Looking over at the beautiful woman in the car next to me, knowing that I’d do everything in my power to keep her safe and happy, I knew Nona was right.
“Where are we?” Charlotte whispered as we navigated the twists and turns of the quiet back hallways and staircases. She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and tugged me back by our intertwined hands. “Is this the part where you hold me captive in some abandoned building?” she hissed. “I saw the preview of that movie too you know.”
Is she serious?
“Are you serious?” My jaw dropped and I flicked my eyes to her face – she was grinning like an idiot.
Smart-ass.
“You won’t be laughing when I tie you up to a bed and keep you there for the day.” I chuckled.
“Oh yeah?” She raised her brows at me. “And who says I wouldn’t enjoy something like that?” Her voice was thick with attitude.
I held back a groan, all that sass was driving me wild.
As it was, I was having a hard time keeping my hands off her, and until we went through that door up ahead, we were all alone – a dangerous position for our modesty.
“You push me up against that filthy wall and there will be trouble,” she warned me, already two steps ahead of my thoughts.
There goes that idea.
It was like she could read my mind.
I laughed. “Who says I was going to?”
She pointed an accusatory finger at me. “That stupid look on your face, that’s who.”
“Alright, Sherlock, just up here.” I chuckled as I placed my hand on the small of her back and guided her forward.
We approached the unmarked door and I tapped on it twice.
“Come on in,” a female voice called from behind the door.
I took Charlotte’s hand in mine and turned the handle.
“This is so cool,” I repeated for the one hundredth time.
Parker laughed.
“How naïve am I that I’ve never actually set foot inside one of these places?” I mused as I looked at the hundreds and hundreds of photos that lined the walls of the tattoo artist’s studio.
This woman had done more tattoo jobs than I’d had hot dinners.
She was the best in the country – or so Parker told me. And I was inclined to believe him. There were a ton of well-known celebrities and sports people on these walls… the kind of people who wouldn’t trust just anyone to ink them – people like Parker. Every single one of these tattoos was flawless, done with absolute precision and skill.
It was obvious this wasn’t the kind of place just anybody could walk into. This joint was exclusive. Even Sammy trusted it – he was hardly ever content to stay home when Parker went somewhere public, but Parker had told me that he hadn’t even complained about it once.
“What are you getting this time?” I called over my shoulder to Parker.
He’d removed his shirt, and Asha, his tattoo artist, was busy drawing something freehand onto his left pectoral. The front of his torso was some of the only clean skin he had left. His abdomen was more or less bare, but his arms, some of his sides, parts of his chest, most of his back and even some of his legs were all covered in ink. He even had a couple of tattoos on his hands… and his neck, while not entirely covered, wasn’t left untouched either.
“You’ll see,” he answered. “But not until it’s done.”
This piqued my interest.
I turned to face him. “Are you worried I’ll talk you out of it?” I teased him.
I peeked my head around further and he shot me a ‘stay where you are’ look.
I was just messing with him. I couldn’t see a thing from where I was standing, but I couldn’t deny that I was curious – his reluctance to let me see was only making me want to know more.
“Why can’t I see?” I asked more genuinely this time.
“Because, woman, it’s a surprise, just let me surprise you for once.”
“Ha! For once? You’re obviously forgetting the time you pulled me out on stage and serenaded me in front of thousands and thousands of people.” I pointed my finger at him.
“She’s not wrong,” Asha mumbled as she drew a few more sweeping lines onto my boyfriend’s chest.
“Oh, I see how this is gonna go down, you girls stick together, huh?” Parker grinned with a shake of his head.
Asha winked at me before going back to her work.
“Does that hurt?” I asked curiously. I was fairly certain it would have – having a needle scratching a picture into your flesh and all. But it can’t have been too bad… Parker certainly hadn’t been put off coming back again and again.
He tilted his head in the direction of where I was sitting, on the other side of the room, far enough away that I couldn’t see what was happening.
Asha had been working on him for two hours solid now, and I didn’t know how the hell she managed to concentrate for that long.
“Nah, not really,” he answered. “I mean, it’s not like it’s enjoyable, but I wouldn’t say it’s too painful either.”
I watched carefully as Asha grabbed the little pot of red ink she had sitting on the small table next to her.
Black, white and red.
Those were the only colours she had set out.
I was dying to see what was going on that chest of his.
“About another hour and we should be done.” Asha spoke to no one in particular.
One more hour and I get to see.
“Oh my god,” I breathed.
It was Little Red Riding Hood. Well, a version of her. The picture was of a scene, with a figure in the middle, her back facing the viewer.
She had on a Little Red Riding Hood style cape, but it was black and the hood was down. She had long, dark-red hair flowing down her back and over her shoulders. The background was all in black and white, and was kind of blurry, like it didn’t really matter where she was, but she was clearly surrounded by people.
It was beautiful.
It was me.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered as I reached my hand out towards the picture, stopping short of actually touching his reddened skin.
