Inked Expressions
Page 21
Marie patted the seat next to her, and Everly sank down with a sigh. “You need to rest, honey. And don’t tell me you can’t because I know that. Once we know Storm is fine and out of surgery, then you will rest and heal.” There was a firmness in the other woman’s tone that told Everly that Storm’s mom was just as scared as she was, but not showing it because of her children. The woman was so tough, and Everly wanted to be her when she grew up.
She just needed to make sure Storm was okay first.
As soon as that thought slid through her mind, the doors opened again, and this time, Storm’s doctor came through. The room went quiet, and she stood up on shaky legs.
“The Montgomery family?”
“That would be all of us,” Griffin said dryly, though she heard the worry in his tone.
“Okay, then,” the doctor said as he ran a hand through his hair.
“How is he?” Everly asked, surprised at how strong her voice sounded.
“He’s going to be fine. He has a few cuts and lacerations as well as a concussion, but he’ll be okay. Before this accident, his L1 and L2 vertebra were fused, and now there is a hairline fracture on his L1. His spinal cord is intact, and he’ll have to be off his feet for a decent time period, but with physical therapy and time, he will walk again and be just fine.”
Everly didn’t even know she was crying until Wes pulled her into his arms and she soaked his shirt. The others asked questions, and she vaguely heard the answers. She was aware her boys were up and talking, asking why their mommy was crying, but she couldn’t stop almost hyperventilating to tell them she’d be okay.
And she would be okay.
Because Storm would be fine.
He was alive. Hurt, but alive.
With that relief crushing her chest, she knew they could face everything else. She had her Montgomery and her family. Her boys and Storm.
Life would move on because finally, she’d found her future…with her architect.
Epilogue
“We’re teaching Randy to roll over,” James said solemnly, and Storm grinned from his place on his new memory foam chair.
“How’s he doing?” Storm asked and laughed when he saw Nathan rolling over in front of a confused-looking Randy as if showing the dog how to do a new trick.
“Not good, but we’ll learn him,” Nathan said with a smile.
“You’ll teach him,” Everly corrected before sinking into the large cushion next to Storm.
“That’s what I said,” Nathan said before rolling over again. Randy sank down on his belly and rested his head on his paws.
“He’s not doing it,” James sighed.
“He’ll learn eventually,” Storm said. “We’ll get Wes over here to help since I can’t crawl on the ground with you right now.”
“Just don’t overdo it. Any of you.” Everly sounded calm when she said it, but he heard the tension in her tone. Storm slowly lifted his arm, and Everly cautiously leaned against him. They were always so careful since the accident, and he didn’t fault either of them for it, but he was beyond ready to be able to hold her in his arms or have him on top of her…or under her…or behind her.
Everly bit his earlobe, and he groaned. “Stop thinking about that right now, mister.”
He looked down at his sweats and pulled a blanket on top of his lap. “Oops. Well, at least that still works.”
“Don’t even joke like that,” Everly whispered. “Okay, boys, show us what you’ve done with Randy so far.”
The boys started rolling over and Randy plopped on his back. Storm called that a win. “Good job.” He moved slowly to kiss the top of Everly’s head and was damned happy that he didn’t feel any pain. It was odd, but the surgery he’d gone through had actually helped his earlier back pain. He would never be one hundred percent, but he’d be able to move around better than he used to in a couple of months if not weeks.
Storm tried not to think about how everything had changed so quickly over the past few weeks, months. He’d talked to Clay earlier while the boys had been in the tub with Everly watching over them and still couldn’t get that conversation out of his head. The kid had been distraught over everything that had happened.
It wasn’t just the fact that his aunt was dead, because damn it, Storm felt for the kid, but now there were three children out there that were now orphans, and Clay would have to be there, trying to help with everything he possibly could. According to Clay, the kids would be taken care of by his grandparents, with Clay helping when he could. Storm wasn’t sure what the right answer was, he just knew that things would get harder before they got easier.
Everly knew James and Nathan needed to spend time with their brothers and sister, though they were too young to understand that now. No one knew how things would work out or how much damage might occur along the way, but Storm and Everly would be part of Clay’s life for a long time to come.
Things had definitely changed and hadn’t gotten any easier, but now he wasn’t alone.
“I should do more unpacking,” Everly said after a few more minutes.
Storm shook his head. “Wait until my sisters get here to help. That way, I can have you in my arms a bit longer.” He still couldn’t believe Everly had moved in that week. Between his recovery time and the fact that Jackson’s memory had been in each room of Everly’s old home, they had decided that she and the boys would move in to see how it all worked out. So far so good, he thought, and knew that as soon as he was able to get down on one knee, he’d propose.
Things had moved fast for them, yet in reality, it had taken years for them to see who they were to each other. He’d fallen in love with his friend’s wife and hadn’t realized it. Everly was everything to him, her and the boys. He’d gone from being a confirmed bachelor with pain in his heart that he never thought he’d overcome, and had ended up with a woman he loved, and two children whose lives he was honored to be a part of.
