Tattoo Lust: A Tattoo Romance Collection

by Skyla Madi

  “Here are some of my favorite girls.” Fanny clasped her hands together and pulled out a chair. “Hey, Harold. I’m on break.”

  “What?” Fanny’s husband hollered from behind the bar.

  “I’m taking ten minutes to myself. Hold down the fort, will ya?” she replied and turned to face everyone at the table. “Damn, I love that man, but we’re getting old, and our hearing’s not what it used to be. Not to mention everything sags, and swear to God, his farts turn to dust.” She fanned herself off, and everyone fell into shock. It was comical. Harlow spit out her drink. Calista choked on hers. Mel laughed hysterically, and Dee shook her head with a smile on her face as she patted Callie on the back.

  It was a Sunday evening out with the girls at their favorite watering hole. The local pub-style restaurant where the Misfit gang frequently hung out.

  “Dang, Mamma Deuce. I love that I never know what’s going to come out of your mouth next. You’re one of a kind, and that’s one of the many things I adore about you.” Mel raised her hand in the air for a high five. Which the old lady had no problem giving.

  “I’ve got to keep you young ones on your toes somehow.” Fanny winked, and Harlow smiled after she wiped her mouth.

  “I envy what the two of you have, and I hope one day I find somebody special enough to grow old with, dust and all.” Harlow winked back, and the proprietor laughed.

  “You two are newer than these ones. I know Melody and Diamond well. Have for years now, but you…” Fanny shrugged her shoulders and gestured between Harlow and Calista. “Your names have escaped me.”

  “Harlow. My name is Harlow Ross. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Harlow extended her hand to shake, and the old woman obliged.

  “And I’m Calista Wyatt, but all of my friends call me Callie.” Her friend gave a wave in greeting as well.

  “It’s nice to meet you two,” Fanny said. She addressed Harlow next. “You’re Toby’s new girl. I’ve heard so much about you. All great, of course.” She rubbed her hands together with glee. “About time that boy got himself someone worthy again.”

  Harlow blushed. “Thank you.”

  “Speaking of the Misfit boss man, has anyone seen the finished tattoo yet? I’ve been dying to catch a glimpse.” Calista looked at her expectantly. “Harlow has been wanting this for so long, and she finally took the leap.”

  “Well what are we waiting for?” Dee asked. “Stand up and show us the goods.”

  “Here?” Harlow looked around the semi-busy establishment.

  Mel just gave her a “well, duh” look, and she took a deep breath.

  Here goes nothing. Well, not nothing because the tattoo, it’s everything. Okay, shut up, Har, and get on with it.

  She lifted her shirt and looked down at the artwork she was in love with. “I can’t wait to see it when all of the scabbing falls off, but it’s kind of perfect, isn’t it?”

  “Holy shit. Yeah!” Dee exclaimed.

  “There’s nothing ‘kind of’ about it,” Callie said. “It is absolutely perfect for you.”

  “Now that’s some sexy work.” Mel clapped her hands together.

  “Bitchin’,” Fanny chimed in, and Harlow couldn’t agree more.

  “You’ve got me curious. Who spilled the beans? Did Toby talk about Harlow with you? We want details,” Mel said before Harlow had the chance. She had to admit, she was just as curious. She fixed her shirt and took a seat.

  “You know how hard it is to get that boy to open up. Pshhh…” Fanny waved a hand in the air, as if to dismiss that thought. “It was your brother.”

  “Carson?” Mel did a double take. “Really?”

  “Mm hm. The last few times he was in, he mentioned Toby got himself hooked up with a hot piece. Said she was a doctor and wrote for some fancy magazine. I was impressed. Also said she was a nice girl. Thought she was great for Toby. Hoped that his pal would take a chance and not fuck it up too bad. It’s about time, too.” Fanny reached across the table and took Harlow’s hand. “He’s a great catch, once you get through all the broken pieces. And, honey, I have a feeling, with all I heard and seeing you now, that you’re sweet enough, smart enough, and strong enough to help him be whole again. Doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes.” She fanned herself. “If only I were thirty years younger.”

