Page 19 of Double the Redemption

Razor scowled, then Jax and Razor exchanged a look. Yeah, assholes hadn’t considered any of that.

“Ice,” Rogue started.

“Nope. I’m not doing that shit.” Ice’s statement was firm. “I have too much to do during the day, and I’m not spending my nights figuring out your shit when I already have all the other books to deal with.”

“Damn it,” Rogue muttered. “I’d ask the girls or Scarlett, but Scarlett already told me she’s too busy, and the girls would probably fuck with it to piss me off.”

“Glitch?” Fury suggested, glancing at Code.

Code snorted. “Do you really think she’s going to agree to that? The woman doesn’t even do her own accounting now. She pays people.”

“Savage, we need to add to the agenda who’s going to take that shit over when Esme’s out,” Rogue ordered as the door closed behind their president.

Savage sat in his chair, brow arched. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“The books and paperwork. Someone needs to handle that shit when Esme is out. I don’t have the time or patience.”

“And I’m not about to deal with his mess again,” Ice added. “It took me months to get them on a system in the first place.”

Savage frowned. “Then why don’t you just take it over?”

“Because I have a shit ton of other work to do, and with the new idea we’re floating tonight, I definitely won’t have time.”

Savage sighed. “We’ll talk about it when we get to that part.” He banged his gavel. “Alright, where are we at?”

Everyone gave their reports, but Ink hardly paid attention. It was always the same. The legal businesses were thriving, and their illegal ones were also doing well without any issues. They mostly ran pills and weed, along with a few guns and weapons deals along the way. That part of the business was always kept separate, and Ice handled those books alone. It was safer that way in the long run.

“Ink, how’s things at your shop?” Savage asked.

“Fucking busy. We’re going to need to bring in another artist if we seriously want to grow. I’m busting my ass, but even with doing everything and working every day, I have a list that’s about a three-to-four-month wait.”

Savage slowly nodded. “You got someone in mind for that?”

Here was the rub. He wasn’t sure how this suggestion would be received. “Tom approached me about learning. I’ve actually been working with him on our off time, and he’s fucking good. Picks up on shit quickly. I’d like to figure out a schedule where he could help me at the shop so he can keep learning and maybe take on some smaller shit for me to help me get caught up. If he gets patched in, then we’ll already have a skill and a position for him.”

No one said anything, but the wheels were turning.

“Can we sacrifice Tom right now?” Fury asked, glancing at Savage. “We got a few more prospects, but we’d have to really look at the rotation.”

Savage steepled his fingers, thoughtful. “How long has Tom been a prospect now?”

“Almost a full year,” Rogue replied, jaw clenched. It was well known he respected the kid, but Rogue also didn’t fully trust him around the twins. The overprotective father vibes often outweighed his common sense.

“We think he’s going to stick it out for the long haul?”

“I’d say so,” Ink replied. “We’ve talked a bit. He’s got demons in his past, we know that, but that kid is fucking loyal. And he’s never once run away from the shit that’s gone down like some of the other prospects we’ve had. He’s mentioned wanting to get his patch, and he’s never complained about any of the shit we’ve thrown at him.”

“And you said he’s showing promise on the tattoo front? You think it’d be a good fit for him?”

“Prez, you should see his art. It’s fucking amazing. The kid can draw as well as me, and he’s got a steady hand. I’m not saying we throw him into the deep end or even do a full day at the shop. But he can clean the place up for me, keep track of appointments, and maybe handle a few smaller walk-ins to build his confidence and better his skills.”

“He’d have to understand that just because he’s working with you, doesn’t mean he gets to slack off on his other prospect duties,” Savage warned. Ink took it as a good sign he wasn’t saying no. “That might mean some long-ass nights for him.”

“I’ll give it to Tom—he’s never been one to slack, even on long nights in the past,” Ice added. “He’s top of the pack as far as prospects are concerned. I do worry that if he isn’t around, the others will take it as a sign to slack.”

“We’d have to really keep an eye on them,” Snake agreed.

“Do we have the manpower to do that?” Savage asked, looking at Rogue.