Page 40 of The Aftermath

“We’ve talked about it.”

“And?”

“I don’t know how they feel,” Rylan nods toward us, “But me and Syn think we should do it. If we let the Kings just disappear where does that leave the kids we rescue?” He’s right. And the more I think about it, the more I know what’s right.

“I think we should do it, too,” I speak up. Silas’s head whips in my direction, and he just stares at me. I know we’ve been talking about and I’m the main one who didn’t want to come back.

“What?”

“I think you should do it. Ry’s right. Where does that leave those kids?”

“Angel, you were fucking hell-bent on not coming back here just a few days ago. What fucking changed now?” Silas asks me. I clasp my hands together in front of me and then start picking at my nails. Silas reaches over, covering my hands with his until I look up at him.

“What if it was her? What if someone took her? Wouldn’t I want someone out there looking for her? And taking care of her?” His eyes soften at my words.

“I’ll do whatever you guys want, but then I’m out,” Levi tells us. That isn’t a shock to anyone. Levi didn’t want to be here to begin with, and I understand that.

“Then it’s settled,” Hunter adds. Hoax stands up grinning as he pulls out a bag that he brought in.

“I was hoping you motherfuckers would say that. And I thought a new tradition would be in order,” he tells everyone as he pulls out a tattoo machine.

“You realize our brands were basically burnt off, right?” Ry reminds him.

“Yeah, which is why this is better. Not in the least as painful as that shit had to be,” he says, nodding toward his chest.

“You guys don’t get branded?” I ask. Hoax shakes his head.

“Not like that shit. We get tattooed with our logo,” he tells me.

“You wanted a tattoo anyway, right?” Silas asks me with a grin.

“You decided that!”

“And now you can get both,” he tells me.

“What are we getting?” I ask looking back to Hoax for an answer.

“Obviously, the King and Queen shit stands, yeah? So we go with the crowns only, except tattoos instead of brands. I don’t even know how the fuck you let them brand you, to begin with. You’re not fucking cattle,” he explains, causing us all to laugh.

“I’m good with that,” Rylan says before Silas agrees. Levi’s quiet, just sitting on his phone. It hurts he isn’t into this like the others are, but I understand it too.

Hoax sets up his machine and gets started while they continue to talk amongst each other.

“Can you believe this shit?” I ask Tamsyn when she comes to sit next to me.

“I think it’s a great idea. Taking over the Kings will be huge for the guys, although I did like Florida.”

“Me too, but we can go back, right?” She nods her head as we watch the guys get their Kings tattoos until it’s our turn. Tamsyn rushes to get hers first and I gladly let her. I don’t have any tattoos yet, so this will be my first. Yes, I’ve been branded, and somehow, I thought a tattoo would be worse.

When it’s my turn, I sit in the chair, and Hoax gets to work. Silas stays at my side, watching everything he does. I know he doesn’t like him touching me. He’s made that perfectly clear more than once, but he has no other choice.

“And right there,” he says, pointing to another spot on my chest. I’m about to ask what the hell he’s doing when Hoax starts again. The pain is nothing like I thought it would be. Silas grins at whatever Hoax is inking on me.

When he’s done and cleaned me off, Silas rips me out of the chair and drags me toward the bathroom. When we step inside, he turns on the light and stands behind me as I look in the mirror. On the opposite side of my chest from my brand is a beautiful Queen’s crown and right below it is Silas’s name. I smile at the reflection when I look up and see his. The Kings crown looks amazing in color on him. I spin around and run my fingers over it before Silas grabs my hand in his. He leans down and kisses me roughly before lifting my skirt.

Then he moves, lifting me onto the edge of the sink. His lips stay on mine the whole time taking what he wants from me. He reaches between us to free his cock and then slides me closer to the edge.

“I fucking love it when you don’t wear panties. I can get right to what I want,” he growls against my lips before crashing his to mine once more. Silas thrusts into me, and I hold onto him while he fucks me on the counter.

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