by Mj Fields
Her mouth dropped and then we both started to laugh.
“Get up. I’m hungry and think a work dinner is necessary. Let’s roll.”
“I can stay here, go ahead.”
“I’m gonna feed you. You seem a bit cranky. That time of the…”
“Don’t even go there.”
I grabbed her coat and held it out for her to slide her arms in. “Thanks.”
“Do you say that to your morning birds?”
“You are so incredibly wrong about me.” She laughed.
“Which part, vanilla?”
She smacked my shoulder. “Everything.”
~
We jumped in the SUV and she laughed, “No car?”
“Sorry Princess not tonight.”
I grabbed my phone and dialed the shop. Ricco answered.
“Hey Bro, what’s the traffic like down there?”
“Coast is clear dude, just like it has been for the past week after five.”
“No photographers hanging out in the bushes?”
“None man. You stopping down?”
“Yep, in about an hour. I have to stop at the house and grab some baggy jeans and a ball cap. See you soon.”
I threw it in reverse and backed out of the parking spot.
“You know you could have just pulled ahead.” She laughed as she buckled her seat belt.
“Unless you’ve been in my bed or sucking my,” she smacked my chest. “Fine, but don’t tell me how to drive. I was backing out so there was room to do this.”
I gunned the accelerator and then slammed on the emergency break so the SUV did donuts in the empty parking lot. She laughed and screamed so loud I had to do it again.
“You’re crazy!”
“Fun though right?” I laughed as I pulled out onto the road.
I turned on the radio and Team by Lorde was playing. “This song, Taelyn, is amazing. Listen to her voice. Nothing commercial about it, it’s pure. That’s the shit we need to find.”
“I love her music. It’s my shower jam.” She started grooving a bit and so did I.
“You play an instrument?”
“Do you?”
“Yeah.” I smiled.
“Let me guess, you have a baby grand piano in the family living room?”
“No, I finger fuck the hell out of a guitar and bang the hell out of the drums. I can play sax and trumpet too. Pretty much anything that I want to learn to play. So no, this isn’t just a joke for me. It’s who I am. You did hit the nail on the head with the family shit. I love them, would do anything for them but I’m a man and I need to make this happen because of my blood, sweat, and tears. No one else’s.
“That’s nice.”
“So spill it, you play anything?”
“I liked to sing when I was younger. But no instrument. Why, what did you think I played?”
“Flute.” Skin flute I thought.
I pulled up in front of Cyrus’s place. “Come on in. I need to get changed.”
She jumped out and followed me inside.
“Your house is nice.”
“Not mine, my brother’s.”
“Which brother?” She asked as she walked over to the fireplace mantle and looked at the pictures of Cyrus and Tara.
“Cyrus, the oldest.” I answered as I took my shirt off. “You’re going to need to change.”
She looked at me and away quickly.
“Taelyn you go to the beach?”
“Yes of course I do.”
“Then why are you looking away like I just flashed you my dick or something?”
“Your nipples.”
“Yeah?”
“Didn’t that hurt?”
“Briefly.” I grabbed her hand and put it on my chest. “Pull on them.”
She tried to pull her hand away and laughed nervously.
“Seriously Xavier?” She turned and looked at me but didn’t move her hand; she actually moved closer, then tugged a little and then laughed and covered her mouth. “Did it hurt?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Oh.” Was all she said. She was looking me up and down and I felt my cock chub. “What’s ‘Hold Fast’ about?” She asked as she pointed to my obliques.
I licked my lips and looked at her, “You don’t want to know.”
“I did or I wouldn’t have asked.”
“When you’re holding them you better hold on, and you better make it fast cause your ass is going to be in the palm of my hands and I’m going to lift you up and bury my…”
“Dear God,” she closed her eyes and again her face was getting pink.
The way she said dear God really put my dick into seek and destroy mode, so I laughed and walked into the bedroom to grab some clothes. I chanted in my head, Shawn White, Shawn White, Shawn White, hoping like hell the vision of that mess would supersede the way she gasped and said Dear God.
I threw my pants on the ground and grabbed a pair of jeans out of the closet and threw them on. Yes, they were loose and hanging on my hips, exactly where they should be. I grabbed one of Tara’s vintage tees, a pair of leggings, and a sweatshirt for me.
“Here. Bathroom’s down the hall, first door on the right.” I handed her the clothes. “Put these on.”
“But…”
“No buts, we need to get going. Your little suit coat and skirt won’t blend well where we’re going.”
When she walked out of the bathroom she was pulling the shirt down. “So, I am not an extra small. Nor will I be going in public with a half shirt on.”
“Looks good to me.” I walked around her.
She walked into Cyrus’s room and grabbed my shirt off the bed and put it on. “Do you have a belt in that closet?”
“Maybe?” I walked past looking at her and I reached up and pulled the clip out of her hair.
“Xavier!”
“Naughty school girl bun isn’t gonna work either.” I laughed as I walked into the closet. When I came out she was combing her fingers through her thick wavy auburn hair.
