Bad Rep (Southern Ink Book 1)

by S. N. Garza

  I haven’t seen her all holiday and she sure hasn’t called me and what the hell? No. He didn’t.

  I looked at him, but Vera said, “Poor Penny.” Making me turn to her.

  Both their gasps rang out at the state of my face.

  “Penelope. Fucking hell happened?”

  I looked from Vera to Deke where his white shirt has red lipstick on the collar.

  “You’re kidding me, right?”

  “Penelope, it’s not—

  “God. I am such an idiot.”

  I backed up and ran from the shop, once again. Deke yelled out my name and the guys did too but nope. I wasn’t going to do this again.

  Never again.

  I got back in my car and pushed the pedal to the metal. Never again was I going to be a fool for him.

  Chapter 21

  Deke

  One year later

  “Why don’t you call her? It is her birthday after all.”

  I looked up to see Trixie looking at me with curiosity. Looking between them, I shook my head and finished up with the customer in the chair.

  “No. She doesn’t want to talk to me.”

  “Bullshit.” Trixie’s voice became angry. “You’re her best friend. She wants to hear from you. No matter what happened last Christmas, Deke, you were—

  I held out my hand and she quieted. I didn’t say anything as I finished with my client and walked to the front to pay them out.

  The young woman I was inking had been flirting heavily and I just felt…disgusted. I was getting tired of sleeping with all these chicks and not feeling satisfied. Of course I got off, but nothing has been going right since Penelope left.

  The way she left stunned me. She didn’t let me explain that I was pushing Veradia away. Yes, I’ve slept with her a few times but she always came to me. She thought she was slumming it with me when her little boy toys couldn’t fuck her to save her life. So that’s what I did. I fucked her until she felt ready to move on to the next guy. I didn’t give a shit. I slept around. The past year though even that had dwindled. Hell, the past five months I’ve been celibate. The one woman I wanted wasn’t talking to me. And I sure as hell didn’t want a substitute anymore. I wanted Penelope. But it hadn’t been what she thought. Veradia had dropped her purse on the floor when Penelope came in. Fucking bitch. Vera, not Penelope.

  Seeing her bastard father had smacked her around? I had left right after her, but I knew she wasn’t ready, if ever, to talk to me, so I did what I could do for her here. I went to see Patrick Handleman. I left the guys to deal with Vera as I sped off to the Handleman’s house. I heard her parents arguing and then a harsh sound filtered through the thin walls of the house. He just hit Paige. The front door was locked and not caring if any one saw me, I ran around the back, push the loose board aside and ran to Penelope’s room window.

  Unlocked. Thank God. I rushed in and startled him when I shoved him off his wife.

  “Like hitting defenseless women? How about you take me on?” I stood in front of Mrs. Handleman. Keeping her behind me, I asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Don’t worry about me, Deke. Where’s Penny?”

  “She’s gone.”

  “Good. The little whore needs to stay gone after what she’s done.”

  My fist swung out without hesitation. Landing a hard crunch to his face, he fell and before he landed on his face, I grabbed onto his shirt and leaned in close.

  The rage pouring from me felt cataclysmic.

  “Never. Never, insult Penelope Marie in front of me. I hear any rumors about her, and trust me, people know to come to me if they hear anything bad about her, if you so ever give my girl that reputation I will not hesitate to end you.”

  “You slept with her. You stayed in our house since she was a teenager. You should be the one going to jail.”

  “I never said I’d send you to jail. I will fucking break you apart. Penelope is everything good, pure and beautiful in this shitty world, I will not allow you to malign her.”

  “She’s my daughter. I can speak of the little tramp however I wish.”

  That deserved another punch. This time to his ribs. “What did I just say? You don’t deserve her as your daughter. Hitting women? Does that make you feel strong? Does it make you feel like a man beating on women?” I landed a few more punches to his gut when I heard Mrs. Handleman whimper behind me.

  “Please, Deke. Thank you, but I’m more worried about Penny.”

