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by Ashley Jade
“Oh, now you want to step up and be a knight in shining armor,” Oakley muses. “Well, sorry, but I don’t accept—”
Grabbing him by the shoulders, I shove him toward the room in the back. “Quit yapping so we can get this shit over with, fucker.”
Chapter 31
Sawyer
“Hold on. I’m not ready yet,” Oakley yells from the back room. “I need another second.”
“He’s been in there for over forty minutes.” Dylan motions to her near complete tattoo. “I’m almost done.”
“I know.” I try not to laugh. “I’m surprised Cole hasn’t lost his shit yet.”
“Okay—I think I’m ready now,” Oakley declares.
“Great. Take a deep breath for me,” the patient piercer instructs.
“Wait,” Oakley screams. “I need one more minute.”
“Jesus Christ!” Cole roars. “Motherfucker, if you tell her to wait one more time, I’m putting that barbell through your dick myself.”
The laughter Dylan, Jace, and I were trying to suppress escapes us in one big wave. Even our tattoo artist—who we found out is named Ivan—has to pause to gather his bearings.
“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.
I narrow my eyes at Cole. “Not technically.” I look down at my hands. “It’s complicated.”
Especially right now.
I never thought Cole would freak out on another guy for hitting on me.
“They aren’t together,” Dylan tells Ivan. “Sawyer’s just being a good friend and helping him out. She’s totally single.”
Cole turns his death glare on her. “Do you like living with my brother? Because I can change that real quick.”
“All right, everyone calm down.” Jace places a hand on Cole’s shoulder. “There’s an ice cream shop a few doors down.” He looks at us. “Meet us there after you two finish up here.”
Cole sulks. “I don’t want ice—”
“It’s your birthday,” Oakley cuts in. “Let me buy you one of those cones with sprinkles on top.”
Cole glowers. “I didn’t turn five, asshole.”
“Could have fooled me,” Jace snaps. “Let’s go.”
Begrudgingly, Cole follows them.
I look at Dylan after they leave. “Jace is going to make a really great dad one day.”
“I know.” She smirks. “It’s an added bonus that his dad voice is kind of hot.”
Ivan goes back to concentrating on my tattoo. “I should be finished in five.”
His cheerful, upbeat tone from before is long gone.
“I’m sorry—” I start to say, but he shakes his head.
“Don’t be.” The buzzing starts up again. “Everyone has baggage, right?”
True, but Cole isn’t baggage.
He’s a landmine.
And it’s only a matter of time before he goes off.
“It’s not really that deep,” Oakley tells Dylan. “Morgan and I are just having fun.”
Dylan scoops some of the sundae she’s splitting with Jace onto her spoon. “Does she know that?”
Oakley takes a long sip of his milkshake before he answers. “She should. I told her from the get-go it’s money over bitches.”
Dylan and I glare at him.
Rolling his eyes, Oakley sits up straight. “I’m sorry, I meant money over humans with two X chromosomes. Better?”
Dylan looks up at the ceiling. “No—”
“Yes,” I exclaim, glad our studying is finally paying off. “You got it right.”
He grins. “Really?”
“Yup. And if you keep up the good work, you’ll be on track to graduate this year.”
Dylan’s smile matches ours. “I’m really proud of you, Oak.”
She squeezes my hand under the table.
Jace looks around the ice cream shop. “Cole’s been gone for a while now.”
The moment Dylan and I showed up, Cole said he was taking a walk.
Like he couldn’t get away fast enough.
We haven’t seen him since.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Dylan says. “He’s probably still cooling off or whatever.”
Jace stands up. “I’m gonna go check on him.”
“I’ll do it.”
Before anyone can protest, I grab my bag off the table and head out.
After the words Cole and Jace had earlier, I’m not sure Jace is the best person for the job.
I’m probably not either considering I was the reason he blew up on the guy at the tattoo shop, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to clear the air between us.
I peer through the window of Jace’s car, but he’s not in there.
I dip inside a few stores on the strip after that, but no dice.
He’s nowhere to be found.
I’m starting to get worried when a thought occurs to me. There’s only one place I haven’t checked, and it’s because we were already there.
I highly doubt Cole’s inside, given what happened earlier, but it’s worth a shot.
Awkwardness ensues when I walk in and see Ivan at the counter.
“Hey.”
“Let me guess, you’re looking for your boyfriend who’s not really your boyfriend?”
He’s either psychic, or my guess was right and Cole is here. “I take it he came back?”
“Yeah.” I don’t know what to make of the look he gives me. “He’s in the back with Candace. They should be finishing up soon.”
