Going Inksane (Nice Ink Book 1)

by Trish Edmisten

I was going to kill every one of those hussies. Right after I put some pants on.

  Climbing out of bed, I slipped into my pajama pants and a T-shirt before I darted down the hall.

  I entered the living room to find all of my brothers leering at Heath who stood there with a bewildered look on his face. Daisy had stopped barking by then, but she hadn’t approached them, no doubt trying to decide if they were friend or foe. Foe, definitely foe.

  Kiel spotted me first and gave me a sly grin. “Hey, Ned, you’re up late.”

  “What the hell are you guys doing here?” I glared at them.

  Derek held up a pink box. “We brought donuts.”

  “Donuts?” I snorted. “Really?”

  “What? I like donuts,” Derek said.

  “Everyone likes donuts,” Kiel agreed.

  “And coffee,” Roger added. “Donuts and coffee are the best.”

  “Coffee is definitely a good idea,” Heath said, running a hand down his face.

  “And maybe a shirt,” Derek said, waggling his eyebrows. “You know, so you don’t burn yourself if you splash any coffee.”

  “That’s not a problem. We all know first aid,” Kiel said as he eyed Heath’s bare chest. “Well, except for Ollie.”

  “What makes you think I don’t know first aid?” Oliver said.

  “Even if you do, you should let one of us handle him,” Roger said with a wink at Heath. “We are trained first responders.”

  “You said handle him.” Derek smirked. “Don’t you mean handle it?”

  “I know what I said and what I meant,” Roger answered and winked again.

  “Stop winking at my boyfriend, you slut,” I snapped. “And if anyone is going to give Heath first aid, it’s going to be me. I am an emergency room nurse.”

  “I’ll just put a shirt on,” Heath said. “Then no one has to worry about giving me first aid.”

  All four of my brothers shot me a dirty look, as though it was unreasonable for me to want them to keep their greedy hands to themselves. It was bad enough the dicks were eying him like he was some mark in the club.

  Their irritation with me was forgotten when he turned and sauntered down the hall. I couldn’t even be mad when they all homed in on his ass, but I wasn’t going to tell them that.

  “There had better be coffee started by the time we get back,” I ordered them.

  Of course they started talking more shit as soon as I turned my back. I sent up a prayer to the gods of revenge that Daisy would bite them all on the ass so that every time they sat down for the rest of the day they were reminded not to fuck with me.

  Heath was just pulling his shirt on when I stepped into the bedroom.

  “I am so sorry,” I said.

  “You don’t need to apologize,” Heath assured me. “Do they do this often?”

  I grimaced. “If I say yes, will you stop spending the night?”

  “Baby,” Heath said as he looped his arms around my waist and pulled me flush against him. “Wild horses couldn’t keep me from spending the night with you.”

  “They’re more like a pack of wild dogs,” I complained, and Heath chuckled.

  Wild dogs who would be lucky if I didn’t turn the hose on them. Come to think of it, that sounded like a good idea.

  Right after I had some coffee.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Heath

  I was so damned happy I was bursting with it. I had never been this happy in my entire life. Not when Cooper and X and I had scraped together enough money to buy the shop and I’d been able to quit doing porn. Not even when we’d finally been able to open the shop after pouring our blood, sweat and back breaking labor into it. Not ever.

  Ned and I had spent every night together since he’d first told me he loved me last week. The only time I saw the inside of my apartment was to grab some more clothes and pick up my mail. Then it was back to Ned’s house. We could have spent the night at my place, but his was bigger and much more comfortable.

  I didn’t know what was better. Going to bed with him curled up in my arms or waking up wrapped around his lithe body. Both were satisfying, just in different ways.

  The sex between us was good too, better than I’d ever had even without the penetration. Despite what everyone thought, having anal wasn’t necessary for a gay man to have a fulfilling sex life. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t enjoyed it in the past, but I didn’t miss it. Being with Ned was more important than having a hole to stick my dick into.

