Ink Read online

  He shook his head to try to clear it. He didn’t want to think of her, not right now. He had to think about Jazz.

  He had to keep his promise.

  Jazz ran her hand down his belly. It would be so easy to let her keep going. So easy to pay back Angel’s treachery with treachery, but her touch didn’t burn him like it once had. Not since that night.

  He grabbed her hand and moved it to his hip.

  He pulled off at a rundown motel and cut the engine. He waited for Jazz to climb off his bike before he did the same.

  “Come on baby. Let’s get a room.” Jazz slid against him just like she used to.

  “You know better than that shit Jazz.” He shoved her away a little harder than he’d meant to, but she just grinned.

  “She will never believe a word you say. May as well do what she’s thinking. She will torture you for it if she ever takes you back.” She let out an airy laugh.

  “I think I know my wife better than you do Jazz.”

  “Sure you do baby. Just like you knew she fucked Zipper while Cat was in the oven.”

  Rage boiled in Ink’s gut. He had never wanted to hit a woman so badly in his life. Instead he leaned close and spoke low.

  “I am keeping my promise to you, but I won’t listen to your shit. Shut your fucking mouth or I will dump you in a ditch somewhere and drive the fuck away. Don’t push me and don’t you ever say my daughter’s name again or I will cut out your tongue.”

  “What about your son? What about Noah? Can I say his name? Huh? Since I pushed him out of my pussy, do I get to say his fucking name?”

  Ink’s hand shot out before he even thought about it. His fingers wrapped around Jazz’s throat until her eyes bugged out.

  Jazz paled. “You swore.” She choked.

  “I’m keeping my promise, but you have to shut the fuck up and let me think. I could kill you. I could dump you by the road and nobody would fucking care. Then I could drive up to you family’s house and take my fucking kid, but I’m trying to be a good fucking man and do this your way. Do yourself a favor and shut the fuck up.”

  Tears leaked from her eyes. “I’ve kept my word too Ink. I didn’t tell anybody. I just want to get away. I appreciate you helping me out. I’m so tired of those assholes treating me like trash. I want a life. I’m sorry, but you know she won’t forgive you. You might as well stay with me. We can be a family.” She ran her hand up his chest again. “You know I would take care of you.”

  “We both know that will never happen.”

  “But why? I’m a sure thing.”

  “I’d rather have a chance with her than a sure thing with you.”

  “You will regret this for the rest of your life.”

  “No. I would regret fucking you, but never loving her. Even if I die tomorrow. You are my regret, you.”

  He turned and walked to the motel office.

  Two

  Angel paced the clubhouse.

  “Where is he Shad? You have to know. You have to tell me. I get the club and all that shit, but I’m your blood. He is my husband. I know you know! How could you do this to me?”

  Shadow let out a breath.

  “You know I can’t tell you Angel. You need to trust him.”

  She turned on the man that made some of the toughest men in the world shiver in fear.

  “After what he just found out? He left with that Asian bitch Shad. You know they have history. Please. Please, help me find him.”

  Shad stood and took hold of her arms. She knew her brother would never hurt her, but he scared her when he looked so intense.

  “Stop it Angel. I know you’re hurting. I know.” His face looked pinched. “This is ripping me up. I want to cut his dick off and I want to beat the shit out of you. How could you do that? He loves you or he did. How could he ever trust you after this?” He let go of her and paced away running his hands through his black hair. “None of this makes any sense. It’s not supposed to be this way.”

  Angel realized how selfish she was being. Shadow wasn’t like anyone else. His family was everything and she was ripping him apart. He couldn’t understand betrayal like this, it would kill him.

  “I’m sorry Marcus. I’m just worried about him. That’s what matters. Can you imagine if this was Lacey?”

  Lacey was Shadow’s wife and the one person on earth that could keep him sane. Lacey and their children meant everything to him. They kept the ghosts away, washed the blood from his hands.

  He shook his head.

  “No. Lacey wouldn’t do this to me. She wouldn’t.”

  Angel saw the panic in his face. She pulled him into her arms even though he resisted.

