by Laura Lee
“Yeah.” I laugh. “Definitely.”
“Maybe I’ll try for a brunette next time around,” he muses. “Someone with some...spunk. I can’t let you have all the fun, now can I?” My father holds his hands out, curling his fingers like he’s cupping a pair of tits. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Dr. Keller. I’m sure he’d appreciate a new client.”
Dr. Keller is the plastic surgeon my dad uses to inflate all of his fuck dolls' chests, though I'm pretty sure he doesn't have any of them in mind. I don't understand why my father is so interested in Jazz all of a sudden. Maybe it's genuine curiosity, or perhaps this is another test. He's studying me carefully, looking for a reaction. It's like he wants me to flip out on him, giving him a reason not to trust me.
I’m not taking the bait, dickhead.
I stand up and give him a firm pat on the back, maybe a little harder than I should’ve. “Well, good luck on your hunt, old man. If we’re done here, I need to go. All this talk about pussy makes me want to sink my dick into one.”
“Give it to her good, son.” He thrusts his hips to punctuate his crude remark and laughs.
“Always do.”
I give him a dismissive wave as I exit the office and leave Davenport Boating as fast as humanly possible without looking suspicious. If I don’t get the hell out of here, I’m going to lose it.
"KINGSTON," MONIQUE, my father's receptionist, says in greeting. "What are you doing here again? I'm afraid your father left early to catch his flight."
"Damn." I frown in mock disappointment. "I think I left my cell phone in his office earlier. I can't find it anywhere, and that's the last place I remember seeing it."
“Oh, that’s too bad. I know how you kids are with those smartphones. If you can’t find it, it’s like losing a limb.” She chuckles.
I play along. "Yep, it's a curse of my generation. Hey, you don't suppose I could duck in there quickly and have a look around, do you? I'd wait for my dad, but being without it for a week would be hell."
“Of course, honey.” Monique opens the top drawer of her desk and retrieves a key ring. “Take your time; I’ll be here for a while.” She pulls a single key off the ring and hands it to me.
I lean down and smack a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks, Monique. You’re a lifesaver.”
She brushes me off. “Oh, you charmer.”
I feel bad using a sweet old lady like that, but sometimes, you have to utilize all the resources at your disposal for the greater good.
I make sure to lock the door behind me as I enter my father’s office. Like I did with Callahan’s home office, I switch on the detection device and quickly scan the room, acting like I’m searching for my phone. The last thing I need is for my dad to have video evidence of me bugging this place—there’d be no way of talking myself out of that one. Preston Davenport may be an epic douche and a criminal, but stupid he is not.
When the coast is clear, I get to work. I grab a chair to stand on and remove the existing smoke alarm. Thankfully, it's cold enough at night this time of year to justify wearing a jacket, so I could inconspicuously hide its replacement. The nice thing about this device is that it's hooked into the building's electrical, just like the original one. With this, I don't need to worry about battery life. It has a battery in case of a power failure, but it’ll primarily feed off the grid it’s attached to.
After flicking the switch to activate the camera, I twist the cover until it's secure and put the chair back in its rightful place. Before I leave, I open the monitoring app on my phone and check the feed. I smile when a crystal clear 1080 HD image of the entire room pops up. We went with this type of device not only for its ease of installation but also because of its location. Being on the ceiling, in the front corner of the room, there's no space it doesn't cover, save the ensuite. As long as my father isn't doing anything nefarious while taking a shit, I should be good.
I lock up my dad’s office and head back toward reception.
“Did you find it, honey?” Monique asks.
I drop the key on her desk and hold up my cell. “Yep. Thanks again, Monique. You’re the best.”
She smiles. “It’s my pleasure. You have a good night and say hello to that beautiful sister of yours.”
I hit the call button for the elevator, which opens right away. "Will do. Have a good night."
