Shattered & Scarred: The Sacred Hearts MC by A. J. Downey Page B

headed and hadn’t embraced the atonement the rest of us were trying to make for our past sins. He held a big fucking grudge that we hadn’t gone after the men that had got his mom right away. We’d done it but he’d wanted his retribution fast and bloody.
    Ashton set plates of French toast, bacon and eggs in front of Reaver and I and I smiled. She was going to make us too fat and bloated to ride with all these carbs…
    “Feel like hitting the weights after this brother?” Reaver asked.
    “Read my fucking mind.” I said, shoveling a fork full of eggs into my mouth. She set a plate in front of Dragon.
    “Over easy. Thanks darlin’.” He grinned and dug in.
    “That’s disgusting.” I commented as yolk oozed like snot across his plate.
    “Shut it, you ain’t eating it.” he said.
    “Yeah and I never will.” Ashton’s laugh was a bolt out of a clear blue sky and all three of us froze.
    “What?” she asked.
    “First time we’ve heard you laugh.” Reaver supplied.
    “Looks good on you S unshine.” I said and she smiled and it lit her up like her namesake.
    “Why can’t I be you?” Reaver asked.
    “Because there’s only one of me why?” I asked.
    “Because only you go out on a run and come home with a hot chick that you just found on the side of the road.” He complained.
    Dragon laughed and I ate my breakfast. Ashton moved through the kitchen blushing and I smiled.
    Yeah, only me.
    Hours later I stripped off gloves, stood and stretched. I peeked out front and found Ashton engrossed in adding up receipts. She needed a job and just so happened I needed a counter man. It was a pain in the ass training her from scratch but at the same time that was a blessing too. This way I got someone guaranteed to do it my way.
    The boys got back from the show today and were a bit dumb founded at first but I called a shop meeting and explained what was up. Everyone agreed Chris had been here way passed his expiration date and it didn’t hurt that Ashton was easy on the eyes. They gave her a month to see if she could learn the point of sale system but she exceeded even my expectations and had it figured out in like two hours.
    Of course what did I expect when she’d spent the last ten years of her life with a perfectionist prick who was quick to whoop her ass if she got it wrong? She was damaged but amazingly, not beyond repair.
    She sat quietly at the desk and greeted customers softly and warmly. She booked appointments for five of us and cleaned the shop to within an inch of its life. So what if we caught her staring at this piece of art or that for long minutes? She got shit done a hell of a lot faster than Chris’ lazy ass ever had.
    “What are you thinking?” she asked and I snapped out of my reverie.
    “Thinking about you.” I said honestly and laughed.
    “Oh.” She looked worried.
    “You’re doing awesome. Better than expected.” I smiled and she glowed from the small praise.
    “Are you sure you want to live with me?” she asked.
    “Never been more sure of anything in my life, why?” I asked.
    “Insecure I guess.” She gave me a weak smile.
    “Don’t be.” I said then switched subjects, “When’s my next appointment?”
    “Not for another hour.” She didn’t even look at the date book but she knew.
    “In that case can I take you to lunch?” I asked. She smiled.
    “Okay.”
    We went next door to a sandwich shop. Once seated in a back booth she relaxed some.
    “Excited?” I asked. It was move day for the both of us tomorrow.
    “Yes,” and I could see that she was. A full week out and her bruises on her face had faded to a muddy yellow and green. Barely there. Few more days and she’d be flawless. The rest of her was still pretty thrashed, I could see the dark wine colors on her lower back when she bent to file something and her shirt rode up.
    “You’re quiet.” I observed.
    “A lot has been happening in a very short amount of time.” She said.
    “Yeah.” I agreed, then