Hollywood’s mom and Doc waited on the sidewalk, both smiling from ear-to-ear.
“Oh my god, Tara, you are a godsend. Thanks for offering to keep an eye on this big guy. When Doc called and said you two would watch Legend this afternoon, I swear my heart melted.”
Tara was asking about baby food since her sister had been breastfeeding now that Legend was on food as well, so she was leaving Ayesha to her mom duties.
Tiana waved at the older couple as she walked toward the shop, leaving her sister and nephew with Hollywood’s mom Tara, and Doc, who was one of the founding members of the Royal MC. Life sure was a funny thing, uniting Doc with Hollywood’s mom. She shrugged off thoughts of the other couples when Mick and Keys pulled up last. There was no way she was going to stand outside and watch Mick stare through her again.
A woman with long black hair looked up with a welcoming smile.
“Hi, I’m with them.” Tiana pointed over her shoulder at the bikes outside by the curb. “I don’t have an appointment, but my sister Ayesha does with Tymber. I was wondering if anyone could do this design on me.” She turned her phone around to show the older girl.
“Whoa, who drew this?”
“Shoot, sorry. That’s not what I want.” Tiana tried to grab her phone back, her face flooding with red-hot heat. The design in question was another one she’d drawn, but one she most definitely wouldn’t be getting tattooed.
“That is some straight up A-one drawing, there. Did you do that?”
“Lux, you’re probably scaring the gorgeous thang. Can I help you, darling?”
Tiana backed away, then caught herself. The man might be big and tattooed, but she had a contingent of bad-ass-bikers outside who had her back. “Do you tattoo?” she asked the woman he’d called Lux.
“As a matter of fact, I do. Is that the design you’re wanting done?” Lux motioned toward the phone.
The bell above the door jangled, and she knew it had to be Ayesha coming in, so she didn’t turn around.
“Ayesha, did you finally wise up and leave that big...shit, nah, look at you all glowing and looking even more gorgeous than the last time I saw you.”
“Ember, you got all your insurances paid up. I’m pretty sure King will be glad to rearrange that pretty face of yours,” Lux offered with a grin.
“Why am I kicking his ass this time?” King asked, walking up next to Ayesha, pulling her into his side like she was a part of him.
“I have no idea, brother. All I know is I complimented your ole’ lady, and now this one is busting my balls.” Ember jerked his head toward Lux.
Tiana rolled her eyes as the two men slapped hands, then did the man shoulder bump hug thing. She didn’t understand the whole caveman antics, but they all did the same damn thing—talked smack, slapped hands, or bumped knuckles before going in for the man hug. The ritual was almost like a mani-pedi for women, but they just didn’t see it like that.
“You’re thinking they’re like a bunch of cackling hens aren’t you,” Lux whispered.
“Look at em, all bro-hugging and shit. Yet, they’ll make fun of us women when we want to go get our toes done.” She scooted her right foot across the floor wondering when the last time she’d actually gone and had her toes done professionally. Years.
“Yeah, but they’re fucking sexy as shit when they do it. Come on, I’ll need you to fill out some paperwork before we get started. I’m assuming your over eighteen or that one would be signing for you.” Lux pointed one black nail toward King.
She jerked her head up and down. “I’m nineteen but, he and she had to approve before I could get this.” Tiana tapped her phone screen.
If she snarled a little bit, she didn’t give a shit.
“Tymber, you take care of my girls for me.” King’s tone was laced with a little friendliness and a touch of warning.
“Yeah, don’t threaten me, brother. You know nothing will happen to anyone inside my shop. Go on and get your ugly mug outta here so I can work my magic. I can’t do that with you breathing down my neck. You cool with Lux inking your sister?” Tymber and Ayesha stopped by the table Tiana and Lux were standing over.
Tiana tensed, waiting for King to change his mind.
“Nah, we’re cool. T, you good?” King placed his big hand on her shoulder and waited.
She looked up and into the eyes of the man who’d changed all their lives for the better, feeling the stress ease from her shoulders. “Yeah, I’m good. Thank you.”
King kissed her forehead, then strode toward Ayesha, pulling her into his arms. She didn’t need to watch to know he was staking his claim or to know her sister was melting into a puddle of mush in his big arms. One day, she wanted to have a man so overcome with need for her that he’d do the same, no matter when or where they were. Her eyes lifted, meeting a pair of dark eyes staring at her through the big windows. Mick, the prospect who had seen her at her worst, had stole her heart when he’d found her sobbing, outside of King’s home, a week after she’d been rescued.
Nobody but the two of them were aware of her little meltdown.
Nobody but the two of them were aware of the fact he’d held her and let her cry on his shoulder and promised her nobody would ever hurt her again.
Nobody but the two of them were aware that she’d told him she wanted to die the night they’d saved her, before she’d known she had a chance at being saved.
Nobody but her knew what had happened to her that night before...
Chapter Two
Tiana shoved the memory back into the cage she’d built into a corner so far in the back of her mind, a place she hoped to never revisit.
“We good?” she asked Lux, laying the pen to the side of the paper with a hand that only shook a little.
“Yep, let me scan this into the computer and make a few modifications. Once I get that done, I’ll have you look at it and make sure you’re good with it before I transfer onto paper. That other image, the one I saw? One day, if you want it inked on you, you let me know.” Lux stared at Tiana and waited.
“Let’s see how I do with this one first,” Tiana said.
Lux grinned and rubbed her hands together. “The paper I use will go onto you like a sticker. Usually I do the drawing, but damn, like I said, this is gorgeous just as it is.” Lux spoke while pressing send on the phone.
She’d already signed the consent form and forwarded the image to Lux, her stomach knotted up with the thought of everyone seeing her art. Tiana sat on the table, her legs swinging back and forth, the scent of ink filling her lungs.
“Here we go. What do you think?”
She looked up and stared at the image in Lux’s hand, tilted her head to the side, then pointed at one of the butterflies that didn’t look right. Lux went to her computer and made a few adjustments and then she printed out the image.
“This is going to be total badass, girl. You sure you want it on your thigh?” Lux held the paper up with her image.
“Yeah. You can add the watercolors at your discretion, but I want the rest to be black and grey. That cool?” Tiana looked down at the way the butterfly-skull covered most of her thigh with the smaller one above, closer to her panty line.