“So…”
He looked down at Everly and smiled. “What?”
“I know we’re not engaged, but your mother has practically adopted me…can I get the Montgomery Ink brand?” She fluttered her eyelashes at him, and he fell that much more in love with her.
“You want our MI tattoo?” he asked, surprised. “I didn’t think you’d want ink.”
“It’s kind of your family’s thing, and your ink is kind of hot. Just saying.” She kissed his jaw, and he moved so he could take her mouth.
“I think you with our ink would be fucking sexy. So, yes, get the ink, and when we’re ready, you’ll get a ring, too.”
She kissed him again, and the boys laughed and clapped as Randy barked, the noise increasing with each passing moment, and Storm wouldn’t have it any other way. His life had changed so much he could barely keep up, but he was one damned lucky man.
“You’re so romantic.”
“Yeah? Well, later, when the boys are in bed, I’ll show you exactly how romantic I can be.” He bit her lip before licking the sting away. “You’ll have to be on top, of course.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll go slow, baby. Don’t worry.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” He kissed her again, and knew that no matter what happened from this point on, he had everything he wanted.
He just hadn’t known he’d fall the way the other Montgomerys in his life had in order to get it.
THE END
Up Next:
Wes and Jillian. Finally.
A Note from Carrie Ann
Thank you so much for reading INKED EXPRESSIONS. I do hope if you liked this story, that you would please leave a review. Not only does a review spread the word to other readers, they let us authors know if you’d like to see more stories like this from us. I love hearing from readers and talking to them when I can. If you want to make sure you know what’s coming next from me, you can sign up for my newsletter at www.CarrieAnnRyan.com; follow me on twitter at @CarrieAnnRyan, or like my Facebook page. I also have a Facebook Fan Club where we have
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Make sure you’re signed up for my MAILING LIST so you can know when the next releases are available as well as find giveaways and FREE READS.
The Montgomery Ink series is an ongoing series and there’s more to come! Wes and Jillian are up next in INKED MEMORIES. While Wes might be the last Denver Montgomery to find his HEA, they aren’t the last of the Montgomerys. Once Wes and Jillian have their book, Shep’s sisters from Colorado Springs are getting their own romances! The Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs series might have a new series name, but you’ll still get glimpse of the Denver Montgomerys.
Up first? FALLEN INK will begin the new series and I cannot wait to not only continue the Montgomery Ink series but introduce more Montgomerys soon!
And don’t forget that you can check out the Gallagher Brothers and Whiskey and Lies series set in the same world as the Montgomerys as well!
Happy Reading!
Montgomery Ink:
Book 0.5: Ink Inspired
Book 0.6: Ink Reunited
Book 1: Delicate Ink
The Montgomery Ink Box Set (Contains Books 0.5, 0.6, 1)
Book 1.5: Forever Ink
Book 2: Tempting Boundaries
Book 3: Harder than Words
Book 4: Written in Ink
Book 4.5: Hidden Ink
Book 5: Ink Enduring
Book 6: Ink Exposed
Book 6.5: Adoring Ink
Book 6.6: Love, Honor, & Ink
Book 7: Inked Expressions
Book 8: Inked Memories (Coming Oct 2017)
Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs
Book 1: Fallen Ink (Coming Apr 2018)
Want to keep up to date with the next Carrie Ann Ryan Release? Receive Text Alerts easily!
Text CARRIE to 24587
About Carrie Ann and her Books
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.
www.CarrieAnnRyan.com
Montgomery Ink:
Book 0.5: Ink Inspired
Book 0.6: Ink Reunited
Book 1: Delicate Ink
The Montgomery Ink Box Set (Contains Books 0.5, 0.6, 1)
Book 1.5: Forever Ink
Book 2: Tempting Boundaries
Book 3: Harder than Words
Book 4: Written in Ink
Book 4.5: Hidden Ink
Book 5: Ink Enduring
Book 6: Ink Exposed
Book 6.5: Adoring Ink
Book 6.6: Love, Honor, & Ink
Book 7: Inked Expressions
Book 8: Inked Memories (Coming Oct 2017)
Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs
Book 1: Fallen Ink (Coming Apr 2018)
The Gallagher Brothers Series:
A Montgomery Ink Spin Off Series
Book 1: Love Restored
Book 2: Passion Restored
Book 3: Hope Restored (Coming July 2017)
The Whiskey and Lies Series:
A Montgomery Ink Spin Off Series
Book 1: Whiskey Secrets (Coming Jan 2018)
The Talon Pack:
Book 1: Tattered Loyalties
Book 2: An Alpha’s Choice
Book 3: Mated in Mist
Book 4: Wolf Betrayed
Book 5: Fractured Silence
Book 6: Destiny Disgraced (Coming Sept 2017)
Book 7: Eternal Mourning (Coming Feb 2018)
Redwood Pack Series:
Book 1: An Alpha’s Path
Book 2: A Taste for a Mate
Book 3: Trinity Bound
Redwood Pack Box Set (Contains Books 1-3)
Book 3.5: A Night Away
Book 4: Enforcer’s Redemption
Book 4.5: Blurred Expectations
Book 4.7: Forgiveness
Book 5: Shattered Emotions
Book 6: Hidden Destiny
Book 6.5: A Beta’s Haven
Book 7: Fighting Fate
