Taking Risk Series Read online

  He doesn’t say anything for a moment and then waves me off. “Eh, shut up with ya.”

  I laugh as he goes on, “I’ll ask when I know that she meant what she said—that I was enough as just a malter. She’s gonna start school and make loads of money, while I’ll still make the same, ya know? So we’ll see.”

  I don’t like this side of Kane. The part that was damaged by his real ma. No one really knows that his ma ran out on his dad when he was four. Only I know because I watched it happen. She didn’t like the life they had, but there was no changing it. Then his da met Kane’s stepmom and she took Kane as her own. She was the ma he needed, but still, sometimes, this part of him comes out. I’m usually the insecure one he helps pick up; never are the roles reversed. But I guess some things don’t ever go away, and his real ma is someone that still rears her ugly head to hurt Kane.

  Clearing my throat, I say, “She’ll still love ya and you know it. She isn’t like your real ma, Kane. She isn’t going to run.”

  He nods. “She says that too.”

  Shocked, my eyes go wide as I hold his gaze. “You told her?”

  Kane doesn’t tell anyone about that. Maggie is his ma, and that’s all there is to it.

  Shaking my head, I say, “See, you know it’s true. You wouldn’t have told her that if you thought she had a foot out the door, yeah?”

  He shrugs again and bites his lips. “I was drunk when I told her.”

  I laugh. “Liar.”

  Kana laughs too but then stops when he looks over at me. “I love her and I pray she doesn’t leave me, but I know it could happen.”

  Holding his gaze, I say, “That’s the scary part about love. You’re all in and pray that they are too.”

  Kane nods. “Love expert now?”

  I smile. “Eh, fuck no. But I know that we both picked some top birds, for sure.”

  He smiles as he nods. “That’s the damn truth.”

  When my email dings, I look back at the computer and see that it’s an email from my da. “Fuck, guess my ma went straight to talk to my da.”

  “Really? Jeez, it’s not that big of a deal, I think,” is Kane’s opinion as I open the email. Reading it quickly, I find that I was wrong to assume what I did. It isn’t about what I discussed with my mom.

  It’s about my whiskey.

  “He approved it,” I whisper, shocked. I really don’t know why I am because I am about to own this company, but I thought I would have to wait to do it myself. I sent the email to get beta testing done on a whim, in hopes he’d agree.

  And he did.

  “What’d he say?”

  Looking over at Kane, a grin pulls at my lips as I say, “Cathmor is going into beta testing.”

  Kane’s face breaks into a grin as he exclaims, “Fuck yeah! Awesome, Declan, congrats!”

  I can only nod as I reread the email. I still can’t believe it, but it’s there, in black and white. Glancing back at Kane, I ask, “Wanna go to the pub?”

  Kane nods as he shares a knowing look. “Yeah, let’s go.”

  Standing up, I can’t wipe the grin off my face. Before, I would throw one back with Kane to celebrate, but there is now another person I need to make this moment a billion times better. The only person who matters.

  Amberlyn.

  Chapter 13

  Declan

  When the door slams behind me to the pub, my brows shoot up to my hairline, I’m sure. Standing before me is my fiancée, but not dressed the way she normally would be.

  “Don’t laugh,” she says, running her hands down the front of the flowy gold dress she wears. It has a big flower embellishing the front of it with sheer sleeves, and it’s very form-fitting. It’s something my mother and sister wear on the daily. Her hair is done very elegantly and her makeup done just as well. “Your sister sent it over,” she informs me when I am done drinking her in before meeting her gaze. Her eyes are not as bright as I like them to be, and I can tell she is completely uncomfortable.

  And then I remember that she has tea today with my sister, Ma, and the Fadmish ladies.

  “Love, I wouldn’t laugh ’cause there is nothing to laugh about. You’re beautiful, of course.”

  She makes a face, obviously not believing a word I say. “I look all old.”

  With my brows pulled together, confused, I ask, “Old? How?”

  “She thinks the dress is something an old lady would wear,” Fiona supplies.

  I nod as I close the distance between us. Taking her by her hips, I smile, kissing her nose. I don’t think that at all. She looks distinguished. Like an O’Callaghan, but cute as a button. With the heels she’s wearing, she’s as tall as me, and I enjoy it more than I’d like to admit. Kissing her nose again, I say, “You’re stunning, mo stór. Don’t think that.”

  She brings her lip between her teeth and shakes her head. “This isn’t me.”

  I smile, holding her chin in my thumb and hand. “Then go take it off. Go as you please.”

  She looks away as she lets out a breath. “I can’t. I can tell it cost money, and Lena called to make sure I liked it. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that I would never wear such old-looking stuff.”

  “I told her she looks nice. She fits the part of an O’Callaghan going for tea,” Fiona says, leaning on her hand as Kane drains a pint, the least bit entertained by my fiancée’s drama.

  Meeting Amberlyn’s gaze, I nod. “Ya do.”

  She looks down and lets out a breath. “So I should get used to this? Being dressed like this?”

  I lift her chin. “No, love, you pick your own clothes, design your own stuff. Don’t allow my sister or ma to do it for ya. Be you.”

  A smile pulls at her lips as she nods slowly. “But what about your mom?”

  “What about her? You are my fiancée. I want you to be comfortable.”

  She smiles shyly before wrapping her arms around my neck. She then kisses my jaw and the side of my mouth before saying against my lips, “I am now.”

  “Good,” I say, kissing her nose one more time. Then her cheek and her neck, before kissing her lobe. Softly, I whisper, “I’d love to peel this dress of ya.”

  She lets out a girlie giggle as her arms tighten around my neck. “I have tea with the Fadmish ladies in an hour. I need way more time to get ready.”

  I chuckle as I kiss her lips once more. “Rain check, then?”

  She laughs as her shoulders slump. “We are one big rain check,” she says sadly, and I hate that she is right. Also, that look on her face. The one of complete disappointment. I haven’t had a free moment with her, but I know that’ll all change once she moves in. Only a couple more days.

  Kissing her lips, I pull away and ask, “Are you packed to move in yet?”

  She shakes her head. “A little, but I haven’t told my aunt and uncle yet.”

  I set her with a look. “Think ya should, yeah?”

  She nods. “Yeah, I’ll get to it. Tomorrow, for sure, since I’ll be moving in Sunday.”

  “Yeah, I gotta tell them about me too,” Fiona says as my lips press against Amberlyn’s again.

  “Might want to wait a bit. Let her leaving die down,” Kane suggests as I cuddle Amberlyn into my side.

  Stroking her jaw with my thumb, I watch as she yanks at the sheer fabric on her shoulder and says, “It itches.”

  “Change then. I’ll tell my sister.”

  She waves me off. “No, I’m fine, but I’m picking my own clothes from now on.”

  “Sounds good to me,” I agree, kissing her temple. “Hey, why don’t I come over after tea, and we’ll have dinner with your aunt and uncle and tell them?”

  She eyes me. “You want to be there for that?”

  I smile. “Of course.”

  She grins back at me and nods. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

  “Grand,” I say, kissing her temple once more as Kane stands up, raising his pint.

  “Fiona, love, get three more pints for me.”

  She