Ink
“New rule: if you want to try out any new recipes, I want to be on the testing committee every time.” He moaned, easing back in his seat.
That burger was delicious, and he was trying not to be a glutton and eat the rest of everything she cooked.
“Best one I’ve had in a long time.” Asher’s little face was smeared with the ketchup he’d insisted having on his burger and slathered all over his fries. “Right, Ash?”
The little boy nodded, his eyes bright as he munched away. He wasn’t overly talkative while eating, except to ask his mom for help when needed.
Naomi blushed and looked away, but he caught the flash of pleasure.
“Thank you. I like to experiment when I have the chance.” She hesitated before adding, “Though, I guess I’ll have a lot more time now.”
He imagined this would be a big adjustment for her.
He doubted his decision to bring her the paperwork to look over, but he got special permission from Savage and Ice.
They wanted to know how good she was, and this was a safe way.
The tattoo shop was one of their legitimate businesses, so there wasn’t anything for her to find.
Well, other than how terrible he was with recordkeeping, but that wasn’t really a secret.
They didn’t want her to be involved in anything else club-related, but maybe they could find her something to keep her busy while she was here. After she went to bed last night, they had a quick Church while the Devil’s Predators were on patrol.
A woman as smart as she was could be an asset and a problem.
They had to make sure she wasn’t nearby when things were said or done that she could remember and use against them.
Especially if the Feds wanted to sniff around.
They were a 1%er club, so they weren’t exactly looking for that kind of attention.
Simba apparently assured Savage part of the deal was that the Feds leave both clubs alone since they were doing them favors, but everyone knew that wouldn’t happen. They might leave the Devil’s Predators alone because of who and what they were, but their club was fair game.
And after all that shit went down with the Devil’s Soldiers and one of their members was working with the Feds and feeding them information, well, they definitely weren’t going to take any chances.
That included the pretty, blonde single mom who was the key to taking down a large branch of a criminal organization.
“Well, I’m telling you right now, if you do anything else, I’ll be here with a bib and my own cutlery to try it out,” he teased, giving her a warm smile. She was still stiff around him, but the walls were starting to crack. In a few more weeks, she’d be a lot less nervous and uptight.
At least, that’s what he was hoping.
She grinned. “I’ll keep that in mind. Are you all done, baby?”
Asher nodded, looking sleepy.
“Alright. Let me get you cleaned up, and then you can sit and watch your show for a little bit, okay?”
Asher nodded, eyes heavy.
Ink pushed back and got to his feet. He hated being idle. “You do that, and I’ll clean up,” he offered.
She blinked at him in surprise. “Oh, no, you don’t have to—”
“Nope, that’s the next rule. You cooked, so you don’t clean. Besides, you fed me, so it’s the least I can do.”
She still hesitated. “That seems wrong, though. I always had to …” Her eyes shuttered, and he tried not to let her see the anger it made him feel, knowing what she went through.
“Things are different now, right? That means you get to set new rules. Well, other than this one time. I’m setting the rule so you don’t have to worry about it. The most I’m going to do is annoy you with where I put things, and you’ll have to put them back.”
She nodded, helped Asher from the chair, and headed down the hall and into the bathroom without another word.
He made quick work of cleaning up, half listening as she talked to her son in the bathroom. The little guy really didn’t like having his teeth brushed, but she was calm and patient with him. She used logic and simple statements to show him the benefits, and it seemed to work.
By the time she finally brought him back out, changed into a pair of pj’s that were a little too small for him, he was fresh-faced, but he was wearing a deep scowl.
Ink hid his grin as he finished putting away the dishes, then sat back down at the cleared table.
Asher gave him a blank stare before moving to the couch, pointing impatiently at the blank screen until his mother turned on a show on the TV.
“Is that Bill Nye the Science Guy?” Ink asked, grinning. “Damn, I haven’t seen that show since I was a kid. You got great taste, kid.”
Asher didn’t even acknowledge it; he just lay on the couch, pulled the blanket over himself, and watched TV.
Naomi moved back to the table, taking the seat across from him and giving him a shy smile. “He likes to learn, and I thought that even though it’s older, it would keep him entertained. He likes all the experiments.”
