The Devil's Tattoo

by Nicole R. Taylor

"He hit you," Will said thinly, the anger in his voice raw. He stared at Jason, not taking his eyes off of him for a second.

  I ignored him, turning back to Jason. "Once a hitter always a hitter."

  Jason was seething and I knew I'd hit a nerve. Was this the reason this Deb was divorcing him? Had he shown his true colours to her as well?

  "You fell. How many times do I have to explain it to you?" He was so delusional, had he managed to convince himself his lies were the truth?

  I let out a snort of disbelief. "God, you even believe your own lies. Does it help you sleep at night? Knowing that you broke your girlfriend's arm and lied to everyone about it? Knowing you destroyed my life?"

  Will's voice was dangerously low. "He hit you before?"

  I nodded, not taking my eyes of the man that ruined my life.

  Will gently pulled me aside and stepped up in Jason's face and he looked like he was about to beat the hell out of him. One thing I know is that I won't let anyone fight my battles for me. I won't be a victim again. I saw Will's hands ball into fists, knuckles white with tension and before he did something he was going to regret, I stepped forward and punched Jason in the face. Hard.

  He stumbled back a step, hands on his face and Will stared at me with wide eyed surprise.

  "Bitch," Jason spat at me, hands clutching his face.

  "I hope that hurt," I said, pointing a finger at him. "If you ever come near me again, I'll rip your balls off and feed them to you."

  I was so wild with anger, when Dee suddenly appeared behind me, I almost turned around and hit him as well. The security guard from the venue had followed, hopefully at Dee's request.

  "Woah, Zo," he said, holding my shoulders. "Settle down, it's only me."

  "Dee?" I asked, blinking hard. My hand suddenly began to throb and my face matched its pace. I remembered this feeling. That day, after I'd been picked up off the ground by the paramedics, they said that my body had gone into shock. My strong demeanour suddenly crumbled and tears began to fall, even though I tried hard to keep them in. I didn't want Jason to see me cry. I didn't want Will to, either.

  I didn't understand what was happening when Dee eased me into Will's arms. I could only watch as my best friend hit Jason hard in the face, putting him flat on his back. He got what he deserved, but I couldn't feel anything.

  Dee hauled Jason off the ground and shoved him against the wall. "You're not going anywhere. Will, call the cops." Shoving Jason hard again, he spat, "You're not getting away with it this time, you hear me?"

  "I've got it, mate," the security guard said in a deep rumbling voice, frowning at Dee, but he didn't mention anything about the perfectly aimed punch that Jason had just received into his left eye. He had a phone in his hand and dialed triple zero.

  Will guided me around the corner, so I didn't have to look at them, but he could have taken me anywhere right then and I wouldn't have fought. I buried my face into his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent, trying to shut out everything. His hands rubbed my back soothingly and right then, I didn't hate him.

  "It's going to be okay," he murmured into my hair and I hoped he was right.

  When I'd composed myself enough, I pulled away from him. I couldn't let him touch me any more than he had. I'd said that I didn't want to hear him explain, but after the way he stood up to Jason, I knew I had to let him. I leant against the wall behind me and closed my eyes, aware that he didn't move from my side. I pressed the back of my hand against the cool brickwork and hoped I hadn't done anything more than bruise it. Even though it had felt good to take control and thump Jason, I needed that hand to play guitar.

  It wasn't long before the police arrived and relieved Dee and the security guard of their guard duty. They handcuffed a furious Jason and read him his rights before stuffing him in the back of their divi van.

  "Are you okay, miss?" one of the police officers asked, his voice changing drastically.

  I nodded, wiping my eyes.

  "He's going to spend the night in the lock up anyway, but I have to ask if you want to press charges."

  I nodded again, unable to get the words out.

  "You'll have to come down to the station in the morning and give your statements," the cop said, handing Will a card. "Then we can take it from there."

  "Thanks," Dee said, shaking the officer's hand.

  "Miss, are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital? We can call an ambulance if you need it."

