Whiskey Rose (Fallen) by Melissa Jones Read Free Book Online

looked up at the unfamiliar voice and saw that Katrina had joined him in the kitchen. She was as beautiful as the rest of them. Her red hair was curled and piled on top of her head. Her makeup was done, she looked like she was ready to step on stage.
    “ Until my suspension is up , ” he said following the story that Rose had told them.
    “ And then what ? ”
    “ Hard sayi n’, ” he shrugged.
    “ What kind of man is content to only see his wife once a month? To let her be in a place like this the rest of the time ? ”
    “ The kind that trusts his wife to make her own decisions . ”   Katrina stared him down but he did n’ t flinch.
    “ I have known Rose for three years, she has supposedly been married the whole time but this is the first time I have ever seen you . ”
    “ Is there a question in there ? ”
    “ Why have n’ t I seen you before ? ”
    “ Because I have n’ t been here before . ” She was glaring now as she stared at him.
    “ I do n’ t know who you are and I do n’ t care, but just so you know Rose is important to me, to all of us. If you hurt her you will answer to us . ”
    “Understood.” Katrina turned on her heel and walked out. Matt was surprised, that encounter was the opposite of every encounter that he’d had with the girls. Most of them had been friendly, flirtatious even. Katrina had practically called him out.
When it was time to open all of the women were in the Saloon except for Katrina, he had never seen her in the Saloon except when she was singing. It was quite a sight with all of them there and made up at once. There were six besides Rose and Katrina. There was a wide assortment of sizes and shapes but they were all beautiful. Much more beautiful than you would expect to find in a small Texas town. Was this why Benji had come here? He'd never seemed like the type to be overcome by a pretty face. In fact Matt had always gotten the impression that he had loved and lost or he was pinning for someone.
    Matt perched himself in what was fast becoming his usual spot at the end of the bar. He watched the room gradually fill up. He saw Rose drink from the flask a few times. He even saw her pour from the flask into a glass for Dixie. Not long after they opened a man walked in that Rose took note of.
    "Good evening Mr. Duncan. It's nice to see you."
    "You as well Rose."
    "Would you like the usual?"
    "Yes, thank you." The man walked to a table right in front of the band and sat down. He looked out of place. He was wearing a pinstripe suit. He was older and balding. He looked like he belonged in a bank not a saloon. Rose walked over and placed a bottle of wine on the table along with two wine glasses.
    "Wine?" he asked when she came back.
    "Not just wine, Kat rina's favorite wine." She grinned.
    "A fan?" Matt laughed.
    "He never misses a show. He always sits in the same place and buys her wine. Yeah you could say he's a fan. He's barely ever spoken to her though. He just watches the show then he leaves."
    "That's a little weird."
    "I think it sweet. Like he's courting her in his own way." Matt smirked.
    "Don't look at me like that Matt I'm... Achoo!"
    "God bless you."
    "Thank you , ” she sniffed.
    "You're not getting sick are you?"
    "No! Don't even say that!" she scolded before she returned to filling orders. He smiled, of course she would say that no mere cold would dare to take on Rose Anderson!
     
    In all it was a lot like the other nights until the Cannon boys walked in. He knew it was them even though he didn't know what they looked like. They had the look about them. The arrogant look of men that thought the world owed them something. There was one man in particular in the lead. He was short. Short enough that he'd probably taken some ribbing about it. That probably contributed to the power trip he was currently on. He had three men with him but he wasn't treating them like equals. Still out of curiosity. He made his way up to the perch Rose had pointed out to him. It