Page 39 of Ink's Devil

“Sure of yourself, aren’t you?” I feel my lips curve.

“Sure of you,” he responds.

Then he puts his arm around me. “You’re shivering, let’s get you inside where I canwarmyou up.”

When he opens the back door and stands aside to let me precede him in, Jeannie immediately calls out, “Shut that damn door!”

“For fuck’s sake, Jeannie. Got to open it to let someone in. Whatcha expect her to do, fly down the chimney?”

“Ain’t got no chimneys,” observes Pyro through a mouthful of crumbs. I guess Mel’s been cooking again.

“What about a window?” suggests Lizard.

“Still lets the fuckin’ cold in,” observes Judge, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, but it’s a smaller area, wouldn’t be so bad.” Liz doesn’t let the inane conversation drop.

Jeannie waves a dish towel. “Will you lot get out of my kitchen? You drive me insane.” But the grinning glance she sends my way shows she’s joking.

“Beth!” Mel comes in, and bats at Pyro’s hand, and fast directs her attention to her husband instead of me. “You’ve already had a tub of cookies at home. Will you leave some for the others?”

Unrepentant he rubs his stomach. “I’m eating for two.”

“It’s Mel who’s fuckin’ pregnant,” Ink interrupts with a disbelieving shake of his head.

“Yeah, but I’ve got sympathy pangs.”

“Are they a thing?” asks Judge, giving him a serious look.

Mel rolls her eyes. “With Pyro it would seem so. The amount he’s putting away, his stomach will probably grow as large as mine is going to get.” She lays her hand on his abdomen and looks up at him with an impudent smile. “He’ll have such a pot belly he won’t be able to ride.”

“Have to leave the club. No bike, no patch.” Thunder walks in, having overheard. “Best leave those cookies alone, Brother.” The real reason why he’s suggested Pyro refrain becomes clear when he reaches over, picks up the tub, and starts to carry it out. As he passes Pyro, he jerks his chin at him. “Just saving you from yourself. You can thank me later.”

“What’s it like out there?” Jeannie addresses her question to Mel.

“Like a Friday night.”

That seems to be all the information the older woman needs as her face tightens with distaste. I’m, however, none the wiser.

“Is Vi, Steph or Jay around?” I’d been looking forward to catching up.

“Nah,” Liz supplies. “As the weather is bad, Vi’s gone home with the prez, the VP’s taken Steph back to their house, and Jay and Pal are having their own private party upstairs.”

“Which sounds like a very good idea,” Ink whispers into my ear.

Although having Ink so close to me is immediately turning me on, I don’t want to act like some whore he’s summoned and jump straight into bed with him. I arch my brow. “Can’t a girl have a drink first?”

For a reply, he takes hold of my hand, leads me out of the kitchen and into the clubroom itself. It is busy. Heavy metal music is playing loudly, a thumping beat that goes straight through me. Wills and Sparky have their heads close to two pretty girls I haven’t seen here before, probably the only way they can hear anything they might be saying. Two of the club girls are dancing, if you can call it that. They’re gyrating and contorting as though advertising their services. One’s wearing such a skimpy dress she’s in danger of… Too late, her boob’s hanging out now, but she doesn’t seem to care.

Fast looking away, I spy another group of giggling girls by the bar, certainly not dressed for the weather. But then, the amount of bodies around means it is warm in here. Though there’s no way I’m removing my sweater.

Ink suddenly stills beside me. He catches the sleeve of Mace and uses it to pull him close. “Who’re they?” His head jerks toward two men standing close to the girls.

“Hangarounds. Not been here before. Cad’s checking them out.”

“Serious?”

“Could be.”

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