I jumped up and clapped. “You would do that? If he’s brought back, then the farm will go to Chet. Oh Rock, I’ve been so worried about Chet and the farm.” I gulped. “Honestly, I’ve been scared he’s just out there waiting to jump me again.”
“Ah Avery, he’ll never touch you again. But me, I’m gonna touch you right now.”
I giggled. “Yeah, what parts? Maybe my elbow?”
He kissed my elbow.
“My belly button?”
He kissed there, but then I let him decide the next spot, and I wasn’t disappointed.
* * *
Rock was making me go to town. I haven’t been to town since the day of the fire almost two weeks ago. I’d agreed, in theory that the space next to Marked Man would be ideal for my shop and when he’d offered to create a connecting door, I couldn’t say no, but Rebel hadn’t caught my dad, and I still worried about town, only feeling safe at the club.
We were also staying in town tonight, which freaked me out in a whole different way. Town meant my father, and I didn’t want to think about him. But I decided to find my she-balls and face all those fears—Barden had been my home for twenty-four years, and I couldn’t keep avoiding it. With trepidation I swung my leg over the back of Rock’s bike and held on tight as we drove toward town. Riding on the back of Rock’s bike was awesome, and I loved the way the cooler fall air blew across my face.
In less than fifteen minutes we drove down Main Street. People had scattered all over by Blue’s and at least fifteen were standing by Marked Man—a lot of my old friends from town and several bikers, even better, no one threw punches.
Rock parked and turned to me beaming. “Everyone wanted to help you reopen. Mama sent out a notice, we had to turn people away because we didn’t have enough to do.”
“Really?” My eyes watered and I swiped at them.
He nodded.
“Let’s get to work.” I hopped off the bike, leaving my helmet behind.
Inside, Lila put people to work and to my amazement, bikers and friends from town talked and worked side by side.
“What am I doing?” I frowned at Lila.
She grinned. “Coming with me to Marked Man so we can start ordering inventory.”
I grinned wide. “What about your sexy man?”
“Dare and I get to cut through the wall for a door to the shop.” Rock rubbed his hands together. “We rented a Sawzall.”
I leaned up and kissed him. “Boys and their toys. Have fun.” I followed Lila over to the Marked Man and we sat in the office. She opened her laptop and handed it to me.
I just stared at the website of one of my biggest suppliers. “How did this happen? What did you do?”
“Rock’s idea. He organized everyone. I just squirmed details out of you and told him. You’re a lucky woman.”
I smiled and thought back to all the times he’d been there for me. “I am. God I love that man.” I focused on the website and worked at picking inventory. A huge boom and dust explosion marked the moment they cut through the wall from one place to the other. Dare and Rock walked through coated in plaster dust with huge grins on their faces.
“We did it.”
“Yup, you did.” I walked into reception and kissed Rock’s dust-covered lips. We walked outside together and I noticed something new. Black Label had been styled on the outside of the shop, exactly how I’d had it on the one across the street. I glanced over, amazed he’d already started the demolition, only parts of the foundation and one wall remained. He’d done everything.
“You’re the best man in the world. You took care of all of it. I couldn’t face the huge mountain of stuff I needed to do, and here you’ve managed it all for me.”
“You like it? Not mad that I jumpstarted the project?” He grinned down at me.
I swiped dust off his nose. “You’re halfway there. And seeing everyone working together, it’s almost too much. Too much happiness.”
“Almita, that’s what you give me every day—too much happy, too much joy, too much sexy,” he rumbled and squeezed my ass.
“You know, I spent years wanting something special.” I glanced around at Main Street. “I thought it was my own business, but that wasn’t it.” I kissed his chin. “I needed you to release me.”
“From what?” He gave me this funny twist of a smile.
“The town, the last of those chains that tied me down. When I fell in love with you, you freed me and filled what I was missing.” Words just weren’t good enough. I couldn’t say exactly what I meant, although maybe I was getting close based on the way love shone in Rock’s eyes. “I love you,” I told him.
