Scars of Silk: A Tears of Ink - Novel

by Anna Bloom

  “Yeah, love. I’m Elliot. Tell Danny I say hi and that I hope his injuries are better.”

  “What injuries?” I ask, but again I can sense the dark eyes can read through everything. Unnerved and not feeling particularly safe down the narrow back road, I tuck my papers under my arm. “Well, thanks, Elliot.”

  “Pleasure, love. You can come and ask me questions any day you like. We rarely get beauties like you down this way.”

  My skin crawls, but I smile warmly. “Thanks for everything.”

  I walk to the end of the road as slowly as I can, knowing full well I’m being watched all the way. At the end, before I turn left back towards the seafront, I turn my head just a fraction and find him still watching me but talking on his phone. He sends me a cheerful wave.

  Fuck.

  Just fuck.

  Now I will have to tell Dan I did exactly what he told me not to and spoke to one of Aiden 'I’m such a pervert’s' mates, and that they know what I look like and the fact I know Dan.

  Just bollocks.

  I’m losing my edge, and I know why.

  When I get back to Dan’s, I’m surprised to find the house in darkness with the sofa outside the front door. That’s strange.

  Using the key he leant me this morning, I unlock the door and let myself in. I jump out of my skin when I see him sat in the shadows in one of the armchairs. Please God, don’t tell me he’s trying to hide more bruises.

  “Good day?” I ask, my stomach twisting a little.

  “Perfect.”

  “Why are you in the dark?” I go to switch the light on, sure he’s hiding something awful from me. Although I’m the one with something to tell. I need to tell Dan. I should also ring Eli and tell him. He’s going to be furious; not that I’m sure it will have any impact on Faith's court case.

  He switches on the lamp by his side and the warm glow lifts the shadows. I inspect him but can’t see any new bruises. In fact, he looks good. I haven’t seen him yet when he isn’t black and blue, but the fading damage is revealing just how truly beautiful he is underneath.

  “You're freaking me out a bit. Are you okay?” I go to take a step towards him, but he holds his hand up. Actually, now I think about it, he looks better than he has in a while. He’s wearing dark jeans instead of soft tracksuit pants and a navy round neck sweater is in place of the t-shirts I’ve gotten used it. He could be on his way out—he looks hot enough to be on his way out. Maybe he doesn’t want me here anymore. Perhaps he has plans, a date… my stomach dips in disappointment.

  “Take your jacket off.” His voice slices through the air.

  “What?”

  “Take your jacket off.”

  I search his face, which is dead serious. Beautiful, with his wide lips and soul deep eyes, but dead serious all the same.

  I slide it off and drop it to the floor, watching him the whole time, noticing a small flicker flit across his features.

  “Unbutton your shirt.”

  I resist the urge to smile and do exactly as he says, letting it hang undone until I get my next instruction.

  “Jeans.”

  I swiftly unzip them and then push them down my hips.

  “Slowly!” he barks, and I pull my hurried actions back, making sure I step out of them slowly and then put my stilettos back on.

  A deep warmth centres at the apex of my thighs.

  His dark gaze sweeps across my exposed skin and a small vein thuds in his throat. I’m soaking wet and he hasn’t even touched me yet.

  He’s playing my game, for me. Right in this moment, I want to give him everything and to find all he is.

  “Come closer.” His tone is gruffer, and I step up.

  When I’m a foot in front of him he slides off the armchair, coming to his knees by my feet. Without a word he stares up at me like I’m the statue of a goddess he wants to praise. It fills me with a river of power; a burning ache that threatens to turn me inside out. “Open your legs,” he whispers, his voice still firm.

  I take one step to the side and then stand quivering while he stares at me, his attention on my wet knickers. He’s in no rush and my legs are trembling when he finally lifts a finger pressing it gently along the damp patch. “You want me?”

  “Yes,” I mutter.

  “Louder.”

  “Yes!” Fuck, I’m going to launch myself onto his face in a moment.

