Inked: A Bad Boy Next Door Romance (10 page)

“
W
ow
, this place is pretty rad,” Katie quips, looking all around as I open the door for the girls to the tattoo parlor. I feel that Maddy needs to see where I work to be at ease. I know she has her doubts about me, and I need to show Maddy that she doesn’t have any reason not to trust me. Hopefully this’ll do it. Or help at the very least.

“It is,” Maddy agrees. Even though I know tattoos aren’t her thing, I can tell she’s impressed with the layout of the shop. We have squeaky-clean checkered floors, a lot of goth artwork on the walls, and framed pictures of clients with our most impressive tattoos. Maddy walks around, leisurely looking at all this stuff before she finds her way over to the counter.

“So is this where you give tattoos?” she asks as she runs her fingers over a photo album of our work.

“Yup,” I respond. “I’ll show you the back later, peaches,” I say with a smirk at Maddy and give her a wink. In typical fashion she rolls her eyes, but I know she’s dreaming about me fucking her on my table now. Fuck, I’d do it right now too if I could, but I don’t want Katie to get the wrong idea about me. Right now she’s on my side, and I wanna keep it that way.

Needles comes out of the back carrying some tattoo tubes in his hands. He’s about to say something, but he stops when he sees us.

“Hello,” Maddy says politely.

“Heya,” Katie greets. She eyes Needles with curiosity, who’s dressed in all black with his goth tattoos on display. I can tell that neither Katie nor Maddy are used to being around guys like Needles, and I wonder how this meeting is gonna go down.

Needles looks at them and then at me. “Who are these chicks?” he asks.

“Prostitutes,” Katie says before I can respond. “The two dollar kind.”

I chuckle. “These chicks are my girl, Maddy, and her friend Katie.” I gesture at Katie and then add, “Ladies, this asshole is Needles.” That gets a laugh from them and I expected the side-eye from Needles, but his eyes are focused on Katie.

“Oh, sup,” Needles says. “Welcome to Inked Envy, where we hook you up with the best tattoos.” He pauses then as if he just realizes something and looks at me with his forehead pinched. “Your girl? Since when did you get pussywhipped?”

“Since I broke up with your mom.” I’m quick with a response, and I keep it light.

Katie snickers at my response, which I know she loves.

“Well that was bound to happen, considering mom's as loose as a sinkhole.”

“God, show some respect, douche,” I growl. Seriously, Needles is making me wanna fuck him up. He’s a shit wingman.

“Sorry,” Needles says without a hint of authenticity. He turns to Maddy. “It’s just that Zane hasn’t been in a relationship in… well… ever.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Maddy asks. She’s side-eyeing me nervously, and I can only assume all sorts of dubious thoughts are running through that pretty little head of hers.

Needles walks over and sets the tubes down at his workstation. “I just don’t see him settling down is all,” he replies. “He’s never been able to have a relationship that lasted more than a week.

Maddy grows quiet and I literally want to take Needles outside and curb stomp him. Does he have any idea that I’m trying to make Maddy feel comfortable with dating me? It’s like he’s going out of his way to shit all over my effort.

It’s one of Needles’ character flaws. He always speaks bluntly, even if it means offending someone. It’s one of the reasons why he’s my friend. He’s real, not fake and phony like most of the people in my life. But right now his penchant for truth is annoying the fuck out of me. She doesn’t need to know that shit.

An uncomfortable silence falls over the room, and I feel like I need to say something to put Maddy at ease, but I’m saved by Katie.

“One of you give me a tattoo!” Katie demands out of nowhere. “Right on my ass!”

“Katie!” Maddy protests. “I thought you hated tattoos.”

“Not anymore.”

“I’d be more than happy to if you’re serious,” Needle says, staring at Katie intently. He seems to have a thing for Katie, but I think she’s out of his league. I’d give him less than an hour before he said something that would offend her and have her clawing him for blood.

“Well, I’m not,” Katie admits.

“Damn,” Needles says with disappointment. “That would’ve been the highlight of my week.

Katie blushes.

“How’d you two even meet?” Maddy asks, looking between me and Needles. She seems quick to keep Katie and Needles from getting a little too close, and it makes me wanna laugh at her. They’re grown ass adults. If they wanna have a go, let 'em.

