Release

by Jade Chandler

  Avery broke our kiss laughing. The boy was on my nerve. I shot him a glare but the ass just smiled at me.

  “You got a few minutes.” Avery squeezed my hand. “For a quick walk.”

  I inhaled her sugary sweet scent. “Of course.”

  We left the shop and walked down the street toward the diner and the other businesses.

  She walked so slow, I was having trouble matching my pace to hers. “What did you want?” I stopped and leaned her against the brick exterior of the post office.

  “To tell you I’d love to go to the party with you.” She had an expectant look on her face as if she wasn’t sure of her reception.

  “Thank you.” I picked her up and kissed her on the lips before setting her back down. “We’ll have a great time, you’ll see.” Relief washed through me. She was giving it a chance and that’s all I could ask.

  “Okay. I believe you.” She licked her lips. “Come by when you’re done working tonight.”

  “It’ll be late, I close the shop.” I caressed her cheek. “May be working some long hours for a while.”

  “I understand. It’s not easy being in charge. But tonight, come by. Watching you go all badass turned me on. I want you in the worst way, right now.” Her whiskey eyes shone with passion.

  “Fuck, I could’ve lived without knowing that, especially since it’ll be hours before I can claim your tight pussy.” I kissed her, but this wasn’t like before. I devoured her, needing to claim her, show her how much she meant to me.

  Slowly, I pulled back, knowing this was going nowhere right now. “I’ll see you after ten.”

  She nipped my bottom lip. “I’m counting on it, stud.”

  Avery headed down Main to her house. I watched her walk away, appreciating the sway of her ass. Then I pulled out my phone and hit Dare’s number.

  He answered on the second ring. “Hey, what do you need?”

  “Some time with you and Jericho, need to discuss the shop.” I didn’t know how much to say or who I needed to tell what. This was uncharted territory to me.

  “This urgent?”

  “Not shit burning down, but I’d like to get your opinion.” I was blind reaching out but I didn’t know for what.

  “J is in Ardmore today, but tomorrow after breakfast works, you clear then?”

  I’d make sure I was. “Yeah, that works for me. Thanks, brother.”

  “Anything you need, I’m here.” Then he hung up.

  Hearing Dare’s voice calmed me. I entered the shop. Zero and Mark stood there grinning like idiots when I walked inside.

  “Boss, you found your smile.” Zero snorted.

  I hadn’t even realized I was grinning. “Fuck off.”

  “Man, I’ve never seen you get pissed and we’ve seen some shit together.” Zero just had to press it. “What did he do?”

  No reason for them not to know, it was all of our reputations on the line. I pulled out my phone and brought up the photo of the crappy-ass tat. “This.” I flipped my phone around.

  Zero grabbed it from my hands, zooming in. “That’s total crap—fuck Mark could do better work and he knows jackshit.” I didn’t miss the bite in Zero’s tone. It pissed him off too.

  “This is what you never do, padawan.” Zero shoved my phone in Mark’s hands.

  “So we agree, Weasel did a shit job, then he takes a swing at me, or some crazy shit. I think he was too high to know what he was doing. Bad work, bad attitude and really bad breath. I had to kick him the fuck out.”

  Zero and Mark chuckled.

  “Seriously, I’m not sure the protocol for how to get Weasel working or out of here, but I will tomorrow.” I pointed to Zero. “We’ll be working some long ass hours until things go smooth.” Then I remembered my meeting tomorrow. “You open with Mark tomorrow while I go see Dare and Jericho.”

  “Fine,” he groaned. “I knew there had to be some attitude under all that easy-going bullshit you throw around.” Zero smacked my arm. “Man, I wished I’d seen it first hand, but I was stuck inking the biggest tit I’ve ever seen.”

  I smacked his head. “Respect.”

  “Oh, I respected her. So much so, we’re going out for drinks later.” He winked at me. “Now that you’re all settled, I’ll have to make Mark my wingman.”

  “Fuck, you were my wingman. Don’t forget who showed you your moves.”