  “What the fuck is this shit?” X demanded.

  “Eighties pop and it’s awesome,” Cooper answered.

  “And why the hell are we listening to it? You weren’t even around in the eighties.”

  “I just told you it’s awesome. Even Heath likes it.”

  “There is no fucking way Heath likes this shit.”

  “Then why is he singing along to it?”

  “What the fuck, man?” X spun to face me, and the accusation in his eyes matched that of his voice. “Why the hell are you singing? Don’t tell me you like this crap.”

  Until Cooper said something, I hadn’t realized I was singing, but it wasn’t like I could deny it.

  I shrugged. “It’s catchy.”

  “Catchy, he says,” X scoffed. “It’s so catchy it makes me want to stab my own ears just so I don’t have to listen to it anymore. Who the hell is this anyway? I need to know so I can track down whatever misguided record label gave these guys a deal and kick their asses.”

  The guy I was tattooing chuckled, but luckily the movement wasn’t too jarring otherwise I might have messed up his tattoo.

  “I have no idea,” I said.

  “Bullshit, dude,” X retorted. “Your pussy pop liking secret is out now so don’t act like you don’t know who these douchebags are.”

  “It’s not bullshit. I have no idea who they are.”

  “Whatever, man, but I hope you know you’re giving respectable gay men everywhere a bad name.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” I laughed.

  “Just because you like the D doesn’t mean you have to listen to this shit. It’s embarrassing,” X explained, a sad look on his face as he shook his head. “Next thing I know you’re gonna tell me you like Broadway musicals or some shit like that.”

  “Depends on which musical because Lion King looks pretty cool,” I joked.

  X’s eyes widened momentarily before narrowing in disgust. “Dude, it’s like I don’t even know you anymore.”

  I just laughed and kept on working while X pulled his phone from his pocket, probably checking to see if he had any new hits on his Grindr profile.

  “You’re gay?”

  The quiet question made me tense, but I didn’t stop working yet. Benito, the guy I was tattooing, was a big guy. Probably as big as I was, and he wasn’t a talker. When I’d asked him why he wanted the cobra tattooed on his arm, he’d just said he liked snakes and that was it. When he hadn’t volunteered anything else, I’d let it go. Not everyone wanted to use their tattoo as a chance for free therapy, and that was cool.

  What wasn’t cool was someone acting like a dick because of my sexual preference. Man, I hoped that wasn’t what was about to happen because I really wanted to finish his tattoo. The snake was pretty bad ass.

  “Yeah,” I answered, not looking up at him. “That a problem?”

  “No,” he said and went quiet again.

  “I should have known these mother fuckers were British,” X shouted.

  “What the hell are you bitching about now?” Cooper demanded.

  “The guys who sing this bitch ass song are some British piece of shit group.”

  “Yeah, it’s Simply Red, and that piece of shit British group is a three time Grammy nominee.”

  “Did they win any of those Grammys?”

  “No, but—”

  “Then I was right and they’re suck ass pieces of shit. Fucking British are always giving us the worst music.”

  “You mean lik
e The Beatles and Phil Collins and Adele?”

  “The only one worth mentioning there is Phil Collins and there’s always an exception to every rule.”

  Cooper rolled his eyes before going back to what he was doing.

  The young woman Cooper was tattooing smiled at him. “I love The Beatles.”

  “There’s no accounting for taste, sweetheart,” X said. “I’ll bet you think Cooper’s cute too.”

  The girl’s eyes went wide.

  “Ignore him, honey,” Cooper advised. “That attitude of his is the result of a long sexual dry spell.”

  X snorted. “Sorry to say, Coop, but I had a sweet young twink on my dick just last night.”

  Cooper wrinkled his nose. “You are so disgusting.”

  “And well satisfied,” X said and the wink he threw at Cooper made my brother cringe.

  I was right there with Cooper. Neither of us could deny X could pull dick. We’d both seen it with our own eyes. Those tricks that worked wonders on the twinks of Whispers made me throw up in my mouth.