“Babe, he’s clearly a genius like you, so yeah, I’m not surprised.”
Her cheeks flushed again. Damn, she was adorable when she was flustered. He wanted to keep teasing her to see her reaction, but he wouldn’t. Not yet anyway. Gaining her trust first was important. It was a big deal that she’d invited him in in the first place.
“Um, well, how about you tell me about your paperwork issue, and I’ll start working on that? He’ll probably fall asleep soon anyway.”
“Yeah … I’m going to apologize now. I’m really terrible with paperwork. It’s going to be a giant mess.”
She opened the folder and looked at the pages.
Within minutes, she had everything sorted in neat piles, and he watched as she lost herself in the work, asking absent questions here and there.
When she started looking around for a pen and paper, he searched the kitchen drawers until he found a small notebook and pen.
It fascinated him to watch her work. She murmured to herself, tugged at her hair, and rubbed at her forehead when she found something that didn’t make sense to her. When she figured it out, her lips would curve into a smile and her eyes would brighten.
She wrote a series of numbers on the papers and used the Calculator app on her phone when she needed to, but mostly, she figured everything out in her head.
When did a woman using her brain become so hot to him? Usually, he didn’t give a damn, but he realized how shallow he’d been. Beauty was one thing, but smarts? Damn, that was a whole other level.
When she finally finished, her hair was out of its ponytail, hanging in soft strands down her back and over her shoulders, and her eyes were warm and bright, all hints of shyness gone.
“Alright, admit it, how terrible am I?” He grinned at her. The flush was back almost instantly, but she didn’t lose her smile.
“I’ve seen worse.”
“Worse than that?” He waved his hand. “Darlin’, there’s no way you’ve seen worse than that. Esme looked at it once, then turned around and walked out. And she loves that shit. Don’t spare my feelings. Lay it on me. Maybe you’ll scare me straight.”
“Okay, fine, you’re terrible.” She chuckled, and he felt like he had won something, gaining ground in breaking down the walls she’d erected. “But thankfully, it’s fixable. You just need a better system.”
He groaned. “I was afraid you’d say that. I’m an artist, sweetheart, and that means I loathe anything structured.”
She arched a brow. “Then why are you part of an MC?”
He frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”
Her smile slipped, and nerves filled her eyes. “Nothing. Sorry. I didn’t mean to speak out of turn.”
Shit. Well, there went that ground. “Hold on. I’m not angry at that, Naomi.
I was just confused. I don’t get the connection, and I’d like you to explain it to me.
You don’t have to ever worry about what you say to me, darlin’.
I’ve got some thick skin, and it takes a lot to make me angry or offend me. ”
She was silent for another moment before explaining.
“I … I didn’t mean anything by it. It was just …
you said you don’t like structure, but an MC is structure.
You have your own code and set of rules.
Maybe they’re not like a regular nine-to-five job or lifestyle, but you need to be okay with some structure, or you wouldn’t be willing to work so well with your MC and everything it stands for.
And that would include the money part, right?
Since, from what I can see, the tattoo shop technically belongs to the MC, not you personally.
” She wrung her fingers, and he caressed her hand. She froze, stiffening.
He pretended not to notice and gently pried her fingers apart. “Sweetheart, I know you’re nervous, but you don’t have to be. You’ll see that soon enough, but with me, at least, for now, know that you have nothing to worry about. Not even giving me your opinion.
“Now, about what you said, you’re right, and I’ve never thought of it that way before.
To me, the MC is a brotherhood—a place where I belong and can be myself while also doing what I love.
You’re right—I don’t mind structure, but there’s a difference between an MC and paperwork related to a structure and system. That’s pretty regulated, right?”
She relaxed slightly. “Yes, it is from what I know. I didn’t handle much of the legal stuff, but when I did, I was very careful. One slip, and well …” She looked away, pain flashing across her face.
He gave her hand a comforting squeeze. “You don’t ever have to worry about that here or ever again, Naomi. We’ll ensure that.”
She sighed. “I guess I need to start thinking about doing things the legal way now.” She worried her lip and fidgeted her fingers again. “Do you think it would be okay if I asked for some accounting textbooks and how-to guides? I can repay whoever once I have my own money.”
