Sierra pulled Austin away as the couple fought. Meghan stood up for herself, saying she and the kids were staying at the barbecue at least, but Sierra had a feeling things weren’t about to end there.
“I’m going to kill that bastard for putting that look on her face,” Austin ground out.
Sierra stopped him then stood in front of him. “Don’t do anything here. Not in front of their kids. Not in front of Leif. Okay?” She stood on her toes and kissed the bottom of his chin along his beard.
Austin growled again then kissed her hard. Right there in front of the entire Montgomery clan. “For them and for you. If it wasn’t for that, I’d beat the shit out of him.”
“I don’t think that’s what Meghan wants.”
“Screw what Meghan wants. That guy is an asshole.”
Sierra snorted. “He is, but you not doing what Meghan wants puts you in the same lump with that jerk, so respect her wishes.”
He narrowed his eyes then nodded. “Fine. I need to go talk to Mom like I said I was going to. You gonna be okay with Griffin and Alex?”
She patted his chest and smiled. “Of course I will. They’re your brothers.”
“That’s what scares me.”
He left her laughing before she walked over to where Griffin and Alex sat on two lawn chairs. A third one sat next to them, empty.
“You mind if I join you?” she asked.
Griffin grinned at her and waved her to sit. “Of course. We’re just talking about random crap.”
Alex gave her a nod then took a sip of his drink.
“What Alex means to say with that nod is, hello there, Sierra, are you enjoying yourself?”
Sierra searched Alex’s face and held back a frown at the glassy look in his eyes. It was only the afternoon. Surely he couldn’t have drunk that much already?
It wasn’t her business, but from the worried look in Griffin’s eyes, it was going to be a family problem soon.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Griffin asked after yet another awkward Montgomery moment passed.
Sierra smiled. “Yes, you have a lovely family.”
Alex snorted but didn’t say anything, merely took another drink.
Griffin sighed then leaned forward. Since he was on the other side of Alex, he had to talk over his quiet brother in order to speak to her. “Have you heard any good Austin stories yet?”
Sierra perked up. “Austin stories?”
“Oh yeah. We have tons of them. Wes and Storm have more since they’re closer in age, but we have enough for blackmail.”
Sierra laughed and shook her head. “Are you sure Austin wants you dishing these out if they’re blackmail material?”
“Hell no. That’s why we’re going to tell you.”
Sierra leaned back in the chair and listened to Griffin tell her stories of Austin’s youth that included a trip or two to the ER. The kid might have wanted to take care of all his younger siblings, but he got in a lot of trouble with a younger Shep. God, she really loved this family. Even the grumpy people opened their arms for her. Well, maybe not Alex, but he didn’t spit at her at least. They were just getting to the really juicy stuff—Austin’s teenage years—when Wes and Storm joined them, bringing over their own chairs.
“There was this one time we caught him and what’s her name down in his truck near the train tracks,” Wes said. “Damn, what was her name?”
Storm smiled. “Susan. Susan Lady.”
“Lady? Hell, I forgot that,” Wes said on a laugh.
“What are we laughing at?” Maya asked as she strolled over with Jake by her side. The man didn’t talk much, but, damn, Maya had one sexy friend. Not that Sierra was really looking.
Much.
“They’re telling me Austin stories,” Sierra answered.
“I have a few of those,” Jake said, his voice low and deep.
Maya rolled his eyes. “We all do. You don’t get much privacy in this family. So, what do you want to know? I’m pretty sure we all know the night he lost his virginity since Mom freaked out.”
Sierra raised a brow, holding back a grin. “I’m good without knowing that.”
Maya shrugged. “Your loss. Hmm, there was the night he turned twenty-one and got really, really drunk. That was fun.”
“If you are all done making fun of the man who can’t stand up for himself, I’m here to rescue Sierra,” Decker said as he came over.
Sierra cocked her head. “I need to be rescued?”
Decker snorted. “No, but Austin does. Griffin, buddy, I expected better of you. What would you do if you brought a woman over and they told her all your stories?”
