Brand_A Steel Paragons MC Novel

by Eve R. Hart

  We were moving into our new place. A year later, yeah I know. The thing was, after looking for something that was close to the shop and the compound, we learned that it was slim pickings for something that didn’t look like it was going to fall down. And by slim, I meant zilch. So after talking about it for a while, we decided to turn the empty floor that was above the shop into an apartment.

  Since the place had formally been a two-story nightclub, there was at least plumbing and electricity up there. It took many months and a lot of sweat and tears—mostly from Cami because she tended to be a bit clumsy—to get it done. We opted to do what we could ourselves, having the guys pitch in when they had some free time. Chris was a huge help too, he seemed to know what he was doing with the whole home repairs and remodeling thing. He’d had to do quite a few to his house back in Moon Hill.

  The end result was nothing short of perfect for us.

  And I wasn’t going to complain about the fact that we could run up the stairs and take a lunch break…among other things.

  I even sectioned off a part for her to set up her easel. I loved her sketches, but her paintings always left me stunned and breathless, just like she did. So beyond beautiful and magical, it was unreal.

  The past year had been a whirlwind of events. It seemed every time we turned around, something new was popping up. My plans for taking a few road trips with Cami dwindled down to just one. One week. One girl. And one bike. It was perfect though and I knew it wouldn’t be our last one. We didn’t make it to The Roadkill Cook-off but we agreed we’d hit it up next year. I couldn’t believe that she wanted to go and more than that, she seemed over the moon excited about it.

  We did, however, make it to Moon Hill on that trip. She officially met my family there, Reagan and Ethel included. It was cute to watch Cami’s cheeks turn red at just about everything that came out of Ethel’s mouth.

  Cami had officially gotten her tattoo license a week ago and now had her own room next to Blade. We celebrated by christening every surface of our new place, and some of the walls, too. Oh, there was also a huge cookout at the compound for her. I was so proud.

  She’d come a long way from the girl that had walked into my shop over a year ago. I could still see that nervous rich girl in her every now and then, but I didn’t mind it one bit. When I said I loved all of her, I meant every single part.

  “Okay,” I said making her look up at me from her crouched position on the floor, her hand frozen mid-reach for a bag I was sure she thought she knew whatever she was looking for was in. “You’ve been at this all day. Let’s go do something.”

  “Um, but look at all this stuff. We need to put it away and get this place looking more like a home.”

  While I agreed with her, and maybe the mess was making me a bit twitchy too, I had to admit that we both needed a break. It would get there, we’d eventually find a place for everything and decorate it in a way that made us smile, but I knew it wasn’t going to get done tonight.

  “Up,” I said as I grabbed her hand and pulled her to standing. “Downstairs.”

  “Wait…what…why?”

  “Because it’s time. You don’t have so much as a dot of ink on you. And I know you want one but you’re too afraid to ask.”

  “Okay, maybe,” she said and flashed me a shy smile.

  “Tonight,” I said pointedly then tipped my head to the side indicating for her to go down the stairs.

  “Now? You really think that’s a good idea to do it right now?”

  “Why not? The shop is closed, it will be just you and me. That way, if you can’t take it then you can tell me to stop and no one will even know about it.” I knew without a doubt that she wouldn’t back out once I started, but if it helped ease her into it then I’d let her think whatever she wanted.

  I took her into my room and pulled out my sketchpad. I’d been working on something for her for a while. I only hoped she’d like it. If she didn’t, well, I didn’t know what I was going to do.

  The design was simple enough. A paintbrush with a long handle. The bristles fanned out like it was in mid-stroke. Trailing behind the brush was a long dash of color. The thing that I thought was so perfectly Cami was at the start of that paint stroke. The smooth line came from a burst of paint splatter. It was something I thought of when she spoke about life from time to time. The way she saw things in her head. It was messy, but out of that came something beautiful and elegant. I hadn’t added the colors I planned to use into the sketch that was sitting in front of her, but I had no doubt about them in my mind. Watching Cami’s face soften, I knew she could see them too.

  I loved that I didn’t have to explain anything further. Her glassy eyes looked up at me and the tears trickled down her cheeks as she nodded her head. Her mouth hung open slightly and I knew she was at a loss for words.

  “Kiss me,” she said in a whisper.

  And so I did. I kissed her like I’d never kissed anyone ever. I gave her all of me in every look, kiss, and word. Every touch and thought. She was my heart and soul and I’d spend the rest of my life trying to get her to see that if I needed to.

