Defy You: A Brother's Best Friend/Age Gap Romance (Rebel Ink Book 3)

by Tracy Lorraine

  22

  Spike

  I should have been relieved that Biff was taking control and dragging Kas to the hospital to get that wound stitched up, but I wasn’t. From the second the words fell from her lips, I was pissed off. I wanted to be the one to be looking after her.

  I finished up my sketch for my afternoon client, although my head wasn’t really in it. I was too worried about what Biff and Kas were going to say as an excuse for her having a random knife wound on her hip. It’s not exactly an everyday kind of accident.

  I get through two clients and three cups of coffee that I’ve got to make myself, seeing as the guys are also fully booked, before I hear the familiar sound of their voices out in reception.

  Putting my pen down, I make my way out.

  “Is everything okay?” I ask, looking between the two of them as they laugh together.

  Seeing her genuine smile makes my chest constrict, but my joy doesn’t override my concern.

  “Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” Kas asks, her voice turning cooler the moment she shifts her attention onto me.

  “No reason. I was just worried about what you’d say—”

  “Oh, no need to worry about that. We got lucky,” Biff says, winking at Kas.

  “Lucky? Lucky how?”

  “The nurse that stitched her up was a hottie. I think he’d have done just about anything she asked of him without batting an eyelid.” As Biff smiles knowingly at me, jealousy and anger begin to swirl within me.

  “He even gave me his number. Can you believe that?”

  “Uh…” I start but soon find I have no other words. The thought of some guy having his hands on her is bad enough, but hitting on her? Oh, fuck no.

  “Let’s go.” Wrapping my hand around her wrist, I pull her down toward my room.

  “Watch out, we’ve woken the caveman,” Biff calls from behind us, making Kas snort.

  The second we’re in my room, I back her up against the wall, pinning her hands above her head and staring down into her amused blue eyes.

  “I hope you weren’t planning on calling him.”

  “What if I already have?” My teeth grind at her words.

  “Then you need to call him back and cancel.”

  “And why would I want to do that?” She tilts her head to the side, trying to look all innocent.

  “You know why.”

  “Nope. Don’t think I do. As far as I’m aware, I’m single and can hook up with hot nurses any day of the week.”

  A growl rumbles up my throat.

  “Are you doing this on purpose?”

  “What?”

  I suck in a calming breath, forcing myself to reign it in and stay cool despite the fact that she drives me fucking crazy.

  Dropping my lips to her ear, I try to stop myself from saying the words that are on the tip of my tongue, but I know it’s futile.

  “You’re not going out with him.”

  “Give me one good reason why not, and I’ll think about it.”

  I pull back so I can look into her eyes. They’re already significantly darker than they were only moments ago, proving to me that she’s as affected by our closeness as I am.

  Tension crackles between us as she waits for my answer. Her eyes bounce between mine for a beat before dropping to my lips. It’s then that I know I’ve lost any kind of restraint I should have when it comes to her.

  I take her mouth, forcing my tongue past her lips in search of hers. My body presses hers into the door, until she gasps, and I remember that she spent the last few hours in the hospital.

  That thought is like a bucket of ice water over me.

  “Fuck,” I bark, taking a huge step back and turning around so I don’t have to look at her. Although my imagination is good enough to have a very vivid image of how she might look with her swollen lips and heaving chest. “Fuck.”

  My skin burns where she’s staring at me. She probably thinks I’ve lost my goddamn mind with how I’m acting toward her. I’m starting to wonder if I have. I’m meant to be the oldest here, the wisest, the one with the most life experience to give me all the skills I need to do the right thing, but fuck, we may as well swap places because while she seems to know exactly what she wants, I’m the one fucking up and ruining everything.

  I want her, I can’t deny that. But I shouldn’t have her. She’s too young for me, too good for me. I’ll end up breaking her heart, because I can’t allow even the possibility of it being more than a bit of fun. The fallout would be too painful, and I already know I wouldn’t survive it.