I breathe a sigh of relief as soon as the doors are closed. I don’t think that could’ve gone more smoothly. I was hoping the fact she’s known me my whole life would work in my favor. There wasn’t an inkling of doubt in her mind whether or not she should let me in. Now, I just have to wait and see if the bastard gives me anything useful.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
JAZZ
“So...I’ve been thinking about something.”
Ainsley sips on her strawberry milkshake. “What’s that?”
“A few things, actually. First of all, I need to get a part-time job.”
“Why?” Ainsley dips a french fry into her shake before popping the fried goodness into her mouth. It sounds gross, but it’s actually pretty freakin’ delicious.
“Because I need money—the little bit I had saved when I moved here is disappearing fast. I’m sure as shit not about to use the credit card my sperm donor gave me. At the very least, I’d like to be able to buy lunch once in a while.” I gesture to the food on the diner’s Formica table. “Or pay for things when I take Belle out. I saw a Help Wanted sign at one of the coffee shops on Calabasas Road.”
“Would your dad go for that? It wouldn’t look good for his reputation to have one of his daughters working in such a lowly position. Not that I think being a barista is beneath me, but he would. I’d never have time for it with ballet, but if I ever got a job at a coffee shop, I know my dad would freak.”
“Charles doesn’t really get a say in what I do. I’m eighteen.”
“Yeah, but you live under his roof.”
I shrug. "If he really wanted to fight me on it, I'll deal with it. But there's nothing to argue about until I actually get the job."
“Good point. We can swing by on the way home and grab an application.”
I smile. “Thanks, Ains.”
“What are the other two things? You said a few.”
“Secondly...tomorrow’s Sunday, my day with Belle. I was wondering if you’d like to come out with us?”
“I’d love to.” Her face lights up. “What are we doing?”
"Last weekend, we took her to the aquarium in Long Beach, so we thought we'd do the zoo this weekend."
Ainsley has an amused smirk on her face. “That sounds fun.”
I give her a dubious look. “Why are you making that face?”
“What face?”
I twirl my finger in her direction. “You look entertained by something I said, but I can’t think of anything that would warrant your current expression.”
She chuckles. “Oh, nothing. I was just imagining you and my brother taking a little girl to the aquarium. And the zoo. And an amusement park. Kingston’s always been protective, but I never thought I’d see him playing Daddy anytime soon. I think it’s adorable you’ve formed your own little blended family.”
I scoff. “That’s not true. He just drives us around.”
And pays for everything. And is super sweet to Belle, giving her piggybacks all the time. And goes out of his way to ensure every Sunday is my favorite day of the week.
Damn that sneaky bastard.
“Okay, what’s next?” Ainsley asks.
I smile, glad to switch to a less confusing topic. "Well, I never got the chance to do something to celebrate turning eighteen because...well, you know. I've wanted to get a tattoo for a while now, and I always said I'd do it right after my birthday. I happen to know a pretty fantastic artist who's offered to do it for free. I'd love it if you came with me."
Ainsley rubs her hands together. “Ooh, now this I can get behind. When and where?”
“Um...does today work for you?”
She laughs. “Really? You can just walk in for something like that?”
I shake my head. “Technically, yes, but the really good artists are booked up from what I understand, especially on weekends. But the other day, I texted Kai, the tattooist, to see if his offer still stands. He said he had a cancelation today if I wanted to drop by at five.”
“I’m totally in.” She looks at the time on her phone. “Where is it? How long of a drive do you think it’d be?”
Now, here’s the part I’m not sure she’d be so chill with. “It’s in my old neck of the woods, which takes about an hour or so, depending on traffic. The shop is right in between Watts and Compton.”
"Okay. So, if we left by three-thirty, we'd for sure get there on time?"
I blink a few times, honestly surprised she agreed so fast. “Uh...yeah. That should be good.”
Ainsley pops another fry into her mouth. “It’s a date.”
"HERE WE ARE, ATLAS Ink." Ainsley shifts her car into park and kills the ignition. She looks around the strip mall parking lot, taking in the surroundings. "Wow. A yellow Lamborghini kind of sticks out like a sore thumb around here, huh?"
