Marked Heart (Marked Heart #3)

by M. Sembera

  Glaring at Braden, Pat took a step closer before running his hand through his hair again.

  "I'm not. You are."

  "Like hell I am." Braden argued.

  "You still owe me."

  Grimacing at the reminder, that Pat loved to throw in his face, Braden refused to back down.

  "What you're doing is wrong. Why don't you not draw a salary and put the money back?"

  "If you don't go give him the lay-off, I'll go fire him. The choice is yours, my friend."

  Braden stared at him for a moment before offering, "I'll take the lay-off."

  "You and Pete BFF's or somethin'? What's your problem?"

  A moral call would be lost on Pat, so Braden decided to work and angle of his own.

  "You're a business man, right?" Pat gave a suspicious nod as Braden continued, "If I take the lay-off, the money will get put back quicker and warehouse production won't be slowed down by losing Pete."

  A wide smile spread across Pat's face as he agreed, "My man, that's why I like you."

  Walking to the door, Braden asked, "It's a deal then?"

  "Hey, you want to take one for the team. More power to you."

  Giving Pat a short nod, he walked out of his office and down the hallway.

  "Where are you going?"

  "Didn't you hear, I just got laid-off." Braden sarcastically answered before heading out of the building.

  ~

  Normally, Braden would have left straight from work and headed to Liv's but since she wouldn't be home for a few hours, he took the opportunity to pick up his clothes from Pheobe's Fluff and Fold laundry service and an eighteen pack of Dos Equis on his way to his apartment.

  As soon as he walked in and set everything down on the couch, there was a knock on his door. When he opened it, Mina was right there on the other side with a soft smile.

  Her brown eyes questioned him, while her mouth noted, "You're home early."

  Opening the door wider to let her in, he replied, "I got laid-off."

  "Oh no!" she blurted, swiftly turning around to face him as she walked in.

  Closing the door, he assured, "It's not a big deal."

  "My poor baby," she cooed, softly pressing her hands into his chest.

  Braden considered the playful expression on her face, and hint of willingness in her eyes.

  "It's okay, really," he replied, pulling his phone out of his pocket as it alerted him to a text with a light pinging sound.

  Mina moved her hands from his chest and crossed them across her own, pouting, as he looked at his phone.

  Biting the side of his tongue, Braden leaned his back against the door and smirked at his phone when he saw the text was from Liv.

  L: Up for something new?

  Glancing at Mina, he texted back.

  B: Always.

  L: Theme night.

  B: Hope its Mexico. I already picked up Dos Equis.

  L: Lucky Punk!

  B: I'm gifted.

  L: Ha! Later.

  Laughing as he slid his phone back in his pocket, he noticed Mina wasn't humored at all.

  "I'll just go so you can get ready."

  "Don't be like that." Braden replied, gently wrapping his arms around her.

  Shrugging in his arms, she stated, "I know tonight's her night with you."

  "Do you have a problem with me and Liv?"

  Mina's eyes softened as she shook her head, saying, "I'm not a jealous person. I just didn't realize that after almost a year with you, everything would still be the same as it was when we started dating."

  "She's my friend." Braden shared, wondering why suddenly his Thursday night tradition was an issue.

  Pretending like she hadn't just suggested he stop going to Liv's, Mina replied, "I know."

  Slightly confused, he questioned, "So?"

  "So you're just going to have to kiss me good enough to tide me over until tomorrow," she advised, pressing herself into him as she waited for him to comply.

  Her lips were soft and warm as they moved effortlessly with his kiss.

  Mina was sweet and kind, not to mention beautiful. She had big brown eyes and long brown hair that curled naturally against the sides of her face. Her body was lean and fit from her morning trips to the gym before work at the hospital. Admittedly he was attracted to women curvier than Mina, but what she lacked in curves she more than made up for in flexibility. What he liked about her most of all was that she was easy. Not in a sexual way, although he didn't exactly have to work for it, it was her personality. She was easy going. He wasn't in love but caring about her seemed to come as second nature to him. Everything with Mina was effortless.

