Free Broken but Breathing (Jinx Tattoos Book 2) by Shyla Colt

been when she first arrived.
    §
    Snake
    His mind went to Es for the millionth time. How is she handling the holiday? Valentine’s Day tended to be a big deal for most traditional couples. He took out his cell phone and shot her a text.
    Support check in. ~ Snake
    I’m okay. Hit a rough patch. ~ Es
    He sympathized. The first few years solo were the hardest. The time before you lost them was still fresh along with the grief, and the haze that slowed down time.
    Anything, I can do? ~ Snake
    They’d gotten closer over the past month, texting back and forth and slowly getting to know and trust one another. It was rare for him to have a female companion he wasn’t sleeping with. He dug her ability to truly get where he was coming from and make him laugh. The girl could dish it out and take it. It made for fun times. He didn’t have to censure himself or worry that she’d be offended by his brothers. As long as they didn’t direct their bullshit toward her, she was solid.
    Nah, I worked it out. ~ Es
    Her response made him snicker. Look at this Billy bad ass.
    Yeah? You’re getting to be a real hard ass, huh? Maybe I’m a bad influence. ~ Snake
    You wish. I won’t give you credit for my hard-earned street cred. ~ Es
    He barked a laugh. Look at Ms. Mouth, coming into her own. He couldn’t help but feel he had something to do with how far she’d come. He looked at himself as her mentor in a way. She had some support, but they were looking for the woman she’d once been, not understanding that person would never exist again. Misfortune left a mark on you. It split your soul into pieces, and once you put yourself back together, you found yourself permanently altered.
    “Look at this guy. Did he finally get a girlfriend or what?”
    Snake looked up at the loud mouthed nomad who’d hit the clubhouse late last night. The dark-haired man with cold coal black eyes, and reputation for starting fights rose red flags. Men could get squirrelly on the road.
    “You mean you don’t have female friends, Duke?” Snake asked.
    “Don’t need a bitch to hold my hand and make me giggle like a little girl. They make you soft.”
    Snake arched an eyebrow. Duke was baiting him. You don’t want any, motherfucker. I’d break your road worn ass.
    “Maybe you,” Snake said, returning to his phone.
    You got jokes, cute. ~ Snake
    “No, motherfucker, I’m talking about you. How can you be my V.P when you’re love struck and giggling—”
    Snake stood. “You’ve been on the road too long. You come in here talking that shit out of your ass. I could fuck you up. But it’s Valentine’s Day and I have other plans so I’m going to give you a chance to apologize, and get your shit together before your mouth cashes a check your ass can’t cover.”
    Snake’s muscles flexed as he stared down the man who stood with pursed lips.
    “Yeah, sorry about that, Veep.”
    “Next time, I’m putting you on your ass. Go have some drinks, get laid, and chill the fuck out.”
    Duke nodded, and slinked off like a wounded animal licking its wound. He watched his retreat, never taking his eyes off his back until he disappeared into the crowd.
    “The fuck?” a member mumbled beside him.
    Snake shook his head. “Brother got his brain scrambled driving in the hot sun. I’d hate to welcome a man home with an ass whopping.”
    Laughter rang out, breaking the tension. Snake smirked. He’d be watching him while he was here. Sometimes nomads went off the reservation. They had a tough job, they spent a lot of time alone, and had a lot of blood on their hands. Sometimes they needed a reprieve.
    “You got a minute?” Data asked.
    “Yeah, brother, what’s up?” Snake shifted gears as he glanced down at the lanky blond who didn’t look like he belonged to the club, sans his cut. The white-blond streaks covered half his round baby face, making his green eyes seem even larger. He looked sixteen instead of his twenty-six.
    “I think it’s better if I show