“Yep.” Dom grumbled, killing the engine and hopping out of the car.
Leo turned from the front, glaring at me over her shoulder. “Try to play nice for five minutes?”
I threw my hands up with a scoff. “It was just a question…”
Before we could get into it, Kiera popped open her door, and Leo did the same. I followed them out with a huff, trying to hide my sour expression before Dom saw me.
As we walked next door, I could see Kiera chewing on her lip.
“Sorry, Bunny.”
“For what?” She asked, her brows creasing as she looked up at me with those precious emerald eyes.
“Doc’s right. Tonight’s about you. No more bickering from me.”
“Whatever you say,” she teased. But even as she tried to brush the apology off, I could see the tension easing from her posture already.
As we passed the alley between the shops, Kiera glanced down it with a frown, scanning for her pup, no doubt.
We’d been leaving dog food out for weeks now. But the latest can was still untouched, and I knew the worry was eating at Kiera.
It was sweet how much she cared. The little furrow in her brows as she pouted down the alley melted my heart. To be fair, I was concerned too. That dog was young to be out on its own.
But we had tried. And if it had moved on, there wasn’t much we could do.
“Maybe tomorrow…” Kiera muttered under her breath.
I couldn’t help but smile. “Maybe.”
Once we passed the alley, there was only one thing left waiting for us: Kiera’s mark.
For me, stepping back into the tattoo shop was like visiting home. Between my years in Laniidae and my time with Violence, I’d spent plenty of nights in C.J.’s chair. And when she wasn’t doing my tattoos, she was always happy to have us hang around the shop to keep her company — even if she liked to pretend otherwise.
“What’s up, Ceej?” I called as the bell dinged over the door, announcing our arrival.
The music was already blaring with the usual alt-punk bangers, and the retro leather couches were full from end to end with familiar faces. And somewhere in the chaos — the back of the shop, I’d wager — C.J. was ignoring my call.
Whatever, can’t ignore me forever.
But while I felt right at home, Kiera had to be totally overwhelmed. She shifted nervously when a few of the sorority sisters on the couch gave her the once over, but all it took was one whisper from a biker to let them know that she was already spoken for.
Just in case the message hadn’t hit home, I laid my palm over her back, pulling her closer. “You sure you’re ready for this, Bunny?”
“Of course I am,” she nodded, a bit too fervently. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
I could think of a litany of reasons, but none of them would make Kiera feel any better. So instead, I shrugged as I smiled down at her. “I just want to make sure you’re taken care of, baby.”
Before Kiera could question me further, C.J. popped her head out from the small room in the back. “Hey, Dom. Ready when she is!”
“You’ve got it,” Dom called back before barking over her shoulder to Kiera. “Come on.”
My hackles raised at her tone. But getting into a fight with Dom right now was the last thing Kiera needed.
So instead, I swallowed down my irritation and wrapped Kiera’s hand in mine. “It’s show time.”
But despite my attempts to comfort her, Kiera’s nerves only grew the farther we strode into the shop. By the time she was stenciled and ready to go in the back room, all she could do was hover in front of the chair.
“Is something wrong?” Dom asked in what I’m sure she thought was a reassuring tone.
