Redeem (Whiskey Run: Heroes), page 1
Redeem
Whiskey Run Heroes
Hope Ford
Contents
1. Madison
2. John
3. Madison
4. John
5. Madison
6. John
7. Madison
8. John
9. Madison
10. John
11. John
12. John
13. Madison
14. John
15. Madison
Epilogue
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About the Author
Redeem © 2021 by Hope Ford
Editor: Kasi Alexander
Cover Design: Cormar Covers
Cover Model: Robin Hill
Cover Photographer: James Critchley
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
1
Madison
“I created the training manual. It has everything in it, step by step. Whether they are opening, closing, day to day operations—it’s all in there. It’s foolproof.”
Jenna is sitting down with her feet propped up on a chair in front of her. The grand opening of Honeybee Coffee in Whiskey Run went over way better than any of us expected. We’ve hired a good crew, and I know Jenna’s going to be okay, especially since her husband Dylan takes such good care of her. She’s rubbing her belly that seems to have grown even bigger overnight. Of course, I won’t tell her that.
“I don’t understand why you’re leaving. The Los Angeles store is covered, it’s opening day here.” She pauses and takes a big breath. I already know what she’s going to say before it even passes her lips. “And your niece is going to be here any day.”
I’ve already gone over this a million times in my head. I had a nightmare last night that I missed the birth and woke up this morning even more ticked off at my brother. Jenna may not be my blood sister, but she might as well be. We are as close as any two sisters can be, and the baby she’s carrying is going to be so spoiled by her Auntie Madison.
I busy myself cleaning off the counter from the morning grand opening rush and can’t bring myself to look over at Jenna. I feel guilty for leaving her, especially right now, but it seems drug dealers don’t really care if getting their money is convenient with my schedule or not. Damn you, Ethan. I thought you went to Florida to get clean.
“I told you that I’ll be back in a few days. I’m not going to miss the birth. I trust Dylan to take care of things until I get back. I mean, I can’t chance leaving him on his own in the delivery room because who knows what will happen. He’d probably pass out.”
Jenna and I both look at each other and burst out laughing at the same time. The thought of Dylan passing out is a funny one for sure. I’ve never met a man more capable in my life. He’s definitely got his shit together, and I’m so happy that Jenna and he found each other. I hold my hands up, “All right, he’ll be fine. But I don’t want to miss it. I’m going to be back in a few days.”
“Where are you going?”
I bite my lower lip and shake my head. I’ve never lied to Jenna, and I’m not going to start now. “I can’t tell you.”
Jenna’s feet hit the ground, and she leans forward, giving me that look of hers. The one where any other time I’d give in and just tell her... but not this time. I hold my hands up in front of me. “Look, Jenna. It’s better if you don’t know.”
Her eyes round, and I can just imagine what she’s thinking. “Are you doing something illegal?”
I shake my head. Technically, paying off a drug dealer so he doesn’t kill your brother is not illegal. “No, nothing like that. I’m just going to uh, help someone and then I’ll be back. You won’t even know I’m gone.”
Jenna puts her hand on the table next to her and lifts herself off the chair. She’s still giving me that look, and she walks over to me and puts her hands on my shoulders. “Is it your brother again?”
I look into Jenna’s eyes and remember everything we’ve gone through together. She knows everything there is to know about my family. My dad’s in prison, I have no idea where my mom is, and my brother—well, it seems he’s found himself on the wrong side of the law too many times to count. I keep helping him. This is probably the third time I’ve bailed him out, but of course, he’s never been in it this deep. I just shrug.
Her grip tightens on my shoulders. “Madison, don’t do this to yourself. I know that you feel you owe it to him, but you don’t. Your parents were shitty to you too. It’s not your fault that you turned out the way you did and he turned out the way he did. Let the guilt go. One day, when he’s ready for help, we’ll be there to help him... every step of the way.”
I take a deep breath. “This is the last time.” I hold my hand up and stop her before she says that I’ve said it before. I have said it before, but this time is different. “I promise you, this is the last time. I’m going to get him out of this and then I’m telling him I’m done.”
Jenna doesn’t like it. She’s staring at me, and I know the wheels are turning. She’s trying to figure out what she can do to help me. It’s just the way she is. “Let Dylan go with you then.”
I laugh before I can stop myself. “You’re cute. You’re telling me that your obsessed husband that barely leaves your side to work is going to go on a trip with me... especially when the baby is coming any day?”
She tilts her head to the side and smirks. “You’re probably right. Hmmmm, let’s see. How about John? He’d do it.”
“Your brother? You want to ask your brother—the one that treats me like I have the plague?”
She instantly gets defensive and puts her hand on her hip. “No, he doesn’t. He’s been around here all he can when he’s not working... He helped you move your stuff from LA, he...”
I interrupt her. “I know and I’m thankful, I really am. It’s… I just sometimes get the feeling that he can’t wait to get away from me, that’s all.”