  “Born with them.” He thumbed his cut. “I’m a lucky bastard.”

  I had two clients that night so time passed quickly. When it was ten, Mark and I closed shop then I drove to my girl. I wanted to taste her sweet pussy and show her just how much I appreciated her. When I got to her place, I tried the knob, unlocked, I don’t think they locked their door half of the time. I let myself in and locked the door behind me. I opened Avery’s bedroom door, finding her sacked out asleep with her lamp on.

  Damn. I flicked off the light, shed my clothes and joined her in bed. I drew her into me. Her ass wiggled against my crotch and I sucked in a breath. She settled and I fell asleep with her in my arms.

  * * *

  The next morning, I turned up the lane to the clubhouse and parked my Harley. The room was emptying but breakfast was still out, so I grabbed a plate of sausage and pancakes.

  “Rock.” Dare greeted me. “Heard you put a boot to Weasel’s ass.” He laughed. “I always miss the good shit.”

  “What I want to know is what he’s not doing now?” Jericho leaned back in his chair a frown on his face.

  I sat down and forked in a few bites of pancake before I spoke. “This.” I brought up the photo of the tat and slid my phone over to Jericho. “Only six weeks old.”

  Jericho glanced at the picture, cursed then stared at me. I wanted to flinch away from his intense focus on me.

  “That’s Weasel’s work when he bothers to show up. Not good enough.” I ignored Jericho’s freaky stare. “I need more artists at Marked Man and Mark’s not going to be ready soon enough.”

  “Fuck, I need something to drink if we gotta talk business.” Dare brought a bottle and three glasses back.

  “Thinking juice always helps.” Jericho poured the bourbon.

  “Weasel and I discussed his quality and attitude problem yesterday with the bottom of my boot, but he’s getting worse every day. He always smells like sour beer or weed. His work is slipshod, and he thinks rules don’t apply to him.” I wasn’t having our reputation questioned because of one fried brother who shouldn’t even work for me.

  “Fucking lazy fuck.” Jericho glared at Dare. “I know you told me he was slacking, and I’m done with his shit.” He pierced me with that gaze that spooked most of us. “You tell me how many hours you think you can use him, days and times. I’ll make sure the fucker is there sober, or he’ll be gone.”

  We worked through Weasel’s problems then it was the big one, the part that made me nervous. “I do want to hire a third person, a woman.”

  Jericho sat back and tapped his fingertips together.

  “Angie has worked for the shop in Ardmore for about two years, but she wants out. Honestly, she’s the only reason Taboo Tattoos is still around.”

  “Heard she’s good.” Jericho nodded.

  “You know she’ll come.” Dare poured another round of Jim Beam.

  I grinned thinking about the woman I wanted to make come, and it wasn’t Angie. “Yeah, I’ve all but offered it, but I wanted to run it by you two or the Council. Dunno how this shit works.”

  Jericho shot me a hard look. “You need more brothers or have trouble with a brother, like that lazy shit Weasel, you get me or Dare involved, otherwise she’s yours to steer. No need to ask either of us who you hire.”

  “But what do you think?” I didn’t trust that. They said I was in charge, but maybe I was more of a day-to-day guy,
not the real deal.

  Jericho and Dare shot each other this strange look. Dare turned to me, still serious as hell. “We put the right brother in charge.”

  Both the bastards laughed and poured another round. With those simple words of approval, I understood my place.

  “You know we got your back, but we ain’t about controlling her. I gave her to you.” Dare clapped my back.

  “Got it.” I stuffed pancakes in my mouth so I didn’t say something stupid about how much I appreciated his confidence in me. Bikers didn’t say shit like that, and Dare might punch me if I said some sentimental shit.

  The shop was mine, and I’d take great care of her. Tension gone, I drank back the whiskey before I finished my breakfast while bullshitting with Dare and Jericho about tattoos. Sometimes I forgot how much they loved ink, now that they both had bigger priorities. That was fine for them, but I never wanted to have a bigger priority than the Marked Man.