Griffin smiled. “I did. Once. Never again. Oh, the humanity.” He shuddered even as he laughed, and Sierra rolled her eyes and stood.
“I wouldn’t want Austin to feel bad, so lead the way.”
Decker held out his arm, and she linked hers with his. “Thanks for all the stories, guys. I’m glad I came.”
They waved her off then started back on Austin stories. Apparently when they had one, there were three more to be told. What a family.
“Are you really having fun?” Decker asked as he led her to Austin.
Sierra nodded. “Totally. Your family is a hoot.” She held back a wince.
“It’s okay, Sierra. They’re my family if not by blood.”
She relaxed, keeping her eye on where Meghan watched over the children. Leif was having a blast it looked like, so at least that was one less thing to worry about.
“I’m glad to hear that,” she said then held back a reaction at the look on Miranda’s face. The woman stood by her parents but watched Decker move, never letting her eyes leave him.
Interesting.
Seriously, she loved this family.
“Hey, Legs, having fun?” Austin asked as he met them halfway, drinks in his hand. “Thanks for rescuing her, Decker.”
Decker smiled and shook his head. “No problem. Now I’m going to go back and tell them that story about you and the turkey baster.”
Sierra coughed up her drink. “Turkey baster?”
Austin blushed. “It’s not what you think.”
“I’m not sure what to think.”
Decker just laughed and left them alone.
“No really, what did you do with the turkey baster?”
“There was alcohol involved, but it wasn’t a sex thing. I promise. Let’s just leave it at that.”
Sierra’s mind went in so many different directions she shuddered at what else could have happened. “Nope. I don’t want to know.”
Austin wrapped his free arm around her then leaned down, kissing her softly. “Thanks for coming.”
She sighed, closing her eyes as she leaned into him. “I love this.”
He froze before relaxing as if he’d figured out exactly what she’d said. She swallowed her disappointment and let it go. Something was going on with him, and she couldn’t tell what it was. But whatever happened, it scared her more than threatening phone calls and the unknown.
Much more.
Chapter 21
Austin guided the needle across his client’s skin, paying extra attention to detail. He did not want to fuck up this tattoo. The man in the chair, Saint, was one big-ass motherfucker.
Scary too.
Austin knew he was part of the local Hell’s Legion MC, but that was about it. He didn’t know what else the guy did, nor did he particularly want to know.
While Austin was big, Saint was bigger. He didn’t have as much ink as Austin did, but it was cutting it close. Over the years, he’d worked on a few pieces on the man, but unlike what he normally did, he never asked what they meant.
He valued his life too much.
Not that he thought Saint was going to kill him or anything.
Maybe.
He finished up the shading of Anubis on Saint’s side, wiping it clean for the last time. The scary-ass dude hadn’t moved an inch during the entire five-hour session. The man hadn’t even
groaned or twitched.
Austin even winced sometimes during his sessions.
Not Saint.
He went through the aftercare instructions as Saint stood, that bored yet I-will-cut-you look on his face telling Austin everything he needed to know.
Do not mess with this guy.
Saint left a roll of hundreds on the front desk then walked out, throwing his colors—his leather vest that told what MC he was part of—back on without wincing at the contact with his tattoo.
As soon as the man left, Austin let out a breath. Jesus, he didn’t know what it was about that guy, but Austin was never fully calm around him. In fact, when Saint made an appointment—or showed up randomly as he was prone to do—Austin made sure he cleared out the place as much as possible. The man seemed to want privacy, and Austin didn’t want to step on his toes.
“Is he gone?” Maya asked as she walked out from the back, her eyes on the door.
“Yep. He paid up front, though I didn’t quote him. Let me go see how much he put down.”
Maya sighed. “That man sure is built, and I wouldn’t mind taking a ride, but he scares me a bit too much, you know?”
Austin repressed a shudder. “Never say anything about riding Saint or any other man again. We may be friends, but you’re also my sister. Oh, and if you touch Saint, or think about touching Saint, I’m sending you to a convent.”
