Becoming the Whiskey Princess Read Free

is out of the question. I hope that Mr. and Mrs. Maclaster don’t mind my hanging out because I have to make sure she is okay.
    Or I’ll drive myself mad.
     

     
    Once we are back to the Maclaster home, Mrs. Maclaster fusses over Amberlyn, leaving me to stand off to the side, awkwardly unsure what to do. Mr. Maclaster stands beside me, and he hasn’t talked to me since the shooting. He doesn’t even look me in the eye, and I know it’s because he feels the same I do.
    That this is my fault.
    Even Mrs. Maclaster isn’t looking at me like she used to. She used to admire my family, obsess a bit, but now I think she thinks I’m as good as shite. It upsets me since they are the closest thing to parents that Amberlyn has. I want them to like me, but then again, do I even deserve their blessing?
    When I see Amberlyn cringe from how tight Mrs. Maclaster is tucking her in, I ask, “Are you all right like that?”
    I receive a look from Mrs. Maclaster as she says, “Now, Declan, I’ve been tucking babies into bed for years. I’m sure I’ve got it.”
    “Mom, she looks in pain,” Fiona points out, thank God. She is the only one who doesn’t look at me like I was the one who fired the gun.
    She gives me a small smile as Amberlyn says, “I’m fine. Honestly, no reason to fuss over me.”
    “It’s our jobs. I promised your ma and da, so hush, let me fuss if I please,” she says, and I can see her choking back her tears. “I already failed them a bit.”
    Amberlyn gives her a loving smile as she slowly shakes her head. “No, you didn’t, and don’t think that. I made my own decision. I couldn’t let anything happen to him.”
    “Yeah, sure, but in the process of protecting him, we failed to protect you,” she says sternly, shaking her head. “It’s over. Let me wallow in my guilt and pray you get better.”
    Amberlyn reaches out, squeezing her aunt’s hand, setting her with a look. “I am going to be fine. I already feel so much better just being home. Don’t worry. You’ve done everything you’re supposed to. If I weren’t so loved by you guys, then I wouldn’t have had the instinct to jump in front of Declan to protect him. You’ve helped mold me into a woman my mom and dad would be proud of. Remember that.”
    Looking at the floor, I close my eyes as the room falls silent.
    “No one is at fault here.”
    “That wanker is,” Fiona says with a vengeance, and I couldn’t agree more.
    “Yes, he is, but we have to forgive him because he is lost and isn’t loved like we are.”
    “I’ll never forgive him,” Fiona promises, and again, I agree.
    “No, you have to because we should pity him, not hate him. It takes so much out of a person to hate someone; don’t let him have that power over you. I’ve forgiven him, I’m moving on, I am going to make this life the best one yet. I only have one.”
    Tears sting my eyes as I think that she almost lost that life for me. She is so uplifting, so positive, and I wish I could be an ounce like her. I can’t forgive him, I want to kill him, and it worries me. Does that mean I’m not the man she deserves? Because I want to be the man she wanted to die for. But what if I’m not?
    “You are a beautiful soul, Amberlyn. I love you so,” Mrs. Maclaster says, kissing her cheek softly before cupping her face.
    “I love you too, all of you. Everything is going to be fine. From here we can only go up,” she says with a bright grin.
    “I’ll let you rest,” Mrs. Maclaster says before lightly touching her shoulder and heading toward the door, only giving me a sideways look.
    “Call if you need us,” Mr. Maclaster says, sending her a grin. He then looks at me and says, “Are you staying in here with her?”
    “If that’s okay.”
    I can see in his eyes that he wants nothing more than to tell me to fuck off, but he nods. “That’s fine. Let her rest.”
    “Of course,” I agree as I turn to see Fiona kiss Amberlyn’s cheek.
    “I’m right next