  “It’s missing something,” she said, causing me to come to a dead stop as I was in the middle of setting up everything on my table.

  “Yeah?” I asked, my brows pinching tight in confusion. “What’s that?”

  “I think it needs a B in there somewhere.”

  She bit her lip letting me know that she was a bit nervous about saying what she wanted out loud.

  She knew the whole tattooing someone’s name on you curse thing or whatever you want to call it. But in a way, this was a bit different. And yes, she was well aware of the whole property tattoo thing. She’d been around the club enough to pick up on things. Also, Gwen had been a big help in teaching her the ins and outs of it all.

  “You are so amazing,” I said almost breathlessly and then kissed her again.

  I got started, deciding I wanted to freehand the whole thing. She trusted me enough to let me.

  “How are you doing?” I asked about halfway through. She seemed to be taking it like a champ. I didn’t even have to tell her to sit still or breathe, not even once.

  “I mean, I wouldn’t say it tickles. But it’s not as bad as I had anticipated,” she said with a smile. “I don’t think I can see myself covered in them, but I might bet that I’d get a few more.”

  The end result had her in tears. I had to admit that it was perfect and beautiful. The B was right there at the end, like all the colors made up that one letter. And that was how I felt about her, she lifted the little dimness that I hadn’t even realized I had. The tip of the brush was now pointed as if it was pulling away from the last curved line of the B. In a way, it was like the finalé to the piece. She was it for me and I could tell when I looked into her eyes, she felt the same about me. I knew there wouldn’t be anyone after her.

  This was barely the beginning for us.

  Cami

  Three years later

  I loved Brand. I did. With everything I had in me and more. Every day I’d wake and not believe how lucky I’d gotten. Every night, he would prove to me that our love was forever strong. It may sound a bit too romance novel, but it was the flipping truth.

  Over four years I’d been by his side. I had been there for the hard times and in return, I got a lot of the good. I’d been there for his brothers as well because they’d taken me in and treated me like one of their own. I was never alone and I never felt that way for a single second.

  Life had been crazy and the shop was constantly busy. Even Thursdays had their fair share of appointments and walk-ins. I was proud of these guys and this place. And I was lucky to have a room here too.

  I wouldn’t have said that my first tattoos came out amazing, but they were honestly better than I’d expected. Over the years, I had figured out what worked for me and what didn’t. I finally felt like I’d gotten my groove and could turn an amazing piece out in a decent amount of time.

 
The thing that mattered the most though, was that I was happy. I loved walking into that shop every day and I hated to leave most nights. And sure, there were bad days and really awful clients, but I handled them. I also had back up if anything ever got out of hand.

  In other words, I wouldn’t trade this life for the world.

  Especially now.

  I made my way down the stairs and into the back of the shop, my face hurt from trying to bite back my excitement and elation.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Brand said giving me a soft smile as I stepped into the doorway to his room. Lucky for me, he wasn’t busy. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold it in. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better now that I took a nap,” I replied and held a smile of my own.

  I could hear Sketch and Blade out in the front of the shop. And I was positive that I heard a few of the brothers and Chris as well. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell him when there happened to be so many ears around but it seemed I had no choice if I was going to go about it the way I had planned.

  “I think I want something done,” I said as I slid into his room and then plopped down onto his chair. I honestly had no plans to get something done, this was just part of my act. I wanted to catch him off guard a little because I knew that it would only add to the shock of the news.

  “Yeah?” His eyes lit up with excitement.

  So, I may have been a tattoo artist, and I flipping loved it, don’t get me wrong, but I wasn’t covered head to toe in ink like you might have expected me to be by now. I actually only had a handful of tattoos. All given to me by my now husband. Each and every one of them special in their own way.

  “So, tell me, beautiful, what do you have in mind?” he asked, rolling his stool as close to me as he could. His warm hands gripped my knees like he couldn’t stand to be that close to me and not touch me.

  I was trying too hard to bite back my smile. This was big. I mean huge. Part of me was a little nervous even though I knew I didn’t need to be. It was something we’d talked about for a while now. Not only talked about but really tried at, as well. The last year had been met with a number of disappointing attempts.

  But here we were and it was time.

  I couldn’t hold back my excitement, but as I pulled out my phone I did my best to tone my smile down.

  “I was thinking something like this,” I said as I pulled up the picture I’d taken about fifteen minutes ago.

  I handed him my phone and waited as he took in the image on the screen.

