“That wasn’t so bad,” Oakley exclaims when he walks out a few minutes later, looking smug.
“Speak for yourself,” a grim Cole grits out behind him.
That only makes us laugh harder.
Ivan wipes the excess ink off Dylan’s hip and holds a mirror up to it. “What do you think?”
Dylan smiles from ear to ear. “Holy shit, I love it.” She looks at me. “What about you?”
“It’s perfect.”
The 3D butterfly is mid-sized with intricate detail, and there are deep shades of vibrant blue swirling through it.
It’s incredible.
I look at Ivan. “You did a really good job.”
He grins. “I’m glad you think so…because it’s your turn.”
Oh, right.
Jace gives the guy a fist bump. “Thanks for taking care of my girl, man. Looks awesome.” He drops a kiss on Dylan’s forehead. “You did great, baby.”
Dylan beams as Ivan puts Saran Wrap over her new tattoo. “It only hurt a little.” She pats my arm. “You’ll be fine, I promise.”
Somehow, I doubt that, but here goes nothing.
My fingers find the waistband of my leggings…then I freeze.
Dylan’s body is perfect, and her hipbones are razor sharp.
Mine, however, are barely existent because they’re covered by layers of fat.
Fat I don’t want a group of guys to see…even if some of them are my friends.
Not missing a beat, Dylan looks at Ivan. “My friend’s a little shy—”
“Don’t worry.” He winks at me. “I got you, cutie.”
Ivan’s sweet, but the compliments will stop once he gets a load of all my fat rolls, I’m sure of it.
Quick as lightning, he fetches some kind of divider and places it in front of my chair, blocking everyone’s view.
Dylan walks around to the other side as I lower my leggings. “Wanna hold my hand?”
I’m not even going to pretend like I don’t. I happily latch onto it. “Scale of one to ten?”
Dylan purses her lips. “Sometimes a five, but never unbearable. Kind of feels like a cat scratching you…repeatedly.”
I shudder.
“I haven’t even started yet, babe,” Ivan tells me. “Relax.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m just a little jumpy. It’s my first time.”
I feel like a dumbass because he already knows that.
He wipes some alcohol on my skin. “You’re adorable.”
Dylan’s eyes light up like fireworks.
“He’s totally flirting with you,” she mouths.
No, he’s just being nice and trying to make the fat girl feel better.
“You ready?” he questions as he rips open a package containing a new needle.
I blow out a shaky breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Chapter 32
Cole
I want to string the fucker up by his nuts and shove sticks of dynamite through those big-ass holes in his ears.
“How you doing, babe?” I hear the asswipe ask her from behind the divider. “Need a break?”
“Nope. I’m good,” Sawyer answers.
A jolt of annoyance strikes me. She never tells him not to call her babe.
Oakley elbows Jace. “Your brother looks like he wants to rip someone’s head off.”
“I told him dating her was a bad idea,” Jace grumbles.
“Would you two idiots quit gossiping.” I fold my arms across my chest. “I’m fine.”
They exchange a glance.
“Whatever you say, man.”
“Your skin is so soft,” the dipshit murmurs. “Perfect canvas.”
I grind my molars.
“Thanks. I try to be good about skincare and I don’t use anything with chemical additives.” She laughs. “Wow, I sound like such a dork. Can we forget I said that?”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Is she flirting back?
“Nah. I like a girl that pays attention to what she puts on and inside her body.”
She won’t be putting you inside her body, jackass.
“So, what part of the south are you originally from?” he asks next.
“That obvious, huh? North Carolina.”
I glare at Jace. “Do they always talk to the clients this much?”
For fuck’s sake, you’d think he’d be more focused on not screwing up her tattoo, rather than what state she originates from.
Jace’s lips twitch. “My guy doesn’t.”
“Really?” the douchebag exclaims. “My aunt lives there.”
Cool story, bro.
“Is she near Knightdale by any chance? That’s where I grew up.”
“I’m not sure. She lives in Raleigh.”
“Oh!” I hate the excitement in her tone. “That’s really close.”
“Awesome. I was planning on visiting her sometime in March.”
Maybe you should move there permanently, you son of a bitch.
“Really?” The exhilaration in her voice kicks up a notch. “I’ll be there in March, for my sister’s wedding.”
Smirking, Jace and Oakley exchange another glance.
So help me God, if this prick asks her when the wedding is, I’m going to rip that divider in half and shove it up his ass.
“When is she getting hitched?”
Motherfucker.
“Third weekend of March.”
“What a coincidence. That’s the same week I was planning on visiting my aunt.”
Coincidence my ass. I smell a heaping pile of bullshit.
“Oh.” She falters just enough that I know she’s not fully committed to the idea of seeing him. “That’s cool.”
“If you’re not too busy, we should meet up and hang out.”
Over my dead body.
A weird feeling twists my guts. He’s not asking her to hang out in California where they both reside. He’s asking her to hang out in a completely different state.
Which can only mean one thing.
He’s serious with someone else…but wants to use my girlfriend as a side piece.
Fuck that noise. My girl isn’t anyone’s side piece or booty call.
Hell, she’s not even mine.
“Um.” There’s a hint of surprise in her voice. “Yeah, okay. Cool.”
My chest tightens. I didn’t think she’d agree.
The buzzing from the tattoo machine stops. “Give me your number, I’ll put it in my phone.”
“It’s—”
Chapter 33
Sawyer
“1-800-you better stop hitting on my girlfriend before I kick your goddamn teeth in,” Cole roars, popping his head over the divider.
Dylan’s eyebrows shoot up to the ceiling and I’m pretty sure my mouth drops to the floor.
Poor Ivan looks so bewildered. “This preppy richie-rich dude is your boyfriend?”
“No—”
“Yes,” Cole growls. “Preppy richie-rich dude is.”
That only confuses Ivan more.