Nash (42 page)

that statement even if Rule was her
only
uncle.

I didn’t tell either of them that I was going to hire her regardless of her qualifications because Phil had

asked me to. He had some kind of plan and he had only been gone a few weeks, so I was still feeling the

resonating loss and paying forward his crazy scheme seemed necessary.

The “she” in question had quite frankly knocked all three of us on our collective asses. I mean, I knew

she was probably going to be easy on the eyes being a pinup model and all, but in person she was

something else.

Salem Cruz was without a doubt the prettiest rock-and-roll chick I had ever laid eyes on and I could tell

Rule agreed. She had a full sleeve tattooed on each arm, one classic Catholic images mixed with riotous Day

of the Dead artwork and the other all old-school, Sailor Jerry–inspired work. She had long, caramel-

colored hair that had a bloodred streak in the front of it, complete with swooping curls on top and long

waves hanging down the back. Her eyes were as dark as the midnight sky, and I liked the way they twinkled

like she knew something the rest of us didn’t. She was average height, but there was nothing average about

the curves she was rocking, and all her retro glamour was topped off by a face that men in classic literature

went to war for. She was the perfect blend of fifties pinup, rockabilly cool, and Latina sex goddess. She

was just all-around impressive.

If her looks alone hadn’t been enough to convince me that she would get people in the door, her

credentials were. It was her résumé and sassy, take-no-shit demeanor that sold Cora. Salem wasn’t just a

pretty face, she had been tied to some of the most successful tattoo shops on the West Coast, and the shop

she left in Vegas wasn’t just some hole in the wall, it was one of those big-deal chain shops that operated in

a casino and was helmed by a famous Xtreme sports guy. In all actuality the stuff we were starting in D-

town was small and totally new compared to where she came from, and I think Phil knew it. She also had a

hand in designing and marketing her own clothing label, so really there was no way we couldn’t offer her

the job.

The three of us walked out of the office Cora had commandeered and Rule handed baby R.J. back to

her mom. The baby looked around the still-work-in-progress retail space and made a noise. I totally agreed

with her. Expanding was a lot harder than I had initially thought and I couldn’t wait until it was all said and

done.

The brunette was wandering around, taking stock, sizing things up, and I had to wonder why she was

willing to come somewhere so different, somewhere that was just starting up, when obviously she could

write her own ticket anywhere she wanted in the tattooing world. She turned and watched us approach, her

dark eyes dancing.

“How did it go?”

Cora laughed and kissed Remy on the forehead. “At this point I’m ready to hire a stranger off the street.

We are too busy, need the help, and the fact you can run circles around anyone else we’ve seen makes it a

no-brainer. Plus this place could use another female in the mix.”

Salem’s bright red lips quirked up in a smile. She had a ruby-red Monroe piercing that lifted with her

full lips. “I think it’s going to be a good time. The shop is beautiful. I think with a few little touches you are

sitting on a gold mine up here in the clouds. There is a lot of opportunity sitting right at your fingertips.”

Cora rolled her eyes and jiggled the baby, who started to holler just a little bit. She was going to give her

mom a run for her money in the loud and bossy department down the road.

“Trust me, the old carnival theme totally fits. These guys are all clowns and half the time it really is like

being part of a sideshow.” I gave Cora a dirty look, but didn’t disagree with her statement.

I nodded at Salem and extended the offer. “As long as you’re okay with the pay and think you can

handle working hand in hand with us, the job is yours. I think we’d be lucky to have you, and Phil thought

you would be a perfect fit, so that matters to me. We’re a family, though, so be prepared to deal with the

nonsense that comes with that.”

Rule grunted and reached out to shake her hand. “Welcome aboard. The crazy train is always looking

for new passengers.” He bent and kissed the baby much like Cora had done, and straightened back up. “I

gotta head home. Shaw’s been under the weather for the last few days. I need to check on her. She was

green when I left.”

Cora looked up at him and lifted her eyebrow that had the pink crystal piercing in it.

“I don’t think there’s any stomach things going around. I pay attention now because of the baby.”

He lifted his shoulders and shrugged. “I dunno. She’s miserable, though.”

Cora looked speculative, but we were all interrupted by the thud of heavy boots on the stairs that led up

from the shop floor. The only other person that had a key was Rowdy, so I wasn’t surprised when his

blond pompadour cleared the second floor.

“Hey, Zeb called and had an awesome idea about putting old fun-house mirrors up here when we get

around to having the store open. You know to tie everything together …”

His voice trailed off and his ocean-blue eyes popped open so wide they nearly took up his entire face.

His jaw unhinged and all he could do was gape at the Spanish beauty standing with us. I looked back and

forth between the two of them. She was smiling like a huge secret had been revealed and he looked like he

had just seen a ghost.

Salem’s high heels tapped a sexy little beat as she walked toward the stairs. Rowdy was stuck, like he

was glued to the spot with industrial adhesive. I saw Cora give Rule a questioning look, and when they

both turned to me, all I could do was shrug helplessly. I didn’t have a clue what was happening either.

“Hello, Rowland. It’s been a long time.” She trailed her bloodred fingertip across the bridge of his nose.

“You sure did grow up nice.”

Rowdy gulped so loud that it was actually audible and stayed stuck to the floor.

“Who in the hell is Rowland?” It was a valid question but no one seemed in a hurry to answer Rule

when he asked it.

Salem stopped in front of Rowdy so they were eye to eye, only because she was clad in some serious

heels and he was still down a step. She put a hand on his cheek and gave it a little tap, which had him

rearing back and blinking like an owl.