“Here you go.” I handed her the belt.
She buttoned the bottom button of the shirt and buckled the belt as tight as she could and it hung on her narrow hips. “This is as good as it’s gonna get.”
Thank fuck for that. “Looks good, let’s roll.”
“Shoes. All I have are my pumps.” She said as she stopped at the door.
“Pumps are perfect.”
“I look like a hooker.” She scowled in the entry window looking at her reflection.
“No you don’t, let’s go.”
That hair, my shirt, pumps, and hooker talk were more than I could handle now. Fuck!
Chapter 6
Princess Me
I looked at the clock and it was seven. Time flies when you’re having fun. Fun. How is it that I’m actually enjoying this?
“You remind me of my brothers.”
“Yeah you mentioned that.” His lips curled up. “So tell me about them.”
“Kaen, and Keller, are two years older than me. And Grady is two years younger.”
“That’s all I get? No deets?”
“Kaen and Keller are twins, they work for themselves. Grady worked for them but quit and went to college. Criminal justice major.”
“Your parents, was I right? Old money, Mom stays home?”
“Not at all. Dad’s worked for Boston PD for years. He should have retired by now but he’s stubborn. My Mom did stay home until Grady went to school. Then she worked at a local florist, so yes, she makes dinner and we often have fresh cut flowers on the table. Blue collar family, I’m not a princess.”
“That’s cool. Hard working family, nothing wrong with that.” He pulled into a dark alley between two buildings.
“Should I be afraid?” I laughed when he put the SUV into park and turned off the
engine.
“What do you think I’m gonna do?”
“I don’t know kidnap me?” I laughed and unbuckled.
“I wouldn’t call it kidnapping, I prefer artistic adoption.”
I laughed and got out of the vehicle.
I followed him to the back door of the building and he punched in a code and held the door open, “After you.”
“Do you know the owners?” I looked back as he kicked off the snow from his work boots.
“Yes, the Steel family.” He laughed as he walked by me and headed to the fridge. “I think you know the youngest, and hottest I might add.”
“And the one who’s the most humble,” a guy with pierced brows and a nose ring walked up and gave him a guy hug. You know the pat on the back and the shoulders tap.
“Ricco this is Taelyn. Taelyn this is Ricco. He’s one of the managers here.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ricco waved and grabbed a soda out of the fridge.
Xavier opened the freezer and pulled out a dish and groaned, “Thank God.”
“Hey that’s gold around here you know.” Ricco joked.
“Good thing you’re here tonight then. We might share it with you.” He held up the dish. “Momma Joe’s lasagna.”
“Josephina Steel?” I asked.
“Best cook in the world,” Ricco smiled. “Let me know when it’s done. I’ll be out front if you need me.”
He walked out and Xavier removed the wrapping and popped the dish in the microwave.
“Your mom cooks for all of your employees?”
“Yeah. She and my brothers took off for Italy after Thanksgiving. I stayed as long as I could. Felt like I was dying over there.” He pulled out a chair. “Have a seat.”
“Thanks.”
I smiled and looked around. “Before the hurricane this was a restaurant. Italian of course. My father and mother bought it when he retired from the Navy. We set up roots my sophomore year. Never stayed in one place long and honestly it never bothered me. Three brothers and two of the best parents in the world.” He stopped and looked around. I thought I saw something different in his eyes and then he chuckled. “Anyway, Dad died and the building was destroyed. We’re a blue collar family too. We would have lost everything if Momma hadn’t turned this place into a tattoo shop. We all worked here together. Busted our ass and built up a name. Never got rich but we lived well you know.”
“I’m sorry about your father.” I reached over and held his hand.
He looked down and then rubbed his thumb across the back of mine and then sat back in his chair and linked his hands behind his neck.
“As I was saying, we never had a lot but we had enough. Lots of shit happened, bad shit, but we survived. My parents met in Italy when he was stationed there. Insta-love. Her family was very wealthy and forbid her to marry him but she didn’t care. She walked away from it all for my Dad. Her family disowned her. No matter how tough things got Dad would never even think about asking for her families’ help. Never. When my Momma Joe’s Mom died we inherited a fuck load of money, and a business. Momma said no, Jase and Cyrus persuaded her otherwise. I took off for a year and traveled Europe on my own dime. I never wanted all that. I wanted this. I wanted to work, be creative, and make it on my own. I know Dad wouldn’t be pissed but I can’t say he wouldn’t be disappointed. I didn’t want to be part of that disappointment.”
He was looking at the ceiling and seemed lost in thought. Then he sat forward.
“We hid it from the world. No one connected a bunch of tattooed, pierced, fuck ups to Steel Incorporated. We all did shifts here still. Ricco and Kat, the managers knew, but they’re like family so it was cool. Then some stupid fucking picture goes viral and we are all over the news. No connections to Steel, yet, but there are reporters that hang out here waiting for a glimpse at us.”
“Why? I don’t get it.”