  Raising two hands, he holds onto my ass, pushing me closer until he’s breathing in my scent. God. This is too much, even for me. I’m desperate for him.

  His lips press against the material of my knickers and I murmur a little moan. “You want my tongue in there, don’t you?”

  I nod frantically but then give a squeal when his palm lands on my right butt cheek. “Answer.”

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  I stand still, suitably chastised, but achingly turned on. He lowers my knickers until I’m bare and then pushes my ankles further apart. I’m torn between a desperate need to close my legs and for him to carry on with his plans.

  I cry out as he places his lips over my clit, sucking on it hard. My legs tremble harder, the tension from standing in the same position and my desire making them wobble.

  His tongue licks me long and hard, all the way from the back to the front, skipping across my entrance until it’s back over my clit which he nibbles gently with his teeth.

  On his second pass, he dips his tongue inside me and I groan wildly. Pleased with my response he thrusts his tongue deep inside, it’s warm and sensational.

  His hand raises and his thumb turns circles on my clit. I shudder almost unable to control myself. Another thrust and slide of his tongue, his fingers always working me and I’m whimpering hard, barely able to hold my own weight as I push down into his face. He’s all teeth, fingers, and tongue as I shut my eyes and throw my head back.

  The mother of all orgasms thunders at me hard and I cry out, grinding myself into his teeth, desperate for the pleasure to roll into a pinch of pain.

  When he’s sucked me to a dazzling end, he shifts back a little and smiles up at me, his dark eyes shining bright. “Welcome home from work.” He grins impishly. “Told you I was going to spend the day researching.”

  “Fuck, Dan.”

  He lifts one dark brown. “Now that, I plan to do next.” Straightening to his feet, he reaches me into his arms, lifting me up, his mouth on mine where I can taste myself and whisky combined.

  “Take me to bed,” I whisper against his lips.

  “Already on it.” He kisses me all the way up the stairs and kicks at his bedroom door and the whole way up I can’t help but wonder how I met this guy, and just what chance I have of keeping him.

  Thirteen

  Dan

  “Vinny called.” We are in the dark of my room, wrapped up so tight my ribs are aching—not they aren’t aching, anyway.

  “Vinny?”

  “Fight club Vinny.”

  She cringes against my side. “And?”

  “He was fishing for info, wanted to know if I’d heard anything.”

  Groaning, she burrows her face into my skin. “I’m sorry.”

  With delicate fingers, I tilt her face to meet mine. “Sorry for what? Not letting me carry on a path that would kill me?”

  Her eyes glance up at me in the darkness, shining a little too bright, salt water glimmering behind her lashes. “I was wrong to get involved. I guess I just go into saving mode. That’s what Will has left me with. I just want to try to make things better for everyone, so they don’t hurt the way he used to.”

  I roll us so her naked body is pressed under mine, and my hand slides down her face, so intimate so soon. “Look at the effect you’ve had on me. Two weeks ago, I wanted to receive a punch I didn’t want to wake up from. Now.” I hesitate a little. This is supposed to be fun, a couple of weeks of anything but normal. I swallow but then say the words on the tip of my tongue. I’m done holding back. “Now I’m wondering what I can cook you for breakfast tomorr
ow that will make you stay another day.”

  She grins, and it’s damn beautiful mixed with equal levels of cute.

  “Make it good. I don’t want a reason to leave.”

  I don’t want to ask, but then I don’t want to be unprepared for when loneliness will come knocking at my door again. “How long do you think you’ll be here?”

  Sighing, her face flickers into a frown. “I was hoping the end of this week, but no one is talking, I’m not serving any purpose here.”

  She opens her mouth, but then shuts it again—I can spot a secret a million miles away. I don’t call her on it though. She’s already planning to leave.

  My chest aches, an unsettled sensation rippling in the place where my ribs meet. “I guess you’ve got other things to do?”

  She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, pausing before answering, her dark green gaze watching me in the dim light. “Yeah, I guess.” Reaching up, she pecks a kiss on my mouth. “Anyway, have you thought about what you will do with the shop?” Her lips tease into a smile. “I’ve been hanging around here for two weeks and I haven’t once seen you open the front door.”