  * * *

  The next morning Mark and I worked in the supply room. I showed him inks and quizzed him on how to use the different types.

  “Now needles.” I glanced at him.

  He had his notebook in hand ready to soak up more information. I’d never seen anyone so eager to learn. “Two things, they come pre-wrapped from the supplier and it’s your job to be sure we’re never low, second we never re-sterilize a dirty needle, got me, not even if we have to turn a client away.”

  He nodded. “So do like Mama’s sheet says, keep an unopened box always on hand for the specialty and four unopened on the standard.”

  I grinned. “Yup. We are safe first, always. That means keeping our equipment sanitized, gloves on, bodies swabbed, all of it.”

  The door banged open. Weasel stared at me with murder in his eyes. My guess was Jericho ripped him a new one this morning. “Mark, go up front, now.”

  Mark backed out of the room and did as I said.

  “You fucking ratted me out to Jericho. Who the fuck you think you are?” He butted into my chest.

  I stared down at him, shorter and skinny, the dude had no chance against me, not that I’d hit him. Hell, I’d expected his reaction, but I hadn’t planned on Jericho sending his message so damn soon. Today was not the day to fuck with me, too much already had me on the edge.

  “You back the fuck off.”

  Weasel bristled and planted his feet.

  “Hard way then.” I picked the little shit up and hung him from the coat rack on the back of the door. He squirmed and flailed, if I’d been in a better mood, it’d be hilarious. But I wasn’t. This was serious shit.

  “Stop and listen.” I stared him down. “You have two choices, and you’ll make your decision now.”

  He frowned but stopped moving like a fish out of water.

  “You can accept I’m the boss, I told you two fucking weeks ago to be here more, and you flipped me off.” I held his eye until he turned his head away. “Then you do crap work on a customer I have to fix then have the fucking nerve to blame me for poaching your clients. You crossed every fucking line, so your shit goes up the line to Jericho.”

  I waited, hoping sense would hit him, but Weasel held himself in this pissed-off way that I’d have sworn impossible to do hanging from a hook.

  “Option two, don’t work here.” I stared him down, again. “Pick now.” I wanted him gone because I was ninety percent sure that even if he stayed he wouldn’t straighten up. Maybe for a few months, but as long as he used, he’d never be able to keep our standards long. Besides I hated fucking druggies. But he was a brother, and he’d earned the spot he had here, so the choice was his.

  “Put me the fuck down.” Weasel spit as he spoke.

  “After you pick, but know this, no playing me. You stay, you show up, do good work, or you go away. Jericho made that clear? Now, I’m making it clear.”

  He folded his arms with that mulish expression I knew too well.

  “I got better shit to do so you hang out here a couple hours and we’ll talk.” I grabbed the handle by his leg.

  His boot swung up to kick me, but I twisted that leg until he yelled.

  “You got something to say?” I let go of his calf. He had something to say since he’d all but pissed on my boots defying me.

  “Fine. I’ll tow your line, but it’s bullshit I’m not running this show.”

  I grinned at him. “You tell Jericho that?”

  “Fuck yeah.”

  “Then be glad it was on the phone. He’d have knocked you the hell out.”

  “That’s what he said,” Weasel grumbled then jumped when I lifted him off the hook and dropped him to the floor.

  While he cursed and fumbled to get up, I booked it up front. He needed to cool down and so did I. Marked Man was a damn good shop, no one was bringing down our rep with crappy work. I had to get Angie on board and soon. Weasel’s days were numbered because I was sure the fucker would screw up sooner than later.

  Chapter Eleven

  Avery

  Tonight would be absolutely perfect. But repeating the thought did not chase away the nervous jitters that made me have to keep moving. I chose a boss outfit that made me appear like I had boobs. Everything was ready for my first Brotherhood party. So why did I feel like hurling? I added a bit of wax to my hair and inspected myself. Dramatic lips, understated eyes and bright hair—that was me. I’d been to the club several times with Lila so why did this feel so different? I hoped Rock arrived soon or I’d totally psych myself out.

