by Dee Garcia
“Take a picture, it'll last longer,” I growled, annoyed.
“Oh, believe me, I still have tons,” she purred, opening a drawer for a fresh pair of gloves.
My head jerked back. “Tons of what?”
“Tons of old pics. Of you, of your dick, of us, of us fucking. They're great orgasm enhancers.”
“Jesus fucking Christ,” I muttered under my breath, thankful I hadn't brought Hazel with me. She would've had Brie on the floor in a headlock by now.
“Don’t act so surprised, baby. Together or not, I’m never getting rid of those.”
“You should, though. I don’t exactly care for you fantasizing about me while you’re getting yourself off.”
Knock, knock!
“It’s me,” Pixie said sweetly as she pushed open the door, abruptly halting our heated discussion.
I flashed her a look that screamed “Thanks a lot,” and she flashed an apologetic one in return, handing Brie yet another file.
“Thanks, Pix.”
She nodded and gulped under my unappeased stare pinning her in place. “Need some help?”
“Naaah, I got it,” Brie drawled, rendering Pixie useless in the equation.
With another remorseful peek in my direction, she retreated to the door and quickly scurried back to the front of the shop, leaving me – once again – all alone with my ex.
After a silent beat or two, Brie pulled the small design from the folder and held it out to me, looking hardly amused.
“Her name? Really? And above your heart, no less?”
I grinned, knowing the sight of it was hitting her right where it hurt. Perhaps having her prep me wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
“Yep, right where it belongs.”
“But you wouldn't get mine? That’s kinda fucked up. We were together much longer than you and her.”
“It's a damn good thing I didn't. I would've felt like a massive asswipe, especially after what you did,” I countered, and she rolled her eyes.
“Good grief, you're never going to forgive me for that, are you?”
“Why would I?”
“Because forgiveness brings closure.”
A sarcastic, hushed chuckle erupted deep within my chest, my shoulders bobbing up and down as a result. “I had plenty of closure, trust me.”
“So why not forgive me then?”
“Because I don't want to, Brie, plain and simple. Now drop it and put the damn thing on my skin already.”
“Okay, Oscar the Grouch.” Her voice was suddenly annoyed. “And for the record, it was a mistake I regret, in case I hadn't made myself clear on that part yet.”
“Somehow, I find that hard to believe,” I sneered. “Either way, it's irrelevant.”
“Why?”
“Because you're irrelevant, as you can see from the script you're holding in your hands.”
Bright blue eyes bulged from their sockets as she reared her head. “Ouch. Not nice, Carr.”
“Yeah, well, cheating on me wasn't nice either, but here we are.”
Silence.
And it remained silent while she cleansed the spot and double checked it was free of any stray hairs. Not that I had any, seeing as most of my torso was tatted in its entirety, but it was standard procedure, with or without previous tats. Given her sudden tight-lipped demeanor, I assumed the rest of the process would be quick and painless, but fuck was I wrong. Rather than just placing the outline where it was obviously meant to go, Brie straddled my thigh and pushed at my chest.
“Get off me,” I gritted out almost immediately.
“Relax, will you?” she huffed. “You act like I'm gonna strap you to the chair, whip your dick out, and ride you into next week. I just wanna get it on right so it doesn't interfere with my work. Lay back.”
Glaring a hole through her head – to which she exaggeratedly glared right back – I threw myself into the seat as instructed and shut my eyes. I never wanted her to be this close to me again and yet she was, all because Pun’s session had run over. That cocksucker was still screaming like a little bitch in his chair and he was lucky I had manners, otherwise he would've found himself outside the shop on his ass right about now, with a half-finished tattoo.
Brie, of course, took advantage of the moment and climbed into my lap in a completely unprofessional manner. I presumed our spat and the fact I was getting my girlfriend’s name tattooed on my body was egging her on. Maybe if I just laid real still and paid her no mind, it would deviate her from trying anything further.