  My shoulders lift, shifting our bodies tighter together. “I haven’t been in there since Faith left.”

  “Because it’s something you do with her?”

  I stare at the ceiling, my thoughts rolling as they have been for the last couple of months. “No. It’s not her, or because it’s something I did with her. It’s just because it’s dad’s and now he’s not here. I only opened it when Faith came back because I guess when she was here, I felt like he was too.”

  Her lips press into my cheek. “I’m sorry you lost your dad.”

  I sweep my fingers over her face, finding only heartfelt sincerity there. “And I’m sorry about your brother. I guess these things are sent to define us.”

  I watch as her lips turn down at the corners. “I hate the way Will dying has defined me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She pauses, nibbling her lip. “Since he’s been gone, I’ve been tied in knots. Unable to escape. Always trying to make up for the both of us even though I often feel like I’m failing myself.”

  “Not when you’re here though?” My chest constricts another notch.

  “No, when I’m here, I don’t want to be anyone else, or anywhere else.”

  Her confession turns the edges of my lips into a wide smile. I can’t remember the last time I smiled that hard.

  “Will you tattoo me? We could open your shop together tomorrow and then you could be the first.”

  I shake my head, my answer instant. Running a hand down her smooth skin I relish the silkiness beneath my touch. “No. You are too perfect to ruin.”

  “You don’t think Faith is ruined.”

  My fingers continue their exploration of the surface of perfection. “I wasn’t the one to ruin her. And I won’t be the one to ruin you.”

  Sienna chuckles. “That’s a strange mindset for a tattoo artist.”

  “Oh now.” I pull her closer and breathe in the combined musk and perfume lingering between us. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy to take money from anyone else. I just know I won’t ever press a pen against your skin.”

  “Maybe I’ll get someone else to do it…”

  “Well then, maybe I’ll have to kill them.”

  We grin at one another for a long moment. “Come,” I say. “We’d better get some sleep. Especially if you want to come to work with me tomorrow.”

  “I do.”

  I turn her and wrap my arms tight around her middle.

  “Tell me a story.”

  “What do you want to hear?” I’ve never told a story in my life, but I’ll give her anything she wants. It’s a deep and dark need that rests in my soul. I’ll give her anything. Even me.

  Her fingers trail across my ink, her delicate touch dancing over the patterns. “Tell me what these are.”

  “All of them?”

  “Yes.” She yawns heavily and I know she won’t even hear one story. “All of them.”

  “We will need longer than the end of this week then.”

  I hold my breath and wait for her answer.

  It’s whispered and on the verge of sleep when it comes and I wrap my arms tighter, holding on for dear life. “Good.”

  And that’s all I need to hear.

  It’s the vision of her long bare legs that greets me as I come through the front door swinging a bag of shopping.

  “Now that’s a great sight for first thing in the morning.” She has one of my t-shirts on which comes to a stop just at the top of her thighs.

  Her eyes are on me, skimming over me fast and I run an embarrassed hand through my hair. The bruises are fading now and without them I feel strangely exposed. “What?" I ask.

  Her lips curve at the corners and she steps up and brushes a kiss across my lips, her breasts pushing into my chest. "Just admiring my own view.”

  “Like what you see?” I start to laugh, although it quickly fades as she gazes intently at every inch of my skin she can see. I’m kind of glad I made the effort and went with the jeans instead of my usual tracksuit get up.

  “One hundred percent, yes.” Her attention darts to the bag. “You let me sleep?”

  “You looked peaceful, and I woke early. I’ve already been for a run along the river and back for a shower.”

  “Wow, I’m not normally this lazy.” She brushes at her fringe, which I think along with the lip nibbling is possibly the most endearing thing she does.

  “It’s okay. You had a busy day yesterday, walking around interviewing people.”

  That same little flicker lights in her eyes like it did last night, but I don’t push it and ask what secret she’s keeping. That’s not my business.