  “Damn, I want to fuck you.” Glory whistled.

  “Too bad, I’m taken.” I twirled in my short, flared black skirt that had skeletons woven into the fabric which was perfect with my solid black, sexy bustier.

  “Rock isn’t going to let you out of this house without tapping that.” Glory popped a Smart Choice dinner in the microwave.

  “No way, it took too long to look this good.”

  The doorbell rang and my stomach kicked up with excitement. I hurried to the door, flinging it open. Rock stood on my front porch, breathtaking in his cut and black wife beater stretched tight across his chest.

  He swept me into his arms and kicked the door shut behind me. “You look good enough to eat. And I’m a hungry man.” His low words tickled my ear.

  A shiver traveled down me. “Too bad. Think of me as dessert. You won’t get a taste of me until the end of the night.”

  “Ah almita, no way I’ll make it so long.” He kissed me. But this wasn’t a normal kiss, it was filled with an intensity that scared me, just a bit.

  I pulled away from the kiss. “Put me down and let’s go.”

  We rode away from my place, speeding down Second Street. The ride to the clubhouse was quick, but I savored it. I loved the closeness of riding on the back of his bike—a place I was totally comfortable. I clasped his strong body and breathed in his sexy scent—nothing was better in the whole world. Okay, maybe sex with him was better, but that was it.

  The ride ended too soon as he parked among what seemed like an army of bikes that lined up all along the front area of the club, even overflowing into the grass surrounding the parking area.

  Once we’d moved from the bikes to the grassy area beside the club, I spotted Lila, and started for her, but Rock grabbed my hand. “Wait. Here are my rules. You stay with Mama or me, don’t even head into the john alone, got me?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Is that—”

  “Yes. Are you going to follow the rules?”

  I nodded.

  “Want me to tell Mama?” Rock swept my green bangs to the side, out of my eyes.

  “I can.” But I didn’t want to. She shouldn’t have to be my keeper.

  “Come with me. I want to introduce my girl to my brothers.” Pride reverberated through his voice.

  For t
he next hour I trailed Rock from group to group and met more bikers than I’d ever remember. Rock’s swagger made me feel proud, happy, wanted. No matter where we went, Rock was welcomed. I hadn’t understood his role in the club, still didn’t, but I understood respect and friendship—he had lots of that.

  Eventually, Rock found Lila and Dare. He sat next to Dare and dragged me onto his lap. His fingers skimmed the bare leg between my skirt and boots. Lila was so attached to Dare, I thought they’d fused together. His hand was up her shirt and she bit his neck. I stared out over the grassy field that surrounded the clubhouse. Lila looked nothing like my best friend now, even though she’d warned me, I was still surprised. Once they broke apart, Rock and Dare discussed tattoos. I’d imagined that Lila and I would talk about something, but she was totally focused on Dare.

  Did I do the same with Rock?

  Before I could make up my mind Rock patted my ass and stood me up. “Going for some booze. You stay with Mama.” His expression said this wasn’t negotiable.

  Dare left with Rock.

  Lila sighed and flopped back in the chair. “He’s more addicting than freakin’ heroin.”

  I laughed, now that sounded like my friend.

  She glanced at me, then pinned me with her gaze. “You were surprised.”

  “No, I mean...yeah I don’t ever see you guys all intense like that.”

  She laughed and leaned toward me. “That was nothing. Dare’s tense now, shit with the club. My job is to take off the edge, and it’s the best fuckin’ job in the world.”

  I laughed, but even my ears were hot. We talked a bit more about life, and I almost told her a half dozen times about Rock’s command, but something held me back.

  “Let’s go get a drink.” She stood and waited for me.

  I followed her to the bar where Mark served drinks. “I’ll have a Coke, make it a double, barkeep.” I grinned wide and held up my fist for a bump.

  Mark didn’t let me down. “Hey, Goof, I see you finally found some good friends.”

  If I hadn’t known him all my life, I’d have missed the hurt his words tried to hide.