  A slight giggle caused Braden to break their kiss and give Mina a questioning look.

  With an excited expression, she cheered, "I was just thinking, she can have you on Thursday's because now that you're laid-off and my rounds end at noon, we'll get to see each other every single day." He stared at her as she continued. "And, if your lay-off lasts too long, we can share an apartment."

  Braden started to respond but didn't get the chance. She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Wearing a wide smile she flicked her finger down the end of his nose and bounced out of his apartment.

  Braden stood there for a moment wondering if it was just him, or was that entire conversation incredibly strange. Shaking it off, he grabbed the beer off of the couch and set it in the freezer before taking his laundry with him to his room.

  ~

  On the way to Liv's, Braden couldn't help thinking about his conversation with Mina. A 'relationship' talk was yet to take place between them, other than the few times she asked if he was seeing anyone else. He wasn't and her constant enthusiasm led him to believe she wasn't either. Since he had decided, after things finally ended with his ex-girlfriend Lily, a serious relationship wasn't for him, he never put too much thought into it. After all, how could he, when he already wore another woman's mark.

  When he arrived at Liv's she was in the kitchen, swaying in front of her stove, moving her head and shoulders to the music only she could hear. Before he made it to the refrigerator, she turned and smirked at the eighteen-pack he was carrying. He flashed a wide grin at her and nodded before continuing to the fridge.

  That's how it was between them. They talked to each other, but sometimes it was unnecessary. Most of the time, he knew what she was thinking and it was the same for her. From the time that their friendship developed, Braden never stopped appreciating her. Mostly because he felt like no one else truly did. Penny, Charlotte, Seth and Auggie loved her of course, but they didn't see her like he did. And his cousin, Kieran who died without realizing how lucky he was to have her as his wife sure as hell didn't. It was the little things like a few years ago when she instituted beer and pizza night. Wearing wireless earbuds, because she hated quiet but knew hearing music in the house upset him, and her almost brutal honesty, in every situation. If she had something to say, she never held back. Liv was the most upfront person he'd ever known.

  Braden grabbed two beers and set them to the side before placing the other sixteen on the bottom shelf of Liv's refrigerator.

  Walking past him, Liv shared, "Pizza's almost ready."

  "Are you seeing anyone?"

  Turning to him, she gave a curious look, "Is that your business?"

  Handing her a beer, Braden replied, "You know what I realized today?"

  "That you're not as involved with my personal life as you'd like to be?" she asked with a smirk.

  Braden rolled his eyes and laughed before sharing, "Mina and I have been dating for almost a year.

  "You just realized that?"

  "When she said, 'We've been dating for almost a year,' I did."

  "Ha!" she blurted before informing, "Some boyfriend you are."

  "Right?"

  Braden started to laugh, then stopped as Liv's expression grew serious.

  "You wantin' to bail on Thursdays?"

  He gave a half-hearted s
mile noticing the apprehension in her blue eyes.

  "No."

  With a suspicious tone, she questioned, "You sure?"

  Knowing Thursdays were the only thing in his life he was sure about, Braden nodded.

  Liv continued to stare at him as she took the blue tooth earbuds out of her ears.

  "If I was her, I wouldn't want you coming here."

  Raising his eyebrows at her, Braden asked, "If you were seeing someone, would you let him come between us?"

  Her expression instantly changed as she let out a loud, "Ha!" and laughed, "You're not putting your commitment issues on me."

  Placing his hand across his chest Braden gave a wide smile as he swore, "Hey, I'm committed to beer and pizza."

  "Yeah, you have issues," she laughed, turning as the oven timer went off.

  ~

  After Liv won all seven rounds of Loteria, her Mexican Bingo game, the pizza was gone and so was all of the beer.

  She was collecting the cards and placing them back in the box teasing, "Maybe one day," before laughing, "Ha! Just kidding, I always win."

