The Reckoning, A Wilde Brothers Christmas

By Lorhainne Eckhart

Some scars just don’t heal.

Logan Wilde has always been the big brother, holding the family together, ever since a crisis made their father leave when Logan was just a teen. He was a surrogate father to his brothers even after their own father returned, and the brothers have always sought out Logan when they were in trouble.

However, this Christmas, Logan and his brothers will face their biggest crisis yet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lorhainne Eckhart
• Release date: Dec 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9781928085232

Lorhainne Eckhart

"Lorhainne Eckhart is one of my go to authors when I want a guaranteed good book. So many twists and turns, but also so much love and such a strong sense of family." (Lora W., Reviewer)New York Times & USA Today bestseller Lorhainne Eckhart writes Raw Relatable Real Romance is best known for writing big family romances series, where “Morals and family are running themes. Danger, romance, and a drive to do what is right will see you glued to the page.” As one fan calls her, she is the “Queen of the family saga.” (aherman) writing “the ups and downs of what goes on within a family but also with some suspense, angst and of course a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.” Follow Lorhainne on Bookbub to receive alerts on New Releases and Sales and join her mailing list at LorhainneEckhart.com for her Monday Blog, books news, giveaways and FREE reads. With over 120 books, audiobooks, and multiple series published and available at all retailers now translated into multiple languages. She is a multiple recipient of the Readers’ Favorite Award for Suspense and Romance, and lives in the Pacific Northwest on an island, is the mother of three, her oldest has autism and she is an advocate for never giving up on your dreams."Lorhainne Eckhart has this uncanny way of just hitting the spot every time with her books.” ★★★★★ Caroline L., ReviewerThe O’Connells: The O’Connells of Livingston, Montana are not your typical family. A riveting collection of stories surrounding the ups and downs of what goes on within a family but also with some suspense, angst and of course a bit of romance thrown in for good measure “I thought I loved the Friessens, but I absolutely adore the O’Connell’s. Each and every book has totally different genres of stories but the one thing in common is how she is able to wrap it around the family which is the heart of each story.” C. LogueThe Friessens: An emotional big family romance series, the Friessen family siblings find their relationships tested, lay their hearts on the line, and discover lasting love! “Lorhainne Eckhart is one of my go to authors when I want a guaranteed good book. So many twists and turns, but also so much love and such a strong sense of family.” Lora W., ReviewerThe Parker Sisters: The Parker Sisters are a close-knit family, and like any other family they have their ups and downs. “Eckhart has crafted another intense family drama...The character development is outstanding, and the emotional investment is high..." Aherman, ReviewerThe McCabe Brothers: Join the five McCabe siblings on their journeys to the dark and dangerous side of love! An intense, exhilarating collection of romantic thrillers you won’t want to miss. — “Eckhart has a new series that is definitely worth the read. The queen of the family saga started this series with a spin-off of her wildly successful Friessen series.” From a Readers’ Favorite award—winning author and “queen of the family saga” (Aherman)

Book preview

The Reckoning

The Reckoning Copyright © 2014 by Lorhainne Ekelund

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Editor: Talia Leduc, Leandra Hanes

The Reckoning

The Wilde Brothers (A Wilde Brothers Christmas)

Lorhainne Eckhart

www.LorhainneEckhart.com

Contents

Keep in touch with Lorhainne

The Wilde Brothers

About this book

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

What’s Coming Next in The Wilde Brothers

Afterword

A brand new series

New in The O’Connells

The Family Secret, Chapter 1

About the Author

Links to Lorhainne Eckhart’s Booklist

Keep in touch with Lorhainne

Sign-up for Lorhainne’s Newsletter & Monday Blog

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The Wilde Brothers

Come and meet the Wilde Brothers of Idaho. Joe, Logan, Ben, Samuel, and Jake. You'll love the western flair and hot men and strong women in this romantic family saga.

THE WILDE BROTHERS:

THE ONE: You never know when you’ll suddenly meet the one!

THE HONEYMOON: Joe surprises his new wife with a honeymoon that’s anything but expected.

