by t. h. snyder
“I’m kinda tired and want to clean up so we can get out of here. You about ready, I know the girls wanted to pull us all together before we leave to celebrate one more time.”
“Yeah, I just need to restock a few things and I’ll be good to go. Do you need anything while I go back to the inventory room?”
“Nope, I’m all good. I already filled everything up in between clients.”
“Damn, woman, you’re too good to be true. Don’t let the boss know or he might kick me out and add you in full time.”
Sitting up and staring back at him, I laugh at his ridiculous comment, I’ll never be half the artist he is…but in the meantime I’ll continue to learn from the best.
Making my way out of my room, I flip the light off and pull these damn shoes off of my feet while slipping on a pair of chucks.
Ahhh, much better.
Leading myself out to the reception area, I see Cliff and Dault sitting on the leather couches.
“Hey, little lady, how did your day go?” Cliff asks.
“Amazing,” I beam in response.
“Yeah, you seemed to be right in your element. Between you and Steve, I may have to fight to fill my chair from now on,” he says pouting and scrunching his face.
Laughing at his facial expression and insane remark, I slide in between them on the couch.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”
“Yeah, just wait till tomorrow. Guarantee muscles in your body are going to be sore that you didn’t even know where there,” Dault says with a look of pain.
“Fine with me. It’s just proof that I made it through a rough day’s work.”
Looking over to me he gives me a nod.
“I think I like you…I don’t remember you, but hell, you seem like a tough ass chick.”
Bursting out in a fit of laughter, I shake my head and lay it back against the cool leather. Resting my eyes, I let my body relax.
Life is always full of surprises, at times we never know what to really expect.
Looking back over the past few months, I think about everything that we have been through and the ways in which we overcame some impossible obstacles.
Before the accident, I was just beginning to learn who Steve really was. It had been so long that we were together; he seemed like a different person. Even though he was still the same man, a lot of things happened in his life to change the way he lived, the way he perceived things, and the way he wanted others to view him.
Seeing him again for the first time took me off guard, it was as if I was floating through a dream, one in which I didn’t want to wake.
After the accident, he was closed off and unwilling to let anyone in. It took a lot of patience, nurturing, and self-confidence for me to show him the light. He didn’t have to make the changes he did, not just for me but for himself. It takes a strong man to admit when he has a problem, it couldn’t have been easy but he did it.
In the past few weeks, he’s shown himself, me, and the rest of our Cursed Crew that anything is possible if you want it bad enough. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay him for the life he’s shown me, but I plan on being there for him from this day forward. Things were never easy for us and even moving forward, I can guarantee challenging times will come our way. We have an amazing future ahead of us, a lot to learn, and even more to grow from.
He is my strength.
He is my energy.
He is my fate.
A Family of One
With inspired hearts and pride flooding our spirits, the seven of us celebrate a lifetime of friendship and success. Together we wrap our arms around each other for a Cursed and Pink Crew hug, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I think to myself how each of my friends has grown in their own right, developing compassion and strength as we’ve bonded together as a family. When each of us was at our lowest, we came to the aid of one another. Strength and courage have been built within these walls of Cursed Magic and I’m honored to call this crew my family.
Linc has experienced a lot of inspiring moments in his life since moving to Birmingham, but nothing competes with the pride he feels for every single one of us. Not knowing what was to become of his dream after the accident, his expectations were slim to none. He had lost all hope of fully rehabilitating his arm or ever being able to tattoo again. Rather than dwelling on the pain of his loss, he stood tall and decided to move on. Each of us has a struggle, but with Linc as our rock we can get through just about anything. There are a lot of great things to come in all of our futures and I know he can’t wait to see what directions our lives take us in next. As for him and Jo, it’s time they take the plunge…he’s asked her to be his lifelong partner and I’m more than ready to celebrate with our family and friends on the day they finally say I do.
Jo is a gem, a true friend that I know I’ll have by my side until we are old and grey…nah, we’ll never turn grey. We did it. We made today an incredible success. I couldn’t have imagined a better turnout if I tried and I know I couldn’t have done it without her help. The pride and joy beaming throughout the crew is insane. As a family we came together and proved that anything is possible if we put our hearts and souls into it. There’s nothing I can imagine that we won’t succeed in if we are brought together as one. The business that Linc tried to build all those years ago is back in action. I can’t imagine how good it must feel for him to look around his shop after what we’ve accomplished today. Everything does happen for a reason and nothing but good is to come from this amazing group of people.