I feel like an idiot for not thinking about the culture shock Ainsley must be going through. I'd imagine it's similar to what I felt moving to Kardashian Land, only in reverse. I love how she didn't even hesitate when I asked her to come with me, though. Someone like Peyton would probably laugh her ass off and make a bad joke about not wanting to get shot. Yeah, there's a lot of crime in this area, but most people who live here are hard-working and honest. They have a strong sense of community, and they take care of their own. Growing up in Watts made me who I am, and regardless of my zip code, I'll always be a proud South Central girl at heart.
“It’ll be fine. The shop is small enough to where we’ll be able to see it the whole time. If anyone starts creepin’ around, Kai will take care of them.”
Ainsley smiles, seemingly satisfied. “How did you know about this place again?”
I nod to the hot as hell man leaning against the building, watching us. “Malakai is my ex’s older brother.”
Ainsley drinks him in. “Damn, girl. Does his brother look anything like him? If so, why in the hell did you two break up?”
“They’re three years apart, but they get mistaken for twins all the time.”
Her eyebrows lift. “I’ll ask again. Why in the hell did you two break up? He looks like a young, badass version of Idris Elba, for shit’s sake!”
I laugh. “Right? I used to tell them that all the time.”
“Seriously, though, what happened? Why’d you break up?”
I bite the tip of my thumbnail. "When my mom died, I just couldn't deal with it, ya know? I was put into the system, my sister was ripped away from me, and I had no idea what would happen next. I told him I needed space to get my head together, and he didn't argue. Didn't even text. I heard he was already hooking up with another girl a week later."
Ainsley gives me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s no biggie, honestly. I wasn’t in love with him or anything. I mean, I cared for him a lot, but he was always more of a friend than a boyfriend. He’s a few years older than me, but we were next-door neighbors growing up, so we’ve known each other forever. He treated me well, he looked like that, and he was there so...”
“So...you two fornicated like bunnies whenever the mood struck?”
I shrug. “Pretty much. When my mom died, Shawn—that’s his name—didn’t make any effort to console me. Maybe he just didn’t know what to say, but the fact he didn’t even try was a big eye-opener for me. It's one of the reasons I never bothered reaching out to him after I moved to Hidden Hills. He's not a bad guy—he's actually really sweet and fun to hang out with—just emotionally stunted with relationships, I guess.”
“You know what I think? I think we should stop talking about stupid boys and get you some ink.”
Ainsley's a dependable shoulder to cry on when you need one, but she's equally reliable for focusing on the brighter side. It's one of my favorite things about her. I need all the lightness I can get in my life right now.
I grin. “Sounds good to me.”
Malakai offers me a big smile when we approach the shop and motions to come in for a hug. "Girl, you look fly as fuck. No cap."
I give him a good squeeze before pulling back. “You too, Kai.”
Kai gives Ainsley an appreciative once over. “And who’s this lovely lady?”
I gesture to Malakai. “Ainsley, this is Kai Cooper.” I jerk my head to Ains. “Kai, this is Ainsley Davenport. She’s gotta man, so don’t get any ideas.”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “A’ight, say no more. Nice to meet you, Ainsley Davenport. Your ride is dope.”
Ainsley’s cheeks pinken under his perusal. I totally feel her; he’s made me blush on more than one occasion. The man can charm practically anyone out of their panties.
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” she says shyly. “And thank you.”
“Ladies, step into my humble abode.” Kai steps aside so we can enter the tattoo parlor.
I nod my head to the beat of Nipsey Hussle's "The Life" as it bumps through the overhead speakers. God, this place brings back memories. Shawn and I spent a lot of time here just chillin' when Belle was on a playdate or if my mom had a day off. I see that nothing's changed, which is comforting considering how much change I've had in my life lately. A small reception desk still sits in the corner, and framed photos still cover the walls, showcasing various designs. A workstation is set up in the middle of the floor where Kai sees most of his clients, but I know from previous visits, there's also a room in the back for people who get tattoos in areas that shouldn't be exposed to the general public.
