Free Ink & Bone (New York Crime Kings Book 5) by Skyla Madi

“So we turn the lights off.”
    At least she gets points for trying. “Perhaps I wasn’t specific enough. I’m into a brunette. One in particular.”
    “Let me guess, it’s the Emily I’ve been hearing so much about.”
    The sound of Emily’s name sobers me. What the fuck am I doing here? Why haven’t I got her back yet? “Yeah. Emily. That’s the one.”
    Holly leans in close, her long, blonde locks spilling onto the table. “You know, I spent a short amount of time with Skull once.”
    Consider my interest piqued. “Oh, yeah?”
    She nods. “He fucked me so good I still felt the aftershocks the next day. Chances are, he’s fucking Emily too. While you sit here sad and alone, I can almost guarantee that she isn’t thinking of you. Not one bit.”
    I frown as Holly’s words sink like stones to the pit of my stomach. I want to cut her tongue out of her mouth. I clench my jaw as mental images of Skull and Emily assault my brain. If Skull lays a finger on her while I’m sitting here wasting time, Joker will pay with his life. All of these fuckers will pay with their lives.
    “What’s your problem?” I snap, knocking over my empty beer bottle.
    Close bystanders pause their conversation to snoop in on the drama. I peer over Holly’s shoulder to see Joel closing the distance, his face pinched in concern. He’s been on me for days, shutting down my temper whenever I get too heated. We’re in the middle of a hornet’s nest, he’d say. Simmer down before they put a bullet in your skull. His calming technique is doing more harm than good. Second by second, minute by minute, day by day, my anger piles up, and soon someone is going to pay the price.
    Her thin red lips pull up at the corners. “What’s my problem?”
    “That’s what I asked.”
    “I don’t have a problem.”
    I hate her impish smile and dark, glistening eyes. I hate the way she stands, like she knows I’m going to sleep with her. Confidence is sexy, but it has an ugly twin and her name is Arrogance. On occasion, like now, Arrogance likes to dress up and call herself Confidence, but she rarely fools anyone.
    “I think you have a big fucking problem,” I tell her.
    “Hey,” Joel cheers, sliding onto the wooden stool on my right. He places his glass of bourbon down on the table and lowers his arm, leaving room for Monique to slip onto his lap. She also sets a glass of bourbon on the table. “What’s going on?”
    “I think your brother is a closet homo,” Holly states simply.
    I scoff, shaking my head. Hilarious.
    “Maybe your basic ass just doesn’t measure up to his standards, sweetheart.” Quirking a brow, I turn to Monique, who glares at Holly, her soft pink lips pursed into a thin line.
    Joel curses under his breath and grabs his drink.
    “And who the hell are you?”
    Monique leans her elbow on the table, pinning Holly with her angry glare. “I’m the girl who’s gonna stomp you out if you keep talking shit.”
    Holly laughs as she pulls herself off of the table and straightens her spine. “I’d drag your weak ass over this table and punch you in your pretty face if I didn’t have this moral thing about hitting children.”
    Monique smiles. “Or maybe you’re scared you’re going to get your ass handed to you.”
    Holly chuckles and turns her body in my direction. Exhaling, she presses a finger to my bicep and drags it up along my shoulder. “When you’re done playing with little girls, I’ll be in the corner, hanging with the grown women.”
    With an arrogant sway, Holly saunters from the table and melts into the crowd. Good riddance. I turn toward Monique, who totally had my back just now.
    “Who are you?” I ask incredulously, making her laugh.
    “She’s not just a pretty face,” Joel points out, sitting back on his stool. “She runs her mouth more than you do.”
    Monique rolls her eyes. Obviously, he doesn’t approve of her smart mouth, which makes their union all the more baffling. There are three