  “That’s for sure,” Callie agreed, and she gave Harlow a sheepish smile. “What? Anyone with eyes can see Toby’s gorgeous. That said, I also love that he’s good to you and makes you happy.”

  Harlow nodded. “We’re not making any promises right now. But he really does make me happy, and…” She took a deep breath. “I’ve already fallen hard for him.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Dee squealed, and she hugged Mel, who smiled, and it lit up her whole face.

  “For the record, I’m not a medical doctor. I’m a psychologist, and I write for Twin City Women’s Magazine. My column is called Harlow Helps.”

  “Oh, I know. I checked you out as soon as Carson talked. Like I said earlier, I was quite impressed.” Fanny stood. “Well, ladies, I’m afraid my break is up. Can I take your orders before I go?”

  “We’ll get our refills from Harold at the bar.” Melody held up her beer. “We’d love a couple plates of nachos to share, if you’re headed to the kitchen. Everyone okay with nachos?”

  “Sounds good,” Harlow replied as everyone else nodded their agreement. “Thank you, Fanny.”

  “Anything for my favorite girls.” The older woman turned to walk away and stopped to look over her shoulder one last time. “See you in a bit.”

  “I guess it’s fair to say my brother likes you. Both as a person, and at the thought of you with Toby. That’s good,” Melody said. Harlow turned from watching Fanny saunter away to look at her. “He’s been tight with Toby a long time now, and I know Carson’s opinion matters to Tob.”

  “Cheers.” Harlow held up her glass of wine as the other three did the same with their drinks and took a sip. It was time for a subject change, and there was something bothering her. “I wanted to talk to you about something, actually.”

  “Uh oh. What’s up?” Mel asked.

  “Toby finally talked to me the other night, and I figured out he’s your Mr. Idiosyncratic.” Harlow gave her a wide-eyed stare as she tried not to divulge too much information. Dee and Calista looked between her and Mel like they were lost.

  “That’s huge!” Her friend got up to give her a hug and sat back down. “You know that, right? Toby doesn’t talk to anyone.”

  “I figured out that much. Now I’m not sure what to do,” Harlow admitted.

  “Are you talking about the letter?” Dee asked. Harlow felt somewhat relieved that she knew as well. “Mel got me to read it when she originally planned to send it to the column.”

  “Letter? What letter?” Callie asked.

  Mel saved her from having to explain further. “I’ve known Toby for a very long time. He’s like family to me. A couple years ago, his fiancé died in a fire that trapped them both. He’s been stuck inside his grief over what happened ever since. I was worried about him and wrote a letter to Harlow with my concerns. Instead of sending it in, I was able to give it to her in person, thanks to your introduction,” she said. “I used a code name and called him Mr. Idiosyncratic to try and keep a little anonymity. Looks like it’s all aired out now, since Toby shared his past with Harlow, and she now knows the letter was about him.”

  “Wow, that was a mouthful,” Calista said. “What’s the big deal about the letter?”

  Harlow turned to look at her like she was crazy for not getting it. “The big deal is I feel like I should tell him about it. I’m afraid he might be upset that I knew about his tragedy, even though I wasn’t sure it was about him at the time. Make sense?” She rubbed her temples. “I also can’t say anything because Mel gave me the letter in confidence, and it’d be ethically wrong to break that trust.”

  “I honestly think you’re worrying for nothing,” Mel said. “I think it’s
great that he told you his story, but there’s no reason Toby needs to know what I wrote to you. He’d probably just get really pissed off at me for it. I was worried. Now I look at him, and thanks to you, I see so much improvement. He never has to know about it. I know I won’t say anything. So why would you?”

