[Men of Inked 01.0 - 03.0] Boxed Set

by Chelle Bliss

  Her smile fell. “Have to be crafty, son. Outthink her. Fight fire with fire.” She paused and scrunched her lips. “Maybe you can get Tammy to go see a doctor and let you come.” She patted my hand. “You can verify the pregnancy or lack thereof, and we’ll proceed from there. It would give you tangible proof sooner than waiting for the court system, but if she’s dangerous, then you need to stay the hell away from her.”

  “I got it, Ma. I can handle her. I’m not worried about her hurting me. She’s already done enough damage. I’ll do it. I’ll call her. I think she’ll go for it if she thinks there’s any chance of us getting back together.”

  “It’s playing in dangerous territory, but I leave the decision up to you. Just be careful, Michael.”

  I didn’t have a choice.

  I had to risk it all to win back Mia.

  I needed to show Tammy for who she really was—a liar.

  “I don’t need this bullshit right now, Ma. My fight is in a week and I have too much going on to deal with this. I need it to end now.”

  “You’ll do it, son. I’ll talk to your dad tonight and he can call George. He’ll get the paperwork ready to put the restraining order into action. You can call him and find out what to do next.”

  As I stood from my chair, I bent over and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, Ma. You always have great advice.” I inhaled the strawberry scent of her shampoo and was instantly brought back to my childhood.

  Reaching up, she stroked my cheek as she said, “That’s what I’m here for.”

  As I started walking to the door, her voice stopped me.

  “Michael,” she yelled.

  “Yeah, Ma?” I paused, not wanting to miss her parting advice.

  “Keep it in your pants, son. Got me?”

  “Hear ya loud and clear, Ma.” Shaking my head, I opened the door and left to set the plan in motion.

  Searching through my phone contacts, I couldn’t find her number.

  Damn it.

  Izzy had blocked her. I headed to the shop to find my sweet little sister and see if she’d be willing to help me smash Tammy once and for all.

  Leading up to my match, my schedule at the shop had almost been nonexistent. I tried to work out and practice as much as possible without having to worry about the day-to-day operations.

  Piercings were by special appointment. I’d only had to go in twice in the last ten days. Joe wouldn’t be back for weeks. That left Anthony and Izzy to deal with running the business and tattooing.

  Everything seemed to be in order as I walked through the front door of Inked. The waiting area looked tidy, just as I had left it, and the familiar buzz filled the shop. Soft voices came from the tattooing area. Death metal—Izzy’s choice, I’m sure—played quietly so it blended in as background noise.

  “Honey, I’m home,” I yelled, walking toward the work area.

  “Michael?” Izzy’s voice echoed. “Get your ass back here, man.”

  Her face lit up as soon as she saw me. She snapped off her gloves and kissed me on the cheek. “Hasn’t been the same without you here, driving us crazy and keeping our asses organized.” She squeezed me, smashing her face in my chest.

  I loved my little sister. Why? Because of moments like these, but definitely not her mouth.

  “Thanks, Izzy. Sometimes you can be sweet…sometimes.”

  “Don’t get too used to it,” she said, sitting back down and putting on a new pair of gloves.

  “Hey, how are ya?” I said to her client, whom I’d seen before. Couldn’t remember his name for shit.

  “Trying to survive your sister here. She’s not as smooth as Joe with the needle.” He winced, closing one eye.

  “No one’s as smooth as he is. He’ll be back soon, though. You should’ve waited.”

  “I can hear you both,” she said as she rubbed salve into his skin. “I can do this dry if you’d prefer.” She snickered.

  “No, no,” he replied. “Please, you’re doing beautiful work.”

  I laughed and turned my attention toward Anthony. “How you holding up being here with her by yourself, Anth?”

  He smiled as he leaned back in his chair and stretched. “She’s been pretty good without you and Joe here.” His back cracked, and he sighed.

