Page 3 of Whiskey

She turned toward his voice. Her green eyes snared him at her first glance. “No. No police. No EMS. I’m okay.”

She obviously didn’t realize she might be hurt. Her head had a red mark from the airbags deploying. Coming closer, he clocked she was heavily pregnant. He needed to call EMS.

“Ma’am, I don’t think you realize you might be hurt. I’m going to call for an ambulance.” He crouched down close to her car door, placing his hand on the opened window.

Her hand grasped onto his fingers. “No. No EMS. No police. We can’t chance my name ending up on a police report.”

He pushed away the way her hand on his made him feel to deal with later. Right now, he needed to help her.

He leaned closer to the window. No name on a police report had him paying more attention. “Are you running from something?”

Her deep green eyes pleaded with him to agree to her wishes. “Yes. I can’t have my name anywhere.”

He looked at her and considered what he was willing to do. Nodding his head, he made a decision. If he could get her door open and see that she looked okay, then he would take her back to the bar. The young boy in the back seat was answering Hennessy’s questions and seemed okay. Maybe Stella could stay and check her out.

“Okay, let me see if I can get your door open. Hennessy, any issues?”

Hennessy shook his head. “Nope, kid says he’s okay.”

Whiskey reached in and unlocked the door, then pulled on the handle. It held for a little bit then creaked open. He opened the door wide and catalogued. The big sedan’s front end had major damage, but these old things were built to last. The passenger area of the vehicle was intact and didn’t appear as if it had taken damage. The woman had already deflated the air bag. Her blue shirt was stretched tight over her rounded stomach, but there looked to be an inch between her stomach and the steering wheel. He had zero experience with pregnant women, but he’d helped out on security issues for the bail bonds with a couple women who’d been pregnant. He’d feel safer if they called EMS, but it sounded like that was a no-go. Maybe Stella could examine her and tell them if she needed to go to a hospital.

“Ma’am, my name is Whiskey. My brother over there is Hennessy. I’ll give in on the EMS if you’d be willing to let our friend, who is a nurse, take a look at you when we get home.”

Her stare had him feeling as if she was seeing into his soul. Her teeth nibbled the side of her lip while she considered his request. He couldn’t imagine how scary it was for her, but if someone was after her, the quicker they got her off the side of the road, the better.

“My name’s Onessa and I’ll agree. We have three bags and this cooler.”

He nodded to Hennessy. Hennessy would take care of the items from the car. “Okay, I’m going to lift you out and carry you to the truck. Let me know if anything hurts or aches.”

He leaned into the car, sliding his arm behind her back and one underneath her legs. He lifted her out as slowly as possible, then settled her against his chest. Her arm slipped around his neck. Her shoulder-length brown hair caught in his beard.

“I can walk. I’m too heavy.”

Whiskey took a deep breath of her light feminine scent, relishing the feel of her in his arms even though she was probably someone else’s. She was gorgeous and definitely not too heavy in his arms. She was just right.

“Where are you taking my mom?” The kid had gotten out of the car and was walking quickly toward him.

“My brother and I are going to take you and your mom back to our house where it’s safe and then a friend of ours, who is a nurse, will check you guys out. If you’re hungry, we live above my family’s bar. My cousin Crewe makes the best French fries and hamburgers or if you don’t like that, he can make you something else. Can you open the back door of the cab, and we’ll get you and your mom situated? I’m Whiskey. What should I call you?”

Whiskey placed his feet carefully going back up the side of the ditch. He didn’t want to lose his balance and hurt his precious cargo. He waited to see if the boy would answer him. If he had to describe the kid, he’d use wary, like he was ready to take a hit or run at a second’s notice.

As they got to the truck, the boy opened the back door. He could feel how tense Onessa was in his arms. He settled her in the back seat, closing the door. He walked around and opened the door for the boy.

The kid’s hair was black and cut short and looking a little tousled after the wreck. Whiskey fought the urge to run his fingers through it and straighten it. The kid seemed to be one second away from shattering as tight as his shoulders were. The kid’s laser focus scanned Whiskey. After taking a big breath, he stuck out his hand. “I’m Ambrose.”

Whiskey shook his hand. “Good to meet you. Now let’s get you and your mom safe. We’ll load my motorcycle, then get back on the road.”

Whiskey went to his bike while his brother loaded the rest of the items and opened the tailgate, sliding the motorcycle ramps down out of the back. Whiskey wasn’t sure what he was feeling about Onessa and her son, but he didn’t have time to examine it right now. They needed to get loaded up and on the road.

Chapter Three

Whiskey placed Onessa down on the recliner in the guest room. Her pulse pounding in her throat along with her rapid breathing had worried him as he carried her up the stairs. He didn’t want to place her on the bed and loom over her.

Crewe had arranged with Stella to come upstairs and give both of them check-ups. He had no doubt that all the women would end up upstairs because Crewe wouldn’t be able to stand up against the combined questions of the Bluff Creek Beauties. And honestly, it might not be a bad thing. Beth could vouch for how he and his siblings and cousins treated women and reassure Onessa she was safe here.

“So this is your room. Private bathroom is that door. There’s the microwave, a mini fridge, small coffeemaker, toaster, and sink so you don’t have to get stuff from the main kitchen unless you want to. There’s popcorn, hot chocolate, tea bags, and coffee in the room, along with some granola bars. Juice and bottled water are in the fridge. King-size bed and then the couch folds out to a bed or we have a rollaway in the closet that fits right alongside the bed. Door locks and there’s a deadbolt on top. You’re safe here. Only my family uses the hidden staircase in the office we came up. Both it and the main staircase can only be accessed with a code. Stella is going to come up and check you over. Are you hungry? We can get Crewe started on something for afterwards.”

Whiskey worked to not clench his hands. Both Onessa and her son’s demeanor screamed victim. He wanted to pummel whoever had made them feel this way, which was ironic considering they were this way because of violence. He didn’t know who she was running from yet, but he wanted her examined before he started asking questions.

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