His sister snorted. “Yes, I can totally see me in a nun’s habit with my eyebrow piercing and ink. And anyway, I’m allowed to think of Saint in naughty ways without actually touching him. He's hot in a serial-killer kinda way. You see those blue eyes? Ice cold...but I'd sure like to warm them up. He looks like a buffer, hotter Spike.”
“Spike?” Where the hell did his sister come up with this crap?
She rolled her eyes before she turned away to get back to her station. “You know, Spike? From Buffy? All hot and spiky blond.”
“So he’s Spike because of his hair?” He was so confused.
“No, it’s more because of a thing with railroad spikes and blood I think. Anyway, Saint is hot, but I would never get involved with an MC. We’re a crazy enough family without that.”
“Thank God,” he mumbled as he put the three grand Saint had left in the till. He’d paid way too much as usual, but Austin took it anyway. He’d tried to give some back last time and had almost wept at Saint’s look. He wasn’t less of a man to cry because of Saint.
“So, what’s on the rest of the schedule today? Saint came in early this morning so we have the rest of the late afternoon and evening, right?”
Austin nodded, fumbling with the computer yet again. “Yeah. I have another session this evening that should only take an hour. Saint’s ink took a long time this morning, and I don’t want to hurt my back by doing any more.”
“Good to hear it,” Callie said as she walked in with a spring in her step.
“What’s up with you?” Austin asked.
“I just saw the hottest man ever outside. He looked just like Spike!”
“No!” Austin and Maya yelled at the same time.
Callie’s eyes widened, and she took a step back. The action forced a laugh out of Austin. “Sorry, honey. Don’t look at Spike again, okay? He’s not for you.”
Callie raised a brow. “Really? Because he’s hot, and telling me I can’t have someone just makes me want him more. Or at least to try since, once I get to know someone, it’s all about what I want and not what others don’t want. Make sense?”
“No,” Austin said, rubbing his temples. Jesus, Callie was just alike Miranda with a little Meghan and Maya thrown in. Whoever had the luck of having Callie as their woman in the future had a lot to handle.
“Honey, don’t taunt Austin. Saint is bad news. He might be hot, but he scares even me. Okay?”
Callie shrugged. “That’s fine. I wasn’t really going to chase after him and beg for a ride…on his bike.” She snorted as Austin clenched his jaw. “I like a man in a suit more than leather anyway.”
“Really? You?” Maya asked, and Austin had to agree.
“Sure. They can have ink, piercings, and other fun and tasty things under the suit. But there’s nothing like a man in a suit to rev my engines.”
Austin closed his eyes and said a silent prayer. “Please stop talking about revving anything. And for the love of God, Maya, don’t encourage her. And don’t talk about riding. Please. I can’t take anymore. You two are killing me.”
“Aww, poor Austin can’t handle his little sister having sex,” Callie said, teasing.
“I swear I’m going to fire your ass, Callie.”
“I’d like to see you try. You can’t get on without me.” With that, she pranced off to the back, humming a tune Austin didn’t recognize.
“Why didn’t I get a nice apprentice who happens to have a dick and doesn’t bug the shit out of me?”
Maya grinned. “Because Callie fucking rocks at ink, and she needed your help.”
“True, but I don’t think I can take any more sex talk for the day.”
“So I guess I shouldn’t ask how you and Sierra are doing?”
Austin sighed then went to his station, pulling out his notepad. He still hadn’t finished Sierra’s sketch. She also hadn’t asked about it. Had she forgotten? Or maybe had second thoughts?
For some reason he felt like if he finished this sketch, then a part of what he and Sierra had would be over. It didn’t make any sense, but Austin couldn’t quite place what was wrong there. It sucked to think that the initial burst of heat and attraction would be over and, in its place, a comfort he’d never had would remain.
No, that wouldn’t be right. He still got hard and wanted to fuck her up against any wall or surface he could when he saw her. Maybe this was what a real serious relationship felt like. Something different, something comfortable.
