Her Keeper, page 1
Copyright 2022© Darlene Tallman and Erin Osborne
All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the author except for brief quotations used in book reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writers’ imaginations or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Editor:
Formatted By:
Cover Model: Ryan Sherman
Photographer: Golden Czermak of FuriousFotog
Cover Designer: Dark Waters Covers
Character List
Officers:
President: Kingston ‘Anguish’ Baker
Vice President: Mateo ‘Nova’ Sanchez
Secretary: Raiden ‘Hulk’ Sebring
Treasurer: Kaiden ‘Goliath’ Sebring
Enforcer: Drayven ‘Scorch’ Takle
Sgt at Arms: Rhys ‘Country’ Whyte
Road Captain: Jayce ‘Wheels’ Sord
Members:
Flask
Soul
Flame
Prospects:
Fetch
Creed Pierce
Brodie Thiele
Ol’ Ladies:
Cristen ‘Cricket’ Takle - Goliath
Shattered Angels:
Tinsley
Amiah
Kenna
Businesses:
Baker’s Custom and Repair - Kingston manages
Tattered Angels - Strip Club
Cricket’s - Bar
Soul Escape - Night Club
TnT Ink - Tattoo Parlor
Double M - Diner (club invests in)
Her Keeper Blurb
Cristen ‘Cricket’ Takle
We started out as nothing more than pen pals. An older man who was already out living his life in one of the most dangerous ways possible. Kaiden, known as Goliath to everyone else, was in the military on the same team as my brother Drayven. Over time, feelings changed and I wanted more with the man. A man who doesn’t hold my past against me. While he says he wants the same thing, I’m not sure if he’s being completely honest. We don’t really know one another the way we should in order to decide if a relationship is the next step for us. The only thing I know for sure is I want a love like my parents; pure, true, and lasting.
Can I be the woman Goliath is truly looking for?
Kaiden ‘Goliath’ Sebring
In the military, I meet a group of guys who become my brothers. They have my six and know I have theirs without a doubt in their mind. With one of those men, my best friend Scorch, comes his little sister and her best friend. Cricket and Ophelia begin sending us care packages with small letters in them. Cricket soon becomes a pen pal for me. She’s young and has her entire life in front of her and I’m already becoming jaded by the things I see on a daily basis. Soon, feelings begin to grow and change unexpectedly. I’m already the keeper of her secrets, but it’s not enough for me. I want a love like my Pappy and Nanny had; full of love, respect, and a ride or die kind of thing.
Will outside forces tear us apart before things even get started between us?
Dedication
This series has been nearly two years in the making as Erin and I started plotting in either late 2020 or early 2021. We wanted to bring a new MC series to our readers that was a bit different, which is why we started out with the eight letters the way we did. So, this first full-length book baby is dedicated to y’all - our readers. The ones who started with Erin when she published “Skylar’s Saviors” and those who took a chance on me when I released “Bountiful Harvest”. While it’s not an official number, I think between the two of us including all of our cowritten books, we’ve published close to if not more than two hundred books for your reading pleasure.
Hopefully, the Tattered & Torn MC men and women will become your newest favorites!
Darlene & Erin
Trigger Warning
Please note these books may contain the following trigger warnings: sexual assault/rape, kidnapping, mental abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, swearing, sex, drinking, drug use, and other trauma. Please read knowing there’s a chance you’ll see these in this series.
*This does NOT mean you will find any or all of these possible triggers in this book. It is just a warning of any possibilities to see this in the pages as you read.
Table of Contents
Copyright 2022© Darlene Tallman and Erin Osborne
Character List
Her Keeper Blurb
Dedication
Trigger Warning
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Her Keeper Playlist
About the Authors
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Cricket
Six months after Letters from Home/War
THE LAST SIX months have both flown by and dragged on as if each day lasts more than twenty-four hours. For the first four months after learning about the bombing that almost cost the lives of seven men who have come to mean a lot to me, my family was in complete turmoil. Drayven didn’t want us to come see him while he was still in the hospital, and it hurt. More than I will ever admit to a single soul. Including my bestie. She’s heard me cry, held me when I’m upset, and has tried her damndest to keep me occupied so my mind isn’t on what’s happening to the two most important men of my life after my dad; Drayven and Kaiden. Or as everyone else calls them, Scorch and Goliath. They’ll never be that to me though.
