Page 126 of Tattooed Love

“Tell my brothers you are dating me.”

That was easy. “Done,” I promised.

She’d said dating, which meant we were back together. Gee, this had worked out easy.

“And...”

Of course there was an and.

“And that you love me,” she pulled her hand out of my grasp. “Then we can be boyfriend and girlfriend again.”

“Not happening,” I said. A bikie didn’t say the word love, especially when it came to a woman. I would be seen as weak, and them being the Shield brothers would take the piss out of me for life.

“Then we’re done.” Amber turned her back to me abruptly, but I saw the hurt in her face before she did.

Why would she ask that of me? Couldn’t she ask for something easier, like a new car or, I don’t know, a house? Or a new gun? I kicked the ground and walked back to the car.

Well, it really was over between us. I wouldn’t say those words to her brothers. Nothing would drive me to say them. NOTHING. My reputation depended on it.

“You all right?” Troy gave me a sideways glance when I slammed the car door.

“Just drive,” I said.

I looked over at Amber, who was stabbing a piece of trash. She couldn’t expect me to say those words. Not to her brothers. I just couldn’t.

Chapter 36

Amber

Smoothing the wrinkles out of the skin tight black dress, I was breathing slowly. After days of doing dirty community service work, it was a relief not have to rock the orange jumpsuit. I let my hair freely swing around my face. Applying my last coat of red lipstick, I swooped up my purse and headed out of my bedroom.

I hadn’t seen Jax since yesterday, when he flatly refused to say he loved me to my brothers, and to be honest, I’d expected it, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t disappointed when he confirmed it. Although, when it came down to it, I was just stupid. What bikie would actually admit to loving a woman?

I reached the top of the stairs, chewing my bottom lip before I went down. I was making the right decision, I knew that, but it didn’t mean that I didn’t feel slightly sad at the thought of leaving Jax behind but it had to be done. I took a stand a long time ago that I wouldn’t fall in love with a criminal; that I would leave this life behind, and it was time I finally put that into action.

Walking down the stairs, I wasn’t surprised to see Troy, Cole and Jackson lounging on the stairs, shirtless. It was a boiling hot day, and the night was now only beginning to cool down.

“So, dad said you are going out with an office jerk?” Cole sniggered at me, when I finally reached the bottom step.

“You mean dad’s business partner’s son,” I corrected him, ignoring Jax all together. “I think dad would have also told you to leave me the fuck alone.” I showed Cole a dry expression before opening the front door.

“You’ll look a bit keen if you wait out in the front for him,” Cole shouted at me, before I slammed the front door.

I gritted my teeth, when I noticed Tyler cleaning his bike. “What are you doing out here?”

Tyler looked up at me, with his carefree smile. “Someone is a little grumpy tonight,” he teased.

“Nervous.” I said as I walked towards him. “This guy dad has set me up with, well, he isn’t a nobody.” Tyler was the most approachable out of all my brothers, followed closely by Adam. Actually, where was Adam?

“Yeah, don’t worry, we know… done our homework.” Tyler placed his dirty rag on the bike. “You know dad won’t care if you don’t go out with him,” Tyler’s voice softened, and instantly my face melted into a smile for him. Although he was covered in tattoos, and his hair was messy, he really didn’t suit the bad boy image he had.

“Can you keep a secret?” I lowered my voice and Tyler nodded his head, walking away from his bike, and standing at the bottom of the porch steps, looking up at me interested. “I asked dad to set me up with him.”

“What for?” Tyler’s eyes were wide, and, by his look, it was clear he thought I was crazy.

“Jackson and I broke up,” I muttered, fiddling with my purse. “But that isn’t the main reason.” I knew the boys knew about my community service, but I was overly thankful that not one of them had brought it up, and I think dad had had some role to play when it came to that. “I broke up with Blake because I wanted to get out of this life, and I guess Jackson made me forget that for a while until...”

“Until?” Tyler prompted.

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