INK
“You and Naomi figured your shit out,” Ice said, bending down to inspect the paint near his engine. “Never thought I’d see the day you actually settled down, man.”
“That would have driven you nuts. A second you? You’d have wanted to murder yourself.”
“I’m not that bad!”
“Dude, trust me, there have been a few times I thought the Old Ladies were going to Taz you.”
“Taz me?”
“Hang you up by your ankles in the middle of the clubhouse and leave you to be eaten alive by some kind of snake or rodent of their choosing. Though, knowing them, it would be something gruesome. Those ladies are bloodthirsty.”
Ink shuddered, but he could see it. “Probably. Naomi and I just fit. She calls me on my shit, and now that she’s not afraid of everything and everyone, she’s really coming out of her shell.
She’s funny and easy to talk to.” He glanced over to where Asher played in the grass, picking some flowers—more weeds than anything, but it was the thought that counted—to bring back to Naomi.
“And I really didn’t think I would ever date a woman with a kid, but Asher’s great.
You know, when he’s not throwing a giant tantrum. ”
Ice chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve heard him screaming a few times. Kid’s got a pair of lungs on him. But he’s a good kid. I think you’re going to be a good influence on him. Not that Naomi isn’t, but a boy needs a strong man in his life to guide him too.”
Ink smiled. “Yeah, I agree. Though, it’ll be Naomi keeping up with him the older and smarter he gets. Kid’s going to run circles around me before he’s ten.”
“Yeah, but boys are all the same deep down. You can handle the simple shit, and she’ll handle the big stuff.” He stayed quiet for a moment. “Are you sure that she’s going to want to stay after the trial is finished?”
That was the looming question, wasn’t it?
“I want to say yes, especially with how well things are going, but it’s too soon, and the logical part of my brain knows that.
It doesn’t like it, but the rest of me is riding me hard to cement her agreement.
I also know that she wants to have a normal life again.
The life that she didn’t get to have. Maybe go back to school or something.
I mean, I don’t know what school she’d go to that she wouldn’t outsmart them all, but she’d probably find it. ”
“Were you serious in Church when you said you’d go Nomad for her?”
“Yeah, I was.” He said it without hesitation. “I’d do anything for her, man. Fucks with my head sometimes that she has that kind of power over me, but then she smiles at me and I don’t give a damn.” He shook his head. “And I know I sound like a lovesick fool.”
“You do, but it’s nice, especially with how you used to tease everyone else. And I get the smile thing. Men have fallen for less.”
“Speaking from experience?”
Ice gave him a cool stare. “Are you going to be as bad as the women now that you’re all loved up too?”
He laughed. “Nah. I know how it goes, but I hope at some point you find someone yourself.”
“I’m happy where I am.”
Ink wasn’t so sure about that, but he let it drop. Ice would tell him when he was ready.
The sudden scream from Asher had him whipping around and running, and what he saw made his blood run cold. A woman had Asher in her arms, gun pressed tight to his temple, but behind her from the shadows skulked a man, who aimed and fired a gun at them.
Terror gripped Ink like never before. Asher. He had to get to Asher.
Behind him, Ice was already firing. “Get Asher!” he screamed.
Ink weaved and dodged bullets skimming by him, the heat searing his arms, but he didn’t care. Asher was his only goal.
“Ink!” the terrified toddler screamed, tears streaming down his face as he hit and kicked, trying to get free.
“Cut it out, you little bastard,” the woman screamed at him, trying to hold on as she lifted the gun to fire at Ink again and rush back for the woods.
“Ink, down!” Ice screamed, and he hit the dirt, belly crawling, and more bullets flew by overhead. He shouldn’t have left his fucking gun in his bag. Fuck.
Ice was firing back, but Ink could just make out that the man had ducked back behind the trees, not giving him an easy target. Whoever he was, he was experienced enough to keep from dying right away.
But that didn’t mean anything to him. They were going to die today for daring to touch Asher.
“Go!” the man screamed from behind the trees to the woman, hauling Asher away. “Get him out of here. I’ll find the bitch once I’m done with these two.”
Like hell was that happening. If she got into the trees, he wouldn’t be able to catch her in time.
He pushed to his feet, sprinting for her, ducking when she fired another wild shot at him, but it didn’t slow him down.
Only a few feet and he’d reach her.
He hadn’t planned for Asher to lash out and hit her in the face, startling her. She jerked back with a screech, but the movement had Asher throwing himself away from her and landing on the ground with a thud.
“Asher!”
The woman’s face contorted. “Get back here, you stupid brat,” she screamed, rushing for Asher, but he kicked her hands away, making her shriek and yank back, cupping her hand.
Ink hit her like a battering ram, sending her flying away from Asher and crashing into a nearby tree.
She groaned, falling to the ground, lying still.
Ink scooped up Asher and ran into the trees, heading in the general direction of the clubhouse.
He didn’t want to leave Ice alone, but the man was a fucking sniper and could handle himself.
He had to get Asher to safety.
