Free Shattered & Scarred: The Sacred Hearts MC by A. J. Downey Page B

obably would have been tagged ‘Mouse’ rather than ‘Sunshine’ in my brain.
    She stared transfixed at what I was doing.  Golden gaze locked, as I pretty mercilessly ground some blue ink around the image on Donnie’s shoulder. He was into MMA fighting and had requested an arctic fox on the swell of his left shoulder. The blue was going around the fox to bring it out more. Donnie Fox was his fighting name, hence the tattoo.
    “Doesn’t that hurt?” she asked when I paused to reload on ink.
    “What do you think P rincess?” Donnie grunted and I wiped the area a little harder than was necessary. He cracked an eyelid in my direction. I shook my head and gave him a warning look. He frowned.
    “I’ve never been in a place like this before.” Ashton murmured and looked around. Donnie and I both looked at her. Come to think of it, I’d seen her pretty much naked and she didn’t have any ink.
    “How old are you anyways?” Donnie asked.
    “Thirty.” Ashton murmured.
    Donnie snorted. “Bull shit!”
    Come to think of it, Chris had let her right on back here, I would have checked her ID and made sure she was eighteen… Fuck that lazy fucking fuck! Of course Dragon had been with her, so that would have pretty much put a stop to any questions. Chris knew better than to question the big man. Dragon my not be as tall but the fucker was built like a brick shit house and Chris, for a stoner, was a twig by comparison. Ripe for the snapping.
    “Last December.” She affirmed. Donnie looked at her, and I mean really looked at her this time.
    “What happened to your face?” he asked. Eyes narrowed. Ashton averted her eyes, staring up at a piece of stencil artwork I had framed up on the wall, the mat had several holes cut for photos of the piece alongside it, show casing four of the stages. Before, stencil, line and shading art and finally the finished colored piece.
    I watched Ashton and wondered if she was going to answer.
    “My ex-husband happened.” She said simply and I was proud of her. She’d said ex. Not ‘my husband happened’ but ‘my ex -husband.’ I wanted to cheer.
    “You tune him up yet?” Donnie asked me.
    “Naw.” I said and went back to work on him.
    “Call me you want a hand.” He said. Ashton looked a mixture of awed and horrified but remained silent. Her golden eyes were haunted and I sighed. She was still afraid but hopefully given enough time that would fade.
    I finished Donnie up, slathered his tat and bandaged it.
    “Two hours, take off the bandage. If it’s stuck, soak it in water. If you shower, avoid getting it directly into the spray for a while. Keep it moist, make an appointment in three weeks for any touch ups.” I said.
    “Thanks man.” Donnie got up and we clasped hands. He pulled me into a man hug and slapped my back.
    “See you around, pay Chris on your way out.” I said.
    “Will do.” He picked up his hat and put it on backwards over his closely shaved head.
    I cleaned up quietly while Ashton looked on.
    “Uhm dude, I think your counterman is passed out.” I looked up, Donnie was standing at the entry way to my space and he didn’t look happy. I scowled and got up, stripping off my gloves. I cursed, low and heated and saw Ashton flinch out of the corner of my eye. I put a lid on my growing anger fast and stalked out front.
    Sure enough Chris was leaned back as far as his chair would go, eyes closed, mouth open, drooling on himself. I kicked his converse all-stars out from under him and he crashed backwards.
    “What the fuck man!” he spluttered.
    “What the fuc k is right douche bag!” I growled at him, “I’m tryin’ to run a fuckin’ business here!”
    “Dude, chill out. It’s not that serious bro.” he picked himself and the chair off the floor. Ashton ghosted up along the wall, I caught her out of the corner of my eye. I resisted the urge to beat the fuck out of the little prick.
    “Dude, you’re fucking fired.” I grated. “Get your shit and