  But I can’t just play with her and have some fun like I would any other woman. She’s Zach’s little sister. She should be forbidden, untouchable. Yet I touched, and all I can think about is doing it again. Over and over.

  “Spike, you need—” Whatever she was going to say is interrupted as a knock sounds out on the door.

  “Spike, your client is here. Are you both decent?” Biff calls out.

  I spin on the spot, pinning Kas in place with my hard stare.

  “She knows?” I whisper, panic starting to build within me. If she knows, then there’s no way she’ll keep it from Zach. That’s not how those two work.

  Kas shrugs as if it’s not a big deal.

  “You told her?”

  “Chill the fuck out, Spike. She guessed. I wasn’t about to lie. So we fucked, it’s really not a big deal.”

  A bitter laugh falls from my lips. “That’s it? We just fucked?”

  “Was that not what it was? If you were making love to me, then I didn’t get the memo.” She rolls her eyes and it pisses me off further.

  A storm begins to swell within me. I shouldn’t fucking care about any of this. I shouldn’t care that she only thinks what we’ve shared was nothing more than a quick fuck to get what we both needed. At the end of the day, that’s all it was, right?

  “I don’t make fucking love,” I spit, taking a step toward her.

  Instead of looking all intimidated by me, she takes one of her own, her eyes holding mine, heat still filling them. It makes my cock twitch.

  “Well, there you go then. What the fuck are you trying to argue about? We fucked, it was fun, you were… okay.”

  “Okay?” I ask, my eyebrows almost shooting into my hairline.

  “I mean, clearly you were good enough for a repeat, and probably a couple yet. But that might just be because you’re easy. Accessible.”

  My chin drops. “You think I’m easy?”

  She chuckles, and my blood begins to boil. “That’s what all the dancers at the club said. Why do you think I tried it on in the first place? You didn’t think I actually wanted you, did you, old man?”

  Some unintelligible noise falls from my lips as our eyes hold. Tension crackles between us, but despite her words, I feel that familiar pull to her. I’m about to close the space and prove to her that she’s wrong, that there’s more here than just convenience, but I don’t get the chance.

  “Guys, seriously. I can only make excuses for so long.”

  “This isn’t over,” I warn, taking a step toward Kas who continues to hold her ground. Her eyes follow me until I stop right in front of her.

  Reaching out, I slide my fingers around her throat. Her eyes widen at my possessive move and her lips part in preparation for my kiss.

  Dropping down, I stop when our lips are a breath apart.

  “Stop denying what we both know is true, Tiny. This…” my fingers tighten to the point I feel her pulse thunder beneath my fingers, “is anything but convenient.”

  “Spike,” she moans, pushing forward and trying to take what she needs.

  Spinning us, I push her backward. “I suggest you sit and watch. You might learn a few things.”

  She stumbles back when I release her, but it’s not because I use any force, it’s because of the effect I know I have on her.

  Running my hand though my hair, I walk over to the door and rip it open, much to Biff’s shock.

  Her ey
es widen as they run the length of me. If she was expecting me to answer the door naked or something, she must be bitterly disappointed.

  Lifting up on her tiptoes, she looks over my shoulder before her eyes settle on Kas, who I can only assume has done as she’s told for once and sat down.

  When her attention comes back to me, her eyes are narrowed in warning.

  “I’m watching you,” she warns, pointing between her eyes and mine with two fingers. “You hurt her, and it won’t just be Zach you need to be worrying about.”

  Pulling the door closed behind me so Kas can’t eavesdrop, I force Biff to back up a bit.

  “Have you told him?”

  “Told him what?” she asks innocently, although I can tell it’s fake. “Just figure your shit out, yeah? You want her? Fine. Just prove that you can do right by her. You don’t, and this is all a bit of fun for you, then stop it right now. She can move in with us and it can be over.”