  “Yeah, well. That makes two of us.” I turned back to a beaten Patrick. “Fucking touch her again and you won’t like what I do to you. Don’t believe me? Try asking my old man. He thought he could talk shit about Penny too. Trust me, he doesn’t say a fucking word now. Hit Paige again, and I won’t be so forgiving.”

  I turned and told her if she was smart, she’d divorce his ass. Then I walked out. Never in my entire life have I lost my cool like that. At least never outside my father’s shithole. I was amazed I hadn’t been more violent. When my father drunkenly threatened Penny I almost beat him within an inch of his life. But seeing blood by her lip, the red welt on her cheek? Never have I ever went that crazy.

  That didn’t mean Penelope found out about what I did to her father. She doesn’t know what a fraud I was.

  “Hello? Deke? Day dreaming?”

  I was shaken out of my memories as I looked over at Trixie with a hard glare. And of course she had that mischievous little smile playing on her face. She told Penelope I liked drawing. Little troublemaker. She was the only one who knew my secret. Maybe that made me a shitty friend to Penelope all those years, but it never came up and I never mentioned it. Trixie once came to my house trying to get me to go to Vegas for the Winter Ink Show two years ago, which I did. But where she found me? Well, no one know what I did in my studio until Trixie. She’s kept my secret at least. My muse…the one thing I drew over and over and over again. When she couldn’t find me inside the house, she found me in my personal studio where I only had one muse. One subject.

  Penelope.

  One of the few times I came out there, which wasn’t often, I had been in a particular mood. I didn’t know how to describe it, but I had went to the studio and opened a canvas and began painting her. Trixie found me and had been stunned and amazed at my collection. She didn’t judge me, luckily. Didn’t call me an obsessive stalker. Not that I was but when I drew, she was the only one I wanted to see. Trixie understood and she had actually told me I should showcase them in an art gallery, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to share her with anyone. Fucked up, but then she came home and that feeling only increased. When I finally saw her, I knew how much I missed her.

  Her twenty-first birthday was just around the corner. What would she be doing? How was she going to celebrate it? Did she have a special someone to celebrate it with? Which didn’t bode well for my mood.

  The past year has been hell. I hated how we left things last Christmas, but I knew I wouldn’t be the one she wanted to talk to now. Hell, when she called at the shop, she never talked to me. It was always Trixie. Sometimes one of the other guys but never me. She made it quite clear she hated my guts.

  That’s why I decided to skip the show this year and let Castor and Bunko have some fun in Vegas. I couldn’t find fun if it slapped me in the fucking face.

  Looking over at Trixie, I said, “Nope. No day dreaming. Do I look like a girl to you?”

  Rolling her eyes, she snickered, and said, “At least with Bunko and Castor in Vegas this weekend, it’s going to be a nice, quiet few days.”

  That made me laugh. To the guys, and me, Trixie was like a little sister even though she was my age. But she was a little blonde hellion. No one called her by her first name, it was a sore subject and she’d probably de-ball any man who used it. She came here and introduced herself as Trixie and Johnny had no qualms about it, so none of us cared. Johnny’s niece was a one stick of dynamite no one wanted to piss off. She was like Johnny in a way. She didn’t get mad often. Always let the fl
ow go wherever it led her, but like Johnny, when she got mad, she had to blow up. When she first came here, Castor had made the mistake of trying to pat her ass and she landed him on his.

  There was only a little hostility between them but she was a mellow sort and didn’t let it get to her. Mostly. When Castor had mouthed off about Penelope and what a hot, little number she was, Trixie knew he was going to regret it, but she didn’t say anything. The little minx. She wanted me to punch him. Silly girl.

  “Yes. It will be a quiet weekend.”

  I didn’t have any plans outside of work. I was a total loser. But being Penelope’s birthday, I usually didn’t go out anyway.

  It was about five, we were empty and I was about to let Trixie go when the phone rang.

  “I got it.” And she walked up to the front to answer it. “Southern Ink, Trixie speaking. Whoa, Castor. Chill. Who? WHAT? Penny’s in Vegas?”

