Ink (The Haven Series) Read Free Page A

when we’re outta this shit-storm.”
    But even with a call in to his club and back-up on the way, they were far from in the clear. A shout from the street let them know Colton’s abandoned ride had been spotted and sent them both onto their feet.
    “There another way outta here?” the biker demanded, grabbing Callie’s arm to trail her further from the door.
    “Upstairs. There’s a fire escape out into the alleyway, one of those collapsible ones.”
    He let her lead the way, amid the sound of the front door already being kicked in - glass shattering and wood splintering. “Move it!” he urged, pushing her ahead of him. They both stumbled in their haste as they hurried out onto the fire escape and Callie reached to try to tug the ladder down, unable to budge it.
    “It’s stuck!” she panicked, moving aside to let Colton try. But even he could only force it to drop about halfway.
    “That’ll have to do.”
    “What? Are you out of your mind? I can’t! ”
    “ Tough fucking shit,” he snapped, seeming to realise he’d have to go first, but that there was a very real danger she wouldn’t follow him. “It ain’t that far.” And despite her protests, he was already pushing past her to clamber down the steel ladder and then let himself drop to the ground. He landed heavily, but in a crouch that cushioned his fall. “Now you.”
    “Colt, I can’t ...” she said, all but whimpering. She hated being forced into the damsel in distress routine – but not nearly as much as she hated heights. She felt sick at the thought of even setting foot on that rickety ladder.
    “Don’t you fucking dare pussy out on me!” Colton stared up at her trembling figure like he expected to see her grabbed from behind at any moment by his aggressors. “Get your goddamn ass down here – now! ”
    Biting her lip, Callie manoeuvred herself onto the ladder, clinging on for grim death and too scared to move.
    “That’s it – just climb down as far as you can and I’ll catch you. I ain’t gonna let you fall,” he said, trying to hide a wince of pain as he stretched up towards her and not quite succeeding. “That’s it, nearly there ... Now, let go. Callie, let go! ”
    And squeezing her eyes shut, she let herself drop with a muffled squeak of fear. The feeling of falling only lasted for a few seconds before it was broken by strong arms wrapped around her denim-clad thighs and she found herself sliding down Colton’s chest until he’d set her on her feet. He held her to him as her legs threatened to give way, her hands gripping his shoulders and his blood smeared on her t-shirt.
    “Fuck ...”
    ***
    “Ain’t nothin’.”
    Jolted out of her reminiscing of sorts by the gruff assurance, Callie raised an eyebrow at his dismissal of his latest wound, but said nothing as she returned her focus to his tattoo. “Good. I’m not up for jumping off any more buildings,” she said, managing a lopsided grin for him and getting something that might almost have been a smile in return. “And you be careful, yeah? I’d hate to see my hard work ruined.”
    That really did draw a little smirk as he lay back and let his eyes close. The night’s work and morning’s run-in with the cops drifted to the back of his mind as he once again found that this was the place to come to recharge. The sound of her needle was almost comforting in its familiarity.
    Maybe his day could turn around after all. And if hers did too - well, he probably owed her that much. So he simply closed his eyes, losing himself in the hum of the tattoo gun in steady bursts and letting his mind ...drift.
    ***

    CHAPTER 3
    Between the pull of the needle and the heat of the small studio, it was a strange kind of catharsis. Not everyone’s idea of escape. With his eyes still closed against the brightness of the lamp above him, Colton folded his free arm behind his head. A lit cigarette idled between the fingers of his other hand as it hung by his side, health and safety be