The guys weren’t in the hospital that whole time, but they were in rehab and dealing with the military about getting their discharge. Seven men all getting a medical discharge because one person didn’t do their job. At least unofficially. No one is speaking about what happened over there, but the men have certainly voiced their opinions on the matter. I’ve listened to Drayven bitch about the subject for hours on the phone. Not so much with Kaiden, but my brother has no trouble holding back his feelings when he’s pissed about something. Kaiden tends to internalize his feelings. It’s something we’ve been working on. I guess it’s easier to do when you’re writing letters back and forth. There’s no need to hide the emotion in your voice or keep the feelings you have from your eyes when you’re on FaceTime.
While I still haven’t seen my brother or Kaiden in person, I know they’re now out of the hospital they were all transferred to and have been busting their asses on some secret project. No one will tell us what’s going on. I’ve begged, pleaded, and tried using my tears on Drayven. He’s a stubborn asshole when he wants to be though. Nothing any of us do has gotten them to tell a single one of us what’s going on. At least no one here in Odin’s Gap. I don’t know if the other guys’ families know. I mean, I’m a nosy bitch! I might not spread gossip and shit, except to Fee, of course, but I need to know what’s going on around me! Especially when it concerns my brother and a man who means more to me than he probably should.
What I do know is there have been a ton of sales going on around town. Properties have been getting bought up left and right, including the land some wealthy man used to own. His plan was to turn the place into some sort of upscale retreat for the wealthy. Odin’s Gap might have wealthy inhabitants, but we don’t have a damn thing to do for a bunch of snobs for fuck’s sake! I mean, we get snow during the winter so there’s skiing nearby, and trails for snowmobiling, but other than that, nada, zip, zilch. The scuttlebutt around town is that the new owner is some big shot business tycoon who buys, trades, and sells property all over the world. The five hundred acres he owns here in Odin’s Gap is no longer his, but I don’t know who bought it. Our town’s rumor mill has been running rampant too. The diner regulars suspect everything from a high-roller casino to a brothel, although I think Mr. Delbert may just be doing a bit of wishful thinking. He’s so old that he’d have to take two blue pills before he was able to enjoy something like that and I suspect Mrs. Ethel would hit him upside his head with her cast-iron skillet.
This land would make a perfect resort of some sort though. It’s on the outskirts of town, already completely fenced off, and sits between our two massive hills. I call them mountains, but that’s just me. Anyway, from what I understand this business man already made a lake on part of the property, there are several smaller one or two-room cabins built, and a large lodge directly between the two hills. I’m not sure if that’s all that’s b
That’s not the only place that’s been bought up though. Several buildings that have sat empty for the longest time have been scooped up, construction crews have moved in, and Odin’s Gap is busier than normal. The good thing about this is the tips at the diner have been freaking fantastic. There’s even a few new buildings being built from the ground up not too far from the fenced-off property. It appears as if a small strip mall or something is going to go in not too far from the duplex I share with Ophelia.
Everyone is talking about the changes our small town is experiencing. I’ve had several conversations with Ophelia about our theories, and they’re pretty outlandish. I suspect there’s a mafia family moving to town while Fee votes for a wealthy businessman who’s trying to monopolize our town and turn it into something it’s not. No one here will be happy if that’s the case. For the most part, we’re simple people with simple tastes. We don’t want, or need, a ton of high priced stores and services around here. If we want that, there’s a few places in the gated community Fee’s parents live in where you can get that stuff. It’s not a lot, but it’s something for the so-called elite of our small, bustling town.
While I’d say we won’t be happy about a mafia family either, there’s really no point. Not far from Odin’s Gap, there’s a one-percent motorcycle club called the Reckless Demons MC. They don’t make it a habit to hang out in our area, but it’s not uncommon for you to hear the deafening roar of their bikes either. Especially if you’re on the highway just past the ‘Welcome to Odin’s Gap’ sign. I’ve seen them in the Double M a time or two as well.
Maude and Miriam apparently know a member or two. Maybe they’re related to them. I’m not really sure and those two old biddies are extremely tight lipped about everything. Trust me, I’ve tried to pry information out of them to no avail. The funny thing is, while they won’t divulge anything to anyone, practically every person in our town has told their stories to the pair! I suspect if they ever talked, ears would burn. Hopefully, they never lose their faculties, because then, all bets would be off, I’m sure!
Anyway, today is a big day for me. I’m diving back into work at the Double M. Maude is going to be showing me the books as we go over every single line and detail. I’m truly loving learning how to run a business from the old women who are like grandmothers to every single person in this town. They have been in business for longer than I’ve been alive along with most of our community members. If they’ve been successful this long, there’s no better people to learn from. It’s obvious to everyone how much they love their diner and what they’ve done over the years to ensure it’s a success.