  I could never tattoo and sit in the same crippling position for hours. I didn’t have the patience to deal with customers for extended periods of time, and I certainly couldn’t handle working on the same design for six hours like they sometimes did.

  Piercing was quick, with little time for chatting.

  “They’re the ones that make me the way I am.” She shrugged, talking to the man in her chair. “Anthony is my partner in crime. Isn’t that right, Anth?” She laughed.

  “Oh, how I know that shit. You two give me a headache most days,” I said, shaking my head.

  “You speak the truth, Izzy.” Anthony laughed as he worked on the design. “What brings you by to visit us working people?” Anthony asked as he shaded in a rose.

  I cringed because I knew her ass would be so ecstatic to hear the words. “Well, I need Izzy.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “What? Are you feeling okay?” she asked as she looked up.

  I rolled my eyes, sitting down in Joe’s chair. “Yes, I need you to unblock that number you got rid of for me the other day.”

  “That girl with the damn scrapbook?” Her eyebrows drew together and a small crease formed between them.

  “Yes, Tammy. I need you to unblock her number.”

  She sat back, tilting her head, and leveled me with her stare. “Why in the fuck would I do that?”

  “Please, I just need you to. For me, Izzy, please,” I said, pulling the phone from my pocket.

  “You need to explain it to me first. I’m thinking you’re the one that bumped your head, not Joe. I can’t believe you’re asking me to do this shit.”

  “Everything has turned into a mess. Mia won’t see me or talk to me and it’s all Tammy’s fault.”

  “Still not giving me enough detail here, Mikey.” She went back to working, not finding my request important enough to stop. “If she fucked everything up, why in the hell do you want to talk to her?”

  “She’s claiming I asked her to marry me and that she’s pregnant with my baby.” There it was, out in the open. I might as well have put that shit on a billboard now. Izzy never kept a secret.

  “Wait, what?” She stood suddenly. “You drop that shit on me like it’s nothing while I have a needle in someone’s skin?”

  “You asked for details, and those are the details.”

  “Give me fifteen minutes to finish this and we’re going to have a talk before I do what you’re asking me to. I want to know what the fuck happened with the doctor, too.”

  “Fine, I’ll wait.” I sighed and kicked my feet up on the customer chair. “How’s Joe?” I asked. “Anyone see him lately?”

  “He’s well. You should go see him. He’s been home for two days,” Anthony said.

  “Kind of had other things on my mind,” I muttered.

  “I know, but I’m sure Suzy is smothering him to death at this point,” Izzy said, laughing.

  “Joe loves that shit. He’s probably milking it for all it’s worth.” Anthony mimicked a blowjob.

  I missed being here every day. I missed the four of us as it had been weeks ago.

  Everything had changed in my life in the last week—the highest high to the lowest low.

  I wanted so badly to talk to Mia. I wondered if she knew how to block someone like Izzy had done on my phone. I hoped she hadn’t blocked me. She hadn’t read a damn message I sent her. I couldn’t help myself. I had to keep trying.

  Me: Mia, please talk to me. Tammy’s lying and insane. You have to believe me! I miss you, doc.

  I stared at the screen, hoping my message would show read, but nothing. It just sat there delivered and unread.

  I opened Facebook and searched for her page. She’d posted something yesterday
. I shouldn’t have looked, because it made me feel more rejected than I already did.

  She’d posted a quote from Cicero; “Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.”

  I sat there, stunned into silence by her words, as I waited for Izzy to finish.

  I still caught myself thinking of Izzy as a little girl. I pictured her with her pigtails flopping, playing hopscotch in the front yard, or begging us to play football. She always felt left out because we worried she’d get hurt. She turned into a tomboy in her teenage years before she realized the power of being a female.

  Izzy was a tagalong, and we hated it when she was a little girl, but as she grew older, we’d used it to our advantage. We scared away more men than she’d ever know.

  She was ours to protect…no matter the cost.