She sits back down and covers her belly with her hand. The sounds of the coffee shop surround us, but just like always, we get too caught up and it gets so easy to forget about the world around us. “He loves you, Madison. Probably as much as I do.”
I try to keep my expression blank, which is hard to do when I think of Jenna’s brother, John. I know I’m being ridiculous. I know he cares for me... in a brotherly way. It’s just hard to deal with sometimes when I’ve sort of been in love with him since I first laid eyes on him. I groan inwardly. It’s a good thing I can hide it with my snarky attitude. “I know. He’s been a good... brother to me.” I get it out and almost choke on the words. There’s nothing brotherly I feel for him.
Jenna’s face lights up. “So he can go with you?”
I shake my head. She never gives up, that’s for sure. I grab my purse from the booth and throw it over my shoulder. “No, he can’t go with me. I’m not getting anyone else involved in this mess... I’ll take care of Ethan and will be back before my niece is born.”
“Madison,” she says, her face filled with worry.
I pull her in for a hug and just hold on to her. Please let me get back in time, I say to myself silently. “Please don’t worry. It’s not good for the baby.”
I pull back and look into her eyes. She blinks, wide-eyed. “When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
She nods. “Okay, but you call me if you need anything. I love you, sis.”
Don’t cry. Don’t cry. “I love you too, Jenna.” I lean down, kiss her belly, and whisper, “Love you too, sweetie.”
I don’t look at Jenna again because I know if I do she’s going to see my face and know how freaked out I am right now. I walk out of the shop with my head down and vow to myself that this will be the last time I do this. Hopefully, it’s not as bad as Ethan says it is.
2
John
I run into Honeybee Coffee ready to do damage. I got a text from my sister and all it said was 911. I was right down the street at Red’s Diner, so I didn’t bother with my truck. I ran the few blocks and am ready to punch someone or something when I spot my sister sitting at a table, her feet propped up, looking miserable. I look around the coffee shop. Two workers are filling coffees, another one is wiping down tables. There’s nothing that looks like it’s an emergency. “Jenna, what’s going on? What’s wrong?”
The closer I get, I notice she’s crying. Fuck. I can’t handle tears... especially not hers. I sit down on the chair next to her. “What is it? Did Dylan fuck up? Do I need to beat his ass?”
Dylan is the man I work with. The man I trusted to go help my sister when I was out of the country. And he helped her, all right. He even married her, but I can’t be too salty about it, since he did get her to move to Whiskey Run.
She’s shaking her head and reaches for my hand before placing it on her belly. “You know Dylan can’t stand it when I cry. The man is walking around on eggshells as it is so he doesn’t upset me.”
My hand clenches, and Jenna rolls her eyes before smoothing my palm across her belly. Instantly, I feel the kick from my niece. I know my eyes get as big as saucers. “Oh shit... I mean shoot, Jenna. Does that hurt?”
She shakes her head. “No.”
We sit there just like that, with my hand on h
She takes a deep breath, and her belly rises and falls. “No.”
I keep my voice low and calm. I really don’t want her to start crying again. “Jenna, honey, after everything with Brooklyn getting kidnapped, that 911 text freaked me out a little bit.”
Her eyes get big, and she sits up. “Oh John, I wasn’t even thinking. I’m so selfish, I’m sorry.”
I hold my hands up. “No, don’t apologize. Just for the future, if you want me to come, just tell me that. I’ll drop whatever I’m doing and come. You know I will.”
She starts to peck her hand on the table. “I know you will. I’m sorry... so are you about to leave on a mission or anything?”
I rub my hand across the back of my neck. There’s always a mission, it seems, and usually I’m the first one to volunteer, but I’m trying to stay close to Whiskey Run until after my niece comes. “I’ll be working close to home until she makes her arrival,” I tell her, nodding at her round belly.
She blows out a breath. “Okay, I need a favor.”
I don’t even hesitate. “Anything... you know that.”
She looks at me skeptically, and instantly, I know it’s something big and obviously why she sent the 911 call. “What is it?”
She purses her lips. “I need you to go with Madison.”
“Uh, go where with Madison?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m not sure.”
I hold my hands up. “Okay, hold up, what’s going on with Madison?” I try to keep my voice disinterested and calm, but if the 911 call is about Madison, I need to know. And no, I’m not ready to talk about my reasoning or admit any feelings for her. All I know is I need her safe.
“She’s going to bail Ethan out... again. She says this will be the last time, but I have a really bad feeling about this.”
“Ethan? Her brother, Ethan? I thought he disappeared. I didn’t even think they were talking to each other or anything.”
Jenna rolls her eyes. “They don’t... unless he needs something. Look, he’s gotten her in trouble before—"
I hold my hands up to interrupt her. “What do you mean he got her in trouble before?”
