Page 9 of Chasing Ink (House of Ink #3)
Back To Work
A listair
Life returns to normal almost immediately. There isn’t that much of a difference from how it used to be before Tahiti, if I’m being honest. Skye shows up at my house every morning to see the dogs. I make her coffee and then we head to work.
It is driving me nuts not to have her in my bed at night, but Luke will be back in two days and then we can settle this.
We are going over to their house to tell him that we are together and then we’ll take it from there.
Skye and I have decided to do this together, as a united front, hoping her pig-headed brother will see reason, even though I doubt it.
The shop is quiet and everyone else has already headed home when Skye walks into my booth with a smile that promises to mean nothing but trouble for me.
“What did you do?” I ask.
“Nothing,” she replies, too innocently.
“Baby doll...”
“I locked the door,” she says softly. “I want a tattoo.”
Fuck. I was not expecting that. I said I wanted to be the one to ink her, a part of my soul craving to mark her permanently, but I never thought she would do it.
I nod. “Do you know what you want?”
She walks around me to my station and opens the bottom drawer.
She rummages for a moment before pulling out a sketch I did years ago.
I had her in mind when I created the piece which is why I’ve never used it.
It’s an orchid in the palm of a doll’s hand.
It’s not a big piece but it is fucking intricate.
“That will take time,” I say, already picturing it on her perfect skin but needing her to know it isn’t a one-sitting piece. “It’ll probably take three or four sittings depending on your pain threshold.”
“That’s okay. Neither of us is going anywhere.”
I smile because I don’t have a reply. “Where do you want it?”
“On my shoulder I think,” she says nervously. “Will that work?”
“Perfectly. Get your shirt off and get comfortable.”
I take a moment to gather my supplies before wheeling my chair closer. I prep the area and kiss her lips. “Tell me if you need to stop.”
She doesn’t reply, just closes her eyes and lies there. I didn’t need to worry about her because she takes my mark like a fucking champ. She doesn’t twitch or complain and an hour later I have the basic linework done.
“We’ll let this heal,” I say as I apply ointment to her shoulder. “Then we can do the next layers and so on until we are done.”
“Thank you.”
I help her up and she looks at her shoulder in the mirror, smiling brightly. “I need some water. Want anything?”
“I’m good.”
I start cleaning up as she walks to the little kitchenette in her bra and shorts. I need a moment to get my shit under control. My cock is a lead pipe in my jeans, and it has been since she asked me to put my mark on her.
I shake my head with a chuckle. I don’t need to hide anything anymore. And we’re alone in the shop. I push back the chair and follow her to the kitchen. I find her drinking from a bottle of water, and I can’t hold back any longer.
Taking the bottle from her hands, I put it on the counter before I lift her onto the surface as well. She spreads her legs for me, and I step into her. Tangling my left hand in her hair, I tilt her head back before sealing my lips over hers.
My right-hand cups her covered breast and gives it a light squeeze. Skye moans into my mouth and I feel like a fucking fiend. I lower the strap on her bra and bear her breast to me. My lips wrap around her nipple, and she bucks her hips against my erection.
“Yes!” the word is another moan as it falls from her lips. “Please, Ali.”
My hands are already working on her shorts, needing to be inside her when the entire world comes to a standstill.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Luke roars from the doorway.
Fuck.
Skye shrieks, covering herself as I stand and position myself in front of her. Luke’s face is a mottled shade of red as his anger spikes and I know this isn’t going to end well.
“Get the fuck away from my sister!” he demands, shoving at my chest.
“Just wait,” I say flatly. “Let her get dressed and then we can talk.”
“Talk! You had my baby sister half naked in the back of my fucking business and you want to talk?”
He swings his fist, and I see the hit coming but I don’t move. He connects squarely with my jaw and my ears ring. Skye is screaming at Luke, but he isn’t hearing her.
“You’re my best fucking friend. I trusted you!”
“This isn’t about you and me, or our friendship. This is about me and Skye,” I say, trying to remain calm.
“Motherfucker!”
He is on me in a flash. He is smaller and faster than I am.
He kicks out my knee and the moment I lose my balance he pounces.
His knee hits me in the sternum forcing all the air out of my lungs.
Little black dots swim in front of my eyes just as he hits me again.
I feel and hear my nose break and instantly taste blood in the back of my throat.
Still, I don’t defend myself.
Skye grabs her brother’s arm mid swing and he shakes her off.
She falls back, hitting her head against the fridge.
My vision goes red, and I push Luke off me.
Getting to my feet, I grab him by the throat and push him against the wall.
I see the shock on his face as I use all of my bulk to dominate him.
“You may be pissed off. To be honest I understand why. And you can hit me all you want because I crossed a line,” I say lowly, leaning into his space. “But hear me, brother . If you ever hurt her again, intentional, or not, I will break your fucking arm. Friendship and business be damned.”
I squeeze his throat for good measure before releasing him. I watch a man I have called friend, brother, and business partner for more than half my life slump to the floor with a glare. I ignore him and pick up Skye.
At my station, I help her into the shirt she left there before I lead her out of the tattoo parlor.