  “I know what I’m doing.” It’s a big fat lie, but I don’t like how her suggestion of Kas moving in with them makes me feel.

  “Riiight,” she says with a roll of her eyes.

  Great, I’m glad I’m convincing her just as much as I am myself.

  “Just be careful. She’s already been through enough. She doesn’t need you shattering her heart.”

  “Who said anything about hearts?”

  “She’s not the kind of girl you fuck and chuck, Spike. And I’m not just saying that because of who she is.”

  Her warning hangs heavy between us as another door cracks open.

  “Is everything okay?” Zach asks, looking between the two of us, concern written all over his face.

  “Yeah, just having a little chat. Right, Spike?”

  “Yeah, it was totally enlightening too. I should probably…” I point down toward reception and duck past Biff to collect my client.

  I feel both of their stares burning into my back as I walk away. I chastise myself for allowing that kind of conversation to happen with Zach only a door away.

  I should just admit to him what’s happened and get the beating out of the way, but a huge part of me isn’t ready to talk about it yet. I want to keep her to myself just a little bit longer. Is making her my dirty little secret wrong? Hell yeah, but I can’t help myself.

  “Hey, are you ready to get this show on the road?”

  Hazel, my client, looks up with excitement etched onto her face.

  “Yes, I’m so excited to see it.”

  She hops up, but not before openly checking me out. She was the same the last time she was here, but while I might not be too choosy about who I spend the night with, I’ve always made a rule never to fuck a client. That shit could get messy the next time they turn up for some ink.

  “Come on then. I’m all ready to go.”

  Her eyes darken at my words, and I kick myself for playing into her hands. I’d usually say that shit on purpose, but today, to her, I have no intention of giving her any ideas. I might be about to get my hands on her body, but it’s going to be another that I wish I’m touching, I already know that.

  “Hazel, this is Kas. She’s my new apprentice. Would it be okay with you if she sits in on the session?”

  She looks between the two of us before nodding her head and agreeing, dropping her bag to the floor and hopping up in my chair like she owns the place.

  I’ve met all sorts of people doing this job, all with different expectations for what’s about to happen, and I can already tell that this woman has absolutely zero nerves getting this tattoo. Even some of the hardest guys I’ve worked on look more apprehensive than she does right now before a session, especially with a project as big as hers.

  I glance at Kas as Hazel gets herself comfortable to find her eyes narrowed on the slim blonde waiting for me.

  A smile curls at my lips. Karma is a bitch, and Kas might just be about to learn that rubbing that nurse under my nose not so long ago was a very, very bad idea.

  “Okay, here’s my finished design based on what we spoke about.” I hand Hazel the sketch Kas was looking at when I first found her in here earlier, only I made the few changes she suggested.

  “Oh my God,” Hazel gushes. “I love it. It’s totally perfect.”

  “Brilliant. I’m glad you like it.”

  “How could I not? You’re a genius.”

  “I’m not sure that’s true, but I appreciate it. Are you still set on where you want it?”

  “Sure am.”

  I glance at Kas, who’s watching the two of us with curiosity. She looks more nervous than Hazel, which is amusing.

  “I’m going to need you to undress. There’s a partition over there if you’d like to make use of… okay, or not,” I mutter as she whips her top off without a care in the world. “There’s a sheet there to cover up with, plus it’ll stop you from getting cold.”

  I turn my back on both of them as Hazel faffs around, but I know Kas’ narrowed eyes are trained on me. Tingles race beneath my skin, telling me that she’s feeling much like I was when she mentioned the nurse. Good.

  I grab what I need before confirming that Hazel is ready and not about to flash me, although I wouldn’t put it past her.

  “I’m more than ready,” she breathes, her voice deeper. I’m assuming it’s meant to be seductive, although it falls a long way from the mark for me.

  Wheeling my station over along with my stool, I risk a glance up at Kas. As expected, she’s staring at me with narrowed, angry eyes.

