Page 127 of Vexatious Queen

“How ya doin’, Snowflake,” I asked, taking her hand. The woman working her had managed to weave little vines and flowers throughout the names, with a single item that represented each of us. I had the snowflake, of course, which also meant I had the most tattoos on her body if you included her neck.

She flicked her eyes toward her left side that now had my name across one of her ribs.

“Alive, but I don’t know how you all talked me into this,” she said, making me laugh. “Can I see yours?”

“Aye.” Pulling up my t-shirt, I showed off the complete outline of the tattoo she’d created for me. “It’ll take a couple more sittings to get it filled in, but it looks feckin’ incredible.”

She smiled. There was nothing better than seeing that smile.

“So, I’m the last one?”

I nodded.

“Only one more name to go,” Trixie said, finishing off a small flower that looked like it was opening up to the sun.

My stomach grumbled, and I opened my mouth to ask about dinner when the roar of motorcycles shifted my attention. It had been warm and sunny all day, and the Lost Souls must have taken full advantage to get out on their bikes.

“Oh crap,” Ren said when the door opened, and six guys came strolling in, led by Merlin.

I recognized two others from previous meetings and drop-offs, and the cleanup after the shooting at Volatile. One of them was the prez, Snake. The other was Hollywood, but unlike his name suggested, he was always super quiet, built like a brick shithouse, and not showy at all. The other three, I had never met.

Ren had told me what happened the night she was out with Theo, and it didn’t look like Liam had cooled off any about the situation with his sister. He marched across the room before anyone could stop him.

“What the fuck do you want,” Merlin asked when Liam got right into his personal space and blocked his way.

“Just wanted to face the fucking asshole who hurt my sister.”

Merlin’s eyes narrowed.

“You know, at first, I was really pissed,” Liam said, but it sounded more like a snarl. “I’d been telling my sister every day since she dragged you to our family dinner like a lost dog that she needed to dump your sorry ass.”

“Is that so?” Merlin growled.

“Guys, we don’t want any fighting in here,” Julian, the owner of the shop, said.

But no one was listening. We were all focused on the same thing, and that was what was brewing near the door. Even Trixie had stopped tattooing Ren to watch.

“Yeah, it is. But the funny thing is, Nora wouldn’t listen to me. Kept saying that I didn’t know the real you. She genuinely thought you were a decent guy and into her, but I knew better. I knew exactly what a piece of shit you really were. I saw through your act from the first second you walked through the door.”

“You’d better watch your mouth,” Merlin said.

“Don’t make me call the cops. I don’t need my place shot up,” Julian tried again, but none of us were afraid.

“No one is shooting anything,” Nash said, giving Julian a stand-the-fuck-down glare.

Ren suddenly hopped off the table, and I knew where she was going. I grabbed her by the arms and kept her back.

“We need to stay out of it,” I whispered.

“But…”

I shook my head.

“Everyone here knows this needs to go down. That’s why none of the Lost Souls have moved in to help either,” I said softly. “Merlin dishonored Liam’s family…his sister. This is a matter of respect. One thing I’ve learned about the MC is you don’t disrespect family.”

Ren disagreed, but she stopped trying to pull away.

Liam smirked.