Page 75 of Thunder

“Next time, you fucking wake me up!” I snap, not able to argue with her. I mean, I could tell her that we would have gone to the tattoo shop on the way home, but that wouldn’t have been good enough for my wife.

“Okay,” she whispers, then says, “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” I mutter, then state, “Tell Doc and Tank they’re on my shit list,” before hanging up, and I huff as I wipe my hand down my face.

I fucking hate it when she doesn’t wake me, especially after what happened…

“Ready, Uncle Thunder!” Sammie calls, and I sigh heavily and return, “I’ll be down in a minute,” and I quickly get up, knowing it isn’t the boy's fault his aunt has pissed me the fuck off.

Damn woman is lucky that I love her.

***

“Do you think Auntie Scott would mind if I became a tattoo artist?” Sammie asks four hours later as he climbs off my Harley. I finally had a brace fitted to it, and I raise a brow at him as I take his helmet.

“You want to be a tattoo artist?” I confirm with a little bit of awe, and the boy nods nervously.

Fuck me, now that is an honor.

What started as a simple show-him-around type turned into one of my regulars walking in and asking for a piece to be done. It even entertained Sammie as he answered all his questions.

The boy was enthralled, looked through all of my work, including admiring the tattoo I did for his sister that I proudly taped to the wall.

“I think your aunt will support whatever path that you want to take,” I say firmly as I climb off my bike and Sammie rocks on his heels and I tilt my head at him and demand softly, “Talk to me, buddy….”

“Granny and Gramps didn’t like Auntie Scottie not following their jobs. What if she doesn’t like me not becoming a doctor?” he says quietly, and I lock my jaw before I look around the parking lot.

I find the club truck that I know my wife went in this morning before I look back at Sammie and demand, “Come inside,” and he nods, but with a sad look over his cute face that I fucking hate.

I hold the door open for him before I look around the room, and I find my wife sitting with my sister, holding Bailey on her lap, and I whistle, gaining her attention.

She grins wide as we lock eyes, but her grin slowly fades when she looks at Sammie, and she furrows her brows.

“Treasure,” I say loudly, causing everyone to look our way, and when our eyes connect, I say, “If I were to tell you that Sammie’s interest right now was to draw and maybe one day become a tattoo artist, what would you say?”

Everyone stays silent while my wife looks at her little nephew with heartbreak, understanding shining in her beautiful eyes while he looks down, refusing to make eye contact.

“I’d say I’d want to be his first client and if I’m not I’ll force feed him leftover meatloaf for a month,” she admits, and Sammie looks at her in shock, his eyes widen.

“Really?” he gasps, and Scottie hands Bailey over to Doc, who grins before walking our way. As soon as she’s close, she cups her nephew’s cheeks and whispers, “Really, because whatever you want to do is your dream and I would be honored to be a part of it.”

Sammie sniffles before throwing his arms around her waist, and I hear a few sniffles as my girl holds onto our nephew tightly.

“Love you, Auntie Scott,” Sammie whispers, and Scottie kisses his head and murmurs, “Love you too, Sammie,” and I smile before I look up and lock eyes with Doc, and I narrow mine as I point at the fucker and snap, “You took her out of my home without waking me, seriously?”

Everyone laughs, including Sammie, though it is a watery one. Doc and Tank both look everywhere but at me, and I growl, “At least tell me you two figured your shit out!”

“I’ll be sharing my time between both of them,” Scottie admits with a chuckle as Sammie runs over to Lilly, who grins a chubby grin seeing him and I look at Stone, our eyes connecting.

He smiles slightly, and I return it.

“He was worried I’d want him to be a doctor?” Scottie asks as she gets to me, and I hum as we lock eyes right before she walks into me and I wrap my arms around her.

“He did, but I knew you’d set him straight,” I murmur against her head before inhaling her.

“My sister really screwed him up,” she huffs, and I press my lips against her head.

“We’ll help him overcome the trauma she caused, baby,” I promise, and she nods before looking up at me.