It didn’t make any sense then that he was still so fucking twitchy.
“Uh, earth to Austin, you okay?”
Austin shook his head, clearing out the thoughts that wouldn’t go away at Maya’s words. “I’m good. Just thinking too much.”
Maya came up to him. “About what? I mentioned Sierra, and you got all serious. Is there something going on there you need to talk about? I might joke and tease with you, but you’re my big brother, and I love you. If you need to talk, I’m here.”
Austin set the unfinished sketch on his pad down and sighed. “I don’t know, Maya. I just have an odd feeling, I guess.”
She sat down on the bench next to his chair, her teeth nibbling at her lip. “You guys really work well together. I mean it’s like you guys fit, you know?”
He nodded, knowing she was right. “I know that. It’s just…”
“This all happened really fast?”
He let out a breath, glad that Maya got the situation and him. “I feel like one minute we’re sniping at each other over Shannon and the next minute Sierra’s living with me and my kid.”
“Insta-family.”
“Fuck. Yeah. I guess. It’s not that I don’t want this to happen. I just didn’t think that it would happen within two months of actually knowing her.”
“And having Leif show up out of the blue doesn’t help either.”
“I don’t know what to do with him,” he whispered.
Maya punched him in the shoulder. “You’re not thinking of trying to get rid of him or anything? Because if you do, I’ll not only kick your ass, I’ll take that kid from you so fast you won’t even have time to blink.”
“What? No! That’s not what I meant. There’s not another alternative. There’s never been one. I’m not letting him go. I just don’t know what to do with him now that he’s here.”
“Be his dad, Austin.”
He growled, throwing his sketchpad across the room. “I fucking know that. I know I’m his dad, not that he actually says the words. No, he barely talks to me. Sure, he’ll talk to Mom and Sierra, but me? Nothing. I tried to talk to him, and it even worked a b
it when we talked about tattoos, but that’s it. He just mumbles and looks like he’s ready to bolt at any moment. I don’t know what to fucking do.”
Maya sighed as Callie came out of the back room. She bent over and picked up the sketchbook, holding it to her chest.
“I don’t want to lose him, but do I really have him? I feel like I’m just standing here and making a home for him so he’s safe, but I’m only the landlord. He doesn’t need me.”
“Oh, Austin, of course he needs you,” Callie said.
“Really? Because it sure doesn’t seem like it. He needs Sierra for sure, but he doesn’t need me.” As soon as he said it, he felt like an ass.
“You can’t be jealous of your girlfriend, honey,” Maya said softly. The fact that she spoke softly and didn’t hit him spoke volumes.
“God, I’m so fucking jealous, and I hate myself even more for it.”
“He had Maggie before,” Callie added in, still clutching the sketchbook. “He had a mom and not a dad. Yeah, it sucks that he didn’t have it before, but he’s not used to men in his life. At least as far as I can tell. And, honey, there are a lot of male Montgomerys in the world. You all are a bit overwhelming.”
“You need to talk to Sierra about this,” Maya added. “She’s not going to judge you, but if you keep it bottled up inside, you’re going to end up resenting her for being an awesome woman, who not only deals with your surly ass but opened her arms to a little boy she didn’t know without even blinking. Don’t just talk to me and Callie. Talk to your girlfriend. I know you love her.”
“Who said anything about love?” he bit out.
“Oh shut up,” Maya snapped. “You love her, and she loves you. Just because you might not have said the words to each other doesn’t make it any less true. Maybe if you actually said it, you’d get over whatever is blocking you from feeling settled with her.”
God, he loved Sierra. He loved her more than he ever thought he could love someone else, but it all happened so fast. He thought he’d be ready for the emotion and all it meant when it finally came to him, but he didn’t know it would feel like getting hit in the head with a two-by-four. He’d wanted to settle down and find a wife and have a baby. Now he had a girlfriend who felt like she was already a permanent part of his life and a ten-year-old who wanted nothing to do with him.
Steam and Ink: Two Novels of Ink Plus Two BONUS Short Stories Page 20