  I had been lost in thought when she walked back into the work area after her client left. “All right, let’s go outside and you can tell me what happened.”

  “Thanks, Izzy,” I said, following her out back.

  We walked into the Florida evening sun, and my skin felt like it was being burned. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, just a brilliant blue color and the sun shining brightly.

  “Why do you want to talk to that psycho?” She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the building in the shade.

  “I want to catch her in her lies,” I said as I ran my fingers through my hair. “It’s the only way I can do it quick.”

  “Why not just go to the police? I’m sure they can speed shit along if you tell them you’re Thomas’ brother.”

  “I will if I have to, but I need to prove to Mia that she’s full of shit, Izzy. I can’t have this hanging over my head with the fight coming up, either.” I moved my neck from side to side, trying to crack it. I gave it a push before hearing the bones crack.

  “What’s your plan?”

  “I’m going to pretend I give a flying fuck and ask her to take me to the doctor with her. I want to be the proud daddy. I’m hoping they can confirm that she isn’t pregnant, and that it will at least win some favor with Mia. Hopefully it will get Tammy out of my life once and for all.” I kicked a stone, watching it skip across the back parking lot.

  “Could backfire in your face, brother.”

  “It’s not my kid even if she is pregnant.”

  “It only takes once.” She rolled her eyes like I was a fucking idiot.

  “No shit, Sherlock. I used protection every time. She’s grasping at straws.”

  “Fine, but when this shit blows up in your face, just remember I told you so.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll remind me every day, baby sister.” I laughed.

  “Give it to me,” she said, holding out her hand.

  Giving her my phone, I watched as she tapped the screen, and within seconds handed it back.

  “You really have to show me how to do that,” I said, scrolling through my contacts and stopping on Tammy’s name.

  “Nope. I’d miss out on all the good shit if I taught you boys everything.”

  “You’re right. I’d give my left nut not to have to deal with your ass sometimes. Thanks, though, for this.” I wrapped her in my arms, kissing the top of her head.

  “Just let me know if you need reinforcements. I know Ma told you you’re not allowed to hit girls, but that rule doesn’t apply to me.” Her smile grew so large it almost touched her eyes. “That’s the bonus of not having a dick and being part of the pussy party.” She laughed, slapping me on the chest.

  “You’re my go-to chick for an ass beating, Izzy.” I smiled at her. She really could be adorable.

  “Go get your shit straightened out. You have a fight to win, and I may or may not have something very important bet on the outcome.”

  My smiled faded. “You didn’t bet on my fight, did you? Please tell me you at least picked me to win.”

  She nodded. “Fuck yeah. Who else would I pick? You’re going to break that dude’s neck.”

  “Only if I can get my mind in the game before that day. My life needs to even out so I can concentrate on one thing at a time.”

  “Well, what the hell are you still standing here for? Get.” She shooed me.

  “Yes, ma’am.” I saluted her as I walked away.

  I reminded myself I had a mission as I sat in the hot car, waiting for the air conditioning to kick in. I had a mission. I gave myself a pep talk, psyching myself up. “You can do this. You have to do this. ” I held my breath and hit the call button. My stomach flipped with each ring.

  “Michael?” she asked in almost a whisper.

  I heard her voice, and I had to choke down the bile rising in my throat. “Hey, Tammy.” I almost convinced myself that the hello was sincere.

  “Oh my God. I’m so happy to hear your voice, baby. I’ve been waiting for your call.”

  I closed my eyes and gripped the steering wheel. “I’m sorry I’ve been a dick. Think you could forgive me?” I asked through gritted teeth.

  “You know I love you, Michael. I could never stay mad at you.”

  Her voice made my skin crawl. “How’s the baby?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

  “Safe and sound. Growing bigger every day,” she replied in a cheery voice. Clearly she had an entire jar of screws lose in her head.

