Page 35 of Ink

“Not for Sunday dinner,babbeo. Yourmammais probably already showing your woman wedding dresses.”

Son of a bitch! I was gonna kill him!

Rather than waste time threatening him with castration, I hung up and raced like a bat outta hell back to the compound.

Just as I hopped off my bike and was stalking to the door of the clubhouse, a message popped up on the screen of my phone.

Rafa

Ra siamo pari.

13

ANNIKA

When Matteo returned, there was an uncertain gleam in his eyes that made me uneasy. The breath I was holding blew out in a relieved sigh when he said, “You don’t need to worry anymore. He won’t be an issue for you. It’s done.”

There was a finality to his words. I assumed that it was better if I didn’t ask too many questions about why my uncle would no longer be a problem for me. I’d given my heart to Matteo, so I felt as though I needed to trust him without any reservation.

I smiled up at him and whispered, “Good.”

He must’ve been worried about how I’d react because the tension eased from his muscular frame, and he returned my grin. “The guy he sent after you has been taken care of by The Family, too.”

My smile widened. “I’d love to thank them for the help, but I’m guessing that’s a subject I should avoid if I ever meet them.”

“There’s no ‘ever’ about it,dolcezza. Mymammawill be chomping at the bit to have you over for Sunday dinner, as soon as I tell her about you.”

My eyes widened, but before I could ask him about it, King approached us. I flashed him a grateful smile. “Saying thank you doesn’t seem like nearly enough with everything your club has done for me.”

“No gratitude needed,” King muttered. “We only did for you what we would for any woman a Hound has claimed. You’re part of the family now, and we take care of our own.”

If only my uncle—my own flesh in blood—had felt the same. Except then I might not have ended up with Matteo. Although, I liked to think that we still would have wound up together if my uncle’s mess hadn’t forced him to bring me to the compound. Our forced proximity might’ve sped up our relationship, but I was pretty sure that Matteo would’ve asked me out anyway after he finished my tattoo. Especially since he had stolen me away from Onyx that day.

“But if you want to thank us with cobbler, I wouldn’t turn it down,” Onyx joked.

King shook his head and walked away while Matteo pulled me against his side and turned us toward his friend.

“I could eat some cobbler,” I agreed with a smile. “Seems like the perfect way to celebrate since my uncle hated all sweets.”

“I like how you think.” Onyx smiled. “No tattoo memorializing him, either.”

I shook my head with a soft laugh. “Yeah, unlike the one you have for your mom or the ink Matteo owes me, I’m definitely not going to do anything to honor Uncle Alec’s memory. Not after he tried to end my life over money I would’ve happily figured out a way to give him if I had known he needed it that badly.”

“Too damn sweet,” Matteo muttered before his brows drew together. “Hold up…how do you know about Onyx’s tattoo?”

His club brother smirked at him. “Showed it to her when she came into Hellbound and told me what she wanted.”

“You motherfucker,” Matteo growled, his right fist clenched at his side while he pulled me closer with his other arm.

“This finally came in, and not a moment too soon, it seems.” King tossed a brown paper bag at Matteo. “I’d like to say that getting your name on her back will help ease some of that possessiveness, but I’d only be lying.”

“Took long enough.” Matteo dug inside and pulled a smaller version of his leather vest out and turned it so I could see the patch on the back.

I traced over the stitching and whispered, “Property of Ink.”

“Need to see you wearin’ this, baby. Want to show the world that you’re my old lady.”

“I’d love that,” I quickly agreed, turning so he could help put the vest on me.

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