“Cause we are hot, tattooed bad boys Taelyn. Eligible bachelors. It’s fucking stupid but we all took off to put distance between us and the media circus. Momma is so hell bent that I’m gonna get my heart broken by some money grubbing female if that connection is made that she almost forbid me to come back. Crazy fucked up shit isn’t it?” He laughed.
“No, that’s what family does. I think its sweet she is worried about your heart.”
He stood up and pulled the pan out of the microwave using his sleeves as pot holders.
“Not sweet. She’s cock blocking me. Telling me to be careful. I swear to you I can’t do the shit I used to and that kills me. I just wanna go out and drink and dance and fuck you know?” He turned around and handed me a plate of lasagna.
I took the plate. “Thanks. Xavier that’s not what you want. You said the other day that you wanted to find the people who use those escapes and help them achieve their dreams and goals.”
He laughed. “Yeah, if their life sucks but mine doesn’t.” He sat down and took a bite. “Fuck me. This shit almost gets me hard. Stop pushing it around and take a bite. I swear you’ll be sneaking in here to raid the freezer too.”
The door opened. “What the hell man did you forget me?”
“Ricco stop being a bitch, your plate’s on the counter.”
They talked shop and ate like, well, like my brothers.
Ricco looked over at me, “You have any ink?”
“No none.”
“A virgin man, we should do her together.” He laughed.
I looked at Xavier. His expression was blank and then he looked at me and laughed. “You want that?”
“No, I’m good.”
“Come on girl. How about a piercing? We could do that too.”
“No honest to God I’m all…”
“She said no man, back off.” Xavier looked at Ricco and Ricco looked back at him. Both staring each other down.
Then Ricco laughed. “Dude, you drank the water in Italy.”
“Fuck off Ricco.” Xavier laughed and stood up.
“No you seriously drank it didn’t you?”
“Don’t you have a tit to pierce or something?” Xavier shoved him and took his plate.
“Yeah I’m sure I do man. Nice to meet you Taelyn. I’m sure I’ll see you around.” Ricco waved over his shoulder as he walked out.
Xavier took my plate. “You want more?”
“No. Thanks though, that was amazing.” I stood and walked to the sink and grabbed some cleanup wipes and then wiped down the table. “Thanks for bringing me here. I have a totally different perspective on you now.”
“Enlightening huh?” He threw the left over pieces on a plate and covered them and put them back in the refrigerator.
“Yeah.”
He rolled his neck stretching it and the muscles in it bulged a little. He opened his eyes and looked at me. I smiled at him. He didn’t return the smile and looked away.
“I didn’t bring you here for all that shit. I forgot to bring in the real reason I came. I’ll be right back.”
He walked outside and was gone for just a minute, when he returned he smiled briefly. “Come on out front. I’ll show you around.”
We walked down a hallway with three doors on each side. He opened the one with an X on it.
“This is my space. Where I ink and pierce people.”
“You miss it?”
“Yeah I do. There’s a lot of cool people who come in and out of these doors. I’ve met a lot of chicks here.”
“Hook up central?” I laughed.
“It happens you know. Some broad walks in and pulls up her shirt, the next thing you know you’re helping her tits get hard so you can pierce them. Then the next thing you know they’re bent over your table taking your cock in their wet…”
“Alright I’ve heard enough,” I laughed.
“No you haven’t. I fuck a lot of women Taelyn. A lot of women.”
I patted his back, “Good job. That
’s quite an accomplishment.”
He glared at me and then, “They want it just as bad, sometimes more than I do.”
I was confused as to why he was being so, crude. It was like he was trying to make me angry. The thing is it wasn’t.
“Okay.” I looked at him and he was still holding a box. “What’s in the box?”
He looked down. “The reason for this trip. Cards, flyers, things for Ricco to hand out to some of the clients here that may be interested in working with me.”
“Great idea.” I smiled and reached for the box. “Can I see?”
He set it on the table and opened it.
“I’ll be back, I’m gonna give Ricco the list of people I want him to share this with.”
He walked out and I looked at the cards. The design was amazing. The logo was beautiful. The “O” in forever looked like a clover, but not really.
I walked down the hall and I heard Xavier’s growl. “Back off. None of your fucking business Ricco.”
“Nothing wrong with it.” Ricco laughed. “Your brothers acted the same...”
“I’m not a fucking sell out. I know who I am. I’m Xavier fucking Steel. No different than I was before the hurricane man. Stop your shit talk or you can walk.”
“You fucking kidding me man?” Ricco laughed.
I cleared my throat and held up the card. “Maybe the Irish in me but this O almost looks like a clover.”
Ricco started rolling and Xavier stormed over to me and took the card. “You’re fucking crazy. Ricco I’m out, meet me at the bar when you lock up. I need to get fucking laid tonight.”
I felt my purse vibrate and pulled my phone out.
“Daniel.” I whispered.
“Dr. …”
“Yes.” I nudged him. “He said he’d see me tomorrow.” I held up the phone so he could see the picture of Daniel.
“Jewish?” Xavier asked as he rushed me out the door.