Love, Lies, and Whiskey Sneak Peek

Special edition ebooks are available exclusively from Melissa’s bookstore.
Ebooks / paperbacks ordered from Melissa’s bookstore will release early: April 25th, 2025.
Other retailers release date: April 30th, 2025.
Audiobooks can be pre-ordered from Melissa’s bookstore. Release date TBD.

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THE RUMBLE AND roar of Seeley “Doc” Whiskey’s motorcycle was drowned out by the cheering crowd as he and a convoy of the other members of the Dark Knights motorcycle club drove into the parking lot of Hope Valley Hospital. They were on their annual Reindeer Ride, a fundraiser that benefited the hospital. Doc’s grandfather was the original founder of the club, and his father, Tiny Whiskey, had founded the Hope Valley chapter. He and Doc’s mother, Wynnie, a psychologist on their second-chance ranch, were leading the pack on Tiny’s motorcycle, dressed up as Santa and Mrs. Claus, which was fitting since his father was six foot four, with a pendulous belly, long gray hair, and an equally long beard, and his mother, with her blond shag and kind eyes, always had a warm smile at the ready.

Doc waved to the crowd that had gathered to greet them by the front doors, taking in the wide-eyed pediatric patients watching from wheelchairs and the safety of their parents’ arms. Excitement radiated around the kids as they pointed to the decorated motorcycles, festively dressed bikers, and the massive high-sided trailer decked out in holiday colors and overflowing with sacks of presents. Doc’s heart always took a hit at events like these, knowing some of the kids they’d be giving presents to wouldn’t make it to see the holidays.

That was a harsh reality to face on the heels of such an exciting morning for their family. Sasha, one of his two younger sisters, had gotten engaged to Ezra Moore, a single father to five-year-old Gus, a fellow Dark Knight, and a therapist at their ranch.

The convoy circled the lot before parking in the area that had been cordoned off for the club. Doc climbed off his bike and pulled off his helmet, the necklace of colorful lights and bells his youngest sister, Birdie, had made for him jingling with his movements. He pushed a hand through his thick brown hair, watching as the wives, girlfriends, and children of the Dark Knights climbed off the backs of bikes and out of trucks and cars dressed as elves, flocking together as dozens of the toughest and best men Doc knew, wearing Santa hats, colorful shirts beneath black leather cuts, or full-on holiday costumes, headed for the gift trailer.

Doc locked his helmet on the bike and put on a Santa hat, heading over to join them.

His younger brothers, Cowboy and Dare, fell into step beside him, donning their own Santa hats and necklaces. They’d all inherited their father’s height and broad stature, but Cowboy was the largest, with bulbous muscles and sheer breadth few could match, born from working the ranch. With the exception of Birdie, who lived in a neighboring town and co-owned a chocolate shop, they all lived and worked at Redemption Ranch, where they rescued horses and gave troubled souls the therapy and support they needed to find their path in life.

“God, I love making kids smile.” Dare’s dark eyes sparked with excitement. A daredevil to his core, and a hell of a therapist, he had tattoos from his neck to his ankles and wrists and a heart that had ever only loved his childhood best friend and now wife, Billie.

Cowboy arched a wheat-colored brow. “Does that mean you and Billie are going to start a family soon?”

“Lord, help us all,” Doc teased as they joined the other guys and hoisted sacks of presents over their shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Doc. We’re having too much fun practicing to tie ourselves down yet.” Dare eyed their sacks of presents and snickered. “My sack’s bigger than yours.”

“That’s not what she said,” Cowboy said.

“She said mine’s bigger,” Ezra called out as he walked by with Taz and Hyde, two ranch hands dressed as reindeer, who called out in unison, “Mine too!” their laughter trailing behind them.

Doc flashed an arrogant grin to his brothers. “You boys may have big sacks, but I got the massive candy cane that all the ladies want a piece of.”

“Shit. You wish,” Cowboy said as Gus ran up to them, dressed as an adorable elf, his mop of dark hair flopping over his eyes.

“Guys! Did you see me riding in Daddy’s sidecar? Now I’m a biker like you!” Gus spun around and hollered, “Tiny! Wynnie! Did you see me?” and ran toward them.

Doc and his brothers laughed as Ezra chased after him.

“Gotta love that kid,” Cowboy said, his eyes locked on his fiancée, Sully, heading their way with Billie. “I hope we have a dozen exactly like him.”

“You planning on saying I do first?” Doc asked.

“Hell yes,” Cowboy said. “Sully’s been through enough. I told you my girl’s going to live out a picture-perfect fairy tale, and I meant it.” Sully had been kidnapped as a child and brought up in a cult, which she’d managed to escape last year. She’d always been strong. She’d had to be to survive what she’d been through. But with the help of therapy and Cowboy’s love, she’d gone from a willowy and weary girl to a stronger, confident young woman.

Doc clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Well, she’s got Prince Charming to carry her off into the sunset.”

“As opposed to my wife, who’s got a wicked beast who wants to keep her chained up in my love dungeon,” Dare said, and they all laughed.

They were raised to be good, fiercely loyal, protective men, but unlike Doc, Cowboy truly was every bit a Prince Charming and had been his whole life, always trying to do the right thing, and though Dare had gotten lost for a few years, coming together with Billie had healed him, and she adored her wicked beast.