Book 7.5: Loving the Omega
Book 7.7: The Hunted Heart
Book 8: Wicked Wolf
The Complete Redwood Pack Box Set (Contains Books 1-7.7)
The Branded Pack Series:
(Written with Alexandra Ivy)
Book 1: Stolen and Forgiven
Book 2: Abandoned and Unseen
Book 3: Buried and Shadowed
Dante’s Circle Series:
Book 1: Dust of My Wings
Book 2: Her Warriors’ Three Wishes
Book 3: An Unlucky Moon
The Dante’s Circle Box Set (Contains Books 1-3)
Book 3.5: His Choice
Book 4: Tangled Innocence
Book 5: Fierce Enchantment
Book 6: An Immortal’s Song
Book 7: Prowled Darkness
The Complete Dante’s Circle Series (Contains Books 1-7)
Holiday, Montana Series:
Book 1: Charmed Spirits
Book 2: Santa’s Executive
Book 3: Finding Abigail
The Holiday, Montana Box Set (Contains Books 1-3)
Book 4: Her Lucky Love
Book 5: Dreams of Ivory
The Complete Holiday, Montana Box Set (Contains Books 1-5)
Stand Alone Romances:
Finally Found You
Flame and Ink
Dropout (Coming June 2017)
Excerpt: Delicate Ink
From New York Times Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Montgomery Ink Series
Delicate Ink
“If you don’t turn that fucking music down, I’m going to ram this tattoo gun up a place no one on this earth should ever see.”
Austin Montgomery lifted the needle from his client’s arm so he could hold back a rough chuckle. He let his foot slide off the pedal so he could keep his composure. Dear Lord, his sister Maya clearly needed more coffee in her life.
Or for someone to turn down the fucking music in the shop.
“You’re not even working, Maya. Let me have my tunes,” Sloane, another artist, mumbled under his breath. Yeah, he didn’t yell it. Didn’t need to. No one wanted to yell at Austin’s sister. The man might be as big as a house and made of pure muscle, but no one messed with Maya.
Not if they wanted to live.
“I’m sketching, you dumbass,” Maya sniped, even though the smile in her eyes belied her wrath. His sister loved Sloane like a brother. Not that she didn’t have enough brothers and sisters to begin with, but the Montgomerys always had their arms open for strays and spares.
Austin rolled his eyes at the pair’s antics and stood up from his stool, his body aching from being bent over for too long. He refrained from saying that aloud as Maya and Sloane would have a joke for that. He usually preferred to have the other person in bed—or in the kitchen, office, doorway, etc—bent over, but that wasn’t where he would allow his mind to go. As it was, he was too damn old to be sitting in that position for too long, but he wanted to get this sleeve done for his customer.
“Hold on a sec, Rick,” he said to the man in the chair. “Want juice or anything? I’m going to stretch my legs and make sure Maya doesn’t kill Sloane.” He winked as he said it, just in case his client didn’t get the joke.
People could be so touchy when siblings threatened each other with bodily harm even while they smiled as they said it.
“Juice sounds good,” Rick slurred, a sappy smile on his face. “Don’t let Maya kill you.”
Rick blinked his eyes open
, the adrenaline running through his system giving him the high that a few patrons got once they were in the chair for a couple hours. To Austin, there was nothing better than having Maya ink his skin—or doing it himself—and letting the needle do its work. He wasn’t a pain junkie, far from it if he was honest with himself, but he liked the adrenaline that led the way into fucking fantastic art. While some people thought bodies were sacred and tattoos only marred them, he knew it differently. Art on canvas, any canvas, could have the potential to be art worth bleeding for. As such, he was particular as to who laid a needle on his skin. He only let Maya ink him when he couldn’t do it himself. Maya was the same way. Whatever she couldn’t do herself, he did.
They were brother and sister, friends, and co-owners of Montgomery Ink.
He and Maya had opened the shop a decade ago when she’d turned twenty. He probably could have opened it a few years earlier since he was eight years older than Maya, but he’d wanted to wait until she was ready. They were joint owners. It had never been his shop while she worked with him. They both had equal say, although with the way Maya spoke, sometimes her voice seemed louder. His deeper one carried just as much weight, even if he didn’t yell as much.
Barely.
Sure, he wasn’t as loud as Maya, but he got his point across when needed. His voice held control and authority.
He picked up a juice box for Rick from their mini-fridge and turned down the music on his way back. Sloane scowled at him, but the corner of his mouth twitched as if he held back a laugh.
“Thank God one of you has a brain in his head,” Maya mumbled in the now quieter room. She rolled her eyes as both he and Sloane flipped her off then went back to her sketch. Yeah, she could have gotten up to turn the music down herself, but then she couldn’t have vented her excess energy at the two of them. That was just how his sister worked, and there would be no changing that.