Bound to Me (2 page)

“Hey Amber, I’m feeling peachy what’s up with you?” Getting the topic off of me was the only thing I could think of doing, while fixing my hair back into a tight ponytail to look presentable for my shift. I began looking through my purse for some lip-gloss, and tried my hardest to find some sort of pretty for the day; God knows I was going to need it.

“We should plot an assassination against Ben; better yet let’s slit his throat while he’s passed out drunk on the couch. What an asshole!” Amber screeched as she began going through her own purse like a mad woman, and pulling out some more makeup, which could only mean, she was going to try and cover up my black eye.
  Amber was a natural beauty, but she still felt the need to have all that makeup on. Curly blonde hair that reaches just below her shoulders, and a fair skin complexion, she was beautiful in her own way and I just loved her for it. To top it off she had hazel eyes to go along with that curvy voluptuous thirty year old body.

“Really Amber, I’m fine, there’s no need for all of that.” I gave her a quick smile, but Amber quickly got to work with my face. She never could take NO for an answer. When she had her mind set to do something, she would never back down from it. I admired her courage and loved her for her spirit. After she was done putting on enough makeup that she could have been making me into a movie star, I was all beautified and ready for a long shift ahead.

Amber sat back and admired her work and smiled “There, good as new, I wish you would consider coming to live with me and Johnny. It wouldn’t be any trouble at all you know.” She said, looking at me with concerned filled eyes.

“I know Amber, and I am glad for the offer, but I know if I leave my mom in that house alone with him, she won’t survive it.” No matter what my mom is putting me through, she is still my mother and she is all I have left. I won’t abandon her. That was my father’s job. I glanced up at Amber, and tried hard not to let the tears fall. I held them back anyway, because I knew if I let them fall now, she would know how much this thing was really starting to affect me. If I caved in then it would only let all the emotions I have worked so hard to suppress, leave me in a messy heap and I wasn’t ready for that.

I had gone through a lot since my mom said “I do” to Ben and I was nearing the end of my rope. When he doesn’t get his way, and my mom wasn’t enough for him. He made sure to take it out on me as well, and I was fed up with being his punching bag. Amber’s assassination plot was starting to look pretty good right about now. Lately I had been fighting back, but that only made him angrier and his hits a little harder, at least I do defend myself. I couldn’t say the same thing about my mother, who I should say probably, enjoyed it by now. Not wanting to ruin the good job she had done on covering up my face I faked a smile and stood up to leave.

“We should get to work before Johnny gets pissed off at us for taking such a long time. Lucky thing he’s your fiancé, if not I would have been fired a long time ago.” I said laughing, and Amber grabbed my hand and pulled me towards her, looking me straight in the eye with all seriousness, and the laugh in me was gone.

“My door will always be open Ronnie, anytime, so don’t hesitate okay?” All I could do was stand there and nod.

*****

Work went by fast, and I made a lot of money that night on tips alone. I would be able to get some my Birthday ink done, and have enough left over to splurge on clothes. This was something I had been looking forward to doing the most for my birthday; I made it to eighteen and that was a big deal, because I could finally get to act the age I had been playing since my dad left. I had to grow up fast, because my mom wasn’t such a great mom after dad left. She used to have her bad and good days until they permanently became bad, every day. I wiped down all the tables and refilled each and every sugar, salt and pepper shaker in the restaurant. Knowing it was almost time to go, I went and got my things out of my locker in the employee room.

As I was leaving I turned to say good bye to Amber, and noticed she was talking to Johnny so I walk over to them, “Hey Amber, want to come with me downtown to check out some tattoo shops? I want to get something done as a present for myself since my birthday is tomorrow, but I don’t want to go alone.” I knew if I made the sad puppy face she can’t resist me too long so that is exactly what I did, and I threw in a pout as well, she caves. Score one for me.

I wanted to spend some drama free time with my only friend. We used to do this all the time, but our schedules had gotten complicated lately. Amber was planning her wedding to Johnny, and me working all types of shifts just to make sure I was not home. Amber kissed Johnny on the cheek and grabbed her purse to leave with me. “I’m sorry baby, but I think Ronnie and I need to have a little bit of girl bonding time for the night, so don’t wait up okay?”

Before we left Johnny said “I heard through my cousin Joe that there’s this new tattoo shop down in the village that just opened up, and they do really good work. Joe got a sleeve done and let me tell you, it’s incredible. The tattoo artist is a master at what he does. The place is called ‘Dominion’ you should check it out Ronnie” he winks and turned around to go back into the kitchen.

“Let’s go Ronnie, we can browse a few tattoo shops, since the place you went to get your first two, isn’t there anymore. Then if you don’t like anything you see, we can go check out ‘Dominion”. Amber said as she grabbed my hand and led me out of the restaurant.

Walking downtown through the busy crowed streets of New York City was always something we enjoyed together. Long talks and window shopping down 5
th
avenue was always a pick me up, when I wasn’t feeling like myself. The best part would be when Amber and I would pig out on hot dogs carts. New York City hot dogs are the best, but we made a really funny game out of it. We would order a hotdog with everything on it, onion, sauerkraut, chili, the works, and see which one of us could eat it the fastest. Amber usually won and I usually ended up staining my blouse, or doing something equally embarrassing. It would be embarrassing, because the streets of NY were always crowed with people coming to and fro. Sometimes we would stop at the news stand and read the magazines, just for fun while drinking watered down coffee, that if you had honestly ask me tastes exactly like cardboard, and don’t ask me how I knew what cardboard tasted like. One would assume this is what cardboard would taste like because it had a really stale taste and it’s brown. Yuck.

