“That suits me fine. I never wanted to lose you in the first place.”
“It suits Loki, too. On those rare occasions when I’m assigned to be somewhere else, like doing security for a special exhibit at Field Museum or acting as an extra bodyguarding layer for a visiting foreign dignitary, he worries like an old woman.”
“He knows you’re safe at the House.” Payne folded his arms and nodded Loki’s way. “He’s a different man with you in his life, Alice. A better man. That’s the way I am with my wife, Becks. And like me, I’ll bet Loki can’t stand the thought of anything happening to the woman who’s become the center of his universe.”
The mention of that phrase made something glow with beautiful warmth deep in her soul. Yes, that was exactly what they had become to each other, and it was the most miraculous feeling in the world.
“Time’s up!” Looking like she’d just stepped off the cover of a Rockabilly magazine, Scout moved into the center of the arena, microphone in hand. “Tattooists, please put up your equipment and head to the edge of the Winner’s Circle as our three celebrity judges take this opportunity to look over your cover-up designs. As for our amazing audience, the winner of this challenge will be announced momentarily, so stay right where you are to find out who is this year’s best cover-up artist at House Of Payne.”
“Okay, Alice.” Payne nudged her toward the center of the auditorium where Loki and Styx now stood. “That’s our cue.”
“Our cue?”
“You’ve got to be there for what’s about to happen,” he drawled, tilting his head toward Loki and Styx. “Loki’s never beaten Styx at his own game before. I’m sure he won’t want to celebrate this moment alone.”
She glanced quickly at Luke, who stood a few steps back, eyes on the crowd. “I’m taking a five-minute break. Cover for me?”
“Already on it.” He tipped her a wink. “Give your husband my congrats.”
Not even bothering to hide her grin, she followed Payne to the center of all the excitement, then stood to one side with Loki as Scout handed Payne the mic. Her gaze met the tigerlike glow of her husband’s, and in that moment everything inside her quieted and was at peace. That was how it always was with her man; whenever she was near him, she was at peace with the world.
“My stupid brother bitched at me the whole fucking time, can you believe it?” Automatically Loki’s hand caught hers the moment she got within reach, pulling her in for the kiss she never failed to greet him with. “If I hadn’t wanted to kick Styx’s ass on this challenge, I would’ve given him some crappy-ass shit, like Jiminy-fucking-Cricket on a tricycle just to shut him up.”
“First, I now want a tattoo of Jiminy Cricket on a tricycle. And second, your artist’s pride would never have let you give your brother anything like that.” Chuckling under her breath, she hugged his arm against her. “You kicked this challenge’s ass, baby. I’m so proud of you.”
“Yeah?” Loki didn’t seem to notice that Payne was now heading their way after conferring with the judges. Her man seemed to only have eyes for her as he bent to kiss her once more, sliding his nose against hers when he finally broke it off. “You know, you keep talking to me like that, and I have no problem with laying you out on that tattooing table and fucking you right here in front of all these people.”
“Promises, promises.” She chuckled at the spark that lit his eyes, but before he could follow through on his delicious threat, Payne was suddenly there, the quintessential showman with a mic in his hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the judges have made their decision. To no one’s surprise, that decision is unanimous.”
Wordlessly, Alice sandwiched Loki’s hand between hers and held on tight. She almost never clutched her own hands together anymore during times of stress. Now, on those rare occasions when she needed to keep herself in check, Loki was always there to hold on to.
That was her life now. Whenever she needed a hand to hold, instead of gripping her own, all she had to do was reach out, and there would be Loki’s.
“As always,” Payne said into the mic, grinning at the audience ringing the challenge area, “we’ve pitted House Of Payne’s greatest artists against each other to show the world what true specialists look like. This time around, we’ve got two of our amazing cover-up artists going head to head, and they’ve given us their best. But as the saying goes, there can be only one. So, without further ado, I’m proud to announce that the winner of InkCon’s third annual cover-up challenge is… Loki Colgrave!”
“Yes.” With a jubilant whoop, Alice threw herself into her husband’s arms, loving how they locked around her so hard her feet left the floor. Then she was set back down as Loki did the one thing she’d never expected him to do.
He extended his hand to Styx.
“Good match,” he said gruffly, nodding once before turning back to Alice to hug her once more.
Wow. Just…wow.
Luke and Payne were right about her man. He’d changed so, so much.
And miracle of miracles, she seemed to be the one who’d brought that change about.
“I always knew you were the best,” she whispered in his ear, squeezing him hard. “Now the world knows it, too.”
“I only care about how you see me, Stems.” His attention wasn’t on Payne and Scout, who were busily setting up the Winner’s Circle for photos with a trophy. He only had eyes for Alice, and it filled her heart to overflowing. “I won the greatest prize there is when you came into my life. Everything else is just gravy.”
Even after all this time, she adored how her man could melt her with his words alone. “So you’re saying you don’t want that trophy?”
“I’m saying you’re the only prize around here that matters to me. That’s never going to change.” He kissed her one last time before heading to the Winner’s Circle with her clamped firmly by his side, clearly determined to share his moment of triumph with her the same way they shared everything in life.
Together.
Note from Stacy Gail