Ink Reunited by Carrie Ann Ryan Read Free Book Online Page A

we’d be
best friends.”
    Sassy rolled her eyes but
leaned into his touch, keeping her hands on Ian. “She gave me a job at your
father’s shop and I learned how to do something I was good at.”
    “You always ran us better than
even my mom,” Rafe teased. “She loved that you took up her role as the shop’s
receptionist.”
    “I loved it too,” she said
warmly, remembering how she’d learned to live in a family rather than in the
cold mausoleum of her childhood. “I made friends, had a full stomach for the
first time in years, and learned to take care of myself without having to fight
for it.” She turned to Ian. “Then you showed up at the shop with a flat tire a
couple years later and I was lost.”
    Ian kissed her brow and leaned
back. “It always surprised me that you and Rafe were never together before I
showed up.”
    “She was too much a part of
the family before you were there,” Rafe explained.
    “He’s right. I was almost a
sister at that point.”
    Rafe barked out a laugh. “Oh
no, baby, I wouldn’t say that. You were way too sexy, even at eighteen, for me
to think of you as anything other than someone who was part of the family that
I needed to stay clear away from if I wanted to stay on my mom’s good side.”
    Sassy chuckled, already
feeling at ease thinking of the good memories rather than dwelling on the
painful ones.
    Those would come eventually.
    “As soon as Ian showed up, I
don’t know, it was like I couldn’t hold back the attraction anymore.”
    “Thank God you went all in,
because those couple years of living in the same house as you but having to act
all good and not into you about killed me,” Sassy teased.
    Ian snorted and ran his hand
down her back, soothing her. His hand brushed against her ass and she had to
hold herself back from jumping him. As soon as she finished what she was
saying, they could move on. It didn’t make sense to leave everything unsaid
where it could fester.
    “Then the three of us
were…us.” She sighed. “I loved it. I loved you both as a young girl and I
wouldn’t have changed that year. It hurts so goddamn much to think about what
happened at the end, but I wouldn’t change anything about what led us there.”
    “We don’t have to lose what we
had,” Rafe put in.
    “No, we already lost it,”
Sassy countered. “But we can try for something new. Building on the past and
whatifs will only hurt us. I’m already liking the men you’ve become, and I sure
as hell like who I am now. If we start again where we ended, we’d lose
everything we’ve gained since.”
    “I was a fucking prick to step
away. I’ve said it before and I’d say it again but I think you’re tired of
hearing it. I won’t walk away because of fear.” Ian gripped her chin, forcing
her gaze to his. “I promise.”
    She noticed he’d tacked on the
qualifier to his not walking away, and she put that back for later. None of
them were talking marriage, babies and commitment. At least she certainly wasn’t.
    “One thing I will say though
is that if I hadn’t left, if I hadn’t been forced to move on, I wouldn’t have
found Midnight Ink.” She stepped away from Ian and Rafe and looked down at the
ink on her arms. “I had only a few small ones when I met you and now I’m inked
all over. I love it. I love my job and who I get to help daily. I love the
family that I’ve made. So yes, what happened sucked. God, that’s not even a
good word for it. What happened shattered everything I thought I had and needed,
but I grew up because of it. Each step I’ve taken has made me stronger and made
me…Sassy. I love who I am, boys, and I’m not going to change that. What I will
say though is this, who I am needs the two of you.” At least for right now. She
couldn’t think beyond that or it would be too much.
    Ian growled slightly and moved
closer, Rafe on his tail. “This ink?” His finger traced her arm again and a
shudder ripped through her at the promise of what