Asher sobbed in his arms, begging for his mother. Ink had to force himself to ignore it, even though he wanted to stop and make sure he was all right. He was covered in dirt, and Ink felt blood on the back of his head from where he’d fallen.
“You’re not going anywhere with him!” the man roared, running up behind them.
Ink jumped over a fallen log but barely managed to keep himself upright. He heard him gaining and cursed. With the rumble of engines sounding around them, he knew help was on the way, but he didn’t know if he could reach them in time.
He had no idea if any others were lurking in here.
The fenceline came into view to his right, so he headed for it. He could follow it to an opening.
Another bullet grazed the side of his head, and he hissed and jerked away, curling his body around Asher more. “I’ve got you,” he panted. “I’ve got you, buddy.”
“Give me back my grandson. Now!” the man screamed. “You don’t get to have him. He’s mine. He’s my legacy.”
Grandson? This was Naomi’s father?
Everything in him raged for revenge. To take this fucker down and make him pay for everything he’d done to Naomi and Asher. But he kept moving.
Until he reached the end of the fence and found himself staring at a wall of men dressed in all black and holding guns. Ink twisted, turning until he was behind a tree, breathing hard, and trying to figure out a way out of this.
Asher continued to sob, but Ink tried to shush him. “Shhh, Asher, buddy, I need you to be quiet for me okay,” he whispered into the little boy’s hair. “Please, Asher.”
“There’s nowhere for you to run now.” Naomi’s father panted as he came to a stop on the other side of the tree. “Give me the boy and I won’t make him watch you die. I’ll kill you after he’s safely away.”
“You’re not getting your hands on him, fucker,” Ink bit out, grabbing his phone and typing as quick as he could to Savage to let him know his location.
“You think you’re going to stop me?” The man laughed. “Once I have him, I’m going to have my men burn this entire fucking place to the ground, including my daughter. She’s of no use to me anymore. I have what I need from her.”
“Your men?” Ink scoffed, scanning the fenceline. Could he get Asher and himself over it before they noticed? Or before they fired at them? This asshole wanted the boy alive, so it might buy them time. “You mean Diego’s men. You’re just a lowly soldier, you don’t have any power.”
He was silent, then he let out a dark laugh. “You really think that idiot has been running the show? I’ve got him right where I want him now. I’m going to run things, and I’ll do even better than he ever dreamed. With what I’m creating, I’ll be unstoppable.”
“You mean the children you created after forcing doctors to take her eggs?” Ink spit, disgust in every word. “You sick fuck.”
“Perhaps, but soon enough I’ll have something every criminal enterprise will pay me millions, maybe even billions for. People create memories that will make their lives so much better. Make their businesses thrive.”
“You have no guarantee that any of that will happen.” Ink felt obligated to point out, gathering his strength.
He was only going to have one shot at this, and he couldn’t miss. He couldn’t make any mistakes.
“Then they’ll be disposed of. With the technologies we have now, I don’t need more than DNA and an excellent doctor and lab. I can create what I need.”
Yeah, he really was a sick bastard. “You’d kill your own grandchildren just because they didn’t measure up to your standards? What, you thought you’d do the same with Asher?”
“Lucky for him, he showed promise from early on when I had the doctors run tests. His brain fired up the same way Naomi’s had when she was young and I realized her potential.
He’ll be my first kick at the can, as they say.
Now, you have three seconds to come out and give him to me, or I’ll have my men do it for you. ”
Time was up. It was now or never.
He braced, ready to move, but stopped when he saw the figure moving through the trees. His heart pounded. He was trapped.
What the fuck was he going to do?
Until he realized just who it was, and he’d never been so fucking grateful in his life.
Jag. Jag was here, and behind him were Steel and Rogue, their expressions hard.
“You’re not taking him or Naomi, you bastard,” Ink called out, eyes connecting with Jag, who motioned for him to get down and cover Asher. He nodded, sinking to his knees and turning into the tree. “Cover your ears, Asher,” he breathed, and Asher looked up at him, so trusting, and nodded.
“Fine,” Naomi’s father said. “Kill him and bring me the boy unharmed.”
Everything happened at once, but Ink only cared that Asher was all right. Bullets flew and screams and shouts rang out around them until it finally stopped.
“All clear, Ink,” Steel called out. “Get him out of here.”
Ink didn’t need to be told twice. He scooped Asher up, careful to keep his head covered, and ran down the fenceline to the end then turned and ran toward the clubhouse.
He barely crested the small hill when he heard Naomi screaming, “Asher! Ink! Oh, thank God.”
His gaze zeroed in on her, and relief washed over him when he saw that she was all right. Her face was pale and streaked with tears, but she was all right.
“Mama!” Asher screamed, sobbing again as he wrenched out of Ink’s arms, reaching for her.
“I have you, baby, I have you,” Naomi sobbed, clasping him tight, rocking him. She looked over Asher’s head at him. “Thank you.”
Unable to hold himself back, he wrapped his arms around them and hugged them tight. “It’s over, baby,” he panted out, kissing the top of her head. “It’s over.”
No one would ever hurt them again.