  “Can I grab a shower?”

  “You don’t have to ask.” I motion to the stairs and she walks in their direction. Those legs are so damn fine.

  “Is this weird?” She spins and lift her hands to the side. “I mean we don’t know each other, but I seem to be staying here. I don’t want to make things awkward.”

  “Did you know me last night?” I meet her gaze directly and her cheeks warm.

  “Yes.”

  “Well, let's not discuss it again. It’s nice to have someone else in the house with me.”

  She turns and investigates my change of furniture. “I see you were busy yesterday.”

  “Yep. I fancied a change.”

  She turns back to me and smiles, and then I smile. Really, there is just way too much smiling going on. Where’s the Dan with the edge? The one who never let women in? “Change is good.”

  I eye her legs and lick my lips. “Yes, it is. Now are you going for a shower? Because right now I can envision all my plans for the day going south.” My focus is on the hem of her t-shirt, so she knows exactly what I mean by south.

  “Plans?”

  I nod slowly. Yep. I made plans. First time in months.

  “I’ll go shower.”

  I groan as she turns, the edge of the shirt lifting to reveal she’s totally naked underneath.

  “I’ll make coffee,” I mumble as I walk myself and my hard-on into the kitchen. “Yep, I’ll make coffee.”

  I take out two of the travel mugs from the cupboard. Mine and Dad's, the ones we used to make before we went to work in the morning. There’s a kettle and stuff at the shop, but as every day starts with a sterile wipe down, despite doing it the close of day the night before; it’s easier just to rock up with the caffeine already in hand.

  There’s a third cup in the cupboard which I simply just pick up and drop into the bin. She won’t be needing that one anymore.

  “So, what’s the plan?” I jump at the sound of Sienna’s voice at the door. If she saw me throwing away a perfectly good, and honest to God, expensive travel mug she says nothing. She’s wrapped in a towel, her hair dripping down her shoulder. Holy crap.

  “I thought we could go to work.”

/>   She lifts an eyebrow. “I’ve been at work all week.”

  “No, you haven’t. You’ve been fucking me for the last two days. Today, you can do some hard graft.”

  “Is that so?” She steps closer and you could cut the air with a knife.

  “Yep. Food and lodgings in place of your receptionist skills.”

  “Receptionist?” Another step closer. God, I want to take her against the kitchen counter. “I have a First law degree and I’m a researcher for one of the biggest and most successful law firms in the country.”

  I’m impressed, but I don’t let it show. I think my rock-hard dick straining against my jeans is speaking for itself. “Well, darling, if you work hard for me today, I’ll reward you far better than that law firm of yours ever will.”

  Her lips part and her eyes darken.

  I smack her on the arse and reach around her for the coffees. “You’ve got five minutes to get dressed.”

  “Yes, boss.”

  I chuckle as she slips her way out of the kitchen. This could be the best working day I’ve had in a while.

  “Al’s Tattoos.”

  I laugh as she sing-songs into the phone. She’s leant against the counter, the bookings ledger open in front of her. “Tomorrow at five?” She queries and then turns to me raising a questioning eyebrow.

  “What do they want done?” I’m just sat in the chair doing fuck all. But then I have done three medium jobs in a row.

  “Do you know what you want?” She listens to the other end for a moment before saying to me, “Half a sleeve, something tribal, or maybe tropical.” I snort and her lips curve in that damn gorgeous smile of hers.

  “Tell them three. I’m not staying later than seven.”

  “He can only do three in the afternoon.” She listens again. “Well either you want him, or you don’t.”

  I lift both my eyebrows as I listen in.

  “Well you could go somewhere else with longer opening hours, but can you guarantee what you will walk away with?”

  I’m grinning. It’s impossible not to. I never want this to end; never want her to leave me to what I was before. I can’t think too much because then I’d have to acknowledge the fact I know those dark shadows and lonely edges are waiting there at the boundary of my existence, ready and waiting to close in on me again.