Dault… holy hell, talk about being at the right place at the right time. Who would have guessed that today was the day? Having the weight of the world on his shoulders, he was so hesitant to come and celebrate with our friends. Looking back on the events of the day, I couldn’t be happier. I know he still has a long way to go, but the pieces of the lost memory puzzle are slowly coming back together. Linc has always been his best friend, the brother he never had. He was the one person that refused to ever give up on Dault…on any of us. With his arm wrapped around Etty, I can’t get over that a simple symbol was all it took to bring a part of his memory back to him. There’s a lot more to uncover, but the feelings flooding through his mind are slowly helping to open his eyes. My heart is filled with hope and knowing that much more of his life is left to learn is the greatest gift of all. Etty will always be his light, the spirit that will help him move through the toughest of days. Without her, none of this would be possible. She brings a level of ecstasy to him that he’ll never want to lose again…she is his forever.
Etty, my girl…my knight in shiny, pink, flowing hair, I don’t know what I’d have done without her. As I stand here surrounded by my crew, I can’t begin to image what my life would have been like if I chose to walk away. She’s the one that talked sense into me, told me I needed to stay. Now here I am and I finally feel at peace. She helped me to see that everything is going to be okay. Times will not always be as they are right now, we won’t always be together as a group, but when we are, it makes all the struggles that much more worth it. This crew has come a long way in the past few months. We’ve dealt with failures, disappointments, achievements and moments of pure bliss. There’s no place and no one else that I’d rather have shared these times with. The Cursed and Pink crew are my family and I’ll forever keep my feet planted in Birmingham. I started my new life and I plan to continue my future here. No moment of my life could be better than this one right now.
Cliff is the thorn in my side and the brother that always seems to get on my nerves at the wrong times. As a part of this crew, I know that he’s honored that we are all still willing to stand by him and call him a friend. Feeling like the black sheep of the family, he’s never really been certain of his place. There’s a darkness that surrounds his piercing blue eyes and I haven’t quite figured it out yet. Steve has shown him that there’s a lot more to life than just alcohol, sex, and material objects. Slowly, I see he is realizing that there is so much more out there for him. I know
that he loves what he does, he enjoys sharing his talents with the clients but there is one thing missing in his life that they rest of the crew has that he doesn’t…someone to love him for the wonderful man he wants to be. Maybe it’s time for him to turn in his manwhore card and settle down? I don’t know what’s out there for him. All I know is that I want him to find the happiness that fills each and every one of our friends….who knows, maybe she’s out there, maybe she’s not, but I’ll be damned if he doesn’t try and find her.
Steve, my love, my partner in crime…my forever. We’ve been through hell and back. Times aren’t always easy, but when there are people surrounding you that want to help you be a better person, it’s time to set yourself free and move on. A lot of good has come to me in my life and I want to embrace it. Moving forward there’s nothing but positive vibes filling my life. The past is just that, the past. Taking a step in the right direction, he’s making changes in his life that will only impact those around him for the better. He may have led a life of wrong doings, but with everything that he is right now, I know he wants to show others that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Too many people hide from their pain because they are scared, there’s no need to hide anymore. He wants to inspire others to do what he’s done and with the help of our crew, I know anything is possible.
As for me, well there are just not enough words to express how I am feeling right now. I’m beyond excited, happy, thrilled, and thriving with adrenaline after the day we’ve just had. Wow, who would have thought this would become my reality? Talk about a spark in a fire turning into a wild blaze. No longer will I allow my fears to deter me from anything ever again. I’ve been reconnected to my soul mate, found that my talents are still worth sharing, and that we all need to be proud of the things we’ve accomplished. These crazy loons surrounding me right now have helped me to become more confident in who I am. Steve is my dream, the one person that helps to push me when I’m scared. When I feel as though don’t have the courage to take that next step, he’s there to hold my hand and guide me along the way. He’s encouraged me in so many ways that I feel as if I can achieve just about anything I put my mind to….hot damn, I’m a tattoo artist.
Chapter 27
The day has come to an end and we’re just about to close up for the night. Sitting in my chair, I rest my head back against the cool leather. Remembering each moment that has brought me to where I am, I close my eyes.
Visions of my sweet girl play behind my closed lids…Her beautiful smile, her dazzling hazel eyes, and her caring disposition are things that will forever be etched in my memory.
Sometimes I wonder what would have come of us if she never would have walked away from me all those years ago. Would we still be together? Would days like today still be possible? Would we still love each other as we do right now?