“Oh.”
I’m not sure if he’s actually hinting that something is going on between them, or if I’m just being paranoid.
Either way, I hate the way my stomach knots.
Maybe Dylan was right and I’m fooling myself into believing I can handle this situation with Cole when it’s obvious I can’t.
Because if I could…I wouldn’t be barreling toward the back room like a woman on a mission.
The door swings open when I reach it and Candace slithers out, closing it behind her.
Like the other artists who work here, she’s covered in piercings and tattoos.
She’s also beautiful…and thin.
Just the way Cole likes them.
“Is he—”
Words lodge in my throat because the only thing I care about is whether she fucked my boyfriend or not.
“He’s getting dressed.” She smiles. “You can go in there if you want.”
Getting dressed.
Heart on the floor, I turn the knob and walk in.
Cole has no right to ask me to help him and then turn around and hurt me like this.
“How could—”
My sentence dies the moment I see him.
He’s sitting shirtless on a black bench with his head in his hands…looking so dejected, it tears my heart wide open.
“Talk to me,” I whisper.
I don’t care what he says.
I just need him to let me in.
Because all the pain he keeps bottled up inside is slowly killing him piece by fucked up piece.
And I refuse to let that happen.
Because no matter how ruthless and damaged he is…a world without Colton isn’t a world I want to live in.
Slowly, he lifts his head.
His eyes—those beautiful green pools of depth which are usually so full of intensity—look dull and lifeless.
Like he’s trapped inside something that’s sucking the life out of him.
I don’t think…I follow the impulse beating through my chest like a drum.
The second my arms wrap around him, something inside him unhinges.
He hugs me so tight it steals every ounce of air from my lungs.
He can have it.
He trembles against me, shaking like a tree in a hurricane.
There are so many questions I want to ask him, so many things I wish he would tell me.
But I know if I push him too hard, too fast, he’ll recoil back into his shell and his protective armor will slip back into place.
All I can do right now is hold him.
Let him know he’s not alone.
After what feels like an eternity, he speaks.
“I thought it would help.” He lifts his gaze to mine. “But it didn’t.” His voice drops to a painful rasp. “Nothing does.”
I want to scream that of course fucking some random woman in a tattoo shop won’t help, but I don’t.
I grab his face in my hands. “That’s because Band-Aids only cover up a wound…they don’t heal it.”
“Maybe I don’t want it to heal.” Those green orbs harden. “Maybe I deserve the reminder.”
It’s only then I notice the Saran Wrap around his arm. “May I?”
He raises his arm. “Go for it.”
Being as tender as possible, I unwind the plastic film. “No one deserves to live in agony, Cole.”
He snorts. “Says the girl who believes in Hell.”
My eyes widen when I uncover the ink on his inner bicep.
&nbs
p; Like the rest of us, he got a butterfly…only his is three sizes smaller. Nearly invisible. And green.
Next to the tiny butterfly, is a date. August 21st, 2001.
Their—his—real birthday.
“Green was his favorite color.” His laugh is bitter. “It was the only thing we had in common.”
I have a feeling they had more in common than he’ll ever let himself acknowledge.
I roll the plastic back around his bicep. “It’s your throwing arm.”
The fact that he chose to get it there of all places feels significant.
That turmoil is back in his eyes. “Awfully perceptive of you, Bible Thumper.”
Heart pounding, I brush my lips over his tattoo. “That’s because I see you, Colton.”
He covers it up by making rude, hurtful remarks…but deep down, he’s grieving a vital part of himself he lost.
Liam.
I turn around, intending to give him his space, but his hand wraps around my wrist and he pulls me back to him.
I expect him to get angry and lash out, but he doesn’t.
He kisses me.
Chapter 34
Sawyer
I should stop him. He’s hurting, he’s vulnerable, he might have slept with another girl…but I can’t.
It’s the softest, most gentle kiss I’ve ever experienced…barely a whisper of lips. A silky caress that makes my heart flutter and my head spin.
And just like that…it’s gone.
Frustration claws at my chest. “What…why did you stop?”
A cocky smile curves his mouth. “You told me no tongue, remember?”
I’m speechless. Utterly fucking speechless.
However, I’m not one bit surprised he’s making me eat my words. The bastard.
His hand curls around my hip possessively. “That guy was flirting with you.” A small gasp leaves me when his thumb brushes the skin above the waistband of my leggings. “I didn’t like it.”
Between the change of subject and his touch, I’m having trouble keeping up. “I—”
“It made me feel something I haven’t felt in a long time.”
“What?”
His eyes darken. “Jealousy.”