Wolfe shrugged. “True, but you know I like to keep them in the loop.”
And that was exactly why he was a fucking awesome Prez. I’d been there for the latter years of Bomber Steeler’s presidency, and it hadn’t sucked too hard, but we’d been at war with the Knights and that had blown. Lots of brothers were lost to a rebellion nobody really understood… until Lucie had returned and, with it, she’d brought answers.
As church disbanded, I went upstairs with Dagger. He was the one I was closest to, mostly because we’d worked together once upon a time.
Before Lucie had brought home the ghost gun operation, we’d had a kill-for-hire service that had netted us a lot of dough. Flame had one team, Dagger the other.
“Ama doing okay?” he asked when we made it upstairs.
“Yeah. I think she’s enjoying the tattoo parlor. I’m not sure if she’s made out for the inking, but we’ll see.”
Dagger tipped his head to the side. “What do you mean? Why don’t you think she’s cut out for inking?”
“She doesn’t like the sight of blood.”
His mouth worked and he gaped at me. “How the fuck did I not know that?”
I shrugged. “She hid it from you.”
“Little fucker,” he mumbled under his breath.
My lips twitched. “Hardly. I mean, she probably hid it because she thought people would make fun of her.”
“You’re not making me feel better,” he snarled, running a hand through his hair. His cheeks pulled taut as he gnawed on the inside of one for a second, and as he leaned back against the wainscoting, he murmured, “Get her to persevere, yeah?”
“Of course. She’s no way near ready to pick up a machine, so there’s no problem on that score.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why isn’t she ready?”
“Calm down, papa bear,” I mocked. “She can’t use one until she can put it together. Them’s the rules,” I carried on teasing.
“Fuck, she never was good with anything mechanical.”
“It’s hardly fucking rocket science,” I retorted. “But she keeps fumbling it, and until she can break it down so she can use the autoclave to get things sterilized, and then put it back together again, she can’t try it out.”
“You’re not going soft on her, are you?”
I stuck my tongue in my cheek, because in so many ways, I was soft around Amaryllis. To the point where it was probably bad for my street cred. But in this? Yeah, I was being tough. I wanted her to be the best she could be, and if she wasn’t tested, if she wasn’t made to strive and work hard? Then she might as well just give everything up now.
“No.” I cut him a look. “And don’t ask me to.”
He raised his hands, his watch clinking against the heavy silver bracelet he wore. “Not asking you to do shit. Just questioning.”
“Questioning what? My ability to teach?” I shot an arched brow his way. “She might well be my first student, Dagger, and I ain’t lying about that, but you and I both know that Roper was one of the best.”
Dagger’s lips quirked up the side as he nodded in agreement. “True. Did my back piece a long time ago.” He whistled under his breath. “A long ass time ago.”
“You were one of the lucky ones to get him before his sight really cut out.”
Dagger hummed. “Fucking tragedy, that.”
“Ain’t no word of a lie. But I’m teaching her how he taught me, and that’s the only way I know how to move on with this, okay?”
He dipped his chin. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to micromanage.”
“I’m sure you didn’t,” I said with a soft laugh, punching him in the arm. “But I tell you what, I ain’t being unfair, just making sure she’s got the skills, the training, and the know-how.”
“How do you even start with that shit?”
“First, orange peels, then a side of pork.” His nose wrinkled, making me hoot. “You’re the one who keeps most of the pigs around here well-fed. You can’t be squeamish about that.”
“Just trying to imagine Ama’s face.”
“See, that’s what I mean. I’m not sure how she’ll be around that side of things. And hell, maybe that’s not her forte. Maybe it’s mine. Maybe she should do the designing and I should do the inking.”
Dagger’s brows lifted. “You wouldn’t mind that?”
I shrugged. “Don’t see why not. I want the best for my clients, and if she gives them that? Well, hell, why not? Business marriage made in heaven.”
“As well as real marriage.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “You meant that before, didn’t you? About wifing her?”
“Of course.” I shot him a look, stared him straight in the eye, and murmured, “I’ll do right by her.”
He slapped me on the back and, as he walked off, muttered, “See that you do.”
And if I didn’t, I was under no delusion I’d have four shotguns buried in my back.
A thought that had me laughing as I headed on back to my place to get ready for my shift at Black Ink.
❖
Saint
Ten days later
“What is it?” I peered down the hall and saw Ama, standing there in one of our tees, a box in her hand.
That she’d answered the door like that fucked me off. That she’d answered the door like that made my cock hard…
Hell. The sight of her all tousled and shit made my heart bang in my chest. Her legs were on display, her tits somehow managed to strain through the baggy tee she wore, and her bright gold hair was all over the damn place.
“You should have woken me. What if it was—”
She snorted. “It was the mailman.”
“Surprised they come out this far,” I muttered, staring at the box. “What is it?”
The box was already open when she said, “Dunno.”
“Ama! Fuck’s sake,” I growled, striding toward her. “Don’t open the goddamn box!”
She sniffed. “It’s hardly gonna be anthrax, is it? It’s the cops that are after the MC, not rivals.” Then, as she peered into the box, her lips twitched. “Oh.”
“Oh, what?” I grumbled, and staring into the cardboard box, I laughed. “You ordered sex toys?”
Her eyes narrowed on me. “No. I didn’t. But I may have suggested the necessity of some.”
“Why? Because three dicks ain’t enough?” I grinned. “Baby, we’re wearing you out.” And she was sleeping a shit ton better as a result. Certain parts of the night, she’d start whimpering in her sleep, but she wasn’t waking up screaming. Not as often, anyway. Maybe three times a week. But in comparison to the regular seven?
Sex was definitely a miracle worker.
And we were more than happy to be her willing victims.
She slapped a hand against my chest, but as her hand dropped, she grabbed my nipple and twisted it. I howled and backed off. “Fucking hate when you do that,” I grumbled, cupping my nipple and patting it.
“That’s why I do it. Plus, you deserve it for even suggesting I get a piercing.” She shuddered. “Ink can do anything he wants to my tits, but that ain’t one of them.” Her attention shifted to the discretely packaged box that was inside the larger container, before she cut me a look. “Want to use it on me?”