  "No, I'm fine," I said, shakily.

  "Someone better take the young lady home," the cop said. "She looks pretty shaken up. And someone should stay with her in case she has a concussion." He looked between Dee and Will and they both nodded.

  As the cops drove off, leaving us alone in the street, I suddenly felt exhausted.

  "Zoe?" Dee asked, squeezing my hand.

  I drew in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. Closing my eyes again, I said, "I need to talk to Will."

  "Are you sure?" I knew he was giving an epic death stare at the guy who'd stamped on my heart the night before, but I had to do this.

  "Yeah."

  Then we were alone.

  There were a million questions I wanted to ask him, but after what had just happened, I couldn't think of what any of them were. Will's actions had erased most of them. He'd defended me from my past, just like that, and he'd said… Before I could believe that, he had to answer the one question I remembered.

  "Did you mean it?" I asked, looking up into his stormy grey eyes. "Did you mean to kiss her back?"

  "No," he said like he was pleading with me.

  "Why did you?"

  "I don't know. I realised what I was doing a second too late. I told her I was in love with you, but she came back again tonight and…"

  "Stop," I whispered. He was in love with me…

  I knew I didn't have the right to be as angry as I was with him. We both had twisted relationships that had tried to crawl in and ruin everything. He hadn't been truthful, but neither had I. I had to let him explain, but right now, I just wanted to go home.

  To Will's surprise, I stepped into him, resting my head against his shoulder. "Take me home."

  We were silent all the way back to my place in St Kilda. When the taxi dropped us off, I led Will up to my little apartment and pulled him into the darkness. I was so aware of his proximity in the gloom, that my amped up emotions latched onto the fact he was there beside me. I'd always been attracted to him, but this was something else. Suddenly, I understood the way he'd needed me the day before and after everything, I couldn't believe it had only been twenty four hours. All I could think about was the fact that I physically needed him.

  I was overwhelmed, but all I could think about was his lips on mine. This was an emotional release. I needed him to give it to me. My hand fisted into his shirt and I pulled him against me, sucking his bottom lip into my mouth. Instantly, his body responded and he caught my kiss with one of his own. Moaning into his mouth, I felt my insides clench in anticipation.

  "Zoe," he said breathlessly.

  "Shhh," I murmured. "Don't."

  Leaning back against the kitchen counter, I ran my hands down his back and underneath the waistband of his jeans, feeling the warm skin of his ass. He seemed to be unsure of my reaction and to make myself clear, I sunk my nails into his skin, pressing my lips against the corner of his jaw.

  "Are you sure?" he asked with a frown. "I don't…"

  "Please," I murmured against his lips. "I need you."

  "Zoe…"

  "You once said that you'd do anything I asked," I interrupted. "I'm asking. I don't care what happens next. I need you inside me."

  He let out a strangled moan, his eyes closed. "I want you Zo, so much. But after what I did…"

  "I need you to fuck me, Will Strickland."

  That seemed to work. He let his jacket drop the floor and pushed mine from my shoulders, flinging it over the couch. Abruptly, he tore my t-shirt over my head, my hair wild over my fac
e. Pushing it out of the way, he trailed feather light kisses down my chest, before unhooking my bra, freeing my breasts.

  Teasing my nipples with his tongue, he said, "Hard or slow, Zoe? Tell me how you want me to fuck you."

  When he spoke like that, it made my insides clench tight. I knew I was wet and I wanted it any way I could get it.

  "Hard," I gasped as he pulled his shirt off and fumbled with the button of my skinny jeans. "Fast."

  Kicking my boots off, he did the same and with one hard tug, he pulled off my jeans and underwear in one go. His followed, but not before he pulled a condom out.

  "Do you want it here?" he whispered against my lips. "From behind? In your bed?"

  "Stop talking," I moaned. "I want to come."

  With a wild growl, he picked me up, holding my body against his. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he pressed me against the wall, thrusting inside me, burying deep.