“It’s you,” he replied softly. “I know you’re not thrilled about being called ‘Little Red’ but it’s not a bad representation.”
My heart thumped so loud in my chest that I could hear it pounding in my ears.
“Why?” I asked, bewildered by the fact that he wanted a permanent depiction of me etched into his skin.
“Because no matter where I am, no matter who’s around, all I see is you,” he told me.
Holy. Shit.
“And I got it over my heart, because my heart belongs to you, legs.”
“Oh my god,” I repeated. “It’s… it’s…” I stuttered. “I can’t believe you did this for me,” I finally managed.
His eyes blazed. “Of all the things I’d do for you, this here is nothing.”
I felt like I was going to pass out. He was so intense, and I was so in love with him. It was overwhelming.
“I love you,” I whispered. “God, I love you.”
“I love you more, legs.”
Normally I would have argued that point with him, but seeing him standing here, proudly displaying a symbol of me over his heart, I decided to let him have it this time.
“So, what do you think?” Asha asked me as she came back into the studio.
“It’s incredible,” I praised her. “Your work is amazing.”
She smiled as she wiped down the small table she’d sat the ink on. “You know where to come if you ever decide you want some ink then.”
I gaped at her in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
She laughed. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You thinking of getting some ink, legs?” Parker asked curiously as he shrugged his shirt back on.
I blushed. “Oh, no… I mean, I don’t know… I haven’t really thought about it. I’m just surprised you’d let me in to this place.” I gestured around the space.
“I’m not famous or anything… I’m totally not a big deal.”
She raised her eyebrows at me. “Hun, Parker Sloan just got a picture of you tattooed right onto his chest… you’re a bigger deal than you think, at least in his eyes.” She winked at me as she went back to her cleaning.
I was stunned into silence. I’d obviously never been one to fall into the trap that fame and fortune created, and this wasn’t about that at all, but the fact that my man was willing to make a gesture this grand, told me that I was about as high as it got on his list of priorities.
And damn it feels good…
“Nona won’t be happy you’ve got more drawings,” Charlotte teased me.
“She’ll survive.” I smirked.
I don’t think Nona actually minded the tattoos; I was under the impression she just liked to have something to lecture me about.
“When did you get your first one?” she asked curiously.
That was Charlotte for you. She was like a curious kitten. She had to know everything about me and I’d be a damn liar if I said I didn’t feel proud of myself for it.
“Sixteen.” I smiled at the memory. “Me and Jasper lied about how old we were and got a tattoo each.” I chuckled at the memory. “Nona was fuming.”
Charlotte giggled. “What did you get?”
I laughed and shook my head. “You won’t believe it...”
“It’s that damn skull, isn’t it?” she demanded.
I didn’t answer, but laughed in confirmation of her suspicions.
She swatted my arm. “That is what you went with for your first tattoo?” She shook her head in disbelief.
“The guy didn’t exactly have a lot to choose from…” I grinned at the memory. “And I still think that out of the two of us, I got a better deal.”
Her eyes bulged. “What the hell did Jasper get that could be worse than that skull?”
I laughed loudly. “A rose, with a tribute to his mother underneath.”
“Oh, he didn’t!” she cried out with a laugh. “Is it done any better than yours?”
I chuckled again. “It’s worse… I think the guy was getting tired.” I sniggered. “That, or he knew we were underage and that we wouldn’t be coming back to complain about the shitty job.”
Charlotte half groaned, half laughed. “You’re joking… you know you’re rich now, right? Asha could fix that.”
I’d thought about it several times, but that was as far as I knew I’d ever get with it.
“Nah.” I shrugged. “I don’t think I’d ever get any of my tattoos re-done… they tell a story, ya know… it might be a terrible tattoo, but for two sixteen-year-old boys, it was literally the best day ever, and that’s all I think about when I look at it.”
She smiled sweetly at me and my insides warmed.
“You should tell Nona that story; she might change her opinion of your scribbles.” She winked at me.
“I just might do that.”
“She seems more worried about you having clean underwear on anyway.” She giggled. “I don’t even want to know what that’s all about.”
I shrugged and shot her a grin. “I’m pleading the fifth.”
I grabbed for her but she skirted out of my reach. “What, were you like some skiddy undie little punk or something?” she teased me in mock disgust.
I chuckled loudly and shrugged again. “Maybe I still am.”
She screwed her nose up. “I’m going to have to keep an eye on you… that is so feral.”
I grabbed for her again and she moved just in the nick of time.
“Well maybe you should just move in with me then.”
Her step faltered and I got hold of her this time. I tugged her into my lap.
She didn’t say a word, but just looked back at me with big, wide, blue eyes.
I nuzzled into my favourite spot on her neck and breathed her in.
This right here is where I should be.
“I mean it, legs, I want you here with me. Will you think about it?” I pleaded, utterly terrified of her turning me down.
She nodded, but didn’t say a word.