  That made me fly from my seat and go straight down to the front. Penelope was in Vegas? Did she have no idea what could happen to a girl in Vegas? Only twenty-one for fucks sake. Was she out of her mind? I know men would supply her with enough alcohol, get her drunk and then try to get her into a room. Oh, hell no. Too many scenarios were burning inside of my brain at knowing what douchebags would try to get her to do with them.

  I hadn’t realized it until I was snatching the phone away from Trixie who had this shocked look on her face.

  “Where are you?”

  “At the SLS Las Vegas. Her friends brought her here to celebrate her birthday. Luckily, I dissuaded her of getting another tattoo. However her friends were mentioning about going to the hotel night club Foxtail tonight and uh…having fun.”

  “You’re fucking kidding me, right? Doesn’t she know she could get hurt? Those friends of hers will probably not care if she gets drunk. A bunch of drunk, half naked women. Fucking hell.”

  I looked at the clock. Fuck. She’d already be in that nightclub when I—when I what? I couldn’t go there.

  “FUCK!”

  “Deke. Don’t be a dick. I just booked you a flight, it leaves at seven-thirty. Get to Hobby in an hour and a half and you’ll in Vegas by ten.”

  I looked to see Trixie tapping away on my smart phone.

  “Trix, I can’t just leave you here.”

  “Hey, I’ll call Johnny in. We won’t pick up until eight. Johnny will love it. You know you were going to go anyway as soon as I said Penny’s name. And your flight back leaves at eight-thirty in the morning. Don’t be late. I put everything in, just show them your e-mail.”

  “You are the best.”

  “Yeah, well, when you get your bank statement, don’t get too angry.”

  “I got the money, I don’t give a shit. Thanks, Trixie.” Then to Castor and Bunko who were both talking I said, “You two better fucking stay on her. Don’t let her out of your sight, Castor. I mean it. I’m coming.”

  “Oh, boy is she in for it.” Trixie muttered as Cas responded.

  “Gotcha, D. Call us when you get here.”

  I hung up and grabbed Trixie, kissing her sound on the lips. “Thank you.”

  “Go get your girl, Deke. It’s her birthday. Make it memorable.”

  Chapter 22

  Deke

  I just walked into the SLS hotel when my iPhone rang, lighting up Castor’s name. “Yeah?”

  “Uh, yeah. She just left…and she wasn’t alone.”

  “WHAT? Where the hell is Bunko?”

  “He’s dancing with one of her friends.” Castor tried jumbling the words all together, but I understood perfectly.

  “I’m going to kick his fucking ass. I’m here in the lobby.”

  “I’m slowly following her so she doesn’t notice me. She was surprised and shocked to see us earlier dude. She kinda cried. And then her friend Iridessa, the one Bunko’s dancing with laid into him. What about? I don’t know. I was trying to keep an eye out for her. And she’s uh…

  “She’s what Castor? Is she okay?”

  “She’s pretty wasted. Or she has a seriously good buzz. Also, her state of dress is a problem.”

  “Castor.”

  My patience was seriously running thin as I made my way through the hallways and casino, trying to get to the nightclub. If he was trying to reassure me, he was failing. I turned a corner to seeing Castor flying past a corridor.

  “Castor! I see you, man. Slow up.”

  “You better run, she’s about to get into an elevator.”

  Fuck. I ran around the corner to see Castor a few yards in front of me. I caught up to him and in front of me was…holy shit. That can’t be Penelope.

  “That can’t be—

  “Oh, it is.”

  She was wearing a hot pink and black plaid school girl skirt with white stripes that was way too fucking short, a black vest and her hair had grown out with curls at the ends and on her shoes were sky high black heels that a stiff wind would have no problem knocking her down and make her break an ankle. And white thigh high stockings. But damn if it didn’t make my dick flare to life at the sexy fucking walk she was strutting.

  I looked at Castor to see him staring right at her ass.

  “Hey! Don’t look at her ass, Castor.”

  “Can’t help it. She’s got all that on display.”

  “Castor. Just grab the douchebag before I rip him apart.”

  “Got it, boss.”

  We both walk up behind them, the fucker who thought he’d get what was mine, pushed the elevator button at the same time Castor slung an arm around his shoulders saying, “You’re barking up the wrong kitty-cat, dude. She’s already been claimed.”

