Chapter Four

Vivi watched the tall, muscled, and tattooed man wait patiently on her answer. Her husband had been clean-shaven, dressed in a suit and presented an image to the world of the perfect man, but underneath the veneer was a black heart.

Whiskey, with his tattooed arms, beard halfway down his neck, and kind blue-green eyes, didn't look as polished as her husband, but when she was close to him, she felt safe. She wasn't quite ready to trust because her children's lives were at stake, but she'd hold back judgment until she knew him more.

"I think I'd like us to have food out with all of you. I need to move around a little or I'll be stiff."

Vivi paused when Whiskey held out his hand. No one had ever offered her a hand up. When she was pregnant with Ambrose, she'd had to pick where she sat to make sure there were arms on the chairs to help her stand.

She placed her hand in his warm one. His hand wasn't rough enough to scrape her skin, but it wasn't the softened weak hands of her husband. Whiskey's hands had some calluses from working. As she started to stand, he placed his other hand on her waist to help her up.

"I'm going to put some antibiotic ointment in your bathroom for that scrape, Vivi, and some other supplies just in case you need them."

Vivi stared at Whiskey's face while Stella went to her bathroom. In the last seven hours, her life had changed. Maybe they were here for a reason. She'd never believed in fate, but for the first time in her life, she wondered about a future. A future with her own choices.

"Let's go let your son know you're okay and maybe chat with him about his name?"

Vivi let Whiskey guide her out the door, feeling bereft when he let go of her hand. Ambrose was sitting on a couch beside Whiskey's brother, who had helped them at the wreck. She couldn't remember his name. She'd been too worried to take in everything.

"Mom, Hennessy said he's named after liquor and so are his brothers. One set of his cousins are named after characters on a TV show. Isn't that cool?"

Vivi fought back the tears. Her son was actually expressing an opinion, and they'd only been here a short time. She sat down on the other side of Ambrose, wrapping her arm around him.

"It's very cool. Whiskey and his family have offered to have us stay here, and they'll keep us safe. I've accepted, but we think it would be a good idea to change our first names so we can't be recognized."

Ambrose's eyes lit up. "Like spies? Code names? What's yours, Mom?"

"Well, since my middle name is Vivian and I've never used it, Whiskey suggested Vivi."

Ambrose threw his arms around her. "I like it. Maybe I could pretend to be part of Whiskey and Hennessy's family. Can my name be a liquor too?"

Vivi didn't know her heart could hurt any more, but hearing the longing in Ambrose's voice to be accepted and be a part of a family gave her a lump in her throat.

"Dude, that's a great idea. What about Lager?" Hennessy questioned.

Ambrose didn't say anything, but his eyes indicated it wasn't his favorite.

"How about Porter?" Whiskey suggested.

"Oh, I like that one," Stella called as she made her way into the room. "Tasha, isn't that a strong name?"

"Yep, I like Porter, but Lager is good too."

"How about Evan or Ezra? They're both types of whiskey."

Vivi liked Beth's answers, at least she thought that was her name. Whiskey had rescued them; it was only fitting her son's pretend name related to Whiskey. Despite her own opinion, she was staying quiet. Ambrose deserved to pick his new name without any undue influence. She was guessing her son would choose something related to Whiskey. She could already see her son starting to believe that Whiskey was a completely different man from the men in her husband's family.

"Oh, now I like those too. There are so many good ones to pick from." Stella sat down on the couch across from Ambrose, nudging her daughter Tasha over. She grabbed a French fry to munch on.

Whiskey leaned down close to her ear.

"What would you like to drink? We have iced tea, water, soda, milk, and juice."

Vivi fought back the tears. Everything was hitting her at once. Never, in all her life had a man offered to get her anything. Her dad expected women to be the servants and her husband's family had considered her beneath the level of the family's guard dog. Even the guard dogs had received a kind pet or praise sometimes. Vivi hadn't. She sniffed quietly, not wanting to alarm Ambrose.

Whiskey crouched down, taking her hands in his. "It's okay. You've had a really stressful day. I promise I will protect you and your son." His hand reached up and his thumb wiped away the tear that had trickled down her cheek.