“Avery, you got it wrong, you freed me from all my doubts, my past and baby we’re going to have the best life here built by our desires.” He kissed me and I fell into him returning all the passion, the emotion wound up in his kiss.
A wolf whistle, which sounded like the mayor, broke up our kiss.
“You’re my luck, my life, I’ll always be there beside you—loving you, protecting you, kissing you.” He bent me low and kissed me again. This time we didn’t surface even though laughs and words flew our way. I just held on tight and let my man have his way.
* * * * *
Now Available from Carina Press and Jade Chandler
From the moment she walked into my tattoo shop, she was going to end up in my bed. Tied up, moaning my name and begging for more.
Read on for an excerpt from
ENOUGH,
the first book in Jade Chandler’s JERICHO BROTHERHOOD series.
Chapter One
Life offered new chances all the time, and today was mine. Nothing matched the optimism of the first day. I’ve always loved the potential of these days—new school years, new jobs, new opportunities.
“Today, I will kick ass and take names,” I told myself with a confidence I didn’t feel.
Hell, I couldn’t even convince my reflection.
I swiped a coat of gloss on my lips before I grabbed my red hobo bag and headed to my first day of work.
I hurried down the narrow wood stairs and around the corner to the tattoo shop’s side entrance, literally mere feet from my apartment. I hit the four-digit code to my new home away from home.
Astringent and wood scents greeted me as I flipped up a row of switches and lit the workroom. My steps echoed across the worn wooden floor, and I approved of the way the brick-colored walls accented the chrome and black motif of the stations.
“Anyone here?” I raised my voice, and it echoed through the huge room. Apparently not. I wish I knew who would be meeting me, but all Jericho had said was “one of the guys will be there at eleven.”
The hall split in two directions—the left led to the front, my domain, and the right to a closed door marked Staff Only. I itched to dig in to the inventory. Instead, I moved to the front so I wouldn’t miss my mysterious guide who was now...oh, who’d now be just on time. Right, I’d come early, unable to wait anymore.
Besides, the front belonged to me. The green walls, huge old wooden counter and 1950s retro cash register shouted attitude and style. The shelves under the oak counter held the leather-bound appointment book and the ledger Jericho, the guy who’d interviewed me, said I should use to track sales and expenses.
There really wasn’t a freaking computer. Who did business like that?
The Jericho Brotherhood. Unease made me move, I needed to do anything besides think about the barely legal motorcycle club who owned the shop.
I grabbed the window cleaner and polished the print-smudged glass covering the old counter.
I erased the drink rings coating the two end tables before I tackled the door and two huge plate-glass windows. Hands on hips, I surveyed my work—the waiting area gleamed.
I t
ook a quick look at my watch to reaffirm what the huge metal clock on the wall said—eleven fifteen. Now Mr. Mysterious was late, and my nerves started to eat my stomach lining since the cleaning hadn’t helped my anxiety. I stowed away the cleaner before I walked outside to see my handiwork.
The tattoo shop, the Marked Man, stood at the west end of Main Street with boutiques, small businesses, the only bar and two of Barden’s four restaurants. The hot Oklahoma sun beat down, with the temperature above ninety, according to the bank sign cattywampus from the shop. Sweat popped on my brow in seconds, and white light bounced off the windows, almost blinding me.
“Hey,” a deep rumbling voice called from behind me. I steeled myself to not react, no matter how scary or intimidating the biker might be. I mean, the boss guy, Jericho, gave me the willies with his cold, bi-colored eyes.
“Hey, Red,” the man repeated.
I wasn’t a fan of my curly red hair that refused to do anything I wanted. Seriously, it was like a temperamental cat lived on my head. Give me Medusa hair any day over this stuff.
I turned but only saw a white-outlined silhouette in the bright noon sun. Tall, blond and the owner of a seriously sexy voice.
“Dare,” he greeted me, before he opened the door.
I walked into the dimmer light of the reception area.
“Did ya find your way around?”