“Salem?” The question sounded strangled and forced out. I had never seen Rowdy so dumbfounded.

He was the charmer, the jokester. He always had something to say. What in the hell was happening here?

And why did I think this was exactly what my dad had been orchestrating all along?

The brunette looked back over her shoulder, her sleek fall of hair moving like something out of a

movie. She winked, actually winked at us, and started down the stairs.

“Strike that, it’s going to be a great time. See you guys at work on Monday. E-mail me whatever forms

you need me to fill out.”

Her shoes clicked and tapped on the way down the stairs while the rest of us just stood there in silence.

After a long minute, Rowdy shook his head like he was coming out of a daze and walked the rest of the

way into the loft.

“Rowland?” He glared at me.

“Like you have room to talk,
Nashville
.”

Good point, but I was still going to give him shit every chance I got.

Cora’s mix-and-match eyes were practically glowing as she shifted the baby to one arm and grabbed

Rowdy’s shirtfront with her free hand.

“Is that her? Is that the one?”

I didn’t know what “the one” meant, but when Rowdy shook his head in the negative, Cora looked

super disappointed.

“No, not her … but that is her sister.”

Cora gasped and Rule and I just looked at each other in confusion.

“Someone want to fill us in?”

Rowdy sighed and lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck.

“When I was in foster care growing up in Texas, Salem and her little sister, Poppy, lived next door.

Their dad was the minister in the town that we lived in. He was really, really strict with both the girls. They

were very different, turned out opposite. Salem got out as soon as she could and Poppy broke my heart

when I tried to give it to her. What in the hell is she doing here?”

I sent a sideways look at Rule and he just bit his lip ring.

“She’s the new shop manager. We just hired her.”

The big blond man looked like he was going to either pass out or throw up.

“Are you serious?”

Cora nodded solemnly and patted him on the shoulder. “Nash offered her the job. It’s legally binding.

Are you going to be okay with that?”

He rubbed one of his sideburns and looked around at all of us like he was kind of lost.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not really.” I hated to break it to him.

“I think I just need a minute to get over the shock. I haven’t seen her since I was eighteen and getting

ready to start college. That was when everything went to shit with Poppy. I can’t believe Salem is here.”

“She’s very beautiful.” Cora’s tone was gentle and placating.

Rowdy’s blond eyebrows shot up and he sarcastically drawled, “I didn’t notice.”

Rule barked out a laugh. “Then you’re blind.”

I cleared my throat and everyone turned to look at me. “Phil wanted her here. He set it all in motion.

How much do you want to bet he knew all along your tie to her? He didn’t just pick her name out of a hat.”

Rowdy swore. “Why would he do that to me?”

“He had his reasons.” Love couldn’t be negotiated with, I would remember that forever.

Rowdy frowned at me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

All I could do was grin. He would find out soon enough.

“You’ll see. Now I want to go home to my girlfriend and love all up on her.” Nothing had ever made me

happier than being able to say that anytime I wanted. Saint was the person I was always going to want at the

end of the day, I just knew it.

Cora held up R.J., who held her little arms out as she tried to grab on to my nose ring. That damn thing

was a tiny hand magnet.

“Be careful, this is what that results in.” She cut a sideways look to Rule, who completely missed it.

“By the way, tell Zeb yes to the fun-house mirrors. That guy is a goddamn genius.” I really was in awe

of the contractor’s immense talent.

Rowdy muttered his agreement to pass the news along to his friend as we all made our way out of the

shop.

I wanted to feel bad for him, to tell him that it would all be okay, but just like the rest of us, he was

going to have to get there on his own. The journey to
the one
wasn’t always easy. The baggage from the

past could be heavy and totally unwieldy, and the drop-offs and curves could make a man ready to get off

the road at any second, but there was no better destination, no better end point than the love and the woman

offering it that waited at the end.

The Marked Men return in October 2014 with …

ROWDY

After the only girl he ever loved told him he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the

Texas dust off his boots and decided he was going to do everything in his power to live up to his nickname.

Life was all about a good time, good friends and never taking much too seriously. Rowdy learned his lesson

early on, when you care that much about anything it can destroy you, and he never wants to risk feeling like

that again. Only now he has a new coworker, a ghost from the past who’s making him question every

lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in a house with too many rules, too many regulations, and no fun allowed. That

never worked for her so she left it all behind as soon as she could, but she never forgot the sweet, blue-

eyed boy next door who’d been in love with her little sister. Fate and good intentions from an old friend

have placed her right in Rowdy’s path and she’s determined to show him he picked the wrong sister all

those years ago. A mission that is going along perfectly until the one person that ties them together shows

up and could very well tear them back apart.

Click
here
to pre-order now

Nash and Saint’s Playlist

Blood or Whiskey: “Never Be Me”

Band of Skulls: “Fires”; “Navigate”

The Pixies: “Holiday Song”

Deadstring Brothers: “Silver Mountain”

Drive-By Truckers: “Everybody Needs Love”; “Lookout Mountain”

Dropkick Murphys: “Echoes on ‘A.’ Street”

The Kills: “Heart Is a Beating Drum”

The Vines: “Outtathaway”

The Tossers: “Alone”

Flatfoot 56: “Son of Shame”

Her Space Holiday: “No More Good Ideas”

Sea Wolf: “The Cold, the Dark, and the Silence”; “Song for the Dead”

The Pogues: “If I Should Fall from Grace with God”; “(And the Band Played) Waltzing Matilda”

Johnny Cash: “Danny Boy”