“I mean, she went to bail him out before, back in LA, and he was with a lot of bad guys and they roughed her up. I don’t know what all happened, but she came back with a black eye and a busted lip. She says she can handle it, and I mean, if I wasn’t like this”—she points at her belly—“I’d go with her.”
“Over my dead body,” I say, not even trying to hold back.
Jenna reaches out and wraps her hand around my forearm. “I know, John. I’m so lucky to have a brother like you. You’d never let me get into a situation like the ones that Ethan drags her into. But Madison doesn’t have anyone... not anyone that cares about her enough to stop this madness.”
“Yes, she does. She has you, and she has me,” I say gruffly.
Jenna’s nodding. “I hoped you would feel that way... so you’ll help her?”
“Yes, of course I will. When is she leaving?”
Jenna gets up and is ushering me toward the door. We walk outside to the sidewalk. “Tomorrow. But I don’t know where she’s going or anything else. She wouldn’t tell me.”
I nod. “I’ll figure it out. How’d today go?” I ask her, nodding toward the coffee shop. This is her second store, and I know it’s going to be a hit here in Whiskey Run.
“It went great. Madison didn’t let me do anything but sit in a chair. She took care of everything.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “How’s it going to be with her gone? You going to be okay?”
She rolls her eyes. “You know Madison. Even with her gone, she still has it all lined out and under control. I’m pretty sure she threatened half the staff that if they mess up anything or if I lift a finger, she’s going to kick their butt or something. They’ve been all over me since she left.”
I rub my palm over my chest, right over my heart. I know Madison is lucky to have Jenna, but Jenna’s lucky to have her too. She’s been a great friend to my sister, and that’s why I’m not going to fuck it up. I may be attracted to her, but I’m not going to act on it. No matter how badly I want to. “Okay, so don’t worry about Madison. I’ll take care of her... but you do realize that even though I’m going, I’m going to do my best to be here...”
I let my voice trail off. I hate to even say it.
Jenna pats her belly. “You may not be back in time?”
I shrug, and she nods. “I know and I understand, John. Dylan is going to take care of me... both of us. We’ll be here when you and Madison get back, okay?”
I wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly. “I love you, sis.”
She nods against my chest. “I know you do. I love you too, big brother.”
I release her and start walking back toward the diner where my truck is parked. “Stay off your feet, Jenna.”
“I will. Stay safe.”
I nod and turn to jog down the sidewalk. I need to go talk to my boss Walker about taking some time off, and then I probably need to pack.
I make it back to the warehouse and go straight to Walker’s office. “I need a few days off,” I tell him. Walker’s a great boss, and I never take any time off. If there’s any way possible, I know Walker will be all right with it.
“Is everything okay with Jenna?” he asks me.
Fuck, I know this is the absolute worst possible time to leave, but there’s no way around it. “She’s fine.”
Walker looks at me skeptically. “Are you going to tell me why you need time off?”
I don’t know what to tell him, especially since I have no idea where Madison is going or exactly why. When I hesitate, he asks, “Are you in trouble? Do you need help?”
I shake my head. “I’m not in any kind of trouble. I have a friend. Well, my sister has a friend. She needs help.”
He nods. “Fine. Take as long as you need.”
I thank him, and before I can get out the door, he stops me. “But... I need you to check in.”
I turn back at him, surprised. “Check in on my time off?”
He gets up from his desk and walks over to me. “Something’s up.” He shrugs his shoulders. “You don’t have to tell me, but I’m also not going to let anything happen to you. Check in every day. You need anything, I mean anything at all, you let me know.”
I nod and swallow. I’m so thankful to be a part of Walker’s team. When I left the military, I was a little lost at first, but when Nash and Walker invited me to be a part of this team, I knew it was the right move. The only blood family I have is my sister Jenna. But if anyone were to ask me, I’d proudly call the rest of these guys my family too. Walker claps me on the shoulder, and I walk out of his office and go straight to Dylan’s. I barely get in the door and he’s handing me a packet. “What’s this?”
He just smirks. “Really? Your sister called, and I figured you’d be stopping in. As far as I can tell, Madison is flying to Florida tomorrow morning on the ten a.m. flight out of Jasper.”
I take the file and open it. “Great. I’ll book one—"
But before I can finish, Dylan interrupts me. “Already done. I booked you a seat. I was able to get you in the seat next to hers. I also booked a hotel.”
“Thanks. Do you know anything on the brother?”
Dylan sits back down at his computer and opens a window before pointing at it. “This is what Ethan looks like now. It’s really different when I compared it to his yearbook picture, so I’m assuming that he’s into some hard drugs. Which explains why Madison is going to Florida.”
I look at the man on the screen. His eyes are vacant, his skin is covered in lesions... he looks nothing like his vibrant, beautiful sister. Dylan interrupts my thoughts. “It’s not good.”
