Chapter 1 Inks Game

Ink

“Are you my daddy?”

I almost choked on my own saliva. Glancing down at my bare arms, at the skulls and devils and naked women that had inked over my muscles over the years I almost laughed and asked “do I look like someone’s fucking dad you cheeky brat.”

Then I saw her and words died on my lips.

Bouncing down onto the balls of my feet, I plastered my face with a smile that was meant to put her ease.

“No sweetheart.” I said in the kind of voice that I only used around animals. Which I liked a lot better than most people. “I’m not your daddy.”

At least I didn’t think so anyway. I added silently. I swept my eyes over her face. No, I was pretty sure I was her daddy. I couldn't see any resemblance at all, anyway.

“Della.” A woman shouted and a second later the door of the apartment complex opened and what I was guessing was a woman pushed in. A massive box in her arms. Huffing she heaved it to the side, her thin arms straining. “Della,” she said again, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of me in front of the little girl. I wasn’t doing anything wrong but she looked worried. But I guess I couldn’t blame her for that.

I was a strange tatted up biker talking to her little girl. Anyone would be nervous.

“I told you not to run off.” 

Slowly I straightened. “Hey.” 

Now I had a good look at her, I knew that the kid definitely wasn’t mine. If this was her mum I would remember her. There was no doubt in my mind about that. 

“I’m Ink.” Thrusting out my hand , it took me a second to realise that she couldn’t shake it because her arms were full of boxes. And by the looks of it , it was heavy. There was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead. It made her long brown hair stick to it in places.

“Which floor did you say-“ the door opened again, only this time I knew the three men who wandered in. Arms full of boxes, flirty smiles on their faces. “Oh hey Ink,” the oldest said with a wink. “See you’ve met Molly.”

“Molly.” I muttered her name. It felt nice to say. It had a nice taste. The only thing that left a bitter taste in my mouth was the fact that they had met her first. 

And predictably swooped like the horny vultures they were.

“Nice to meet you.” She flashed a little uncertain smile. “And thank you for offering to help.” This was aimed at Click. Which wasn’t surprising as he was the pretty boy of the group. All the ladies loved him and he knew it. The only person who loved Click more was himself.

“No problem.” He smiled back. All flirty blue eyes and flashing white teeth that I wanted to punch into the back of his mouth. “Can’t have our new neighbour lugging boxes up and down the stairs can we.” Throwing back his head he laughed.

My eyebrow arched up. “New neighbour?”

“Yeah.” The apples of her cheek heated. “I’ve just signed the lease on 502.”

“Oh our floor then, awesome.” Only I didn't know why I had said it like that. Having a kid on our floor was not awesome. And having a woman as pretty as the kids mum was , wasn’t going to be great either because I could already see my club brothers' interest in her.

I wanted to scream that I had seen her first but technically that wasn’t true.

“Yeah, you have any problems you just knock on any of our doors.” Phantom said and my head snapped around to him. Phantom rarely spoke. 

My eyes widened. Was he fucking smiling?

He smiled even less than he spoke.

This was turning into a shit show and fast. We had been here for two years now. Moving from our chapter of the Lost Reapers and following psych down and it had been a good two years. Our president Raven was a good man and he runned the club well. But we had all agreed that it was a little boring.

We worked and we rode and we fucked. And that was it. I knew personally that I was craving more. Excitement or adventure or- my eyes found Molly again. Taking her all in.

Maybe what I was craving was something more meaningful? It wasn’t like I was a kid anymore. 

And there was something about her that piqued my interest.

Unfortunately looking at my club brothers face I could see that they were interested as well.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dagger grin at Click and it didn't take a genius that they were thinking along the same lines as I was.

Maybe having a gorgeous neighbour was just the distraction we needed from the mundane life we had fallen into.

“Here.” Click rushed foward, pushing open the door to the harsh concrete stairs because yet again the lift in our building was out of order. “Go on up and open the door. Let us do all the heavy lifting. A pretty thing like you shouldn’t be all sweaty-“

Unless it’s under one of us, I added silently and knew it was  what he was thinking.

What they were all thinking.

She blushed and I let out a grumble because she was smiling at him like all women smiled at him. Like he had hung to the stars for her.

“I honestly can’t thank you enough.” She gave over the last of her boxes happily and taking her daughters hand began to walk up the stairs ahead of us.

None of us moved, we were all too busy watching her ass move under the jeans she was wearing. 

“Oh it’s our pleasure.” Dagger said under his breath. His eyes glued to her butt.

“Yeah.” The others agreed quietly. 

The inky person who didn’t say a thing was me. And that was because I was too busy doing what phantom usually excelled at.

Brooding.

Because damn I wished I’d seen her first.