FRIENDLY FIRE: After a roadside bomb ends his career in the marines, Logan Wilde struggles to put his life back together, taking a job as a sheriff in a small Idaho town. He expects a quiet, peaceful life that will bore him to tears…until he walks through the door of Julia Cooper’s cafe.

NOT QUITE MARRIED: Logan has his work cut out for him in getting Julia to the altar.

A MATTER OF TRUST: If Ben Wilde is sure of one thing, it’s that Carrie Richardson is trouble.

THE RECKONING, A Wilde Brothers Christmas: Some scars just don’t heal.

TRADED: Jake Wilde has two loves and neither is going his way.

UNFORGIVEN: Samuel Wilde has an unbreakable bond with his brothers. That is until one woman comes between them.

THE HOLIDAY BRIDE: All Trinity Cooper Wilde wanted was a quiet Christmas alone with her baby, a baby no one knows about but her twin sister, Dawn.

About this book

Some scars just don’t heal.

Logan Wilde has always been the big brother, holding the family together, ever since a crisis made their father leave when Logan was just a teen. He was a surrogate father to his brothers even after their own father returned, and the brothers have always sought out Logan when they were in trouble.

---

However, this Christmas, Logan and his brothers will face their biggest crisis yet.

Chapter One

The door was white, with a brass handle and diamond-shaped cutouts in the Plexiglas. This was the sort of suburbia that Jake could never have imagined his brother Logan living in, this cute bungalow on a quiet street buried in a foot of snow. No, out of all the brothers, Jake thought this would best suit Samuel, the lawyer who lived a mile from him in Seattle, the brother he’d done everything with. He wondered for a moment, as he went to knock, whether he should have called. He hesitated a second and then rapped on the door, then squeezed his cold hands, wishing he’d brought his gloves. He wasn’t dressed for snow, for the Idaho cold, and he shivered in his leather coat and stomped his feet in the Oxfords he also should have left at home. Then he noticed the doorbell.

He didn’t bother to push it, though. He could hear the footsteps, the creak of the floor, and voices inside—his brother’s deep voice, which always grounded him. Today he felt odd, out of place. Everything felt so different. Logan had his own family now.

The front door opened, and there was something about looking into Logan’s blue-gray eyes, strong and confident as always, that made Jake feel as if he could handle anything life threw his way. Maybe that was why one look at his brother let him know everything would be okay. This softness was a side of Logan that Jake hadn’t seen before, though. The hard edge his brother had always carried now seemed smoother. Must have been a woman’s touch.

Hey, I didn’t know you were coming tonight! Logan held the door and gestured for Jake to come in, and Jake listened to the chatter and footsteps inside the house—Julia and the twins.

Hope it’s okay, he said. I didn’t even think about calling until I pulled up here. Guess I’m used to just showing up, but it might not be okay to do that now that you’re married.

For a moment, he ached at the thought that he might be intruding on his brother, a brother who’d always been there for him, anytime, anywhere. Logan was everything to him—had been everything to all of the younger brothers: him, Samuel, Joe, and Ben. But Logan wasn’t just any brother, he was who Jake had always looked up to. He knew that out of everyone in his family, Logan would walk through fire for him. His brother would always be there. For a moment, he found himself taking in the threads of gray that were taking over his brother’s dark hair. He looked older, probably from carrying the weight of everyone else on his shoulders.

Get in here, would you? Logan said.

There was something in his gaze, in the way Logan studied him, that made Jake need to figure out what was going on with him. Logan didn’t often say much, but he always knew when trouble was lurking around each of the brothers. He called often just to check in and make sure they were okay. Jake may have never told him, but he missed Logan calling, tracking him down. He still called, but he no longer grilled Jake like he used to. Even though it irritated Jake to be treated as if he were twelve years old, knowing his brother loved him and was there for him made him feel as if Logan always had his back.

Logan narrowed his eyes. Yeah, he could still read his brothers well. Jake had never, out of all the brothers, been able to hide anything from him.

Jake dropped his overnight bag on the beige carpet with a clunk. He didn’t wait for Logan to hug him like he always did. Instead, Jake reached