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Something about knowingwhat my men are doing today has me all up in my feelings. Probably because even though they’re mine now, nothing is guaranteed in this world. Even in the heart of their own territory, the fact is, they’re not meeting with friends, and no matter how strong the Reapers are and how fiercely I know they’ll fight for what matters to them, shit could go badly at any moment.
For some reason, that fact hits me hard when they walk in the door after their meeting with the other gang leaders. “How did it go?”
Maddoc grimaces. “As good as could be expected.”
“That well?” I joke, not doing a great job of masking my jumpiness if the guys’ expressions are anything to go by.
“We gave them something to think about,” Maddoc says, pulling me into his embrace and gripping my chin. He stares into my eyes for a moment, then smiles. “It’s good to be home, though.”
The way he’s looking at me, I don’t think he means the house.
My heart gives an embarrassing flutter at how openly he’s putting his feelings on display. He’s the first man who ever told me he loved me and made me actually believe it, and it just gives me one more thing that I’m not willing to lose. One more thing I’ll do anything to keep in my life permanently.
I feel that way about all three of these men, and when Logan heads off to do some sort of high tech badassery and Maddoc goes into his office to get some work done after kissing me hard, I want—no, I need—to do something about that.
“Is it safe for us to go out, as long as we stay in Reaper territory?” I ask Dante.
He tucks a loose piece of hair behind my ear. “Depends where you wanna go, princess. So far, McKenna’s stuck with attacks at our borders, but we still need to be on alert. Where are you thinking?”
“I want to go to that tattoo parlor again,” I admit, letting my fingers skim over his chest, tracing the shape of the ink he put there. “The place you got this one.”
Dante’s eyes flare with interest, and he covers my hand, holding it against his chest as his voice goes a little husky. “All right.”
He ushers me out to the SUV, shooting off a quick text ahead of us and getting the heads-up that Nico, the artist who did his ink, can see me.
“Really?” I’m genuinely surprised. “I kind of figured I’d have to settle for someone else.”
Dante smirks. “Not on my watch.”
I bite my lip. I don’t ask what he did to make it happen, but I’m pretty sure Nico isn’t the type who’d have a last-minute opening in his schedule like this without a little nudge. I’m not going to complain, though.
“Has Chloe been in touch?” he asks as we drive.
I nod. “It sounds like she’s got that guy you assigned to watch her out there, Nathan, hooked on the manga series Logan sent with her.”
“That’s like, what, a comic book?” Dante asks, chuckling. “’Cause I never did figure Nathan for much of a reader.”
“He’d better not just be humoring her,” I say, bristling a little at the thought since Chloe has been gushing about the guy a little.
“Nah, Nathan’s a good one,” Dante reassures me. “You know we wouldn’t have sent him out there with her if we didn’t trust him. And I’ve got it on good authority that he’s taking his job seriously.”
I want to ask him what he means by that, but when Dante parks behind the tattoo parlor, a rush of adrenaline kicks in and distracts me. I’m not sure if it’s because this will be my first tattoo, or if it’s because of what it means to me, but my body starts to thrum with excitement as we walk in, and Dante clearly notices.
“You good, princess?” he asks softly, his hand resting low on my back as he guides me back to Nico’s station.
I smile up at him. “So fucking good.”
Nico and Dante exchange greetings, then Nico kicks a rolling stool toward Dante and helps me into the tattoo chair.
“Tell me what it is you’re looking to do today, princess,” Nico says with a wink, rolling toward me on a second stool.
Hearing that word from him startles me.
“Her name is Riley,” Dante growls before I can respond, a possessive bite to his voice I’m not used to hearing… and definitely don’t hate.
Nico laughs. “My bad, bro.” He turns back to me. “Go on now,Riley. Talk to me about the new ink we’re doing.”
I bite my lip, not sure how to put it into words now that he’s putting me on the spot like this.