  "God," I gasped, biting into the skin of his shoulder, but he didn't stop. He held me against the wall and moved inside me, his thrusts relentless, driving me closer and closer to the edge. I wanted hard and fast and he knew how to give it to me.

  "Fuck, Zoe," he grunted. "You make me burn. Just you. Only you."

  Abruptly, he pushed me back onto the kitchen countertop, my back flat on the cool surface as he stood over me. Holding a leg over his shoulder, he didn't slow his rhythm, pounding in and out of me. Watching him over me like that almost undid me, seeing the unmasked pleasure on his face. I'd never seen that look in anyone's eyes before and somehow I knew this was just for me. This took him as completely as it did me.

  As I felt an orgasm building inside me, I took my breast in my hand, kneading the sensitive flesh and my other hand went towards my clit, which was open and wanting at this angle. As my finger began to circle, Will gasped, his hand tightening on my thigh.

  "Don't stop," I moaned as I began to come, calling out his name. Arching my back, I spasmed around him urging him to follow and he did. The look on his face gave away how hard his release was as we watched each other fall over the edge.

  "Zoe," he gasped, slumping over me, my legs wrapping around him.

  My hands ran through his hair as the stubble on his jaw rasped against my naked breasts, both our chests heaving with exertion. That feeling of pure need I'd felt earlier was more than satisfied. It'd been quenched for now.

  "Take me to bed, " I whispered, moving against his length that was still deep inside me. "We both have some explaining to do."

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  WILL

  I carried Zoe to bed, pulling the covers back and setting her gently onto the mattress. Tucking the doona up to her chin, I stroked a thumb down her cheek, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. With a sigh her eyes began to droop, and I suddenly began to worry about her eye. I couldn't see in the semi-dark, but it would probably bruise something fierce.

  Her apartment was small, so there was no missing the bathroom. As I cleaned up, I couldn't help but let my thoughts wander and my anger simmered as I began to mull over everything that had happened tonight.

  She'd hit him. Not the slap she'd clocked me with - it was a full fist punch, her entire weight had been behind it. She'd probably given that bastard a black eye.

  Zoe was the strongest woman I'd ever known. I hadn't heard all of their argument, but I could guess the extent of what her ex had done to her. If I could go back there right now, I wouldn't hesitate beating the crap out of him. I wanted to smash him into pulp for hurting her.

  She was better than that. She had the strength to stop when she had every right to lose it. She was ten times the human being I had been.

  Whatever she chose to do now, I would do it, even if she didn't want me. I'd told her that I'd do anything she wanted and I intended to keep that promise from now on and forever. She'd trusted me then and she'd trusted me now when she asked me to bring her home.

  I was hers to do with what she wanted.

  Going back into the kitchen, I opened the freezer and found a packet of frozen peas. Grabbing a tea towel from the bench, I wrapped them up and went back into the bedroom, hoping to god that this wasn't the last time I would see her.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  ZOE

  It didn't register completely when Will took me to bed and pulled the covers over my naked body. Nor did it register when he went out and came back. A cold cloth pressed against the side of my face and I gasped at the sudden temperature change.

  "I nicked your peas," Will said, propping himself up on an elbow beside me.

  "S'ok." I took the packet of frozen peas he'd wrapped in a tea towel and pressed it against my eye. I was sure I'd have a shiner there for a week or so.

  "I'm so sorry, Zoe. I didn't mean to hurt you. I promised I wouldn't and what did I do?" His hand caressed up and down the curve of my waist, the muted glow from the security light outside highlighting the worry in his features. "I'll understand if you want to end this. I don't want you to, but…"

  I silenced him mid-sentence, pulling his bottom lip into my mouth, my fingernails pressing into his back. "Shut up."

  "Zoe," he breathed against my mouth and I dropped the frozen peas on the floor.

  "Tell me the truth. Everything."

  He took a deep breath. "I don't know where to start."

  "At the beginning helps."

  "The beginning…" He let out another long sigh. "I didn't want you to have to deal with her. I thought I could have words with her and get her to back off, but she turned up anyway."