When I turned toward him, I almost swallowed my tongue.
He stood in front of me dressed in leather chaps, motorcycle boots and a tight red T-shirt almost painted on his wide chest.
His strong chin was bare, even though I thought beards were a biker requirement. Full lips tilted in a sexy, sarcastic smirk. Aviator glasses slid off, and he assessed me with the bluest eyes I’d ever seen.
“Hey, I’m Lila.” I held out my hand, glad it didn’t tremble.
He clasped it in a firm but not crushing handshake.
Tingles shot from my fingers up my arm and raced down my spine. I was in serious trouble. My attraction meter shot past interested into the red zone.
“Glad you’re here to fix the chaos.”
His wide smile lit up his face, adding a hint of adorable to his charm.
No bikers, no men, period, I chastised myself. I don’t want trouble. I liked the empty apartment above my lust-filled head. Hadn’t I just run from one loser as soon as I landed this job?
I stepped back into the counter. “Doesn’t look like it’s in too bad of shape.” I bit my lip and suppressed the moan I wanted to let loose thanks to the six feet of sexiness standing in front of me.
He leaned forward, his breath brushing my cheek. “Yeah?” With his hands planted on the glass top of the counter, his scent, a mix of outdoors, leather and citrus, surrounded me.
Delicious.
When he tugged at one of my auburn curls, I froze with my knees resembling Jell-O.
“Love this hair.”
I’d been too harsh on my hair all these years. His lips inches from me were a perfect bow of temptation. I prayed he’d step away, so when he gave me space, the prick of pain in my chest made absolutely no sense. Stupid brain.
“Jericho says you’ve done this before.” He moved down the hall.
Dazed by our encounter, I stood planted in place.
“You coming.” Command clear on his face and in his short tone.
I jerked like I’d been shocked to life before I hurried after him to the workroom.
“Yeah, this is my third tat shop. I was office manager at the last one in Texarkana. I told Jericho to call anyone about my work, but if you need my—”
“Enough, Red.” His lips curled up on one side.
“My name is Lila Braham, did Jericho forget to mention it...?” My words trailed off into this half squeak, half whisper. I think it sounded like the death rattle of one of those squeakers in dog toys.
He arched an eyebrow and stared at me a long time, like an hour, although I know in real time it could have only been seconds. He pointed to the two stations right next to each other. “Weasel and Angel work there. Angel does piercing only. If she ain’t here, most of us can pierce too, except dick or pussy hoods, those are tricky and all Angel.”
I desperately wanted to write this down, but like an addled idiot, I’d left the legal pad I’d found under the counter. I contemplated making a run for it, but he didn’t appear the patient type. My memory would have to do.
“This is Zayn’s space.” He pointed to the opposite side of where Angel and Ferret—no that wasn’t right—Angel and Weasel worked. “He’ll be here most of the time. Rock is up here across from my station. If you have questions and I’m not here, you ask either of them.” He moved over to stand in front of a work space, the one closest to the back door and my apartment.
“I work when I got appointments or when we’re real busy or when I get a wild hair.”
The word hair brought my attention back to his hair perfection. Shoulder-length and the color of sunshine, it appeared silky soft, and I wanted to confirm my suspicion.
“You book appointments, and unless it’s marked out up front, you schedule it, and the artist will call the customer back if it don’t work.”
I nodded. “Got it.”
“What do you have, Red?” He drew out the name I hoped he’d quit using.
“I book appointments, mostly toward Rock and Zayn unless someone asks for you or Weasel. Angel for piercings.” I bit my lip.
Dare’s energy changed in a flash and he devoured me in a way I knew too well. My pulse raced and moisture spread at the apex of my legs. Yeah, there was some serious energy between us.
Ignoring my own traitor of a body and his whole sex vibe, with monumental effort I focused on the job. “Do I order inks and supplies?”