  “I was thinking…” I stopped and gave myself a moment to carefully form my next words. “I was wondering if we could go to the doctor so I can see the baby on the monitor, like an ultrasound. I told my mother and she said it’s the most amazing experience to see the baby in the womb.”

  She gasped. “You told your mother?”

  “I did. She’s so excited to finally have a grandbaby. I want to show her a picture of our baby. What do you think?” I held my breath. Please be crazy enough not to question my lie.

  She sucked in a breath. “Okay, I know a doctor at the hospital that I can call, I guess. Maybe she can get us in,” she said with a shaky voice.

  “Tell her it needs to be as soon as possible. I can’t wait any longer, and it would make my mom really happy.”

  “I’ll try and track her down at the hospital tonight. She may be there when I go into work.”

  “Perfect,” I said, feeling relieved. “Listen, I gotta run. I’m supposed to be at my brother’s. Text me when you have the details.”

  “I will, Michael. I love you.” She drew out the words.

  Cue the creepy music from Psycho.

  “Back at ya.” I tapped the end button, unable to spend another second on the phone listening to her and lying through my teeth.

  She deserved the deception.

  22

  Mia

  I ignored Michael, his calls, and his text messages. The anger inside me hadn’t waned since I found out about Tammy.

  He was the first guy in a long time that I’d let into my life. We weren’t on the fast track down the aisle, but I had spent more time with him in the last couple of weeks than I had with any other man in the last few years.

  I didn’t drown my sorrows in ice cream and cry myself to sleep. I may have shed a tear or two after the shock wore off, but that was all Michael Gallo had been worth. I had too much on my plate to walk around all day upset about the shitty end to our relationship.

  I did my shifts at the hospital and volunteered more than usual at the clinic. I filled my free time with work and kept my mind off him.

  I hadn’t been to the gym to work out since it all exploded in my face. I couldn’t see him. Not yet. I didn’t have anything to say to him.

  I stood on throbbing feet, filling out my last chart, about a child that had arrived via life-flight, before I could head home. She had drowned in the family pool and was found by her mother. The little girl had been revived to the point that she was breathing upon arriving in the ER. Brain damage was almost a certainty with the lack of oxygen for an extended period. Talking to the parents was bittersweet. They
were happy that their baby had survived, but mortified about the possibility of complications and the possibility they’d never have their little girl back.

  Every day the hospital chipped out another piece of my heart. Between losing patients, talking with families, and a general feeling of helplessness—I felt broken. I was a shell of the person I used to be before I started med school with big dreams and foolish hopes.

  “Guess what?” a woman asked in a giddy tone, distracting me from the chart.

  I ignored the voice, signing my name and flipping the chart closed. The outline of a person standing a little too close caught my attention, but I still I ignored her.

  “Hey, I’m talking to you,” she said again, not moving.

  Hell. I sighed before turning. “What?” I took in the sight of her—Tammy.

  My blood turned ice cold as I stared at her smile. An overwhelming urge to claw her eyes out hit me, the fantasy in my mind bringing me a moment of joy.

  “Michael and I are back together.” She smirked.

  Well, isn’t he quick? She’s as big of an asshole as he is. He’d been texting me since the day I left him in the hall with her and they were already back together.

  “That’s great news. I’m very happy for you.” I gave her my best fake smile. “I’m kind of in a rush. My shift ended and I need to go.”

  The smile on her face faded. “I wanted you to know since you were so supportive, but I know there was something going on between you two. When I found you in the hallway it was obvious.” She crossed her arms.

  “Nah, we’re just friends. You two are back together and you have a bundle of joy on the way. I’m truly happy for you both.” My cheeks hurt from the smile; I still needed to make the bullshit happiness I pretended to feel be a little more believable.

  She squinted at me, her mouth set in a firm line. “You slept with him, didn’t you?”

  I looked her in the eyes as I spoke very slowly. I wasn’t about to jump on the crazy train. “Michael and I are and were nothing. He’s yours.”