Broken but Breathing (Jinx Tattoos 2)

Taking a deep breath, he nodded.

“You listen to her. She’s got her head on straight. I’m counting on you to keep him walking the straight and narrow.”

“I will.” The determination in her voice made him smile. She had a lot of bite for a little thing.

“I’ll contact you tomorrow once I receive the papers from their lawyer. If you don’t find the terms agreeable, we can negotiate. For now, I think you should go cool down, and remember, you need to lay low until this is taken care of.”

“Understood,” Snake said, eager to leave the office and blow off steam. The room began to shrink around them. He rose and hurried from the office, desperate for fresh air and distraction.

“Are you okay?” Es asked as they stood by his bike.

“Hard to swallow all the things I want to say, but I’ll do whatever it takes to get my little girl back.”

“I know you will, love.” She ran her hand down his arm. “What can I do?”

“Just be here with me,

like you are. You up for a long ride?”

“Let’s go.”

§

Two hours later, he pulled up in front of a large grey stone building that resembled a castle. Ravenwood Castle had always intrigued him. It was a throwback to his childhood when he wanted to be a knight.

“Did you bring me to a castle?” she asked as he dismounted the bike.

He laughed. “Yeah, I guess I did. I figured it’d be impossible to stay pissed at a castle. This has been on my bucket list for a long time now. Let’s hope they have a room available.”

“Seeing how it’s a Wednesday night, I think we’ve got a good shot at it.”

He offered his arm, and they made their way inside.

“Good afternoon, how may I help you?” a tall brunette in her mid-thirties with a bright white smile and kind brown eyes asked.

He glanced at her name tag. Christine.

“Hi Christine. My lady and I happened by and we thought we’d see if you have any rooms available. I’ve been eyeing this place for years.”

“You’re in luck, we have a few. Did you have a preference of where you’d like to stay?” Christine asked.

“If you have a room in the castle that would be great.”

She smiled. “We have two actually. The Empress Matilda Suite, and The Duke’s Dungeon.”

“What’s the difference between the two?” he asked, holding Es to his side.

“Well, the Duke’s Dungeon is more masculine with tans, beige, and brown décor. The Empress has feminine touches with a turquoise color scheme. They both have balconies and fireplaces, perfect for a cozy night in.”

The mention of the color turquoise made him smile. “We’ll take the Empress.”

“Excellent choice. How long will you be staying?”

“Just tonight.”

Christine typed in her computer. “I do want to tell you guys about breakfast from eight-thirty to ten in the Great Hall. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss out on.”

“We’ll be sure to take that in,” Snake said.