Beasts & Burdens I 2 CHAPTER SAMPLE!

1- Welcome To My Leather Jungle

Sarin

Air conditioning was a godsend. Cool blasts of air trickled over the front desk where I sat in my cozy padded chair, my drawing pad perched on my lap as "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC streamed through the sound system in the small shop. Through the walls and over the hum of the tattoo guns was the distinct clanging of metal tools. Around lunch time, a few prospects would filter into the shop from next door, looking to snatch up whatever was left of the pizza Tiny had ordered. It was Friday, and Tiny always ordered pizza on Fridays.

The door chimed as a large man covered in wall-to-wall tattoos headed in, and the minute it opened, the hot breaths of Mother Nature swept into the cool shop and slapped me square in the face, reminding me just how brutal this July day was. Rather than sweat like a turkey saying their final prayers in the oven, I preferred to spend my long summer days sheltered away from the heat, tucked away in the shop where I'd worked full-time since graduating Junior College with my AA degree in Art.

I looked up at the shop's newcomer and smiled. "Hey, Gator. You here for Digger?"

"Yeah. Gettin' my knuckles retouched. Can I go back, Beauty?" he asked with a flirty wink.

I successfully hid the cringe because I absolutely hated when the dudes who frequented the shop called me that. It was a childhood nickname that derived from my dad being "Beast" Heyman. People across the county knew who I was the minute they laid eyes on me simply because of him. A running joke since the time I wore frilly pink dresses as a kid, people called me the little Beauty to his Beast. I used to think it was charming until I learned quickly that happy endings were a load of crap.

I yelled over my shoulder, "Digger, your appointment's here!"

After a few awkward moments, Digger sauntered over to the front desk. His wild shoulder-length, sandy blonde hair was stringy from the humidity outside, and he tried in vain to brush it out of his face.

"Head on back, Gator." He waved in the direction of his set-up before directing his attention back on me. "You got some time after your next client to finish my ink? I wanna get my back piece done before the heat really picks up."

"Yeah, I got time. Doing a club ink for Paco's old lady. Easy peasy lemon squeezy if you ask me. I could spit out brands in my sleep," I replied, not looking up as I finished the shading on the intricate skull drawing with the series of serpents twisting around it.

"Sounds good, Sarin." He paused as he looked over my shoulder at my art tablet. "Shitfire girl, that's a beaut. Maybe I should have you ink that on the empty spot on my chest."

I looked up with an appreciative smile, but he glanced away after a brief lingering moment, and all I could muster was an inward sigh. I knew Digger was interested, a lot of guys were, but when you rode with the Assassins, you learned quickly that the Prez's daughter was forbidden territory. Digger might've been a full-patched member, but unless Daddy Dearest gave his blessing, it would mean his fingers if he tried to make a move. And truth be told, I was more interested in his inking talents than I was in him.

When he reluctantly turned to head to his station, I set down my art tablet. "I'm gonna head next door before Red gets here."

"Cool. I'll have Tiny catch the phones till you get back," Digger replied as he started gathering his supplies.

When the warm air hit my face, I cringed. Heavy and humid wasn't the greeting I wanted. Growing up, summers in North Carolina were always something I looked forward to, and ever since I was a little girl, all I ever wanted was to spend my summer days on some crowded beach with the waves slapping against my feet. When I got older, those desires started to change, especially when I realized just how miserable summers could be around these parts.