Page 84 of Whiskey's Redemption

Carli — Three Months Later

“It’s been a long road. It took that long for me to recover and to let Jamieson stop treating me like a breakable China Doll. No offense.” Looking to his sister sitting at the head table, she grins wide, winks, then kisses Risen. “But in that time, I’ve gotten fat.” I motion to the little pot I’ve grown. “Jamieson has been busy considering how to set up shop here, and you two are finally ready to get married. I can’t say enough about you both and how happy I am you found each other at that TT race. Honestly, if you’d never met there, I wouldn’t have met Jamieson and fallen into this rabbit hole. Alice, I’m sorry, but you have nothing on our crazy.

“I’m excited to see where we go next as a family, because that’s what we are.” Raising my goblet of pink grapefruit juice, I continue. “To Casper Fucking Crown, or Wyatt, as his Siren calls him. You are a strong man, not because you fight your demons every day, but because I’ve seen you steal Jell-O that wasn’t yours and you kept your fingers. You are sweet, attentive, and adorably, if not sickly perfect, for Circe. To you.” Sipping the cup, I prepare for the second half of my speech.

“To Circe. Woman, what can I say that isn’t already known by the newscasters of the racing world? You are my wingman, my best friend, and soon to be godmother to my children. If you hadn’t asked for me to toss it in with those hookers, then we would still be eating crappy boxed food. Your mother wouldn’t be dating…excuse me, occasionally sleeping with Crane.” Looking at her mother, who flew in a few days ago, I know the moment she starts to sharpen those mental daggers she wants to toss at my head.

“Without that day, none of us would be where we are. Doll would still be sitting on the sidelines without a cop to ride. I wouldn’t have come home to my sisters, and I wouldn’t have noticed what I had. Life is quirky, life takes twists we don’t expect, and we best figure out how to enjoy it along the track.

“I know that Crown’s will always be a force to reckon with, whether this generation or the next. And these two,” touching my stomach, I smile, “they’ll be sassy Katana’s like me, and crass daredevils like the rest of you. So, to the woman who will be tied to a bed within the hour, I wish you the best in your marriage, life, and future.”

As both Jamieson and I recovered, the two families stayed at Amanemu.

That first week, my sisters explained to me about our parentage, but it made no difference to me; they’re my sisters in all the ways that count. Our father’s indiscretions, or wanderings didn’t matter. They’re my family. And while they waited for me to be cleared by Jamieson for active duty, they interacted with the Crown’s. Cool thing, not to be outdone in antics, Kano and China competed in all ways possible. I never knew my little sister was such a daredevil, but it was cool to see her and China finding a friendship. Even more, I was happy to see her outside the control of our family obligations.

Miori, on the other hand, flourished in a different way. Taking over the family workings, cleaning house of the evil, she has slowly cut ties with the underworld connections. They say you only leave one way, but they didn’t realize how cunning she was. Listing every underhanded dealing, learning everything father and Kato wished her to, they thought they were creating the perfect little soldier. What a rude awakening the Yakuza had when she’d been the downfall of our clan. Handing over everything to Chen Chow, Miori single-handedly cleaned up the Ryu name. Now our money is ours, not a collective, and we are in the business of whatever we wish, not what they direct.

And this party? This is the proper engagement party that my friends deserve. Yeah, there’s to be a really public wedding in the future, but for now, it’s just us and good friends to enjoy this night. And enjoy it they will, if I have any say in it.

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