You would have thought it being nine pm on a Friday night the stores would be closed, in New York City that’s never true. After we checked out two tattoo shops and not liking anything in them, we decided that the new tattoo shop Johnny mentioned earlier would be our last stop. So we grabbed a yellow cab on the busy street of downtown New York. We came to a stop at the front window of ‘Dominion’, I notice that it was kind of busy inside; I paid the cab driver and got out with Amber right behind me.

Mostly all the seats were occupied in the waiting area and some people were already seated in the chair getting something done. You could easily see inside the shop from the street. “Seems like Johnny was right, there wouldn’t be so many people here if it wasn’t a good place.” Amber says smirking at me, and then quickly made her way inside the shop with me slowly following behind.

Tattoos can be addicting, after my first two I knew I would not stop there, but I was just waiting for the right time, and it seemed as if it was the perfect time. Pain to ease the mind of all the stress from home is just what I needed to escape. I checked out the tattoo store and looked around with curiosity and awe, the artwork was amazingly beautiful. Every wall had all types of artwork displayed, like if they were portraits in an art gallery. Trying to savor the moment I just took my time, and then started to browse through it all. From fairies, corny little hearts, flowers, skulls, and animals I took it all in, making sure I didn’t miss a thing. Yup, this is exactly what I needed to do. I wanted to make sure it was worth the pain and money to, so I decided to get something big.

The big bulky guy that was staring at me from behind the counter is definitely something to look at. He kind of reminded me of Alcide, from True Blood. I hoped to God that this man was indeed the tattoo artist, because that meant I would have those big, bulky hands all over me. Not being in a relationship for a very long time does something to the mind. I never had the time anyway, because I was too busy with work, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate sexiness when I saw it.

I walked up to the counter and he stood there with a sexy smirk on his face, crossing his arms across his chest and stroking his chin as if he heard my thoughts, weird. “Is there anything I can help you with beautiful?”
 

“Yes, as a matter of fact you can. I want to get a tattoo done, but I have no idea what I want, any suggestions?” Straight to the point, and a little too fast because that beautiful man had me nervous to the point I didn’t want to seem awkward, and he was flirting with me already. I bet he flirted
with all the females that came through here to get something done. Come on me beautiful?

My long black hair is still tied up in a ponytail, with strands that came undone from a long shift of working. I smelled like food, and my olive skin tone was now looking two different shades from wearing Amber’s makeup covering up my black eye. “Well that depends on if you are old enough?” He says still smirking.

Okay now I just wanted to smack that smirk off his face. I hate when people assume I am a kid. “I am old enough, and what is so funny?” I said with no intentions of being rude, but this dude was now pissing me off. Assuming I was still in high school and needed parental consent always pissed me off since I took care of myself since I could remember. Maybe I had some food smeared on my face from work or something more embarrassing like a huge stain on my uniform shirt, which I had forgotten to take off.

I took a quick glance over my shoulder to see what Amber was doing, and saw that she was going through a book of tattoos. Great. “Not only beautiful, but you have some spark. I like that; can I suggest a Dragon for you?” He asks and waited for my answer.

I gave him a confused look and snort “Why a dragon? Out of all of the beautiful artwork in the store, you decided on that one. Um, why?” I only ask because I was curious why not a mermaid, butterfly, or just something girly.

“Well Dragons are protectors, they are valiant and powerful. They protect anything that belongs to them. You look like you could use a guardian in your life. Especially with that shiner you are wearing.” Smirk instantly gone from his face, he was deadly quiet and serious now. I guess the makeup came off by now, since I rubbed my face raw at least ten times today.

I decided I made the mistake in coming here in the first place, so I turned to leave. “Hey wait a minute, I didn’t mean to be rude and pry. I was just stating the obvious. Let me show you the dragons I have in mind. How about it?” he said, giving me a genuine smile this time.

“Okay, let’s see it then.” I said returning his smile, making up my mind to stay, and going back to the counter.

“By the way, my name is Devon, and what is your name? Who did that to your eye if you don’t mind me asking?” he asks at the same time he stuck his hand out, so that I could shake it. I put my hands in his and noticed how really big his hand was. It completely covered mine, it was not only beautiful, but it was very masculine at that. I like them big; ugh I really need a man. This guy was making me think twice about being single.

“Veronica, but my friends call me Ronnie and it was a gift from my step dad, which I really don’t want to talk about right now.” I retorted back trying to get off the topic of my step dad. I looked him in the eyes, and I could have sworn his chocolate brown eyes turned ice blue for a second with a slit in the middle. I must be hallucinating or something, maybe the lighting was off but he looked really upset right now. More like pissed, and it was sexy in its own way, this guy was a wet dream walking. His black tank top hugged his muscular body in all the right places.

Amber had told me once that guys like Devon, big and buff usually stuff themselves with socks to make their privates look bigger. I realize that my eyes slowly made their way down to the bulge between his legs. I shut my eyes really quick hoping he didn’t see me staring in that direction. Oh my world, I am checking his penis out, thank you Amber.

He starts to chuckle “There’s no sock there.” I looked up at him really fast, and just then I knew I was about to fall over and die from embarrassment. Did I say that out loud at some point? I don’t remember

“Excuse me?” I ask just to make sure I heard him right just as Amber made her way over in time before he can reply.

“Hey Ronnie, who is your friend?” She said with a flirty tone changing the whole topic. He looked at Amber from head to toe appreciating her beauty as well as I did. Off the sock topic now I look
ed at Amber and I could see she had perked the girls up, to maybe give Devon a good first impression.

Smiling I said to Amber “This is Devon the tattoo artist, he suggested I get a dragon.” Amber’s face lit up with excitement.

“That is a very good idea, it will make you look kind of badass, don’t you think Devon?” she asks, then winked at him.

I clear my throat and as Devon turns around with a smile on his face to go get his artwork, I bend over and whisper to Amber “Must I remind you, that you are engaged to Johnny? Cut it out.”