  I shrug at her. This is my job, soon to be hers. She’s going to need to get used to the idea of getting rather intimate with strangers.

  “Okay, I need this sheet a little higher,” I say gently tugging to expose the swell of her breast.

  Hazel wants this piece to start on her ribs, wrapping around her left breast and up onto her shoulder blade. I can’t deny that it’s going to look stunning, I also can’t deny that it’s the perfect tattoo for Kas to sit and watch me do right now.

  Some fat and hairy biker certainly wouldn’t have the same jealousy swirling in her blue depths right now.

  A sick part of me loves seeing her feelings so exposed. It tells me everything I need to know about how false the words she said to me not so long ago were.

  At no point do I think about the fact I’m working on a half-naked woman. She’s no different to a blank canvas to me as I trace out the part of the design I’m going to work on today before grabbing my machine and getting down to business.

  The buzz settles me, grounds me in a way that nothing else I’ve ever found has. Tattooing is my happy place. It always has been, and it’s what got me through the time in my life I refuse to think about. It allowed me to escape, to forget the betrayal, the heartache, and it helped me find myself again and allowed me to rebuild my life.

  Time ticks on, but I don’t pay any attention as the flowers start to come to life across Hazel’s ribs. I don’t notice the sweet scent of her perfume that was a little too overpowering when I first started, and I don’t notice her looking down at me as if I’m the most interesting person in the world. I do, however, know that at no point do I lose Kas’ attention. The desire that was simmering just under the surface from our short interaction earlier is still there, just waiting for the chance to explode once more.

  “Kas,” I bark, sitting back and giving Hazel a few minutes’ reprieve from the bite of my machine.

  “Yeah?” There’s hope in her voice like I’m about to give her some wildly important job.

  “I need coffee.”

  “Really?” she balks.

  “Yeah, really.”

  “Great, that’ll be right with you, Sir,” she mocks. I can picture her eyes rolling in frustration as she walks to the door.

  “Would you like anything?” she asks Hazel politely.

  “A glass of water would be great. Thanks, sweetie.”

  I try to stifle my laugh when I hear a growl rumble up Kas’ throat.

  The second the door
shuts, Hazel starts. “So, she looks like a fun kid to work with.”

  “She’s not a kid.” The words are out of my mouth before I’ve even realised I’m fighting for her.

  “Oh, okay. She’s kinda intense.”

  “Artists usually are, in some way.”

  “I guess.”

  “This is looking great,” I say, changing the subject as I gently wipe at her skin with a cloth. “I think we’ll go for another hour, and then you’re going to need a break. It’s going to really start getting tender as I get higher.”

  “I’ll be fine. I have a high pain threshold.”

  That’s what they all say, until they start squirming like a little bitch. I smile to myself. “That’s great. But I don’t want to push it too much for your first sitting.”

  Hazel continues to try to drag me into conversations about what I’m doing for the rest of the night and telling me about her plans. If she thinks she’s getting through to me in any way then she really is dumber than she looks. I have no intention of spending any more time with her than necessary.

  Thankfully, Kas returns soon after with two mugs of coffee and Hazel’s water. As she comes to a stop beside us, she stares at Hazel with contempt in her eyes and I start to wonder if she’s going to throw the water at her instead of passing it over for her to drink.

  “Wow, that’s looking incredible,” she says instead after carefully handing it over.

  “It’s a good start, huh?”

  “It’s stunning.”

  I talk Kas through what I’m planning on doing next, seeing as I am actually meant to be her teacher and not ignoring her while making her jealous with my client.

  “Pull that spare stool over,” I say, although at no point do I actually look at her. I know it’s too dangerous to do so. I can’t see that jealousy swirling in her eyes once more and not do anything about it.

  I talk to her about my machine, about the different angles and the way to achieve the different marks on the skin.

  She’s silent as she soaks up all the information. After a few moments, Hazel lies back down and the buzz of my machine fills the room.