After another cool swipe of alcohol to hold the outline in place, Brie finally smoothed Hazel’s name on my skin and peeled back the paper. My eyes snapped open to find her leaning back as she observed the script that would soon be a permanent part of me. I could see the tiniest hint of envy swimming in her stare, and knew it was taking everything in her not to flip out and beg for forgiveness. I didn’t miss the deep breath she took either, as if reining herself in from making herself look like a fool. Rather than putting an end to the situation and sparing us both another minute of disquietude, her gaze traced over the lines and colors seared into my skin.
“I remember inking this on you,” she said with a laugh, as if various moments were playing out for her in a mental reel. “Every session we’d inch lower and lower until that thing was in my face. It was so hard to keep myself in check. Remember how good it felt when I finally pulled it out and deep-”
“Get off,” I gritted out, cutting her off.
But she went on because it wouldn’t be Brie if she didn’t, at the very least, try to evoke the reaction she desired.
“Or when I let you rail me from behind on this very chair after hours? God, we went at it like animals and made such a mess that night.” She giggled, rolling her hips into me; her long, manicured nails clawing down my chest.
“I said, get off.”
“Or how about when you pierced my clit after burying your face in my pussy for what felt like hours. That was amazing, and the sex we had after I healed was mind-blowing. Remember that? Remember how I used to beg you to fuck me harder…Yes, Daddy, harder. Pleeease,” she moaned, the sound eerily and uncomfortably accurate to what her moans actually sounded like.
“Get off me, now, or I'll get you off,” I growled, almost menacingly.
“Fuck yes, talk dirty to me,” she cooed, completely unfazed.
Right then and there.
That’s the moment I’d had enough.
In seconds, I was on my feet and promptly discarding her without care onto the chair. A wicked grin split across her face as though she were expecting some alternate ending, but I snuffed that one out real quick when I grabbed my tee off the armrest and slipped it over my head en route to the door. I slammed it behind me on my way out and immediately noted the buzzing in the other room come to a halt. Pun’s giant stomps echoed behind me and then his door flew open.
“Yo, man, everything cool?”
“Fuck no, it's not,” I snapped, just as Pixie came barreling out of the piercing room.
“What the hell is going on,” she squeaked.
“Brie, that's what,” I hissed.
She and Pun shared a look I understood. They were not pleased, and instantly remorseful of their decision to leave us unattended.
“I’ll get rid of her. She has no use being here for the rest of the night, really. Grab a beer from the fridge in the back and make yourself at home. I’ll be done with this dude in the next five minutes,” he offered.
Fuck that.
All I wanted was to get home to my girl and erase this shit from my mind; pretend it never happened.
“It’s all good, bro. I’ll come back another day. I’m way too fired up to sit through a session now, no matter how short.”
“Fuck, I never should’ve asked her to help me out. My bad, Carr, for real.”
“Don’t sweat it. You, however,” I said, pointing a warning finger at Pixie. “I know you didn’t schedule me for today, but the next time I
call to schedule something, make sure she’s off for the day. I don’t wanna see her within ten feet of me. Hell, I don't even wanna hear her voice.”
Pix nodded, green eyes wide, and as Brie emerged from the room she'd cornered me in, I stormed out of the shop and hightailed it to the parking lot behind the building, wondering whether I should tell Hazel what happened or keep that stomach-churning bit of information to myself forever.
Maya and I were laid out on the sectional watching LivePD when Knox stormed in through the front door, slamming it with such force, I’m sure the neighbors were on high alert. Peering over my shoulder in confusion, I watched him stalk to the fridge, pull out a beer, and down half the bottle before even making it into the living room. What the hell happened? Had he gotten into an argument with Luis? Somehow, that didn’t seem likely. According to Reyna, Knox and Luis never fought, not even as kids. They might’ve disagreed on the odd topic here or there, but other than that, they weren’t the type to fuss and hold grudges.
