Read Burn (Brothers of Ink and Steel #2) for Free Online

in the deepest, darkest cage within me, the one no one—not even Cade or Quinn—knows about. I’ve tried to release it, but after she was gone, I didn’t have the heart. Since then, it’s become my biggest tormentor.
    But I’m the head artist at my own tattoo shop. I have an incredible surrogate family of people I love and trust and an incredibly rewarding volunteer position with the kids. 
    And it’s here, in this place, that I feel closest to Quinn—call it carrying a torch, call it feeling connected to my soul mate, call it weakness—I don’t give a flying fuck what anybody wants to call it. I tattoo ’cause I want to do it, because she encouraged me to follow my dreams and passions, because she believed in my dreams before I ever could. She loved my artwork, and unless she’s covered it, she still wears the first real tattoo I ever did—two small bluebirds flying free from a wire cage on the back of her shoulder. They represented the two of us.
    So, I tattoo because she loved it, I fight because she hated it, and I work with the kids because, if she were here, she’d be doing it with me.
    Okay, so I’m a fucked up mess. Aren’t we all?
     
     
    “Come on, Jonah, you can do this!” I cheer him on.
    Skinny kid, he gets bullied and picked on all the time. Doesn’t help he’s autistic and his mother tried to murder him by throwing him off a bridge. He doesn’t talk much. He’ll be moving on to what we all hope will be a good foster home next week. Cade has been working with social services to be part of the interviewing process for potential foster parents, since God knows how many people interview just to get some extra money each month and then inflict further trauma on the child.
    Jonah shakes his head and backs away from the bench weight set. Maybe it’s too intimidating.
    “I have an idea,” I say excitedly and lead him to the weight machines. “These are fun.” I set the weight to five pounds. “All you have to do is pull on the rope!”
    I put the handle in his hand and position his fingers so he’s gripping it properly.
    He still looks unsure. I smile, flex my muscle to make it bulge, point to my muscle and then point to his arm. His eyes and face light up with understanding. Jonah pulls on that cable for all he’s worth. I nod to him in encouragement. Jonah lifts the weight a few more times before he lets it go and wraps his bony arms around my waist in a bear hug.
    I have to quickly swipe away the forming tears.
    He’s such a fucking amazing kid.
    “Thanks for that, Jonah. You give the best hugs.”
     
     
    I’m in the locker room, finishing getting dressed after showering. Pulling on my 10 Years concert t-shirt, I start to get nostalgic. They’re still one of my favorite bands. They toured in the fall of 2005 with Breaking Benjamin and Smile Empty Soul. That concert was particularly cathartic. The summer of 2005 was when my enemies became my brothers and my best friend left me forever. “Through the Iris” became my theme song for her. I wish she could have held on when we went through the eye of the storm, like the song describes, but she couldn’t.
    Or she didn’t.
    “Let’s get the fuck out of here and get some lunch,” Ryder says as he walks in with Talon.
    “Sounds good to me,” I agree.
    “Hey, how many clients are on the Ink and Steel roster tonight?” Ryder preens himself and his leather coat in front of the mirror. “’Cause I hooked up with a real hottie the other night and her and her friends want to go out tonight. Connor and Reese are already in, what do you say?”
    “Where’s Chase?” Talon asks.
    “Down on the White Earth Rez. Something about studying for some big exam … blah, blah,” Ryder quips.
    “Yeah, getting your degree, blah blah,” I mock.
    “I’m not saying he shouldn’t get his degree, I’m just saying he should also be putting in the same amount of time getting his dick wet.”
    Talon and I bust up laughing.
    “Hey!” Ryder