,” she says, letting out a breath. “She has been schooling me on how a proper lady acts at her party. It’s been insanely boring. I may not be an O’Callaghan-raised woman, but I doubt I’m gonna get shit-faced and hang from the chandeliers.”

  I scoff. “You should for the show,” I say with a wink. “I love ya the way ya are. Ignore her, and let’s have us some fun for an hour before the real fun starts.”

  “Which is?” she asks, but we both know what I’m talking about.

  “Me peeling that dress off ya and making up for the first-time disaster.”

  She giggles, which sets my nerves on fire. I love her sexy giggle. “I love our first time.”

  “Bollocks, it was a disaster.”

  “Our disaster,” she says fondly before leaning her head against my shoulder. “Nonetheless, I’m counting down the next sixty minutes.”

  I cuddle in close