  “No. Marcus she wouldn’t. Not Lacey. She’s better than me. She’s all yours.” Angel held his pale face in her hands. “Look at me. She has loved you her whole life, you are everything to her.”

  He let out a breath.

  “I just want to know he’s safe.”

  “He is and he loves you more than you loved him.” He whispered in a tortured voice that broke her heart.

  He pushed her away as if she were contagious.

  Angel watched him go, her heart breaking. At least she knew Ink was safe and she knew he had stayed faithful. Maybe it would be better if he hadn’t. If he showed he was as human as she, but no, he was good to the bone.

  “Stop that. It’s bad for the baby.” Mrs. breezed into the clubhouse and patted her daughter on the baby bump that barely showed.

  “This is just a rough patch sweetie. He will be back in a few days and you’ll work it out. I don’t know what you are so worried about. If I were you, I’d be pissed.”

  “He didn’t do anything wrong. It was me mama. How could he ever forgive me?”

  Angel let her mother pull her into her arms. “We all do shit we aren’t proud of sweetie. We all make unforgivable mistakes. That’s the joy of this club baby. It’s ok not to be perfect. Ink knows it. He loves you baby. It’s time you trusted that. I’m tired of watching you twist over that man. Open your eyes baby. One mistake doesn’t make you unworthy. Ink’s made some too. Trust him baby. That’s the only way these things turn out.” Her mother held her at arm’s length. “And if you find out he has a few secrets, you have to forgive him, same way you want him to forgive you. Wipe that shit out. Clean slate. You don’t bring that shit up again, ever. You let it go and move on.”

  Angel remembered all the talk about Lindsey, a woman Preacherman, her father, had been in love with. Lindsey had owned Preach’s heart long after he’d married Mrs. and started a family and Angel had found out years later that Preach had still visited the woman, until her death. He had gone to another woman’s bed and her mother had let him. She had allowed him to come home to her and she had opened her arms to him. Lindsey had been the loophole in their union, the only one Mrs. had ever allowed. No other woman touched Preach.

  Marcus had been a result of that union and somehow Mrs. had taken him in and loved him as her own.

  “How did you do that? Marcus? How? You just let it go and I never heard anything at home that said you minded at all.” Angel asked as she saw her mother in a new light.

  Mrs. smiled sadly. “That boy needed me. He was and is so much like Preach that I fell in love with him the first second I laid eyes on him. He was so lost and so alone in this world. How could I do anything but love him. He needed to be loved so badly and I had so much to give. You don’t pick who you love baby, you just love ‘em, ‘cause that’s what your heart wants to do.”

  Angel felt her throat close up as her mother held her close. She didn’t know what Ink was up to, but she did trust him. She just had to give him time to come back to her.

  “You are a good woman mama. I’m not sure I could ever be as good as you.”

  “You are just like me sweetheart with just enough of your daddy to drive me crazy.”

  The door opened and the boys strolled in. No one had hardly spoken to her since the day Ink had left. They blamed her. It didn�
�t help that Zipper had told everyone with ears about that night.

  Angel closed her eyes as tears burned in her throat.

  “Come on Angel. You know you want to.” Zipper whispered as he pressed against Angel.

  “No Zipper, I don’t.” She said and tried to push him away.

  “Bullshit baby. I know how you like it. Ink’s been gone for three weeks and that pussy has been empty. Let me fill it baby.”

  His hand moved over her swollen stomach and up to her tender breast. His lips moved against her neck and she couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped.

  “That’s right baby. You know the rules of the road. You know he ain’t going without like you are. Why should he get off when you can’t? That seem fair to you?”

  He pressed his dick against her and she shook her head.

  His hands were making it hard to think. She shouldn’t be doing this. She loved Ink.

  His fingers had found their way inside her skirt.

  “Fucking wet for me baby. You always did get so wet for me.

  His fingers slid into her and it felt so good. She couldn’t think as he fucked her with his fingers.

  “Bend over baby and let me make you feel good.”