Malakai's always kept the place in pristine condition—I could probably eat off these floors. If you ask me, that's a huge selling point when selecting a tattoo parlor. Kai's a true artist, and he takes pride in that, but he's also an astute businessman. He bought into the shop when it was struggling, and it's done really well ever since he made some minor changes to their operations. It's given him purpose, too, which keeps him out of trouble. There was a point in time where he could've easily gone in the other direction.
A burly guy with a scruffy beard steps out of the back. He looks like a big, scary biker, but in reality, he's a teddy bear.
The man smiles, showing off a set of white, perfectly straight teeth. “Well, I’ll be damned. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen your beautiful face. Look at you, girl.”
I laugh when he swoops me into a hug. “Hey, Ty.”
Tyson is Malakai’s business partner and fellow artist. He’s also the uncle I mentioned earlier.
Ty pulls back, holding on to my upper arms. “What brings you to the neighborhood, Jazz?”
“I turned eighteen recently, so I wanted to get my first tat. Rumor has it, Kai’s the best in town.”
“Damn straight,” Malakai boasts.
Ty laughs. “Baby, that boy don’t need an ego boost. His damn head barely fits through the door already.”
Kai flips off his uncle in response.
Ainsley tries to stifle her laughter, but she’s not very successful.
I tilt my head in her direction. “Tyson, this is my friend, Ainsley.”
Ty’s large hand swallows hers as they shake. “Nice to meet you, pretty lady.” He turns back to me. “I heard you moved up to a big house in the hills. Why’d you come back? I’m sure they have plenty of fancy artists up there by the rich folk.” He winks at Ainsley. “No offense, beautiful.”
She smiles. “None taken.”
I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes once Ty’s attention is back on me. “Because this is my home. This is where my roots are, and that will never change. You got a problem with that?”
His lips curve. “Naw, girl. I’m just makin’ sure you’re still the same old Jazz we know and love. And from the fireballs
you’re shootin’ at me with those pretty brown eyes, I’d say there’s no doubt.”
My lips twitch. “Well, as long as we’re clear.”
“A’ight, enough small talk, Ty. Some of us have work to do.” Malakai swings his arm over my shoulder and leads me to the client’s chair. “Make yourself comfortable while I get set up.” He pulls a chair from the waiting area and scoots it closer. “Ainsley, you wanna watch?”
Ainsley’s eyes widen. “Really? I wouldn’t get in the way?”
Kai shakes his head. “Nah. It’s cool.”
Tyson wanders toward the back of the shop while Ainsley takes a seat beside me.
Kai starts digging through his trolley, setting everything he needs up top. “Same spot we talked about?”
“Yeah,” I confirm.
“So, are you going to tell me what you’re getting now?” Ainsley asks. “And where?”
She’s asked the same question no less than a dozen times on the drive over. I wanted her to see the design first, and explain its significance, so she wouldn’t think it was a narcissistic choice on my end.
I smile. “You’ll see.”
Malakai raises his eyebrows—probably wondering about the secrecy—but says nothing as he readies his tattoo gun. About a year ago, Kai had some downtime between clients, so I told him what I was looking for. In less than five minutes, he sketched out exactly what I saw in my mind. The boy is insanely talented in bringing ideas to life. The design I'm going with is delicate and simple in appearance but heavy on substance.
Kai twists in his chair to face me. “You ready?”
“I am.” I nod.
He lifts my arm and props it on a padded stool covered in plastic wrap. After swiping some rubbing alcohol over my skin, he picks up a disposable razor and runs it along the same spot.
“What’s the razor for?” Ainsley asks. “She doesn’t exactly have hairy arms.”
“Almost everyone has body hair almost everywhere, regardless of how visible it is. This ensures a clean work surface,” Kai explains.
“Huh,” Ainsley muses. “The more you know.”