Ashes To Ink

  Hailey made her way through the door and held back a sigh at the sound of needles buzzing and the deep voices of those speaking. She loved Montgomery Ink. It was part of her home.

  “Caffeine! I want to have your babies. Can I have your babies, sexy momma?” Maya asked as she cradled her coffee and cheese pastry.

  Hailey snorted. “Are you talking to me or the coffee?”

  Maya blinked up at her, the ring in her brow glittering under the lights. “Yes.”

  Hailey just shook her head and handed off a drink to Austin, who bussed a kiss on her cheek. His beard tickled her, and once again, she wanted to bow down at Sierra’s feet in jealousy. Seriously, the man was hot. All the Montgomerys were.

  Soon she found herself with only one drink on her tray along with a single cherry and cream cheese pastry.

  His favorite.

  Behind Maya’s work area sat another station.

  Sloane Gordon’s.

  All six-foot-four, two hundred something pounds of muscle covered in ink, his light brown skin accented perfectly by the designs. The man was sex. All sex. Sloane had shaved his head years ago. She was convinced he kept it shaved just to turn her on. He kept his beard trimmed, but that and the bald head apparently jump-started a new kink in her.

  Who knew?

  He was a decade older than Hailey, and though he didn’t speak of it, she knew he’d been through war, battle, and heartbreak.

  And she loved him.

  Only he didn’t see her. He never took a step toward her. He also looked as if he were ready to growl at her presence most of the time.

  Much like he did now.

  On behalf of 1001 Dark Nights,

  Liz Berry and M.J. Rose would like to thank ~

  Steve Berry

  Doug Scofield

  Kim Guidroz

  Jillian Stein

  InkSlinger PR

  Dan Slater

  Asha Hossain

  Chris Graham

  Fedora Chen

  Kasi Alexander

  Jessica Johns

  Dylan Stockton

  Richard Blake

  and Simon Lipskar