  The guy was trying to shove off, but the laid back guy Castor usually portrayed disappeared as he said, “Touch her and you’ll get your ass handed to you. She doesn’t belong to you and you’ll never get that lucky.”

  “Please, she was flashing her shit all over the place, begging to be taken.”

  Castor held up a hand when he knew I was about to lose my shit, and thankfully, no one was around to see Castor land in a punch that knocked that fucker out.

  “Worthless shit.” Then he stood up and helped the guy on a bench. Then he walked back up to me and Pen, who had this wide eyed, innocent and shocked expression on her face. Castor walked up to her, kissed her temple and said, “Happy birthday, Penny.”

  She wavered in her drunken state, and I caught her around the hips.

  “Thankssss, Casssor.”

  He smiled and shook his head before turning to me, “Later, bro.”

  I nodded and herded Penelope into the elevator. When the doors closed, I looked over at her, taking in the front view. Her vest had the top two buttons undone to reveal a matching pink plaid bra. Her eyes were heavy lidded. Fuck, she was wasted.

  “Do you know who I am?”

  She nodded slowly.

  “Are you wasted?”

  “Maybe.” Her words were slurring together as she spoke. “Ne’er ‘en ‘unk, be-be-before.”

  I walked up to her, unhooked the key card from around her neck and punched in the right floor. I kept her front covered so the few patrons that entered the elevator didn’t get a full on view of her. She was quiet, but giggles escaped from her lips now and then as she looked over at me and took long, hot looks over my body.

  “You are so hot.”

  “Thanks, Penelope. You look positively sinful.” I leaned in and kissed her right at the base of her ear. “You smell even better.”

  “I’m all schweaty.”

  “You’re sexy as hell when you’re wasted, but I need you to sober up.”

  “Nope. I feel good just the way I am.”

  “Think you need to be drunk to be with me?”

  “Righ’ now? Yes.”

  “Oh, babygirl. I’ve been such a fool.”

  Then my lips met hers with barely leashed passion and it was like her body melded into mine. She clung to me, desperate to be closer.

  “You’re so damn beautiful, Penel
ope.”

  “Are you going to fuck me, Deke?”

  That definitely caught the attention of the other couple that was in the elevator with us. I saw them in my peripherals and their eyes were wide but the guy had a smirk on his face that said, rock on. I knew if Penelope knew exactly what she just said, she’d have been embarrassed beyond belief, but thankfully, we got to her floor.

  I bent, lifted her into my arms and her legs automatically wrapped around my waist. Her head tucked into my shoulder. The feel of her against me felt natural and right.

  I waited until the elevator doors were shut when I said, “If you want me to, Penelope.”

  She moaned against my neck, the vibrations sent hot sparks straight to my dick making it throb against the material of the Dickies I was wearing. It didn’t matter, every time I was around her, my dick pretty much stayed permanently etched on the zipper.

  Then her mouth latched on to my neck, sucking hard. My hands kneaded into the soft flesh of her ass that was barely covered by the lace thong she was wearing. Hell. She ain’t ever wore a thong before. That didn’t matter as she rubbed her core against my length until I was as hot and ready as she. I didn’t want to take her while she was drunk. But she did know it was me. As long as she agreed and she reinstated that she knew it was me, all bets were off. She was the only fix I needed. And I was the only fix she was going to get. Has she had anyone after me? Fucking Christ, I hope not.

  From the first taste of her at eighteen, I’d been hooked. Maybe I hadn’t been celibate in the past, but if she let me, I’d have her as many times as possible before she leaves to go back to Arizona.

  This time it would be me who left, but I sure as hell was going to leave my mark.

  Her arms were wrapped around my shoulders, holding on strong as she moved herself over me. I bet her pussy was soaking wet right now. That scrap of silk wouldn’t protect anything.

  “Let’s get to your room, Penelope or I’m fucking you right here in this hallway.”

  “Maybe I want you to. Scared, Deke?”

  “You know who I am?”

  Her giggle ticked my jaw and she whispered, “I probably wouldn’t do this with you if I was sober. So either fuck me or let me go.”