I look at Needles with a grin.

“So he came into my shop one day. Not this one, but a different one.”

Needles is turning red, and I can’t help but crack up laughing. “He got hammered one night and decided he’d give himself a tat.”

I turn to Needles. “Show 'em.”

Needles looks a bit pissed at me for even bringing it up. He’s done all his tats himself, and he’s good at what he does. But that night he shouldn’t have done that shit.

“Nothing good happens after 2 a.m.,” he says, lifting up his sleeve.

“Looks good to me,” Katie says and shrugs her shoulders as she lets her fingertips graze Needles' skin. His lips turn up into a soft smile.

“That’s 'cause he came to a pro to fix his shit work.”

Needles’ smile vanishes. “You were sober. That’s the only difference.”

I chuckle and wrap my arm around Maddy’s waist, bringing her closer to me. She seems so much better now. So much happier.

“What about you and Katie?” I ask her.

Maddy looks with a scowl at Katie, who is grinning mischievously. “Don’t. Just don’t,” she warns.

God, this is gonna be good. I can already tell from the look on my peach’s face.

“Well, we’re kinder buddies,” Katie says.

“Kinder buddies?” I ask. My brow furrows, what the fuck is a kinder buddy?

“Yeah, we met in Kindergarten, so we're Kinder buddies. We were so young though, I don’t remember much.”

Maddy seems to relax and trust that whatever Katie has on her, she’s not gonna tell. But judging by the way Katie’s smile just grew on her face, she’s not gonna keep quiet.

“Except this one time, where Maddy--” Maddy runs to Katie and gets a hand over her mouth, cutting her off, but Katie manages to pull away and dodges Maddy's next grab. They're on opposite sides of the counter now. Katie's got a huge ass grin on her face, but Maddy just looks pissed.

“It’s not funny, Katie!” Maddy's shooting daggers at Katie, but Katie just keeps grinning and continues.

“She was on the playground,” Katie begins. Maddy darts around the counter, but Katie’s faster.

“And she fell from the top of the slide.” They look like two kids playing as Maddy chases Katie around the counter, trying to catch her. “And I went to help her. 'Cause you know, I’m such a nice person and all.”

I look at Needles, not believing this shit is really happening.

Maddy stops running, and the two try to catch their breaths. Maddy points her finger at Katie and says, “Just stop right now, and I’ll never tell--”

Before Maddy can finish her threat, Katie spits out, “And she had completely soaked her clothes!” She starts laughing hysterically, and Needles follows suit. “She literally scared the piss out of herself.”

“I was like four!” Maddy yells. She still looks pissed, but more embarrassed than anything else. I wanna laugh, but I hold it in. Something tells me she'll never forgive me if I laugh at her for this right now. “I swear to God, I’m going to tell every story I can when you finally hold down a boyfriend,” she mutters.

Needles stops laughing and looks at Maddy and says, “I mean, at least you were four. It could be worse.”

I grunt out a laugh. “How old was that fucker that shit himself while you were giving him a tattoo?”

“Too fucking old!” he answers, and just like that Maddy relaxes a little.

“Oh. My. God. Are you for real?” Katie asks Needles with disbelief.

“I shit you not,” Needles says, and I just shake my head, but it gets a laugh out of Katie.

“Oh my God!!” Maddy shrieks out of nowhere. I actually flinch. Grown ass men can’t even make me flinch. “This is my song!” she yells out and takes my hand. I didn’t even notice the music in the background. I generally just tune it out. It's more to help customers relax, not for us.

“What are you doing?” Needles asks as she pulls me in front of the counter.

“Dance with me!” she says. I stare into her beautiful green eyes, and I can’t deny her.

“You’re really fucking gonna dance!” Needles crows. He's having the time of his life with this shit.

I shoot him the finger behind Maddy’s back as she sings along to whatever song is playing.

Katie whips out her phone to take a picture. Fuck, not a picture. Probably a video judging by the fact she’s still got the damn thing raised.

Normally I’d just sit down and refuse to do this shit. But looking down at Maddy, she’s so fucking happy, just having a good time.

Whatever, I can sway back and forth and let her have the time of her life over a song.

