Page 147 of Ink's Devil

“You did good.” Mace comes over. “You’re going to be a natural. Got a feel for it already, saw that.”

I watch her, animatedly rehashing her lesson with Mace, happy how he and the other brothers have come to accept her now they know the truth, that she really had no part in me being taken in by the cops. I settle back against the bar, happy to let them talk, and me just listening. Mace and I have always been tight, and it’s great to see him trying to make up for any awkwardness with Beth. He’d admitted he’d played the enforcer on her when he thought he might have needed to make her talk, but that’s water under the bridge. I’d understood, I’d step up too to protect any of my brothers should I think there was a need. It looks like my best friend and old lady are going to be good friends now.

Me, with an old lady. Was it really only a few short weeks ago I’d met Beth for the first time?

Pyro and Mel’s wedding. I hadn’t had a clue how things were going to turn out. There I’d been, happily single, thinking there couldn’t be anything better than having my choice of club girls to go with for the night. Sex without strings, then kicking them out of bed afterwards.

Once Beth had made a beeline for me, I’d fallen under her spell. Under normal circumstances, she’d still have ensnared me, but I’d have taken it slow, fought it kicking and screaming all the way. Having the chance taken away had focused my mind, made me see it was her I wanted with a clarity that might otherwise have taken months or even years.

I watch her again for a moment. Judge and Sparky are now giving her tips on what to do the next time she rides the bike. It makes me remember, if I hadn’t had stepped up, one of them might have claimed her. Thank fuck I came to my senses in time.

Beth catches my eye, and winks.

Yeah. She’s mine. I’ve got an old lady, and fuck me, am buying a house. A house Beth and I will visit later and see what we can do to make it our own. I don’t want to remove the memory of her mother, but Patsy has lived in it forever, could do with some updating for sure.

In time, maybe we’ll be setting up a nursery and filling that house with kids.

Sooner, though, when the weather warms up, I’m looking forward to setting up the grill and getting some burgers and brats on to cook for my brothers. Probably after a good long ride out with them and my old lady beside me on her own bike. Can life get any better?

A few weeks ago, I thought I had all I ever wanted.

I’d been wrong.

“Hey, Ink. Got a moment?”

I check Beth’s still reliving her moment of triumph among her admiring fans, and turn to Mace, surprised to see Beef alongside him. “Sure.”

“Want to show you something outside.”

They seem relaxed, so unconcerned, I go along with them. We pass through the yard Beef had tidied and made safe for Steph, Theo and whatever other clubhouse children might come along and through the gate in the fence beyond which is the end of the flattened ground. Out here is another of the old steel mill buildings, disused and abandoned long ago.

I stand and stare, looking for what they’ve brought me here to see.

“Thought you’d have given us more time,” Mace offers.

My brow creases.

“Yeah, we probably needed the full thirty years to get it done,” Beef says moodily. “You sure about this, Mace?”

“Yeah. The building is structurally sound. Brick needs repointing in parts, and most of the wood has gone, but the fabric is there.”

They’ve lost me. “There for what?”

For an answer, Mace turns fast and while he pulls his punch, it’s still got enough force behind it to have me reeling back, sucking in air and bent double. He’d given me no time to tense my stomach muscles.

“See?” he says to Beef while I’m still gasping. “Going soft.”

“I can see.” The VP’s laughing, the bastard.

“I’ll give you fuckin’ soft.” I launch at the enforcer, only to be held back by Beef’s strong arms.

“Hear him out.”

“I would if he started to make fuckin’ sense,” I gasp out.

Mace waves his arms toward the falling down building. “Thought it was time we had us a gym.”

“Mace was going to get it ready for when you came out of jail. But,” Beef winks, “you fucked up his plans.”

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