  Setting my tattoo gun aside, I leaned back in my seat and surveyed my work. As I’d expected, the cobra looked bad ass. I picked up some gauze to wipe away the droplets of blood and then looked up at Benito to find him looking at me with an intense look in his impossibly dark eyes.

  “All done, man. Check it out,” I said and nodded to the mirror on the wall.

  Benito rose from the chair and stretched before going to the mirror. Turning to the side, he gave it a long look. “It looks good, Heath. Thank you.”

  “No problem. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll wrap it up and give you the aftercare instructions.”

  Benito grinned. “Thanks, but it’s not my first ink.”

  “Yeah, but I still have to do it.”

  When he returned to the chair, I wiped the ink clean again before covering it up while rattling off the care instructions he already knew. Once I’d finished, I stood, ready to walk him out.

  Benito stood too, giving me another of those considering looks. “Would you want to get coffee or something with me sometime?”

  I reared back like the dude had decked me. That was not what I was expecting when he’d asked if I was gay.

  “In case I’m not being clear, I’m asking you out,” Benito said.

  “Yeah, I got that, and I appreciate the offer, but I’m seeing someone, and it’s pretty serious.”

  Even if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have accepted the offer. Benito was a good-looking guy, but I wasn’t into dudes as big as me.

  There was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes before he smiled. “I should have known. The sexy ones are always taken.”

  “Uh, thanks. If you’ll follow me, we can settle up the bill with Damian.”

  As I walked him to the front, I was conscious of the way he side eyed me. I’d been checked out before, and it had never bothered me. It wasn’t exactly bothering me now, but it felt weird for a reason I couldn’t put my finger on.

  Still, I wasn’t gonna be a dick. When we reached the front counter, I shook the guy’s hand and thanked him for coming in. After giving him one of my business cards, I left him for Damian to deal with while I retreated into the back to clean up.

  “You all right, man?” X asked, wandering over to my station. “You look like someone just told you Lady Gaga wasn’t gonna make another CD.”

  “Don’t you have any work to do, asshole?” I said, though I laughed.

  “Nah, my next appointment’s not due for another half-hour. So, what’s up?”

  “My last customer just asked me out.”

  “Damn, I must be losing my touch. I never would’ve guessed that dude was gay.”

  “Yeah, me either. I was expecting him to go all homophobic caveman when you said that shit about me giving gay men a bad name.”

  It wasn’t like I hadn’t been asked out by a customer before. We all had, but it was usually from women. That didn’t mean we hadn’t tattooed guys who were gay or bi or pan or been flirted with by them. It was just rarer than the number of women we tattooed.

  “Yo, Heath, you’ve got a visitor,” Damian said.

  I turned and smiled at the sight of my sexy nurse standing there in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that said Nurses, We can’t fix stupid, but we can sedate it. Since the T-shirt was gray with pink lettering, it was no surprise he wore his pink Vans.

  “Hey, baby,” I said, giving him a kiss but keeping it G rated since the guys were hanging around. “What are you doing here?”

  Ned laughed. “You’re not happy to see me, big guy?”

  “I’m always happy to see you,” I said, making him laugh even harder with the way I waggled my eyebrows.

  “Don’t make me lose my appetite, especially if that’s more amazing food he brought,” X grumbled, and I finally noticed the glass baking dish in Ned’s hands.

  “It is food,” Ned answered the question in my eyes. “Home made chicken enchiladas to be exact.”

  “I need to find someone who can cook for me,” X decided.

  “You’d have to find someone willing to put up with your sorry ass for more than one night, and we all know that’s not happening,” Cooper said as he passed by with his customer on his heels. “Hey, Ned, it’s good to see you. I’ll be right back.”

  “You love my ass,” X called after him and Ned smiled.

  Taking the pan from Ned, I placed it on the counter behind me but made sure to stand in front of it so that X couldn’t make a grab for it.

  “Thank you,” I said, giving Ned another soft kiss. “But you didn’t have to cook for me. I know you worked all day.”

