Ryan is reflecting on how much has changed since he’s had to start a new 9Mag.
He heads to the shop with his new gang, including Phor, and says:
“Welcome to 9Mag.” – Ryan
One week earlier, Ryan is at a panel about stopping gun violence in Chicago. It’s a special day for him because it’s his late sister’s birthday. She was killed by her boyfriend at the time.
“I feel like I can continue to be the voice for my issue.” – Ryan
When asked why he hasn’t left Chicago, he says he wants to be an example to young people that they too can change.
Charmaine tells the crew about her recent conversation with Ryan.
Back at Loyal Ink, the gang is playing around with water guns.
Charmaine walks in and catches Don and Cobra laughing after having a good time with the guns.
She tells them about her recent conversation with Ryan. Van can’t understand why she would do this.
Van tells her it was a waste of time because Ryan doesn’t move on from things. He also doesn’t feel like Ryan cares about any of them
“He put a bullet hole in our f*cking shop. Get the f*ck out of here.” – Van
Don is outraged when Charmaine tells them that Lily is now working at Ryan’s new shop. Cobra walks off and decides she’d prefer to just tattoo and stay out of the drama.
Regardless, Don is ready to go to war and keep Loyal Ink open. He really wants to build something up for his family.
Both Van and Charmaine want Don to become the new manager.
The first thing on Don’s agenda is to hire new artists. He wants to do this via a hiring party.
Nikki confronts Phor.
Phor is still back at home.
He returns to LA in a few days.
When Nikki gets back to the house, she tells him that she heard he’s been sending videos of himself to other women with no clothes on. So she then shows him proof of the videos on her phone.
“You didn’t send me this video.” – Nikki
She says a little birdie sent her to the video. When things get tense, he tells her he was just trying to find a third person for the bedroom, so he sent the video to a woman. When Nikki demands he calls up the woman to prove it, he doesn’t.
But he tries to assure her that he didn’t cheat.
Nikki asks if she can send out videos too, he makes it clear that he’s not okay with this.
In a green screen interview, Nikki says she’s not Ashley and she’s not going to tolerate cheating.
She then demands he hands over his phone and this isn’t something Phor wants to do.
Annoyed at this point, Phor says he wanted attention from Nikki so he entertained another woman just to feel good.
This does nothing to calm down the situation, and Nikki says that he probably did sleep with the woman. Phor tells Nikki she’s his better half and he doesn’t want to lose her.
“How many videos you send?” – Nikki
When Phor doesn’t answer, Nikki is about over the conversation.
“I don’t want to talk to you right now so just let me go, okay?” – Nikki
She then lets herself out.
Tone Capone comes to Loyal Ink.
He works at the radio station with Charmaine. She’s hoping that he can help them get some A list celebs to come to the shop.
Of course, he also gets a tattoo done. Van is the one who does it. He gets a tattoo that reads Free Thinker. Tone is happy with the finished product.
A baby may be on the way for Charmaine and Neek.
Charmaine meets up with Neek for dinner.
In a green screen interview, Charmaine says she’s hoping they can talk abut having a baby again.
She tells him her period is late. This is shocking news to Neek.
He makes it clear that he’s not okay with having a baby right now and she’s not ready to be a mother. He honestly feels like neither one of them are ready for kids.
Regardless, Charmaine thinks they can raise a baby. She will take a pregnancy test.
Ryan is given an opportunity to shut down Loyal Ink.
Phor vents to Ryan.
In a green screen interview, he says Nikki left and won’t take any of his phone calls.
Even though he’s supposed to be heading back to LA, he’s hurt that Nikki won’t talk to him. He assures Ryan that he didn’t actually cheat. Ryan says Nikki may not trust Phor anymore but they can still work things out.
They the discuss Ryan leaving the original 9Mag shop. Ryan invites him to once again come back to the shop. Phor wants to be on the business side. He feels Loyal Ink is currently a mess so he wants to help Ryan run the new shop.
Ryan then pulls up to the building that hosts Loyal Ink.
“What are we doing here?” – Phor
“We expanding.” – Ryan
Apparently the management of the building where the shop is leased claims that the lease is his again if he wants it. Ryan wants to kill off Loyal Ink.
Management never gave Loyal Ink a real lease because they weren’t sure the business would last.
They get out the car so Ryan can talk to management.
He tells the camera crew not to film and allow them to talk away from the cameras.
The pregnancy test results are in.
Back at their place, Charmaine and Neek once again talk about her possibly being pregnant.
Neek assures her that he will have her back no matter what.
Charmaine heads off to the bathroom to take the pregnancy test. A few minutes later, the couple learns their fate. A baby isn’t in their immediate future.
“It’s negative.” – Charmaine
Ryan delivers the news to Loyal Ink.
It’s the day of Don’s party and search for new artists.
A lot of talented artists come through.
One artist admits he’s stolen chicken in the past. This doesn’t sit well with Charmaine and Don considering what just went down with Reese.
Meanwhile, Ryan and the new 9Mag are on the way to Loyal Ink to deliver the news. He has the lease now.
When they come through the door, everyone is stunned.
Don calls out Phor for being with Ryan.
Ryan gets straight to the point, and lets them know he’s in the clear from the shooting incident. Lily then walks in and speaks to everyone.
So Don tells her to explain why she told Ryan they were having so many problems at the shop.
But she stands by it and says everything has been a mess. Ryan explains that he is now the owner of Loyal Ink’s lease. He is changing the shop back to 9Mag.
“Welcome to 9Mag.” – Ryan
He explains that he has the lease and it’s not their LLC.
This sets off Don and he starts arguing with Lily who tells him not to raise his voice at her.
Ryan tries to calm Don down, and he says that no one has to leave just because they aren’t cool. Don then gets in Phor’s face and asks him when he was going to tell him what’s happening. Phor says right now.
When Don says they could have squashed everything a while ago, Van ices out Phor when he tries to talk to him.
In a green screen interview, Van storms off and says he’s done with everyone.
As Ryan leaves the shop, he says he feels he did the right thing. He goes to his car to put the 9Mag signage back on the building.
He tears off the Loyal Ink signage.
“Cause 9Mag is forever. That’s why.” – Ryan
What are your thoughts on the season?
