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Nova ran Silver Ink, and he and Patriot were the best tattoo artists in the business. If they thought Kiara was talented, that was huge, but I’d have to learn to be happy for her about that another time. Right at that moment, I was too busy trying to fight the urge to kill one or both of my brothers. Each one was as gone over their old ladies as I was over Kiara, but that logic wasn’t having much luck penetrating my jealousy.
“Thanks,” I grunted as I stomped over to the door. It slammed against the wall when I yanked it open and marched through the back and out onto the main floor, where several stalls had the equipment needed to ink someone’s skin. The last stall was bigger and held a large design table and walls with corkboards for ideas and partial or finished sketches.
Kiara sat at the table, bent over a pad with her hand moving a pencil quickly over the page. Bridget and Erin sat across from her, looking like proud mama hens. Patriot was seated around the corner of the table, close enough to be able to watch carefully but far enough away to be respectful of her space and her old man. I had to admit, albeit begrudgingly, that I had no reason to pick a fight with him.
Irritated, I walked up behind Kiara, interrupting her flow when my shadow fell over her sketch pad. She glanced up with a frown, but when she saw me, her entire face lit up, and her irritation dissolved into a beautiful smile.
“Hi!” she chirped as she swiveled her stool around and rose just enough to kiss my cheek.
“That is not how you greet your man, baby,” I muttered right before I took her mouth in a deep kiss that left her breathless and in a daze of passion.
Smirking, I turned her around and tucked her into my side before leaning forward to examine her drawing. “Wow.”
My exclamation seemed to shake off the fog, and excitement infused her expression. “Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful, baby. I had no idea you were an artist.”
“Well”—she shrugged—“we haven’t known each other long. I’m sure we’ll learn everything there is to know about each other soon enough.”
“We can check what you sound like when you come, what your sweet pussy tastes like, and how fucking gorgeous you look spread beneath me with my cock buried inside you off the list,” I whispered in her ear, making her blush hard.
“She helped me with a design I’ve been stuck on for weeks,” Patriot informed me, clearly impressed. “When I asked her about the design for another client coming in next week, she drew this.”
The drawing depicted an intricate gemstone tattoo that looked sort of like a shoulder epaulet. It started with a large jewel on the top of the shoulder, then layers of beaded strings swagged over the shoulder and down the arm, all dripping with jewels. About halfway down was another large stone in a setting that made it look like an antique brooch, then a few more swags of beads and jewels until the design ended at the elbow. Even in a black-and-white sketch, the jewels looked as if they were sparkling on the skin. I could only imagine what it would look like in color.
“Incredible,” I praised, giving her a light squeeze.
Patriot reached for the drawing, and I quickly snatched it from his grasp. “Mine,” I growled. Then I lifted Kiara off the stool and took her hand, guiding her out of the shop and taking her back to my studio. I couldn’t help grumbling about her using her art to help Patriot instead of me. Apparently, I wasn’t quiet enough about it because Kiara burst out laughing.
When we entered the studio, I guided her around the work tables and large machines until we reached the same area where I’d first shown her the proof of her father’s dirty dealings. I hoped to make happier memories here so she would want to be with me while I worked.
“I think it’s super sweet that you want me all to yourself, Shane,” she giggled. “But I doubt you make things like this.” She pointed at the bejeweled drawing.
“Is that so?” She raised an eyebrow at my smug tone.
I walked to a cabinet where I stored finished pieces and retrieved an oblong box before returning to the table. I opened the lid to reveal a dagger, and Kiara gasped in awe. “You made this?”
I nodded, practically preening under her approval…like a jackass.
“The pommel, handle, and crossguard are antique silver-plated cast metal.” A detailed swirling design engraved in the metal incorporated rubies and sapphires into many of the curls. “The blade is spring steel since this is a medieval reproduction.” On it were elaborate, black-colored medieval designs engraved from the hilt down to the central ridge.
“It’s breathtaking,” she whispered as she took the dagger and studied it from different angles. I noticed she was careful not to touch the blade, impressing me even further. When bare fingers touch the blade, some of the natural grease/oil of the skin is left on it. This grease was slightly acidic and would corrode it if left uncleaned. Just one night uncleaned would leave a corroded fingerprint on a sword or dagger.
“I took an art history class that spent some time on weaponry,” she admitted with a soft laugh.
I grinned and leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. “You couldn’t be more perfect for me if you tried.”
Kiara’s cheeks flamed with pink, but she smiled back at me with sparkling blue eyes. I loved seeing her so happy, especially after the devastation she’d been hit with the day before.
“I have a client who wants a set of Katana swords for his father. Would you like to help me with the design?”
Kiara jumped up and clapped her hands excitedly, then plopped back down in her seat with skin flushed from the roots of her hair down to where it disappeared beneath her sweater.
“You’re cute as fuck,” I told her with a chuckle. Then my smile turned devilish. “But you’re also hot as sin.” I swept her into my arms and stalked across my office to the staircase, jogging up to my apartment. We’d sleep at the clubhouse for her safety, but first, I was gonna worship her sexy curves in our bed.
9
Kiara