“Don’t even worry about that. I’ll talk to Ice about which ones would be best for you to read since he’s our accounting guy. I bet he’d even be willing to work with you and teach you.”
Although, he wished he were able to show her. He enjoyed being around her and making her smile. He winked at her. “But don’t get too good, or we’ll want to put you to work—especially if Rogue finds out while Esme is on maternity leave.”
“I don’t mind helping. It would give me something to do.” She glanced at the couch where Asher was sleeping, mouth slightly open. “But I have Asher, so I know that’s not ideal, so I understand if—”
“Babe, you never have to worry about that. There will always be someone around who probably wants to steal him from you, or we make something work for you and everyone else. We’ll figure it out when you’re ready.
You’ll be with us for six months, so we’ll have plenty of time to make things work for you. ”
She gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you. I haven’t interacted with many people, but so far, everyone seems really nice. And thank you for playing with Asher this morning. It … it really made a difference. He was so happy to have someone to play with.”
The shadows in her eyes ate at him. He didn’t want to push her yet, but he really wanted to know what she suffered at the hands of the cartel. How could he fix it?
“I love kids, and I play with them all whenever I have the chance. He’s a sweet little boy, Naomi, and he’s going to do great around here.”
She let out a small sigh. “I really hope so. It’s hard with kids, especially those who develop a little faster. It can make it harder for them to understand social cues and make connections.”
“With the age ranges around here, I’m sure he won’t have anything to worry about.” A thought crossed his mind. “Do you need anything for him? If he loves to learn, I imagine he goes through games and things pretty quickly.”
“I’m not sure what activities to give him. Right now, he loves puzzles and numbers, but he also enjoys drawing. He’s been having fun exploring colors and different things too.”
“I think Savage mentioned that Royal was having Ronin work on some workbook thing for school. Maybe they make them for kids younger than him. Let me find out. As for the drawing part, I can help with that.” He grinned and waved at himself. “As you can see, I’m pretty damn good at it.”
Her eyes moved over him, and he contained the flirtatious suggestions, fighting the urge for them to spill out. It was second nature for him, but making her uncomfortable wouldn’t help.
“You do really good work,” she said, with a warm smile. “I like the dog face on your forearm.”
It was small but one of the most detailed. He had worked on most of it himself and had a friend help him finish it.
“That’s Spot, my childhood dog. We went everywhere together. I lost him when I was eighteen, but that was also when I started apprenticing to become an artist. Seemed only fitting he was one of the first I actually did on myself.” He winked at her. “Ached like a bitch though.”
Her lips twitched. “A little pain is nothing when it comes to art. And speaking of art, if you leave this with me, I can tally everything up and work on it tonight since Asher is down for the count.”
And that was his cue. “I’d appreciate it. I’ll talk to Ice about working with you and finding books and things for you too. And Scarlett. She works at the library, so she probably has loads there for you as well.”
Her eyes brightened. “Really?”
Shit. He was in trouble. She looked at him as if he’d just given her the best gift ever, and he wanted to do it again. He liked the way she smiled at him, the way she focused so wholly on him.
Yeah, it was definitely time for him to leave. Being a confirmed bachelor, he didn’t do relationships or attachments.
“Really. Come to the clubhouse tomorrow morning around the same time as today, and I’m sure she’ll be there. You can let her know what you’re looking for.” He glanced over at Asher. “Do you need help putting him to bed or anything?”
“No, that’s okay. I’ll leave him there while I work, and he’s still small enough that I can carry him to bed without any trouble.”
“Good. Thank you, Naomi. And just remember you asked for all this when you’re cursing me later.”
She gave a soft laugh. “I will. And, Ink … thank you. For everything. You and your club. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
Yeah, he needed to leave. Now. He had an outrageous urge to kiss her when she looked up at him like that. Like he was some savior or something. Nope, not going to happen. Bad idea all around.
“You’re welcome. Good night.” He went out the door, quietly shutting it behind him.
He needed a beer and some time with one of the club girls, or something to clear his head. Whatever that feeling, it needed to be crushed. Immediately.