My lips landed on her skin and she trembled.
“I’ll show you what I’m prepared to offer, shall I?” I whispered against her throat.
She tipped her head back further and made a breathy moaning sound that had my dick instantly hard.
So sexy…
“Yes please,” she breathed.
I’d show her alright. I’d show her exactly what she could have, anytime she wanted if she moved in here with me.
I don’t care if it takes all night….
I’m selfless like that.
“Charlotte!” Hannah bellowed through the house. “Charlotte, I need you. Right now!”
I flung open my door. “Calm it down, woman, I’m right here.”
Han appeared at the end of the hallway, her laptop in her hands. “Fuck, babe, it’s not good. But I don’t want you to jump to conclusions, okay?”
Ice filled my veins as I took in the look of pure terror on my best friend’s face. All of a sudden, I wanted Parker. I wanted him to hold me tight and tell me that whatever was on that laptop wasn’t going to hurt me. But he couldn’t – he was away playing a sold-out gig… and I had a sinking feeling that whatever was going on, it was about him.
“What is it?” I demanded, holding my hands out for the laptop.
Hannah shook her head. “Sit down and I’ll show you.”
I rushed back into my room and sat down on my bed. “Give me it,” I demanded.
Han looked torn for a moment before sitting next to me and turning the laptop so I could see the picture on the screen.
My heart pounded in my chest.
“It’s fake, it’s gotta be fake,” Hannah insisted.
Her voice echoed in my ears and I felt light headed, my eyes almost going blurry.
The image looking back at me was a selfie, it was posted to a Facebook gossip page three hours ago and had already accumulated half a million reactions and had been shared over thirty thousand times.
It was titled… ‘When the baby momma is away, Parker will play’.
I wasn’t actually pregnant, but that little stunt I’d pulled a few weeks ago had come back to bite me in the ass big time, so I knew they were referring to me – that and the inset picture of me in the corner made that pretty clear. Also, I wasn’t away – Parker was, but that was beside the point.
Their lack of ability to perform research, doesn’t change that picture…
Parker’s smiling face looked back at me and I felt sick to my stomach.
“It’s not real, babe. It’s gotta be fake,” Han repeated.
I looked over at the blonde-haired, brown-eyed girl that Parker was wrapped around.
Katie.
“I know that girl, Hannah, this photo is as real as they get.”
“Park, man, we need to talk,” Jasper whispered in my ear.
Fear shot through me. He’d just interrupted a conversation I was having with the label executives after my show finished. I knew that there was no way that Jasper would bust in like that unless it was important.
Really fucking important.
I nodded at him and turned back to the suits. “I just need a minute with my manager, something’s come up.”
They all gave me their nods of approval and I looked back to Jasper.
He inclined his head in the direction of my dressing room, indicating that we should talk in there, rather than out here, and I swore under my breath.
This was bad news.
If we needed privacy, it meant I was going to hit the god damn roof.
The minute the door was shut behind me I let out a loud string of curse words. “What the hell is it, J?”
“It’s bad news, man. You’re not gonna like it,” he warned.
“Just fucking give it to me, I can’t take this suspense bullshit… you know th
at.”
He sighed and reached into his pocket for his phone. He pushed a few buttons, looked at me in compassion and handed it over.
I shook my head at the photo in front of me and frowned. “Katie?” I asked in confusion. “What the hell has this got to do with anything?”
“Look at when it was posted, and check out the caption.”
I skimmed over the details.
What the hell?
Posted today?
What the fuck is going on?
“That fuckin’ bitch!” I roared when I realized what was going on.
She was trying to ruin me and Charlotte. She may not have posted the image herself, but it didn’t take a fuckin’ rocket scientist to figure out how Shelley Corbett, the gossip queen, had gotten her hands on it.
“I’m gonna end her for this.” I paced the room, wanting to throw the phone across the room, only holding back because it wasn’t my own.
“I think you’ve got bigger problems right now,” Jasper told me quietly.
I froze and felt the colour drain from my face.
Charlotte…
“She doesn’t think it’s true, does she?” I stalked across the room to get in J’s face. “Holy shit, man, have you talked to her, or to Han?”
He clamped his hands down on my shoulders. “Calm the fuck down,” he instructed. “I spoke to Hannah.”
I let out a relieved breath.
He grimaced and I felt my stomach nose dive again.
“It wasn’t good. She told me to tell you she was going to cut your balls off and feed them to you with a knife and fork, and then I heard Charlotte yelling at her in the background to get off the phone.”
I stared at him.
“I didn’t get a word in before she hung up, and now I can’t get hold of either of them.”
I felt my world crumbling down around me.
“Get me on the next plane home, J, please.”
“Already booked,” he told me.
I closed my eyes in relief. I’d never been happier to have my best friend by my side than I was right now.
“Get your shit, Park, these suits will have to manage without you… we gotta go, right now.”
Paper, Scissors, Rock Page 15
