Page 9 of Leland

He gave me this speech at least four times a week.

“Okay,” I agreed.

“You’ve had a busy week; are you going to have some downtime this weekend? You need a good night's sleep.”

We needed to hire another artist. Leland had done several interviews, but nobody had been right for the position so far. Because of this, I had taken on several new clients.

“Yeah. I’m gonna rest,” I lied before pedaling off. “Have a good rest of your day,” I called out, knowing he would watch me until I was out of sight.

***

Leland

“You actually did it? Holy shit,” Smoke said, motioning for another beer. He was my best friend, but I was totally visualizing bashing his smug face in.

“Yeah, I didn’t think you’d have the balls,” Blade admitted.

“Shut up, before I fire you,” I threatened. It was against policy for employees to be involved with each other and what Blade and Rouge had done together at the club was definitely against my policy, but clearly I wasn’t enforcing the rule. It would have been ridiculously hypocritical of me because I had every intention of being involved with Rouge.

“I could find a hot sugar momma, I’d be fine,” Blade said, laughing.

“Ew. Mental images,” Kay groaned, rubbing her temples.

“Your mom’s hot, is she single?” Blade teased.

I laughed when he winked at Kay. These people were loons, but I loved them.

“There’s Paisley,” Bash boomed, his deep voice echoing even in the crowded bar. Paisley was a piercer at Daddies Ink. She was also a saccharine-sweet Little girl and we adored both her and her Daddy.

I slid a chair out from the other table and whipped it around to ours. I knew there was no point in getting two chairs. Her over-protective Daddy wouldn’t let her leave his lap. I was surprised he even let her come.

“Hi!” she chirped.

“Hey, darlin’, I’m glad you made it,” I said before shaking Axel’s hand.

He sat and sure enough, pulled her into his lap.

“Daddy was being a slow-poke.”

I chuckled at her wording. I was sure it was much more than that.

“Oh yeah?” I asked after taking a sip of my beer.

“Yas-huh, so slow.”

Axel popped her thigh and she rubbed it petulantly. “Ouchie.”

“She’s got the sniffles. I called Elliot to make sure it was okay for her to be out.”

“You’ve been feeling bad?” Bash asked. His gruff voice made his words sound a bit angry.

“I just sneezed,” Paisley protested, clearly unaffected by his gruffness. She was probably used to it.

“Maybe you should have stayed home, Little girl,” I scolded.

“One. Sneeze.”

“Four sneezes,” Axel corrected, “and lose the sass before I take you back home and turn your bottom red.”

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