Read Online Dead Ink: A Karma World Romance (Karma Series Book 4) by Donna Augustine - Free Book Online

kept ringing.
    Lars walked over to the window as she continued waiting.
    He leaned a hand on the wall as he watched the fight but then spoke to her. “They aren’t going to answer, no matter how long you wait.”
    “Why not?”
    She thought about how many times it had rung and realized he was right. If they hadn’t picked up by now, they probably weren’t going to. She put the phone back on the cradle and stared at it for a second longer before she got her mind to give up on the police.
    She walked back over to where he stood, watching the fight that was still in full swing, minus a few combatants who were lying unconscious on the ground. The sight made her fidgety but he was leaning against the wall still, not a tense muscle to be found. “Doesn’t this bother you?”
    He pointed out the window. “As long as they kill each other on that side of the sidewalk, nope.”
    “Why?”
    He looked at her as if it was obvious but then explained. “Because from the sidewalk in is my land. Nobody fucks around on my land.”
    She nodded, deciding to let that conversation go for now. “And this is all because of Malokin?” she asked, even as she got the distinct impression Lars wasn’t in the mood to speak. Or hear her speak? She wasn’t sure which.
    “Yes.”
    “But how?”
    “We don’t know how it works exactly, but his presence here is making people angrier. They aren’t in their right minds anymore. Not all of the humans but enough to cause utter chaos.”
    “So him simply existing spreads anger?”
    She thought back to what Malokin had wanted, how he’d introduced the other one, and shivered.
    “I told you, it’s safe here.”
    She nodded. Better to let him think she was scared of the fighting outside than what had really made her shudder.
    A black Mercedes, with windows tinted so dark you couldn’t see anything inside, whipped into the lot, parking twenty feet from the fight in progress, and in clear view of the gang. Cutty got out and paused to look at them, unconcerned for his safety, and then strolled into the shop.
    He walked in, shaking his head in disgust as he did. “Bunch of amateurs. They don’t even know how to throw a punch correctly.” He looked at Faith. “You ready to go?”
    She nodded and grabbed her purse from the back, all the time thinking of how odd this situation was and how weird the guys were.
     
     
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    It was her second night at Cutty’s. She’d gone to the shop again that morning; the only difference this time was there was even less talking with Lars than yesterday. She knew there were two other tattoo artists as well but she hadn’t met them yet. So she’d straightened up some more and tried to appear useful, even though she didn’t feel like she was doing much of anything.
    It was a relief when Cutty had pulled up to pick her up. There was a tension between Lars and her that didn’t exist with Cutty or the other guys. She couldn’t figure out if Lars wanted her in the shop or couldn’t wait to get rid of her. When Lars looked at her, sometimes he seemed downright mad about something.
    Cutty, on the other hand, was all smiles when he’d picked her up today and brought her back to his house. It might have had something to do with the list of supplies she’d given him. She’d offered to cook and these boys definitely liked to eat.
    “You really didn’t need to do this,” Cutty said as he came to stand beside her. “But I do love chicken cutlets.”
    She smiled at him as she poured more breadcrumbs onto the plate. “I want to do this. You’re letting me stay in your home while I have nowhere else to go. I need to do this.”
    Cutty startled her as he hopped up and sat on the counter next to where she was dipping the chicken cutlets into the egg batter.
    He plucked a pretzel out of the open bag he’d carried with him. He popped one into his mouth and didn’t wait to finish chewing before he started talking. “You know, once we figure this