“I need to talk to you,” he said, his deep voice booming in a way I’d never heard before.
Clearly, I wasn’t the only one to notice it. Maya quickly lifted herself off the couch and reached for her mug on the coffee table, shooting me an uncomfortable look I wasn’t sure how to respond to.
“About?” I asked, raising a curious brow when he plopped down beside me, and I took in the disconcerted look on his face.
“About what happened tonight.”
That was all he offered. Those four little words, and still they had the power to catapult my stomach up to my throat.
I must’ve blanched or perhaps Maya simply sensed this wasn’t the type of conversation she should be sitting in on, because from one moment to the next, she was gone. It wasn’t until I heard the click of her door that I realized she was no longer in the room. I’m not even going to lie… I was nervous as shit. What in the world could’ve happened that Knox was so anxious about? My natural reaction was to assume the worst. I mean, what girlfriend wouldn't? But that wasn't really fair on my part at all, given the fact Knox never lied to me.
“Before you go into fit of rage, I want you to listen very carefully to the entire story,” he began, startling me from the whirlwind of questions swirling around in my mind.
That sounds promising.
“Okay…” I gulped.
Running a hand through the longer strands of his hair, he turned to face me head on and let out deep sigh. “I wasn’t with Luis tonight.”
My heart lodged in my throat a little more. “Then where were you?”
“At Steel Ink.”
“The tattoo shop? Why?”
“Because I had an appointment with Pun.”
“For?” I hedged, growing more uneasy with each second that ticked by.
“For a new tat.”
What?
I didn't think it was possible to be more confused, but I was wrong.
So damn wrong.
“Well, I figured that, but what I don’t understand is why you would lie about that.”
“Because it was supposed to be a surprise, but also because I didn’t think you’d particularly care for me going back there,” he explained, which only served to baffle me all the more. Forget the surprise aspect. My brain focused solely on why he'd think I’d have an issue with him going to get another tattoo. He was covered in them, for crying out loud. Obviously, I liked them.
“Why would I care if you…” I started, but then it hit me.
Steel Ink was the shop where Knox had gone for years to get all his tats. Tats his ex – the very one who'd texted him just a few weeks ago – had so lovingly inked on him during her apprenticeship.
“Was she there?” I asked immediately, my voice hushed.
Knox swallowed deeply, his lips set in a grim line through a bout of silence before he nodded. “Yes.”
“Was your appointment really with her then?”
“No. I booked with Pun over a month ago.”
“But,” I pressed, because there was always a ‘but’ in situations like these.
“But his previous session was running over, so he asked Brie to prep me.”
No.
Dread briskly filled my veins, tossing all rationale out the window. Red flags thrashed about as alarm bells blared, my stomach churning in a nauseating fashion.
“Please don’t tell me you’re about to say you fucked her.”
“Really, baby,” he spat, his tone oozing disgust. “You think I’d cheat on you after what she did to me?”
“I would hope not, and you’ve never given me a reason to think otherwise, but then why are you so nervous?”
“Nervous? I’m not nervous, Hazel, not by a long shot. I’m pissed.”
“Why? What the hell happened?” The question rumbled in my chest around a growl. If he was angry, that meant something went down, and more than likely, that something was a probable factor I’d be pissed about too.
“Nothing I shouldn’t have expected. She was all too eager to help Pun out, and while I continued to shut her down, it only served to fuel her on.”
This bitch.
“What. The hell. Did she do?”
“Nothing at first, until she saw the design.”
“What was wrong with the design?”
Without so much as a word, he gripped the hem of his tee and whipped it over his head, tossing it over the back of the couch. My eyes traced the lines I'd followed many times, searching for his newest addition, until they landed on the purplish ink that would wash away after a shower. It wasn’t permanent, but to say I was not expecting to see that would’ve been the understatement of the year. I gasped, my hand popping over my mouth as I stared at the script adorning his chest; Hazel Rae with an infinity symbol looped under it, right above his heart.
