Page 126 of Kingmakers, Graduation

“I did it!” she exclaims triumphantly. “I got thatfuckingbike fixed!”

The feeling I get seeing her like this is a hard, twisting jolt in my guts. I like her this way better than almost any other. I knew when I saw that first picture of Sabrina in the garage that this is her essential self—clever, industrious, loving to get her hands dirty.

“Jasper’s bike?” I ask.

Jasper has taken it back to the dealer three times with no success. They tell him the rattle is sorted, and it seems to be, until he passes 50 km/h.

“It’s fixed this time,” Sabrina says. “I’m sure of it.”

I’m sure she’s right.

“I did it, Jasper!” Sabrina shouts as he comes out of the kitchen into the hallway.

Jasper looks startled, until slow understanding spreads across his face.

“You were working on my bike?”

“Yeah! Fucking fixed it! Those lazy shits didn’t want to take the whole thing apart, but Chief helped me. The chain was too long, it was slapping against the bottom of the guide.”

Jasper stands in place, hands in his pockets, mouth moving as if he’s not quite sure what to say.

“Well … thanks.”

Sabrina grins. “I knew I could get it.”

“You better shower,” I tell her.

“What?” She looks down at herself. “You don’t want your date smelling like motor oil?”

“Actually, I love when you smell like that,” I say, low enough that only she’ll hear.

Sabrina gives me a wicked smile. “I know you do.”

“You gonna take that wrap off your face?” Andrei says to Jasper, likewise coming out of his room.

Andrei isn’t dressed either—I’m the only one who’s put on a suit. The rest of these idiots are going to be standing in freezing water when they all try to shower at once.

“I guess,” Jasper says. “It’s been long enough.”

Gingerly, he peels the plastic wrap from his jaw. We all crowd around to admire the new tattoo.

“Did you go to Bitterroot?” Andrei inquires.

“Yeah.”

“They’re the best.” Andrei nods. Then, elbowing Sabrina, he says, “When you gonna get your patch?”

“Never.” Sabrina tosses her head. “My body’s perfect exactly the way it is.”

She doesn’t have any tattoos. And it’s true—her skin is so flawless, it’s hard to imagine improvement. Like painting over marble, what would be the point?

“We all have a wolf,” Jasper says.

Even Jasper got one inked over the humerus bone tattooed on his right arm.

I never asked any of my men to do it. But they all did, one by one, after joining me.

“You have to,” Andrei says.

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