  “I don’t mind,” Ned assured me.

  “Neither do the rest of us,” X said.

  “Who says you’re getting any?” I demanded.

  “Oh, I’m getting plenty,” X said with a smirk.

  “That’s so gross,” Cooper said, joining us once again. “Are you trying to ruin my appetite?”

  “Of course,” X said as if it should have been obvious. “That leaves more for me.”

  “Sorry about these animals,” I told Ned.

  “Don’t worry about it. I have four brothers,” Ned reminded me with a grin. “I can handle a few animals.”

  I gave a hearty laugh. There was no question Ned could handle a few rough talking tattoo artists with the brothers he had. All of those guys were somewhat crazy. Even Oliver, the quiet little writer, had a quick wit, the kind you never saw coming.

  “How was work today?” I asked.

  “Good but steady, no major traumas today.”

  “That’s good.”

  “It is. I like it when we’re always moving. It makes the days go faster.”

  I understood exactly what he meant. It was the same with my job. Having a lot of appointments made the day fly by, but it was nice to get some down time once in a while. My hands always appreciated it.

  “I like your shirt, Ned,” Cooper said.

  “Thanks. I have a ton of them. My brothers and I are always buying shirts like this for each other.”

  “That’s cool. My brother and I always buy each other art supplies.”

  Art supplies were pretty much our go to for birthdays and holidays. It was kind of a given when you had a bunch of artists in the family, kind of like Ned and his brothers with their novelty tees.

  The shop phone rang, but none of us made a move to answer it knowing Damian would handle it.

  A few moments later, Damian was at my station, a grim expression on his face. “I think you need to take this call, Heath,” he said and passed the cordless phone to me.

  I accepted the offering with a frown. “Hello?”

  “This is a collect call from Marjorie, an inmate in Cooke County Jail. Will you accept the charges?”

  My expression turned thunderous. That fucking bitch had gotten her sorry ass arrested and since she didn’t know my or Cooper’s cell phone number, she was trying to hit us up at the shop.

  “Hell n
o,” I snapped and disconnected the call. Trying to keep my temper under control, I handed the phone back to Damian. “It’s okay to just decline the call next time.”

  “Okay,” Damian said softly. “And should I let you know if it happens again?”

  I heaved a sigh. “Yeah, you’d probably better because I doubt she’ll stop with one call.”

  “All right. Sorry about that, Heath.”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault.”

  “Marjorie?” Cooper guessed.

  “Yep, calling from county lock up,” I said.

  Cooper grimaced. “Why can’t she just leave us alone?”

  “You know why. She thinks we have money, and she wants it.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not giving her a dime. Not now, not ever.”

  Stepping closer to Cooper, I placed a comforting hand on his nape and squeezed gently. “I’m right there with you, little brother.”

  Cooper gave me a grateful smile before he straightened up. “I need to clean up before my next customer comes in.” To Ned, he added, “Thanks for dinner, Ned.”

  I didn’t bother giving Cooper any grief about the food not being for him.

  “You’re welcome,” Ned said to Cooper’s retreating back.

  By then, X and Damian had already drifted away, leaving me and Ned with a little bit of privacy.

  “Are you all right?” Ned asked.

  “Yeah,” I said and followed the words with another sigh. “We haven’t seen her since Gary’s funeral so I thought she was done with us. I guess I should have known better. Does it make me a bad person if I say I wish she would go away and never come back?”

  Ned took my face in his hands. “No, it doesn’t, not after everything you’ve been through with her.”

  “Thanks, baby.”

  I pressed my forehead to his as I slid my arms around his waist to draw him closer. We stood like that for a few moments, not speaking, just existing there. It felt good to be able to lean on him. For too long, I’d had to be strong for Cooper while doing my best to deflect him from our shitty life and even shittier parents.

  “I love you,” Ned murmured.

  “I love you too, so much. I’m sorry.”

  “Hey, don’t apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for.”