Page 34 of Dagger

“Told me he wanted to tap your ass,” Kai ratted.

Kennedy busted out laughing.

Cara let out a loudharrumph.

“Better not let Cash hear you say that,” Abe warned.

“Jesus help me,” Iris murmured, emulating the sign of the holy cross over her chest.

Sophie stepped toward Mason and ran her fingertips over the tattoo. “Hope you went to a clean place to get this done, Mase. You can get nasty infections from dirty tattoo shops.”

Mason ducked his head, obviously embarrassed by all the fuss. “Got it done over in Mapletree. They did my back piece, too. The shop there’s gotta good rep.”

Iris’s body locked. “Back piece? Oh my God. Abe, what are you gonna do about this?”

Abe tagged her waist and pulled her into him. “He’s eighteen. Not much I can do, Rissy.”

Iris pulled back. Her hands clenched into fists, she leaned up toward Abe, her body taut, and screeched, “You’re his dad. He’ll listen to you.”

“Too late now,” he responded nonchalantly. “Can’t exactly tell him to go wash the fucker off.”

Iris’s shocked stare turned back to Mason. “I can’tbelieveyou,” she shrieked. “You’re grounded!”

Mason rolled his eyes.

The door flew open, and Atlas strolled in, followed by John’s son, Bowie. “What’s all the shoutin’ about? I could hear you from the bar,” he demanded. “And who’s grounded?”

John jerked his chin toward Mason. “This simpleton got a face tattoo. Iris is losing her damned mind.”

Atlas’s gaze traveled over Mason’s face, and he froze. “Fuck me, it’s Post Malone’s scrawny little sidekick.” He leaned closer. “Nice work. Who did it? The dude in Mapletree I told you about? The tattooist who did your back piece?”

“Oh my God,” Iris cried, her eyes filling with horror. Her shocked stare slashed toward Atlas, and she snarled, “I willnevercook for you again.”

Abe took one look at her, saw her upset, and his face hardened. “Right, Mason, get your ass to the house. You heard your mom; you’re grounded. Except for when you’re on cleaning duty at the auto shop. Don’t make any plans with your honeys for the next two weeks.” He turned to Atlas. “As for you, gonna remember this shit. When Belle’s eighteen, gonna take her to the tattoo parlor and pay for her first one, see how you fuckin’ like it. I’ll be encouraging her to get a full sleeve and a few piercings.”

Atlas’s face paled.

Sophie huffed, glaring at her husband. “See what you’ve done?”

Atlas’s stare hit his boots.

I bit down on my lip to hide my smile.

“Don’t worry about it, At,” Bowie reasoned. “Sunny will get there first. The way she’s goin’, we’ll have to deal with tattoos, nipple piercings, and partying like it’s nineteen-ninety-nine in afew years. Belle’ll seem like an angel sent from Jesus after my wild girl’s shenanigans.”

John stiffened. “What the fuck are ya talkin’ about? My Sunshine’s a little lady. Total princess.”

“She’s fuckin’ wild,” Bowie deadpanned. “I just left her practicing roundhouse kicks with Billy down in the gym. Headed for the door and heard her start to cackle. Your so-calledprincesssent the poor fucker down to his knees faster than a whore givin’ head. She caught him in the dick with her heel—on purpose, no doubt.”

John puffed his chest out proudly. “She’s a good girl, listenin’ to her grandpa. I told her to always go for the nuts. Works every time.”

Another bubble of laughter rose up my throat at the pride in John’s tone.

“Poor Billy,” Sophie murmured. “I better go check on him. I remember when Sunny caught Atlas’s penis by accident down in the gym one time. He was in so much pain.”

Kennedy brought a hand up to her mouth and coughed out what sounded like “coke can.”

Abe busted out laughing.

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