She stared into his eyes and saw the promise blazing in them. If she had one chance of making sure her family was safe, she needed to take a chance and trust this gruff biker. First, she'd trusted Justice. Now, she was taking a chance with Whiskey. She nodded, acknowledging his promise.

"I'd love some iced tea, unsweetened."

Whiskey smiled, and his whole face changed. Those bright teeth shone through his beard, and she could see a hint of a hidden dimple. He nodded and stood, patting her shoulder before he walked off.

She glanced around the area, familiarizing herself with the exits. The door to the stairs by her room led them down into the bar's office. She couldn't even tell there was a door when Whiskey had carried her in the side door of the bar. It had been hidden behind a bookcase. She could see into the kitchen and to the far wall, which had the staircase to the main area of the bar. Whiskey had assured her on the drive, and again while they were in the guest room, no one could come up without his or his family's authorization. The doors needed a code, or they couldn't be accessed.

She looked over to see Stella staring at her. Stella mouthed "You're safe" when she saw Vivi was looking at her.

Safe. She couldn't remember the last time she could consider herself safe. She and Ambrose would watch and wait to make sure Whiskey and his family were really what they said.

"Here you go."

Whiskey's fingers brushed hers as he put the glass in her hand. He laid a platter with assorted food down, along with a juicy hamburger and French fries on a plate.

"Mom, try the burger, it's really good," Ambrose's words were said around a huge bite of said burger in his mouth. When she arched her eyebrow and stared at him, he closed his mouth and finished chewing. She wanted him to be relaxed but seeing chewed up food in someone's mouth as they talked nauseated her. At least she was far enough in her pregnancy that nausea wasn't usually an issue. Heartburn and her Little Tot keeping her awake kicking were what she was dealing with now.

She used a knife to cut the hamburger in half. The hamburger had a slice of tomato, lettuce, and pickles. She was hungry enough that she actually didn't care whether she liked what was on it.

She took a bite and held back a moan. Ambrose was correct. The burger was so good—juicy with the perfect blend of seasonings. Or maybe it tasted so good because she was free from the terror of their previous life. She chewed, listening to her son and a group of people she hadn't known hours ago debate which name was best.

"Dude, it's up to you what name you want. Do you have a favorite?" Hennessy grabbed a French fry out of Whiskey's hand and stuffed it in his mouth. Whiskey responded by grabbing the last onion ring off Hennessy's plate. Hennessy rolled his eyes and smiled. The men and women who had come to their aid were doing everything in their power to make her and Ambrose feel at home.

"I think I like Ezra. I had an Evan in my class. He called the girls names and wasn't very nice. My name would fit with Whiskey's family, too."

Beth leaned over to fist bump Ambrose, no Ezra. Vivi catalogued her son's features. Ezra seemed to fit him, and it would remove any reference to her late husband when she said his name.

"Well, I think you all are doing okay, so the girls and I will head home. I'm happy to come back for anything if you need it, Vivi. I know Whiskey has my number, but I want you to have it yourself. Call or text if you have any questions." Stella stood up, handed her a card, and gathered her bag. The other girls high-fived Ezra and wished them good night. Hennessy walked them over to the stairway in the kitchen.

Now that she looked back at the stairway from the office, she couldn't tell it was a stairway. When they'd walked up, something had slid back and opened. Now, the area looked like a console table against the wall. It made her feel a little better knowing Whiskey and his family had obviously planned this area out well.

"Vivi and Ezra, let me show you something before you go to bed."

Whiskey stood, and she and Ezra followed him into the room across from the kitchen. He opened the door and held it open for them. The room looked similar to the one she had except a large desk was on the far wall and the wall was covered in computer screens.

"This is Schaefer's room. He oversees our tech. This monitor shows the different views from inside and outside the bar. It rotates unless we have something specific to look at. You're more than welcome to come in whenever you feel worried and look at what's going on outside. I also have this. It's a security door stick. Put it underneath the door handle, kick it into place and even with a key, no one is coming in your room. You can sleep safe tonight."

Vivi swallowed and held back tears. How did this man, who she'd only known for hours, get her?

Ezra stood still, then grabbed Whiskey around the waist, hugging him tight. "Thank you."

Whiskey awkwardly patted Ezra's back. "I've got your back, kid."