Taking Risk Series Read online

  I remember when I was fourteen. I told my mom that I was going to marry Mr. Darcy. She agreed that he would be an amiable man and that we would need to get first-class tickets back in time to find him. For the next hour, we discussed what we would do to help my dreams come true and how Darcy would be a fool not to fall for me. I was convinced that he was the man for me. It was so innocent and perfect that it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

  Before my mom passed, she said not to settle for anything but Mr. Darcy status and I feel that I’ve found that. While it worries me that this is my first love and how people never stay with their first loves, I can’t help but feel so strongly about him—like he consumes me. Every single part of me is in love with him, and I don’t know how to handle my feelings. They are so scary.

  “Why are you just standing there? Look,” Fiona says, playfully smacking my butt as she passes by me.

  I smile before biting into my lip and looking over at her. She catches me watching her and asks, “What?”

  I shrug, a smile still pulling at my lips. “Declan said I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to him.”

  When my shoulders sway back and forth with a girly grin on my face, I feel a little dumb but not enough to stop doing it. She smiles before leaning against the rack.

  “That’s sweet. What did you say?”

  Shyly, I answer, “That I’ve never felt like this before.”

  Her brows come up as she sets me with a look. “Felt like what?”

  Biting the inside of my cheek, I shrug. “I love him.”

  “You said that?” she asks, her face visibly shocked.

  “No, I haven’t. I don’t know how.”

  Coming to me, she cups my shoulders, looking deep in my eyes. “Don’t. Wait for him to say it to you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because if you do it, then that means you care more. What if he doesn’t, but he says it because he wants to be nice? This is Declan O’Callaghan. The Whiskey Prince, Amberlyn. He has duchesses, actresses, and debutantes throwing those three words at him all the time, but not once has he ever been in love with any of them. I’m not saying he doesn’t care for you. It’s obvious he does, but don’t say it yet. Wait for him because… Okay, don’t take this the wrong way, promise?”

  I can only blink as I process what she is saying to me. “Okay?”

  “You are the only normal person I’ve ever seen Declan with. He has always dated the rich and famous. So I don’t know what to think of this. Does he really love you? Or is he trying to do it as a stunt? You know? Don’t get me wrong, I want to trust Declan because of how highly Kane thinks of him, but he makes me nervous because it’s you. You’re basically my sister, and I don’t want any more pain to come to you. Not after everything you’ve been through.”

  Taking her hand in mine, I smile. “I love you, I do, and I love that you worry about me, but Declan is shy. I think those other women were just what he was expected to do, and maybe I’m the real deal. Maybe I’m grasping at straws because really, a guy like Declan falling for me is kind of comical, but I can’t help but hope to God it can be true because I do love him. I love him with all my heart, and I can’t wait to hear him say it back to me.”

  “It’s not comical, Amberlyn. You are amazing, and I think you may be right. I mean, you know him, the real him, so I trust your judgment. But please give it a little more time before you start screaming you love the man. Wait till you sleep with him and then decide. He could have a small dick, ya know.”

  “Good God,” I mutter as I drop her hands and shake my head as she laughs.

  “What? He could!”

  “Not that I would know since he’d be the first!” I counter, and she nods.

  “True, so here’s the rule of thumb… You want more than a mouthful.”

  I close my eyes, seconds away from covering my ears. “Please, Fiona.”

  She sends me a sneaky grin before going back to flipping through the racks. I stand there for a second, thinking of what she said, and then I say, “I think I will wait.”

  She nods. “Good.”

  “It’s only been like six weeks. While I know what I am feeling is true, I think it’d be better to wait. Don’t want to go scare him off.”

  “Yes,” she agrees. “Wait until he says it.”

  “I mean, we’ll see what happens. I live in the moment. If for some reason, I have to tell him, or I know I can’t go on, I’m just going to do it. I know what my feelings are, and all I can hope is that when I tell him, he feels the same.”

  She nods. “True, now stop worrying about all that. Let’s pick dresses out that will blow our fella’s minds!”

  “Okay!” I say with as much enthusiasm as I can muster. Truth is, I suck at dress shopping. I never went shopping for dance stuff. I was too busy studying and changing my mom’s bedding. Flipping through the racks of beautiful, white dresses, I sigh. “Why couldn’t it be like a black ball? White is so boring to me.”

  Fiona shakes her head. “No way. White dresses are gorgeous because they are usually blinged out, you pair it with some brightly colored heels, and life is grand. This one is nice. It would look good on ya. It’s very Victorian, which suits ya,” she says, holding up a dress.

  “The top is see-through,” I say, taking in the gorgeous detail of it. It’s an off-white, jeweled tulle top with cups that would cover my breasts, but still, you could see right through it except for the white, high-waisted skirt that would come to maybe mid-calf. It was beautiful.

  “So? It’s gorgeous. Seriously, go try it on,” she says, pushing it at me.

  “You don’t think it’s whoreish?” I say, my face scrunching up.

  “No way. It’s classy. Lena would rock something like this in a heartbeat.”

  Reluctantly, I take the dress and walk to the dressing room. I figure it’s my curiosity that fuels me to get undressed and slowly slide the gorgeous gown up my body. It fits like a glove even with only being zipped up halfway. Turning to look at the side, I smile when I can see my tattoo on my ribs through the studded fabric. My ass even looks great, and I can’t help but love everything about this dress. I’m sure that Declan will love it, too.

  Stepping out, I don’t see Fiona and ask, “Fiona?”

  “Hold on, I’m throwing one on, too.”

  “Okay,” I say just as she steps out in a white dress that covers her all the way up to her neck. I make a face because the dress is ugly in my opinion, but when she turns and I see that the back is backless with two black lace patches by her ass, I quickly change my opinion. “Beautiful,” I say with a grin.

  “Thanks, I think it will drive Kane insane and wow, you too. Turn around.”

  I do as she asks, and she zips me up. I turn, smiling, and she nods. “I think you found your dress.”

  I run my hands down the front of the dress, loving the fit, and completely agree. “And you’ve found yours.”

  “I think so. So now all we need is shoes,” she says as her eyes gloss over.

  “Yay,” I groan, and she laughs.

  “Come on, it will be quick.”

  Such a liar. It took another hour to find shoes before we finally settled at the pub by the store for food. My heart is still pounding from the money I dropped, but Fiona said it was worth it to look good with a whole bunch of rich folks. I guess she is right, but still, it sucks knowing my bank account took a major hit. Taking a huge bite of my burger, I smile as the flavors explode in my mouth. I am so hungry, and this burger is going to hit the spot perfectly. I am tempted to order some wings, too, but refrain since I want to look good in my dress, and instead, I smother my fries with mustard.

  When my phone sounds, I drop the burger on my plate to dig it out of my purse to find Declan has texted me. I usually wouldn’t answer it while I eat, but since Fiona is in the bathroom, I find it the perfect time to get in a quick word with him.

  Still shopping?

  I smile as I text back. Nope, finally eating