  Angel had bent over the desk in her father’s office like a club whore and let Zipper fuck her. By the time she thought to protest it was too late. She’d cried as he’d finished and he had licked them off her face.

  “Our secret baby. I won’t touch you again until you’re knocked up again, but you won’t tell me no or I’ll tell Inkypoo all about us.”

  He’d pinched her chin and kissed her and she had died a little that day.

  Ink had come back to her and she’d known by the way he’d kissed her that he hadn’t touched another woman. She had vowed to love him better than any other woman ever could, but she had failed.

  She had seen it in his eyes. He had known she held something back from him. She couldn’t fuck him enough to wipe that look out of his eyes. She had worried too. She had worried that he might find a woman who didn’t hide from him, but he had never looked at another woman and it had almost killed her.

  Three

  “Yeah. It’s all good. Just some shit I need to handle.” Ink spoke into the phone as he stood across the street from the motel.

  “Angel isn’t taking it well.” Spec spoke into Ink’s ear in his normally bored voice.

  “I bet. Is she alright?” Ink hated ignoring her calls and her messages were ripping him apart.

  “She’s holding up alright. You need to get this done brother and get your ass back here. Fix your family.”

  “I’ll be back day after tomorrow. If Zipper is still there I’ll kill him.”

  “Had a feeling you might. Just so you know, Preach beat the hell out of him, a few of the other brothers too. Thought you might like to know that.”

  “Yeah, it helps. Keep her safe. Make sure she takes care of her and the baby. Anybody mention Jazz?”

  “Yeah, I’ll take care of Angel. Rena is pissed off, but everybody thinks she’s with you so nothing has hit the fan yet. What are you gonna tell them?”

  “I’ll tell them the truth and I’ll take what punishment they give. I had to do this.” Ink wouldn’t hide from what he had done or the reason.

  “I know brother. I can’t claim I’d do anything different. Nobody will punish you for shit either. You had the right to cut her throat for this shit.”

  “Thanks Spec. Thanks for all of it.”

  “You’d do the same for me. It’s what we do. Ride safe brother and check in or I’m coming after you.”

  Spec sounded fierce and Ink was glad he had the man for a friend.

  “Will do.”

  Ink walked back to the room he had rented for Jazz and beat on the door. He’d expected her to make another play, but she surprised him when she stepped out of the door ready to ride. Her smile was over bright and she stuffed a cellphone into her back pocket.

  “I want this shit settled tonight. We clear? Then I don’t ever want to see you again.” Ink said as he watched her suspiciously.

  “I get it Ink. I get it.” Her smile fell from her face and was replaced with something akin to disgust.

  “I want to know where we are headed.” He’d already figured it out, with a little help from Spec, the club’s genius computer geek. He probably knew more about where they were going than Jazz, but he wanted to know if she would tell him.

  “I already told you. I just need you to take me to my uncle in Rochester and I will give you what I promised.”

  “You are a cold woman Jazz.”

  “I’m a desperate woman Ink. How am I the cold one? I am offering you a family and you are taking my son instead.”

  “I have a family.”

  “Why can’t I be enough for you? Why wasn’t I enough? You had to throw me away like trash as soon as the fucking princess batted her eyes.”

  “Why? Why now? After all this fucking time?”

  “I’m sick Ink. I found a lump in my left tit and the doctor thinks its cancer. I can’t be a fucking stripper without tits. I’m going home. I’ve got cash saved up and I want to live in peace for a while.”

  Ink felt a stab of pain in his chest. “I’m sorry Jazz. I really am.”

  “They’re just tits Ink. Maybe I can find a way to make a living using my head for a change.” She let out a flippant laugh.

  He pinched her chin. He wanted to offer her help, but her betrayal wouldn’t let him, even now she was all about what was best for her. She was a selfish bitch and she made him sick.

  “Let’s hit the road then.”

  Her mouth twisted into a frown for just a beat, but Ink saw it and it made him wonder again. There was something fishy going on, but he couldn’t be sure what it was. He sent a text off to Spec telling him he didn’t trust Jazz. He knew Spec would make sure there was help near enough if anything went sideways.