Billie strutted over in black leather shorts and a red-and-white tank top that had Dare’s Naughty Elf across the chest, with Sully trailing behind her in a sweetly sexy festive elf outfit. It wasn’t only Sully who had come a long way. Billie had been every bit the daredevil that Dare was before their other childhood friend, Eddie, was killed during a dare gone wrong. Billie had checked out of the best parts of life, and it had taken Dare years to get her back. Coming together had healed her, too.

Billie tossed her long dark hair over her shoulder and planted a hand on her hip. “What’re you fools laughing at?” She was as brazen as Sully was sweet.

“I was telling them how I’d like to keep you chained to my bed,” Dare said.

“Promises, promises,” Billie said with a hefty dose of sass.

“God, I love my badass bride.” Dare tugged her into a kiss.

“Today is exciting, in a bittersweet kind of way,” Sully said, clutching a drawing pad to her chest, her eyes glittering and her golden-brown hair falling in natural waves just past her shoulders. “My heart breaks for the sick children and their families, but I’m really happy we get to make them smile. I have lots of drawings to give out, and I hope they love the books we sent over.” Sully had found a niche illustrating children’s books, many of which she and Cowboy had donated for the event. “Are you ready, Callahan?”

She was the only person who called Cowboy by his given name, and every time she said it, Cowboy’s serious demeanor softened a tad.

“Always, baby.” Cowboy leaned in and kissed her.

Doc watched his brothers mooning over their women as they walked away. There was a time when Doc had thought he had what his brothers had recently found—the friendship and trust of the only woman he’d ever wanted to spend his life with.

He’d been nineteen and had just come home from his freshman year at college. He was thrilled to be back on the ranch, prospecting the club, and working with the horses, when Governor Adkin’s security team had swept through the property. The following week, the governor’s sixteen-year-old daughter had come to intern with them.

Doc’s mind reeled back to the first time he’d seen her. He was grooming a horse beside the barn when his mother’s voice had cut through his thoughts. 

“Seeley, honey, are you here?”

“Be right there.” He set down the brush, and as he rounded the corner of the barn, a brown-haired beauty standing with his mother stopped him in his tracks. She was gazing out at the pasture, wearing a sleeveless sky-blue top that accentuated her curves, a frilly white skirt that showed off her long legs, and expensive Western boots. His cowboy hat shielded his eyes from the sun, but as she tucked her hair behind her ear, wispy strands blew across her face, and there was no shielding his heart from the biggest, bluest eyes he’d ever seen. They’d seemed to reach into his soul, stealing the breath right out of his lungs.

“Seeley,” his mother said, jerking him from his trance. “This is Juliette, Governor Adkin’s daughter. She’s interning with us for the summer and hopes to become a veterinary technician one day. You two will be working closely together. I thought you could show her the ropes.”

Was this some sort of test? If ever there was a girl he should stay away from, it was Juliette. The governor’s daughter? He cleared his throat in an effort to knock the fog from his brain.

Juliette lowered her eyes briefly, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

Oh, you think this is funny, darlin’? Two can play at this game. He nodded in greeting and held out his hand. “Ready to get those hands dirty, Juliette?”

Her eyes flicked to his again, landing with the impact of a torch, spreading heat through his chest like wildfire. He was pretty sure the whole damn ranch could feel the sparks as a coy smile bloomed across her face and she shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Seeley. I don’t usually have to get my hands dirty, but now I’m looking forward to it.”

That was the moment he knew he was well and truly fucked.

He wasn’t wrong.

They’d burned so hot, it had taken less than a week to shred his control, and from that moment on, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

He closed his eyes, warding off the memory and was assaulted by another. He and Juliette were skinny-dipping in the lake one evening. As they broke the surface, she grabbed his necklace, pulling him into a kiss. He could still feel her cool, wet lips and slick, supple body against his as her voice whispered through his mind. It’s you and me forever, Seeley Whiskey. I’ll never let you go. Her words had cut straight to his heart. There didn’t seem to be a bigger way to show her what he felt than taking off the necklace he’d made with his grandfather when he was just a boy and had worn every day since and slipping it over her head, vowing, You and me forever, darlin’.

Just as the memory cut him to his core, another scene pummeled him. Tiny and Cowboy holding him back as he fought to get to Juliette, who was kicking and screaming as her father dragged her toward a black SUV. Two hulking bodyguards stood between them and Doc as her father seethed, If you ever come near my daughter again, I’ll expose you as the predator you are and shut down this damn ranch so fast you won’t know what hit you. Doc could still feel his heart being ripped from his chest as he’d shouted, Don’t do this! I love your daughter! His throat constricted as Juliette’s frantic voice pierced through the pain. I love you, Seeley! I’m sorry!

“Ho, ho, ho!” Tiny called out, his deep voice jerking Doc back to the present.

Doc gritted his teeth against how wrong he’d been for believing Juliette’s lies and risking everything to get her back in his arms only to have the dagger pushed deeper into his heart. He’d never been dumb enough to make that fucking mistake again.

He shoved that torture down deep, as he’d done a million times before, and headed for the hospital entrance, determined to give the children the greatest day of their lives.

 

To continue reading, please buy LOVE, LIES, AND WHISKEY

Special edition ebooks are available exclusively from Melissa’s bookstore.
Ebooks / paperbacks ordered from Melissa’s bookstore will release early: April 25th, 2025.
Other retailers release date: April 30th, 2025.
Audiobooks can be pre-ordered from Melissa’s bookstore. Release date TBD.

KINDLE | APPLE | NOOK | GPLAY | KOBO | PAPERBACK

SPECIAL EDITION PAPERBACK | AUDIOBOOK

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