  "Who was she to you?"

  "She was my girlfriend. We'd been together for around three years."

  I'd been with Jason for almost two years. I knew a long relationship like that would had to have been serious. We'd both had someone before, but even though, it still hurt that he'd loved someone else. But, despite my jealousy, I had to keep asking questions if I was going to get over this. If we both were. "What's her deal?"

  "Mish is a model. She does stuff like fashion week and sometimes goes overseas. A year and a half ago was when it went bad. She was opening a show for some big designer in Sydney. It was a big deal so, I went to surprise her. You know, to be supportive. It wasn't until I caught her in the act that I realised what had been going on. Every time she'd go away, she'd screw her way through any male model she came across."

  "You walked in on her?"

  "In the throws."

  I frowned, understanding how being cheated on tore your heart in two.

  "It really messed me up. I blamed myself for the longest time. I agonised over everything I'd done, wondering where it had gone wrong. I must have done something to push her away, but I didn't know what. She crawled back and I let her, but it wasn't the same. The trust was gone, you know? I ended it a year ago. That was a month before that gig. You know the one I saw you at?"

  "Yes. How could I forget."

  "I felt like I was drowning and you brought me back. This mysterious woman in the crowd threw me a lifeline." He let his eyes fall away from mine. "The other day… on your birthday, she started messaging me. Saying she missed me and wanted to see me. It was so out of the blue, it threw me."

  "That's why you were so distant?" I asked with a scowl.

  "Yeah. I'm sorry. It's just been such a fast turnaround… you know with you and…" He stopped mid-sentence, a pained expression on his face.

  I knew what he meant. The emotional turnaround and given us a both a serious case of whiplash.

  "I know now that I didn't love her. I thought I did at the time, but what that was pales in comparison to what I feel for you. It was a mistake."

  "Will…"

  "I didn't mean to, Zoe. I didn't mean to do it."

  I ran a hand up his warm chest, feeling the pounding of his heart. I trailed my fingers along his collarbone and up his neck, finally cupping his face. Looking into his eyes, I realised how sincere he was. I'd never thought Will would be the kind of guy to cry, but his eyes sparkled.<
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  "Seems we both had psycho ex's that wanted to capitalise on our fragile emotional state," I said, shifting against him, so our legs tangled.

  He gazed at me with a puzzled look, like he didn't understand the meaning behind my words, that I was beginning to forgive him.

  "Jason and I..." I began, but he placed a finger over my lips, silencing me mid-sentence.

  "You don't have to," he whispered. "I'm not mad at you for not telling me. I understand why you didn't. You stood up to him. When it came to me, I caved."

  "I want to."

  "You're stronger than you realise, Zo. You put me to shame."

  "I need to tell you, Will."

  "Okay. If it's what you want."

  I took a deep breath, wrapping my arm around his familiar body. I needed familiar to get through this. I hadn't told the entire story to anyone since I lay in the hospital with Dee at my bedside. I never told my parents the whole truth, they didn't need that kind of worry. So much time had passed, I wasn't sure if I remembered how it went. I'd been out of it mentally for a long time. "I knew something was wrong the moment he came home. He was different. He couldn't look at me. I asked him what was wrong and he just lay it out there. He'd been seeing another woman behind my back for six months. I'd been oblivious. I was happy." I stifled a sob.

  Will's hand tightened on my waist, but he didn't say anything. He didn't need to.

  "My first mistake was to slap him in the face. Then he told me that he was in love with her and they were getting married. The next week. My second mistake was to punch him in the face."

  "It wasn't a mistake," Will's voice was quiet and thin.

  I silenced him with a finger over his lips, the tension set in his jaw, unnerving. "Then he hit me."

  His eyes squeezed shut.

  "My reaction was to run. He'd never raised a hand to me before. Ever. I was terrified. He came after me of course, and grabbed my arm just as I was about to go down the stairs. I yelled at him to let me go, and he did. I turned and that was when I felt his hand on my back."