  That image, you wonder, was of my fingers holding up the stick that informed us that our life was about to be very different. The good kind of different. The kind we’d been hoping for.

  “You’re…” His eyes snapped up to mine, only to flick back down to look at the screen. It was like he couldn’t believe it and had to do a double take. “Oh, hell yeah!”

  I knew the outburst wouldn’t have been lost on everyone up front, even over the loud shop music.

  “What’s going on?” Chris said as he peeked his head into the open doorway.

  “Fuck, man. Look at this.” Then he showed Chris the picture of the positive pregnancy stick. I’d been smart enough to buy the ones that literally spelled it out for you. And ours clearly said pregnant.

  Chris smiled and his whole face lit up with happiness.

  While I knew it was a little early to be blabbing the good news, I knew I couldn’t stop it from getting out now. And truth was, I wanted Chris to know anyway.

  “Congratulations,” Chris said pulling me up for a hug.

  “Everything alright?” I knew that was Ky without even having to look.

  “Ky,” Chris said excitedly as he turned to face the man he was talking to. “We’re going to be uncles.”

  “Did I just hear that you’re gonna be a daddy?” Sketch said before Ky could respond, though by the sweet smile Ky was sporting, I could tell he was happy for us. “Nice,” Sketch said to Brand and then raised his hand for a high five. I expected nothing less from the guy.

  Then I was smashed into a giant hug of man bodies and arms. I loved it though. The security and love that came with these guys. I wouldn't trade my life for the world. And now, Brand and I were going to have a little one that would get all that love too.

  This was our life.

  These people were our family.

  And there was never a second I didn’t feel loved and cared about.

  “I love you,” Brand whispered into my ear and then I felt his lips against my temple. I still melted every time he did that.

  “I love you. So, so, so much,” I said as I looked deep into his beautiful chocolate eyes.

  The End

  Acknowledgements

  Jon you told me that some of the things in this book wouldn’t work, but then you sat down and read them for me and told me that I somehow made it work. I seriously can’t thank you enough for listening to me go on and on and for helping me figure out a how to dig myself out of the holes I sometimes fall into. I love you and am so flipping lucky to have you by my side.

  My crazy bestie, Janie, like for real, I don’t know how I would make it though everyday without you sometimes. You understand my brain and know what I’m trying to say when my words come out all backwards and upside down. You know how to tell me exactly how it’s supposed to be.

  Jordan and Chloe, as always, a million thanks for everything. You guys keep me going and clean up the things that slip by me. Jordan, this cover might have ended up completely different if it wasn’t for you. Yes, I was unsure but something in my gut told me this was the perfect image, and you only proved my gut right.

  James you saved me time. So a million thanks there. I didn’t have to track down what I was looking for on the Internet. Thank you for you amazing knowledge.

  About the Author

  Eve R. Hart does her best writing while downing coffee and munching on chips and salsa. Her days are filled with lightsaber fights, saving the Lego city, and tea parties with her kids. By night, she switches out her cape for heels and writes steamy love scenes.

  She lives on the coast of North Carolina with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from everything she loves nothing more than to sit down and play video games with her husband. She also enjoys cooking, baking, and singing Disney songs while driving.

  Find Her

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/EveRHartAuthor/

  Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/EveRHartAuthor

  Email: eve.r.hartauthor@gmail.com

  Play List

  Branded In Ink shop music

  “(Fuck A)Silver Lining” by Panic! At The Disco

  “Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj

  “Him & I” by G-Eazy and Halsey

  “Crazy Bitch” by Buckcherry

  “Lose Yourself” by Eminem

  “Candy Shop” by 50 Cent

  “Only” by Nicki Manaj

  “Where Does the Good Go” by Tegan and Sara

  “Boyfriend” by Tegan and Sara

  “Put it on Me” by Ja Rule

  “Addicted” by Saving Able

  “Rollout” by Ludacris

  “Lydia” by Highly Suspect

  “Highway” by Bleeker

  “Harlem” by New Politics

  Other songs that helped put me in the mood for Brand and Cami’s story

  “Dollhouse” by Melanie Martinez

  “The Boys are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy

  “Jeepers Creepers 2.0” by Nikki Yanofsky

  “Starving” Hailee Steinfeld

  Other Works

  SPMC Moon Hill Chapter

  (each can be read as a standalone, but if you chose to read them all, they are listed in reading order)

  Loch

  Diesel

  Tank

  Axe

  SPMC The Coast Chapter

  Knight

  Brand

  Novel