Maybe we were really meant to be kept apart for all this time. I understand, now more than ever, that life is a learning experience. We all need to go through rough patches in our lives to appreciate what we have and learn from our mistakes. I may have made some big ass mistakes, but had I not, would I really be here right now? The more I think about it, the more I feel at peace with the way things have happened in our lives.
Fingertips begin to graze my right arm and my eyes open to see my sweet girl standing next to me.
“You okay, babe?” She asks.
Pulling her onto my lap, I allow our lips to collide. As her tongue sweeps into my mouth, I suck on it releasing a moan from her chest. I’ll never tire of feeling her lips and her body against my own.
She breaks away from our kiss and looks me in the eyes.
“I’m better than okay, today was one of the best days of my life.”
Resting her head on my shoulder, she scoots her body down on the table to lie next to me.
“It really is incredible, ya know?”
“What’s that?”
“All of us, together and working to help each other. It’s insane that I feel more at peace here with all of us than I would have I been back home with my parents and family. I came here before college wanting to prove a point and after all this time, I can’t image my life being anywhere else.”
Pulling her in tighter against my body, I kiss her forehead.
“I’ve always lived here, built a life here, and for so long I didn’t feel like this place was home.”
“And now?” She asks nuzzling her face into my chest.
“Now, I don’t know that I’d want to be anywhere else but here.”
“Mmm, me too,”
A knocking sound on the door pulls me to look to my right.
“Hey, you two, are you planning on sleeping here or ya wanna head out with the rest of us?” Linc asks, standing in the door way with his arms set across his chest.
Ashley lets out a giggle and moves from my side to stand. With her hand extended out to mine she pulls me up.
“I’d much rather sleep in my bed than on the table,” she replies looking to Linc.
“Good cause we’re all about to go. We have another busy day of appointments tomorrow so make sure you get your beauty rest, Steve.”
Moving to wrap his arm around her, he gives me a nod.
“I’m proud of you, Ashley. You really came through and I’m astounded by the work you’ve done today and throughout the past week. You have an amazing talent, I’m glad to have you as part of our crew.”
Her cheeks begin to turn a light shade of pink as she swings her arms around Linc’s waist.
“Thank you, Linc. That means a lot to me.”
“Okay, that’s enough, buddy. Get your paws off my girl,” I say pushing him out of my way.
Ashley lets out a giggle and steps in next to my side. Moving through the doorway, we follow Linc out to the rest of the crew.
“Y’all ready to do this all over again tomorrow?” Etty asks looking around the room.
I have to laugh as everyone responds in unison. I don’t know that there has been this much excitement coming from this group in a long time. It’s a refreshing feeling, one that I don’t want to fade for a long time.
The lights from within the shop begin to go dark as the girls move around flipping off all the switches. Nothing but the beaming red light of the Cursed Magic sign in the window shines through the darkened space. We all start to walk out the door as I pause for a brief second. As the last one walking out the doors of Cursed Magic, I’d say it was a day worth waiting for.
Standing on the sidewalk, saying our goodbyes before walking to our cars, a group of kids…or men come through, running past us.
What the…
Ashley and I are suddenly thrown to the ground as the sky illuminates with a bright white light. A sensation of heat overcomes us as the sounds of explosions echo throughout our ears. Unsure of what’s happening, I cover Ashley’s body with my own, shielding her from the fiery flames coming from behind us.
Cursed Fate Playlist
All of Me – John Legend
Locked out of Heaven – Bruno Mars
Storm – Lifehouse
Best I Ever Had – Gavin DeGraw
Never Say Never – The Fray
Heart on Fire – Scars on 45
She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5
Wonderwall – Oasis
Wasting all these Tears – Cassadee Pope
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
When I Look at You –Miley Cyrus
Publishing Schedule
Available Now
The Touch Series
Pierced Love
Cursed Love (Cursed, #1)
Cursed Ecstasy (Cursed, #2)
Cursed Heart (Cursed, #3)
Cursed Fate (Cursed, #4)
Coming Soon
Cursed Soul, (Cursed, #5)
Fight Series
Our Last Dance
Torn to Shredz
Mended Love
About the Author
t. h.snyder is my pen name.
&nb
sp; I am a 35 year old single mother to two amazing kids.
I became an avid reader in spring of 2012 and since have read over 300 books.
My genre of interest ranges from Romance to thrilling Paranormal.
This is more than just a hobby for me, it’s a passion to read the words of great authors and bring life to their stories with my reviews and character castings.
I started writing my first novel in June of 2013 and I am anxious to see where this journey takes me!!
You can continue to show your support by liking and following me on facebook, twitter, and goodreads.