“Are you crazy?” I finally managed to ask.
“For you? Hell yes,” he said with conviction.
“Why would you want to risk inking my name on your body? What if something happens to us, Knox? I mean, I know coverups are a thing, but-”
I’d never found myself on my back so fast, his large hand curled around my throat, keen blue eyes holding me hostage.
“Shut up,” he growled, “and listen to me. Are you listening?”
I nodded, wrapping a hand around his wrist.
“I love you. Whether you’ve come to terms with it or not, you’re mine, Hazel. All of you, mine, forever. I’m proud of every single piece etched on my skin, regardless of the memories attached to them. And your name, right above my heart, will be the one I wear with most pride, always.”
“You’re crazy,” I mumbled, and he chuckled softly.
“We established this already, baby. Moving on…”
As much as I wanted to simply forget he’d mentioned Brie, after I thought she wasn’t going to an issue, I couldn’t push past it. I had to know what the fuck happened in that tattoo shop.
“So, she flipped out about my name?”
“In her own way, yes.”
“And what exactly is her own way?” I hedged.
Easing away, Knox laid back on the couch and pulled me into his lap. “She climbed into my lap just like this, and tried provoking a reaction in her favor by bringing up the past.”
This. Fucking. Bitch.
My blood was boiling, but I forced myself to keep a lid on it, at least until I heard it all. “Is that all?”
“Basically. The more I pushed, the more she pulled, but I didn’t tolerate it for long. I ended up storming out of there before Pun finished with his client.”
“All I’m going to say is that she’s lucky I wasn’t there,” I growled, my lip curling in a snarl.
Chuckling softly, he pulled me closer still, locking his arms around my waist. “Funny enough, I thought the same thing shortly after she walked into the room.”
“Do I wanna know what she said to you?”
“No, probably not.”
“Then let's just forget this hap
pened.”
“Deal.” He pecked my lips. “I told Pixie the next time I called to schedule an appointment, she better be certain she penciled me in on a day Brie wouldn’t be there.”
Running my thumb along his cheek, I hesitated with my next question, but only because I didn’t want to seem like Brie had opened a massive can of insecurities. He watched me silently as I worried my lip between my teeth and contemplated how to get this out right without sounding like whiny girlfriend.
“Is Brie going to be a steady problem?” I finally asked after a few minutes. Not the best way to phrase it, but it was just one of those things you had to rip off like a band-aid.
“I sure as hell hope not, but with Brie, you just never know. She’s stubborn and she does what she wants.”
“Well, she needs to stay far the fuck away. I won’t be held responsible for what happens to her if she keeps soliciting her skanky ass around where it doesn’t belong.”
Knox howled, literally howled, at my possessive admission, his head falling back against the couch as his body shook through a bout of laughter. It was impossible not to laugh right along with him. I wanted to be mad – no, furious – but his laughter was contagious. My shoulders bobbed up and down as I giggled in his lap, the anger that’d briskly consumed me thanks to a certain ex, easing away like water to a fire.
“Now that we have that out of the way. There’s something else I have to tell you,” he said, wiping amused tears from under his eyes.
I stopped laughing almost instantaneously, and went rigid once more, eyeing him in alarm.
What else could have possibly happened?
“I got Amari,” he said with a beaming smile.
I breathed out in relief and hugged him tightly, feeling a great sense of pride at what this particular sliver of news meant for his career. The minute word got out he was training Amari Dorsette was the minute everyone and their momma were going to want him training them too. This was the best thing he could’ve followed up the Brie obstacle with and just like that, she was once again the irrelevant piece of history she’d always been. There was no way I was going to allow her to dampen this moment. I’m not saying it was going to be easy to shove her to the back of my mind, especially when Knox made it clear she was a stubborn broad, but I was damn well going to try to forget about her. My man loved me and I knew he’d never stray away from that. Or at least, I hoped he wouldn’t.