Maude and Miriam are sisters who couldn’t be more different from one another. Miriam is outgoing, kind, loves to laugh and joke around. You’ll find her at her happiest when she’s out on the floor talking with customers and greeting anyone who steps through the diner’s doors. Maude is cantankerous, never smiles except for extremely rare occasions, and has no problem putting someone in their place. She gives no fucks about what comes out of her mouth, how she dresses, or what anyone thinks of her. She’s the one I love spending my time with because of her brutal honesty. Miriam is very honest as well, she just has a better way of saying what’s on her mind. She doesn’t go out of her way to piss someone off just because. Like I said, polar opposites, yet somehow, it works for them as well as the town. And they love one another with their entire being.
The Double M diner is a home away from home for Ophelia and myself. Ophelia spends her time in the kitchen cooking and baking until she’s smiling like a loon. Or she’s on the floor handing out meals and having conversations with the customers. I’m usually in the storeroom or office. If we’re busy, which is how it’s been recently, I’ll waitress and help out where I’m needed. I would just much rather learn what makes these women so damn successful so I can open my own bar eventually. My entire dream is to open a bar here in town. We used to have one, but it closed a few years ago. The owner became too greedy and stopped caring about doing business the legal way; making sure he wasn’t serving minors and shit along those lines.
As soon as you walk in the diner, you’re transported back in time. The Double M is truly a blast from the past in a fifties style decor. There are black and white checkered floor tiles filling the entire place, wood paneled walls showing off more pictures than should probably be displayed in a business, and red booths and stools. Black and white photos from when the diner first opened of Maude and Miriam lead way to colored pictures of their customers over the years. Ophelia, Drayven, and myself are in multiple spots on the walls here. The red vinyl booths have been recovered on multiple occasions to repair the cracks, holes, and general wear and tear after being open for so many years. Small tables fill the middle of the dining room floor with red seats to match the booths and stools lining the counter.
On the outside of the diner, you have the old tin that wraps around the entire place leading straight up to the tin roof. It’s always so loud during a storm as the rain pings off the metal and echoes despite all the conversation and music playing on low in the kitchen. Double M is displayed boldly in red lettering along the front and the sign at the very front edge of the roof. I don’t honestly know when the tin was last replaced as it’s so rustic looking from the sun beating down on it or the rain leaving behind water marks that never get dried off. Overall, I love the appearance of the diner. It’s got a feeling of home as soon as you pull in the pothole-filled parking lot. We always know when someone from out of town pulls in because they haven’t mastered the fine art of dodging potholes and other dips in the gouged-out pavement.
“Fee, are you up yet?” I loudly call out just outside her door.
“Yeah. You can come in,” she returns, her voice muffled letting me know she’s still in bed and mostly under her covers even through the door.
Opening up her door, I find her exactly as I knew I would. Her head is buried up to the very top under her blankets giving me the barest glimpse of her auburn hair. From what little I see, it’s a rat’s nest which tells me she’s spent another night tossing and turning while trying to hide her feelings from me. Something is going on with my best friend and she’s not sharing. For the first time in our lives, Ophelia is keeping a secret from me and I’m not sure how I feel about the matter. It also tells me this secret has something to do with Drayven. If he’s done something to hurt my best friend, I’m kicking his ass.
“It’s time to get up, hooker,” I inform her, sitting on the edge of her bed.
“Nope, not yet. I’ve got five minutes still. Why are you in here waking me up so damn early, slut?” she returns, her voice slow and still filled with sleep.
“What’s going on, Fee? Don’t give me the same bullshit you’ve been feeding us all for the last several months either. I wanna fucking know what has you so upset,” I demand, unwilling to see my best friend and sister from another mister so miserable without trying to find a way to help her.
“It’s nothing, brat. I’ll be okay. I’m just not sleeping good right now. I’ll be up in a little bit and head out to the diner. I know ya have to get there. Tell Miriam I won’t be late please,” she pleads even as she evades my question as usual.
“You’ve got two minutes to get your ass out of this bed and in the shower. If not, I’m calling my mama and ya know she’ll have her ass over here in a heartbeat,” I threaten Fee knowing she doesn’t want my mom giving her the third degree for any reason.
My mom might be sweet as pie and love us more than anything, but she can be worse than a damn tyrant when something is going on. If secrets are hidden, Grace Takle has torture tactics the military should be using to get the information they need from their enemies. Not a single one of us have ever been able to resist her when she wants to find out a secret. Between my brother, Ophelia, and me, she’s had plenty of practice perfecting her technique over the years. Especially with Drayven when he was still home.