He strode past me without a word, so I followed when he opened the door marked Staff Only and gestured for me to go inside. The room was small, with shelves all organized with supplies: art books, inks, needles and piercing supplies. They were well set up, and it was neater than most supply areas I’d seen, at least before I’d enforced my brand of neat-freak on them.
Turning, I bumped into his hard, muscled chest, which caused me to stumble back in surprise into the nearest shelf. The shelving unit shook and I worried paper towels were about to rain down on me. They wobbled but stayed in place. Good paper towels.
He gripped my upper arm. A nuclear-level heat washed through me and flamed persistently in my core. If more moisture accumulated in my panties, I might have to go change them. My nipples joined the act, not that I could see if they’d decided to flaunt their happiness unless I obviously stared down at my chest.
“When we need things,” his voice purred close in my ear, “you just ask me before you get what you need.”
I sucked in a breath but wasn’t about to let him get the best of me with this flirty, dirty innuendo. It was nothing new, except how much it affected me.
I glanced up through lowered lashes. “And you’ll always get me what I need?”
A full smile spread across his face. “Count on it, Red.”
His words sounded like a promise instead of the flirty game.
But I decided to play a bit more. “I will, Dare.” I drew out his name almost the same way he’d done with mine.
His eyes closed for a second too long before he removed his hand from my arm. I squeezed past him out of the closet, waiting for him in the hall unsure if my instruction was done and I could ask my questions.
He moved past me, so I hurried to catch up.
“What else should I do?” A lame question but it had burst out over all my more intelligent questions.
He stopped and turned to me. “I told you. Do the paperwork shit, don’t keep me waiting and make sure shit runs smooth.” He started walking again.
While not the most eloquent answer, I understood the bottom line—don’t bother him with small stuff and keep the rest quick and simple. This job was the same as the one I’d left when I kicked my no-good ex in the balls and stormed out of his tattoo shop. This time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake of falling right into the arms of the first guy I stumbled across.
“I like oral reports Red, so don’t hand me any fucking papers. Also, call me, never text, I hate that shit.” He continued moving to the front.
Good thing he didn’t look at me then. My cheeks heated and I’m sure I blushed, not from embarrassment, at least not embarrassment from the comment, but definitely from imagining my mouth on his cock—a pleasurable fantasy.
No, Lila. Stop falling before you’ve even landed on your feet. New start, no old mistakes.
I heard laughter before I walked into the reception area.
Dare slapped the back of a young guy, who couldn’t be twenty-one, in the same leather vest with floppy black hair.
“Zayn meet Lila.” Dare’s attention felt like a physical force to me.
Oh my god, he’d finally used my name, we were making progress. “Hi, I’m the new office manager.” I held out a hand, but the enthusiastic guy pressed me into a hug.
“Thank God, I’m so glad you’re here.” He smiled wide. “They’ve been making me straighten up and shit so you wouldn’t run away in the first hour.” He cocked his head at me. “I must’ve succeeded.”
I laughed. He was too cute, like a puppy you knew would grow up into one of those huge scary dogs. “Yeah, things are in great shape.”
With a nod, he moved to the appointment book. “We’re busy today. Shit, I got two, and you have three appointments at one, six and eight.”
Was I supposed to tell Dare his appointments when he came in? Was I supposed to tell everyone? I needed to start a list of questions because my brain turned to lust-filled goo near Dare.
“Yeah.” He nodded to Zayn. “Come back and see the art I created for Mark. He’s my first customer.” Dare strolled down the hall beside Zayn without a glance my way.
I straightened and pulled my shit together. I never picked good men, I think the part that picks out the right man was broken in me. How could it not be after all the years with my horror-show father? Tony, my ex, had taught me the dangers of dating the boss. He was the owner, and with our breakup, I’d ended the job I loved. Worse, I’d had to pretend for weeks he wasn’t a cheating bastard, until I could line up a new job. Funny how he could control me, put me down, make fun of me, but cheating pushed me over the edge. I guess I should be glad he did, but it still stung that he went somewhere else for the one thing no one ever complained about.
Release Page 29