  They rode for hours without stopping. The sky was growing dark by the time a van pulled up beside them. Ink slowed to let them by, but the van stayed with them. Ink felt himself grow cold as his mind started working things out. All of his time as a soldier came rushing back to him. He scanned the road and the roadside, but there was nothing. Just a long stretch of nothing. He reached in his pocket and pressed a number that would alert Spec of trouble and then gripped his gun. He pulled it as fast as he could and fired at the tire of the van as he sped up. He hated that Jazz was with him. She was so vulnerable on the back of his bike. She screamed and jerked to the side, but Ink held the big machine in the road. Then he felt agony in his side. He looked down to find Jazz holding the hilt of a knife that she had plunged into his side.

  The distraction was all she’d needed to jerk him again. The bike veered off the road and down an embankment. Ink heard Jazz scream, but there was so much pain. He couldn’t think. Just pain.

  “Angel.” He whispered.

  He heard footsteps and curses.

  “Damn Jazz that was fucked up girl.”

  Ink knew that voice. Zipper

  “You look like shit Zip.” Jazz hissed. “We had an agreement. Where’s my kid?”

  “Safe. Whiney little fucker. Looks just like his pussy old man.”

  Zipper kicked him hard. Ink felt something snap in his side and groaned. Zipper laughed, but Ink didn’t care. Zipper kicked him several times until Jazz pulled him away.

  Ink hated the woman, but he was of a mind to forgive her if she kept Zipper away until he could pass out. He was desperately trying to figure out what all was injured and if he had any chance of surviving. He doubted it, but if Zip got in any more blows he would be gone for sure. He hoped Spec would figure it all out. He hoped Angel would be alright, and he hoped Zipper and Jazz rotted in hell for this.

  “Come on Zip. We need to get out of here. I want to see Noah.”

  “Why? He is all alone out here. I think I want to fuck him up some. Maybe cut off his dick. Oh I need to do that.”

  “N
o Zip.” Jazz said in a strong voice and Ink felt a measure of comfort in that at least.

  He really didn’t want Zipper to cut off his dick. That was way down on his bucket list, way down.

  “I want to see my kid Zip.”

  “I want you to suck my cock. Right here. Let that piece of shit see. Your fucking kid doesn’t even know you. He won’t be any happier to see you than to see me.”

  “He doesn’t care. He’s seen me suck cock a thousand times. He doesn’t care! He wouldn’t care if the whole club gangbanged me on the side of the fucking road. Are you blind?”

  “This will be the last thing that fucker sees and then I’ll go home and let Angel do it. Bitch will be so upset. I’ll comfort her. You hear that Ink, you fucker? I’m going to fuck Angel so many times my dick will grow to her fucking pussy.”

  Ink wanted to move. He wanted to rip Zipper to pieces, but all he could do was moan like a pitiful pussy and fucking bleed. He was going to die and Angel would never know how much he loved her.

  He heard a slap and Zipper screaming at Jazz to suck him off, but Ink couldn’t care. All he could do was bleed. Anger surged inside of him. He was a Defender for Fuck’s sake. He couldn’t lay there and bleed like a pussy.

  Ink felt something digging into his ass and painfully reached for it. It seemed to take forever for his hand to close around the gun that had somehow ended up under him. It was a stroke of luck. God’s way of telling him to end Zipper like the piece of trash he was.

  The gun seemed to weigh a thousand pounds and Ink struggled to lift it. His vision was blurred, but he pointed in the general direction of Zip and fired.

  Ink let out a gurgled chuckle as Zip cursed.

  “Got you fucker.”

  “You son of a bitch!” Zip screamed. Jazz screamed again and Ink saw her hit the ground not far from him.

  “Bastard! Stop slapping me. I did what you wanted!” Jazz screeched as she charged back up to Zip who was holding his arm.

  Ink heard a siren in the distance and let out a breath. They would be too late, but at least someone was coming.

  “Get in the van Jazz.”