“I’m sure.”
He sat and picked up a tea cup holding it slightly awkwardly with his thumb and forefinger. She poured him a cup of tea. “Here you go.”
“Why thank you, princess,” he said seriously.
She had to drop her head to hide her smile at the big tattooed biker sipping tea from the tiny, delicate cup.
“Would you like a cupcake?” she offered a plate of plastic cupcakes.
“Hmm, who baked them? The unicorn?” He nodded at the big stuffed toy.
She giggled. “‘Course not, Sparkle Pony can’t bake.”
“Sparkle Pony, huh? Hope he is a she.”
She grinned wide. “Nope.”
“Poor bastard is gonna get it on the playground.” Ink shook his head as she giggled. He stayed for a few minutes, making her laugh with his silliness.
Then he got to his feet.
“You going, Ink?”
“Yeah, Sunny-girl, best go before your Daddy catches me in here and kicks my ass.” He winked at her. He squeezed her shoulder gently. “Thanks for making him happy, baby girl. Last time I saw him this happy was before his parents and sister died.”
Her breath caught and she glanced up at him. “You were his friend? The one he was staying with? It was your family that took him in?”
“Yeah, Sunny-girl. That was me. I’ve always considered Duke my brother. My parents think of him as another son. But it’s not the same for Duke as having his own family. I love him. Would do anything for him. But I’ve never been able to give him his family back. What you’ve given him, it’s what he needed to make him see it’s worth living even after a shitty tragedy like that.”
Without another word, he walked out.
Duke leaned back against the passage, waiting for Ink to walk out. “Good tea party?”
“Been out here a while have you?” Ink asked as red filled his cheeks.
“Yep.”
“Spike tell you that Grady came through and the meeting with Frankie is set for Thursday night?” Ink asked, clearly trying to steer the conversation away from what he’d just been doing.
“Yep.”
“You pissed at me?”
Duke reached out and grabbed him around the back of his neck and pulled him close, thumping him on the back. “I have a number of men I consider brothers. But only one I consider blood.”
He let the other man go. Ink grinned at him.
“But don’t go embarrassing Sunny again, you bastard, or I’ll put you on your back.”
“Aww, love you too.” Ink took off with a laugh.
Cocky bastard. Duke just shook his head and went back to join Sunny for a tea party.
“Hey, baby girl,” he said to her as he sat down across from her, in the same spot Ink had been in. “How’s the tea party going?”
“Sparkle Pony has some atrocious table manners,” she said with a cute shake of her head. “Moody is very disappointed in him.” She picked up her monkey and turned him upside down so he was frowning.
Duke shook his head. “Hard to find a unicorn with good table manners nowadays.”