Page 6 of Mimic

“I don’t know who you think you are or who you think I am, but my name isn’t fucking Rose!” Mimic and I stood toe to toe, glaring at each other, arms crossed over our chests, neither one willing to bend.

“HEY!” I jumped at Gunner’s voice and turned around. “What the fuck is going on?”

Gunner stood mirroring Mimic’s stance. His angry scowl, which had never been directed at me in all the months I had worked here, would bore a hole into Mimic if I didn’t do something.

“Nothing. I was rude,” I said, quickly turning back to face Mimic. “Mimic, is it? I apologize.” Pivoting back to Gunner, I whispered, “Excuse me,” then dashed through the shop and out the back door.

The corner of his mouth turned up a fraction, and he answered, “Because I found her.”

“Oh, well, I’m glad you found her.” Mimic caught my arm, holding me in place when I turned away. His voice lowered to a gravelly tone when he said, “But you’re still fucking lying.”

I wrenched my arm from his grasp and narrowed my eyes at him. “Takes one to know one.”

Mimic was right. I was lying about my age; I wasn’t twenty-six. Apparently, I was five. I might as well have said,‘I’m rubber and you’re glue.’I heard him chuckle as I stomped to the register and fired it up. My first client would be here any minute. I had a full schedule that hopefully would keep my mind off the sexy, brooding man that I wanted to both fuck and strangle at the same time.

I could do it too.

Devlin Scott had made sure I was well trained.

The day had been long and tiresome. I had one last client coming in, and then I could go home.

Mimic had been quiet throughout the day. He sat in the corner, ignoring everyone who came in. Well, almost everyone. Right after lunch, a guy came in. I had been working on him for a few weeks. He was getting a very intricate sleeve done, and he didn’t have a very high threshold for pain.

He was older, maybe mid-thirties, and lived a few towns over. He flirted with me every time. It was harmless; he’d never taken it too far or given me a creepy vibe. More of a brother’s best friend teasing the little sister vibe.

I wouldn’t lie; he was handsome. He was rugged and manly. More muscular than Mimic, but something told me he wouldn’t win in a hand-to-hand fight.

It was always the same when Steve came in; he’d ask me to dinner, and I would decline with some bullshit story about not mixing business with pleasure. I’d offered to hand him over to Bruce, and he’d quickly declined and said Bruce was an asshole; plus, he didn’t want to risk our business relationship with a bad date that would make things awkward when he came in.

It was harmless fun.

Steve made me laugh, and there was something about him that led me to believe he knew I was young, which was why he never took me up on my offer to pass him off. He wasn’t really interested in me.

But Mimic didn’t know that.

He growled every time Steve spoke. Steve and I rolled our eyes at each other every time Mimic growled. I explained that my boss was concerned about me being here alone and sent his brother to keep me safe.

Steve said he understood and approved. Mimic mumbled something about not needing the approval of assholes, and I’d hoped Steve hadn’t heard him. But when he looked at me and winked, I knew he had.

After Steve left, I ignored Mimic’s attempts to talk to me. I walked away every time he opened his mouth, and now he was sitting in the corner glaring at me while I tidied up my space.

The bell chimed, and Mimic growled, “What the hell are you doing here?” He walked past me and pulled the small woman into his arms.

“Well, hello to you too.”

I assumed she was my new client, Kytten. Gunner had booked the appointment, so I hadn’t met her yet. She was cute with her tiny body and pink hair. It was hard to tell how old she was, but when Mimic leaned over to kiss her cheek, I bristled.

I wasn’t jealous. I was pissed off. He’d spent hours being passive aggressive over my client, and then this woman walked in, and he was all over her like I wasn’t even there.

I knew I was being ridiculous. We weren’t anything to each other, which is why I wasn’t jealous. I was angry.

“Where’s Cash?”

“He dropped me off; he knew you were here.”

“He’s an asshole,” Mimic said as he looked through the window.

“He’s your VP; show some respect.” Kytten smacked Mimic in the chest and turned my way. “You must be Indigo. I’m so excited to meet you. Gunner raves about you and your work.”