  "You suck." Braden griped as he cleared their plates and empty bottles off of the table.

  "Awe, don't be a sore loser," she replied before picking up her game, taunting, "You should be used to it by now," as she sashayed out of the kitchen.

  Braden watched her victory walk until she disappeared down the hallway that led to her bedroom.

  M2H

  Sitting quietly on the ottoman, Liv hesitated. Braden was asleep on the couch in front of her. She knew she needed to wake him but he seemed so at peace with himself, she waited. Watching his chest rise and fall as he slept, she caught herself keeping rhythm with his breath. As each inhale and exhale passed perfectly in sync with his, Liv closed her eyes.

  Their friendship, while unusual to most everyone around them, gave her purpose. She had been in love twice in her life and both times she had been hurt. Her relationship with Braden wasn't love. It was hard to explain. On the outside everyone saw only what they wanted them to see. Braden and Liv knew each other on the inside. She had watched him break just like he had seen her unravel and somehow for a few hours each Thursday night between the board games and beer, they were whole again.

  As Liv slowly opened her eyes, she felt herself smile.

  Hopping up from the ottoman, she clapped her hands just inches from Braden's face while alerting, "Wake Up!"

  Groaning, he rolled over, putting his back to her.

  "Come on, punk, get up. You're going to be late for work."

  "I got laid-off yesterday," he replied, his voice muffled by the couch cushions.

  "That sucks. You hungry?"

  Rolling onto his back, Braden looked up at her.

  "Bacon and eggs?"

  Turning to walk out of the living room, Liv asked, "Are you going to start looking for another job?"

  Braden let out a loud yawn as he stood, following her to the kitchen.

  "Nah, I think I'll be alright. I have some money saved and I'm going to file for unemployment."

  Pulling a package of bacon and a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator and setting them on the counter by the stove, she offered, "If you run short, I've got some work around here."

  "Whatcha need?"

  Liv unwrapped the bacon and dropped it in the skillet as Braden leaned against the counter next to her.

  "I'm turning Kieran's marking room into a library."

  "You are?"

  Nodding, she started to explain, "This book I read a few months ago, said..."

  Braden cut her off, laughing, "You and your self-help books."

  "It was an erotic thriller that centered around..."

  "Hold on," he interrupted her again, "Erotic like porn?"

  Shrugging her shoulder as she poked at the bacon with a fork, Liv clarified, "More like mystery with lots of hot sex."

  "You dirty girl," he teased with a wide smile before questioning, "So this 'library' you're wantin', is really a room to stash your porn collection?"

  "No, I keep all the porn on my kindle in the drawer next to my bed." Liv replied with a smirk.

  Braden started to smile then narrowed his eyes at her. Instinctively, she narrowed her eyes back at him, without realizing they were having a stand off until he broke into a full sprint towards the back of the house. Quickly removing the skillet from the burner before turning it off, Liv rushed to the back, after him.

  By the time she made it into the room, Braden had her kindle in one hand, swiping pages with the other.

  "Here we go," he announced as something apparently caught his eye. "Roughly rubbing circles around her..."

  "Put it down," she snapped, marching towards him.

  Backing into the corner, he skipped to, "Threading his fingers into the back of her hair, he pulled her down to his aching..."

  Reaching to snatch her kindle from him, she blurted, "Damn it!" As he held it high above his head, exclaiming, "Wait! This part's highlighted!"

  "Give it here, punk!" Liv practically growled, pulling at his sleeve until they both heard the material start to tear.

  Finally giving in, Braden said, "Alright. Geez." Lowering his arm and handing it back to her.

  Grabbing it out of his hand, she set her kindle back in her open drawer and slammed it shut.

  Slightly out of breath, she glared at him.

  "Guess that answers the question of, 'Are you seeing anyone?'" he teased with a laugh.

  "Or maybe I like to try new things."

  All humor left his expression as he stood there staring at her.

  "Nuh-uh..."

