Page 4 of Chasing Ink (House of Ink #3)

Dinner With Family

S kye

The rest of the afternoon is tense. We grab lunch at a roadside stall and condoms from a pharmacy down the road. I know what’s happening. Alistair is feeling guilty because of Luke but I don’t know how to get him past that.

We are both fucking adults and can make our own damn decisions. My brother has absolutely nothing to do with what we are doing. I just need to find a way to remind him of that.

The afternoon is ruined and soon enough we head back to the lodge to grab a shower and get dressed before dinner.

He stares at me with a frown when I walk back to my own bungalow instead of to his.

I know he’s expecting me to say something about his behavior but I don’t feel like begging him for attention right now.

I would much rather get ready for dinner and show him exactly what he’s missing.

He doesn’t follow me. I take my time in the shower, shaving every inch of my skin and washing my hair.

After, I take my time doing my makeup and curl my raven tresses into waves down my back.

I dress in my prettiest lingerie, all black, before slipping into a red mini dress.

I don’t even know why I packed it but now I’m happy I did.

I step out of the bungalow ten minutes before I am due to meet my brother and all our friends and make my way up the path, carrying my heels in my hand. The moment I reach the paved path, I stop and slip on my shoes. Someone whistles and I smile as I look around.

Hailey eyes me as she walks over. “Damn, baby girl, where are you heading?”

“Well, if you must know,” I say, flicking my hair over my shoulder, “I’m having dinner with some friends and then I am going dancing in town. I may have met a nice gentleman.”

She smiles and snaps her fingers. “You don’t let any grass grow under your feet, do you?”

“If you haven’t noticed, I am perpetually single and surrounded by happy couples. What could it hurt, you know?”

She laughs. “You deserve to have some fun.”

She hooks her arm in mine and we make our way into the restaurant. Everyone looks up as we arrive, Alistair frowning. I know he doesn’t have a clue what’s going on but he remains silent.

“Well, look at you,” my brother says with a raised brow. “Isn’t that a little fancy for a tropical island.”

“Our girl has a date,” Hailey says before I take a seat beside Ali. “Some young man is taking her dancing.”

“Is that so?” My brother leans forward, ready to lay into me but his wife pushes him back into his seat.

“Your sister is an adult and can make her own decisions,” she says, winking at me. “As long as she promises to drink from a bottle and keep her phone with her at all times, she should be allowed to enjoy her vacation.”

“Damn straight,” Hailey adds.

All the guys glare at them before I burst out laughing. “You’d think I’d never been on a date. I know how to take care of myself.”

“Do you, though?” Luke asks.

I glare at him. “I take Krav Maga classes. I have pepper spray. I haven’t just become a woman overnight, you know.”

“Meaning?” Alistair asks.

“I lived in New York and I’ve never even been robbed. I know how to take care of myself and I’ve been doing it for years. You can all back the fuck off.”

Hailey whistles for a waiter and orders us all tequila shots. “Bring us the bottle,” she says to the man. “I have a feeling you boys are going to need these once we start explaining.”

We wait in silence until the waiter returns. Hailey looks from me to Abby before she speaks. “I was thirteen the first time someone touched me without my permission. Nothing serious, just a man slapping my ass. I quickly learned that I need to be able to defend myself, so I took self-defense.”

“Same,” Abby says. “Just assholes being assholes.”

Everyone turns to stare at me. “Nothing like that, just a guy getting handsy at a college bar. The bar lady kicked his ass and handed me a card for her brother’s gym.”

Alistair clears his throat but doesn’t say anything. Laine is the first to speak. “Are you telling us that this is what every woman lives through?”

“Most,” Hailey replies, “but we’re lucky. None of us have ever been seriously hurt.”

“And this is supposed to convince me to let my sister go to a strange bar, in a strange country with a man none of us have ever met?” Luke asks.

“I went to a strange school, in a strange city, and drank at strange bars with people you’ll never meet.”

He glares and I glare back.

“I’ll go with her,” Alistair cuts in. “I can keep an eye out.”

Hailey shakes her head. “Is one of you going to be in the room on her wedding night too?”

I almost lose it. If I had my way, Alistair would definitely be there but that’s still a long way off. “Whatever,” I say. “I’m used to being treated like a child.”

“Skye...” Luke starts but I wave him off.

“I was going to wait until we got home, but I’m leaving Franklinton.

I’ll never have a life there with all of you looking over my shoulder.

I already have a job and leased an apartment.

” I stand, looking at each of them in turn.

“I’m twenty-three years old and I can even go dancing without a damn babysitter. It’s time to cut the apron strings.”

“Wait, Skye,” Luke says as I walk away.

“Don’t worry brother ,” my tone drips with disdain. “I’m going to my bungalow. I won’t go dancing. I won’t have any fun without your permission but this shit ends when we get home.”

I kick off my shoes and pick them up before walking away.

I know I just dropped a bomb on all of them, but I need them to see me as an adult before this week is over.

Because, yes, I do have a new job and apartment lined up.

But I don’t want to leave. I want to stay in the town I love, with my friends and family and the only man I have ever loved.

I just can’t keep living in a damn bubble. Luke wants to protect me but in the meantime, he’s smothering me and keeping me away from the only guy I’ve ever loved.

I only have time to strip out of my little red dress and throw on a bathrobe before someone starts banging against my door.

I stand in the bathroom doorway for long moments, listening to the banging before I calmly make my way across the room.

I unlock and open the door to find a glaring Alistair waiting for me.

“What do you want?” I ask.

“Are you going to let me in?”

“Depends. Are you going to yell at me?” I ask with a raised brow.

“Probably.”

I step aside and let him in. This is all part of my plan. I need to get him to admit what he’s feeling or none of it will mean a damn thing.

“Can we do this quickly? I want to get some sleep.”

“Woman,” he growls, running his hand over his face and his closely shaved hair.

“What, Ali? We both knew that whatever was going on here wouldn’t last. Hell, you couldn’t even make it a day before you let the guilt consume you.”

“Skye, you can’t be serious!”

He stares at me in disbelief, a hurt look in his eyes but I ignore it. I can’t be weak now.

“I’m leaving Franklinton when we get back home.” My words are final.

“And us?”

“There is no us,” I say, fighting to keep my voice steady.

“You’ve made that clear over and over again.

This,” I say gesturing between us, “this is just some fun before I leave. I get to scratch an itch and lose my virginity to someone who won’t hurt me.

And you get to have the only thing you won’t ever let yourself have. ”

He shakes his head. “Is that all this is?”

“What do you think, Ali?” I say, allowing myself to feel anger. “I’ve been throwing myself at you for years. One week of great sex isn’t going to change the fact that you won’t stand up for what you want. You won’t risk Luke’s friendship or anger.”

“That’s not fair...”

“And all of you hovering over me and keeping me stuck is?”

“Skye.”

“You should leave.”

He stares at me for long moments before shaking his head and walking out. I pick up the first thing I can reach and hurl it at the closed door. “Fucking coward!”