I push her away for just a second and she looks up, thinking I’m done. But I’ve got her hand in mine and I go for the twirl. I figure if Katie’s recording, I might as well do something to make it worthwhile. Seeing Maddy smile makes it worth it.

She busts out a laugh and so does our little audience.

My heart swells in my chest as she gives me a wide smile and leans into my embrace again.

And then, in a split second, all the happiness is gone when I see Vlad walk up to the building with a scowl on his face.

“Needles,” I call out even though my eyes are on the door. “You wanna take the girls out back for a second?”

Maddy’s forehead pinches and she looks at me like I owe her an explanation. But she sees where I’m looking and turns in my arms.

“Just head out back, baby.” I plant a kiss on her nose. I’m trying to keep it casual and not let on to the fact I’m pissed he’s here. I don’t want her around this shit. And I don’t want him to ever lay eyes on her. But it’s too late.

Vlad bangs on the door with his fist. Since the shop is closed, the door is locked. He fucking knows that.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” I say and give Maddy a smile as she looks at Katie, and then to Needles. She looks uneasy, and I know I need to settle her down some.

“It’s just business.” That’s not enough to get the nervous look off her face though. Vlad’s a scary ass looking dude. “I promise after this I won’t be working any more tonight.” I speak with a relaxed, easy voice as Needles starts walking them back.

“Let me show you guys the equipment I have in my trunk.” Both women stop dead in their tracks, and I shake my head on the way to the door. Dude has no fucking game.

“I mean, my stereo system,” he says.

Katie cracks up and asks, “What year is this?” She’s joking, but Needles doesn’t laugh. He knows how serious this shit is.

I walk to the door and pull out my key, listening as they open and shut the back door. I open the door wide and move to the side to let him in. “Vlad, nice to see you.” It isn’t really, but what else are you gonna tell the mob boss?

I’ve never liked Vlad or the shit he does. If it wasn’t for Nikolai, I’d never feel comfortable enough to stay anywhere around these fuckers.

When the head of the mob is a cold-blooded killer with a taste for women way too close to being underage, it’s hard to feel safe. He’s backstabbed more than a few people. But I’ve always felt like I was on the inside. I guess that's only because I know Nikolai would give me a heads-up. He said if you don’t know who’s on the hit list, then it’s 'cause your ass is close to being on it.

Every move Vlad makes is calculated. I’ve never given him a reason to even think about me. I stay out of his way and just let them take over the books for their laundering.

“You throwing a fucking party in here?” Vlad sneers. His cruel blue eyes stare back at me. He’s a tall blond man with combed-over, thinning hair.

“I’m just showing a couple of friends the place is all.”

Vlad’s glare says it all. His eyes seem to say,
'What the fuck is the matter with you?'

“Get those bitches the fuck out of here. Now.”

Everything in my body screams at me to tell Vlad to go fuck himself, and I would, if I didn’t think he would do something to harm one of the girls in retaliation.

“Okay boss.” I turn my back on him and go right to the back. At least he doesn’t follow me back here. I don’t need him around either Katie or Maddy.

“You guys have to go,” I say as soon as the door shuts behind me. Katie’s leaning into the trunk of Needles’ car messing with one of the speakers.

“Why?” Maddy asks; she’s got concern written all over her face.

“We were having so much fun,” Katie whines in protest.

“Just take my car and head back home.”

Maddy looks like she’s going to argue as I pull her a few feet down the street to where I parked. I need to make sure she doesn’t. When it comes to Vlad and all this shit, I need to make sure she listens to me.

“It’s just business, peaches.” I open the door to my car and hand her the keys. “I’ll be back as soon as this meeting is over.”

It hurts to see Maddy’s unanswered questions in her eyes. She wants to know what’s going on. But I can’t tell her. No fucking way.

I can see her starting to question everything, and I fucking hate it. I wanna tell her. I want to make sure she trusts me. But I can’t. The more she knows, the worse it'll be for her. That, and she’ll leave my ass.

“I shouldn’t have brought you here with the chance of my old partner coming by,” I tell her. It’s a mix of white lies. It's true that I didn’t know he was showing up tonight. But “old partner”… well that’s just a flat-out lie.

But it does the trick. Her lips purse and her shoulders relax some. “So you’re just settling
old
business?” she asks with her arms crossed, and the keys tapping against her forearm.