  Liv smiled, arching an eyebrow at him as she replied, "Thursday's only one night. You really think I sit here alone every other night reading?"

  Braden looked at the floor, mumbling, "I don't know."

  Without waiting for him to look back up at her, Liv turned and walked out of the room.

  ~

  Driving to work, Liv wasn't embarrassed by what Braden read on her kindle, she was more offended than anything. Even if it was true, he had no right to assume she was spending every night alone. Besides, if anyone deserved a wild adventurous sex life, it was her. That type of life had been non-existent long before her husband died. Not to mention, the only two men she had slept with, one in high school and the other she married, both lost interest in her.

  Her first time was a one night stand with her high school crush. It was almost understandable that by the very next day he had forgotten all about her. Seeing as she had never even spoken to him before handing her virginity over to him one night.

  Kieran though, she never quite understood. He was her husband. A man she committed her life to. The one that when they were dating, swore she was the sexiest woman he'd seen in his entire life. Slowly, within the bonds of marriage, their sex life suffered. Until one day, it stopped all together.

  With that in mind, Liv felt she needed to prove something to herself. She wasn't looking to just have sex, otherwise she'd already be doing it. Love wasn't a part of the equation either. What she wanted was passion, all-consuming hunger for another person, and a moment where she could see nothing but desire for her in a man's eyes. That's what she wanted.

  Strolling into Legacy Ink, Liv gave Jimmy a short wave on her way to the back. Jimmy was an old high school buddy of Kieran's who for years just hung around the shop talking mess and hitting on every girl that walked into the shop. Once Liv took over the tattoo shop and made Penny a partner, she decided if Jimmy was there all day anyway they might as well get some use out of him. He wasn't the brightest but he could schedule appointments. Not only did hiring him take some of the burden off Penny and Liv with the shops growing popularity, he was their security too. Everyone in town knew him and were not likely to start anything that he would need to finish. Those who came from out of town would see a six foot four mass of muscles and tattoos as soon as they walked into the shop. It was a smart decision to hire him.

  After to
ssing her purse on a chair in the small make shift office in the back, Liv walked back to the front.

  "What's the day look like?" she asked, making her way up to the counter.

  Jimmy glanced over the calendar and replied, "One this afternoon. I thought Penny needed a break. She's booked solid everyday next week."

  Rubbing her hands together, Liv nodded, saying, "We really need to get someone else in here. She's gonna end up with arthritis or some kinda hand disfigurement if this keeps up."

  "Want me to put an ad online?"

  "Not yet, but maybe soon." Liv answered, turning when the bell above the shop door rang.

  A twinge of excitement nudged a smile that she promptly held back, as the door closed behind a man with dirty blonde slicked back hair and a brown leather jacket.

  Jimmy mumbled something under his breath as Liv stepped away from the counter.

  "What's up, Pat?" she greeted.

  "Everything, lookin' at you, Liv."

  Liv stared at him in response, giving the impression she was unimpressed.

  Keeping his focus on Liv, Pat asked, "How goes it, Jimmy?"

  "Pat." Jimmy replied in a flat tone.

  With a sarcastic smile, Liv stated, "Since its obvious we all know each other's names, you can step to the back with me."

  Pat happily obliged, following behind her as she headed back to the office.

  Feeling his eyes on her as she walked, Liv took her time making it the short distance to the back room.

  "Invoice?" She questioned, holding her hand out to him.

  Patting his hands down his chest and torso, he replied, "Guess I forgot it."

  "You must not want to get paid then," she assured, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

  "Tell you what, spend the night with me and we'll call it even."

  "Know what that's called?"

  "It's called a trade, baby, and I'm all about the barter system."

  "My ass isn't up for negotiation." Liv spouted, brushing past him as she headed out of the room.

  Pat circled his arms around her waist, pulling her back into the room to face him.

  "You know I enjoy this little back and forth thing we do, but sooner or later you're gonna give in."

  Liv allowed him to keep his arms around her as she questioned, "Pretty cocky there?"