Dauntless (Sons of Templar MC 5)

Rosie snatched a Twinkie and sank on the sofa. “Okay, we’ve either got the world’s deadliest women or real life inspiration for the most famous horror movies,” she said, squinting at the screen. “I’m voting for the world’s deadliest women. Might give me some tools to escape the latest clinger.” She winked at me. Rosie had only just resumed her dating routine since I got back, and it took serious urging from me before she did so.

“Sounds good to me,” Lily agreed, taking her place on Rosie’s floral armchair and placing a hefty textbook on her lap.

I regarded them both. “Don’t you guys have something better to do than babysit me and watch this crap?” I nodded to the TV. “Lily, you’ve got school and a husband to ravish you.” I looked to Rosie. “You’ve got a job and a population of men to conquer. You don’t need to be here waiting for me to break down. Just keep the loony bin on speed dial, leave me the number, and I’m set.”

Rosie frowned at me, then Lily. “I happen to like finding out how various serial killers evaded capture and their murder techniques. It’s valuable information. I don’t have work today, and my conquering will wait. Lily?”

Lily looked at Rosie. “I like it too. And it serves as a valuable study tool for my current subject.” She held up the textbook on psychology. “Plus, my husband is busy so he can’t ravish me. I’m exactly where I need to be.”

I looked between them, sighing. There was no convincing them when they were ganging up on me.

I rolled my eyes and sank beside Rosie. “Okay, serial killers it is.”

My tone may have been nonchalant but I was selfishly thankful for each woman’s presence, despite the fact I was disrupting their lives. I didn’t quite trust myself with solitude just yet.

“This is unacceptable,” I said, sitting up from my reclined position on the sofa.

Rosie kept her gaze on the TV. “If you’re talking about that dress with those shoes, I totally agree.”

We’d moved on from serial killers to real housewives. Not much of a change, though there were less severed limbs in this one.

“No, not that.” I glanced to the TV. “Okay, not just that. This.” I gestured down to my body. The oversized and stained tee I was wearing, the blanket I was clutching like a five-year-old held onto a safety blanket. I let it go and it fell to the floor. “Me hiding inside like a… coward,” I declared.

Lily sat up, her face hard. “You’re not a coward, Bex. You’re the strongest person I know,” she argued.

I gazed at her. “Because sitting here binge-watching TV shows and not changing my shirt for two days is brave?”

“Breathing is brave after what you went through, babe,” Rosie put in, her attention no longer on the TV.

“Yeah, well, life’s more than just breathing,” I said to both of them. “Let’s do something.”

Lily looked concerned. “What?”

I rolled my eyes. “Calm down, Lils. I’m not suggesting we go and score some hard drugs.”

She didn’t look amused at my joke, although Rosie grinned because she was insane.

I thought for a second. “I want to get a tattoo.”

“I’m in,” Rosie said immediately. She stood. “I’ll text my guy and put on my tattoo-getting outfit.” Then she left the room, presumably to put on her ‘tattoo-getting outfit.’

Insanity loved company.

Lily looked less keen. She chewed her lip. “Do you think this is the best idea?” she asked softly. “Making such a permanent decision when you’re so….”

“Such a fucking mess?” I finished for her.

She leaned forward to squeeze my hand. “That’s not what I was going to say. When you’re still recovering.”

I looked at her. “I’m always gonna be recovering, babe. That’s my life now. I can wallow in it, or I can live in it.” I paused. “I need something permanent when everything else feels so temporary. When I feel so temporary.”

Her eyes flickered with understanding. “Okay, we’ll do it.”

I raised a brow. “We?”

She grinned. “You’re my best friend, my sister. You think I’d let you do anything alone?”

“Okay, when your husband kills me, can you tell him to keep away from the face? I want an open casket,” I spoke over the buzzing of the tattoo gun.

Lily scowled at me. “He’s not going to kill you.” Apart from the scowl, she looked relatively relaxed. Who would have thought little Lily wouldn’t even blink as a man injected ink into her skin.

I gazed down at the design. “Um, yes, I think he will. You’re his ‘delicate little flower.’ I’m leading you astray and marking your pretty virgin skin. He’s totally going to kill me.”

Lily regarded me. “If Asher’s going to kill you, then Lucky’s going to kill me.”

I stiffened. Actually froze.

“He’s not going to anything,” I replied, trying to stop my voice from shaking. “Because he’s not going to see this.” I glanced down at the fresh tattoo that was bright pink around the edges.