  Harlow swallowed a lump in her throat. She had a bad feeling about this, but she also had to respect Melody’s wishes, even if she disagreed. Her gut was still telling her to lay everything out. Instead of arguing her point, she gave in. “If that’s what you feel is best. I guess I just felt guilty, like I’m withholding something from him. I don’t want to betray his trust or yours.”

  “Everything will be okay. You’ll see,” Dee assured her. “Our lips are sealed.”

  “If you’re sure.” Harlow sighed. She mimicked zipping her mouth closed before throwing away an imaginary key. They knew her concerns, talked about them, and there was nothing more to be done for the time being but to move on. She took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. There were a lot of good things going on in her life, and she wanted to count her blessings instead of worrying about the little things she couldn’t change.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Toby

  Toby snorted the minute their Uber pulled up and he saw the neon sign. Leave it to Carson to find every strip club in the area. His buddy looked excited to be there, though, so he’d suck it up and try to have a good time. Since he’d met Harlow, a variety of tits and ass didn’t have the same appeal as it used to. He had hers, and that’s all he needed. She was the bright light in his dreary existence.

  “Welcome to The Busy Beaver.” Carson slapped him on the shoulder as they now stood near the entrance. The place seemed nice enough. The large brick building looked like it might have once been a warehouse of some sort once upon a time. It seemed to be newly renovated and classy enough.

  Rebel laughed and rubbed his hands together as he strode to the entrance. “Well, what are we waiting for?”

  “You coming in or what?” Carson waved him forward, and Toby took a deep breath of fresh air before he followed them inside.

  “I’ve died and gone to heaven.” Carson dramatically clutched his chest and stumbled backwards as they took in the establishment. Toby rolled his eyes. Lord knew he loved him like a brother, but he was a little over the top at times like these.

  There was a long granite bar to the left of them, maybe six feet away. It was busy with both patrons and waitresses alike. Several tables and booths were situated to the right. They had a large stage going from one end of the place to the other like a catwalk, only with a pole. Then there was another section blocked by red velvet rope. The people in that area got extra attention, it seemed, and a bottle service. It made him wonder how much cash they had to fork over to sit there. Two bouncers stood by the entrance behind them—big, rough-looking dudes, too. They were muscle heads who looked like they’d taken a few too many steroids a time or two. There were more, of course, all over the place, but he couldn’t care less. Toby continued to check the place out and spotted the champagne room, VIP section, as if the sign itself wasn’t obvious. It was upstairs through a thick velvet curtain—the place where you got to have your own private show, if you had the extra cash. He figured if Carson got too annoying the way he was drooling and all, he might buy him some time in there, at some point, to catch a break.

  “Dude,” Rebel called out over the loud music and nudged his shoulder. “I think I see some seats over by the pool tables.”

  “You go grab them, and I’ll get the first round.” Toby tilted his head toward the bar and headed in that direction without waiting for a response.

  The women were really working it tonight. He was approached no less than ten times or more in a five-minute time span for a dance. In the past, he would have been all over them, but he just wasn’t feeling it tonight. They were gorgeous, but they weren’t…her. His mind went back to Harlow, of course. They’d been spending a lot of time together, and he loved every minute of it. She was great, and he couldn’t stop thinking about her, especially when they weren’t together. He was fucked. Totally falling head over heels and enjoying it. Then there were times the guilt consumed him.

  Damn it, James. Get your head on straight. Enjoy the night.

  Of course, that only made him wonder how she was enjoying her night.

  Shit!

  “What can I get you, man?” the bartender asked.

  Toby sighed. “Give me three Coors Light.” He held up three fingers and placed some cash on the bar top.

  “Tap or bottle?”

  “Bottles.” The guy nodded in his direction and took the cash with him. He returned a minute later with the three bottles of brew. “Keep the change.”

  With a nod, the bartender was on to the next person while Toby made his way to where his friends sat ogling the woman on stage.

  “Big applause for Chantel, everyone,” the MC announced.

  The crowd cheered louder, and Rebel let out a loud whistle for the dancer who just finished her performance as she exited the stage. Toby smiled and sat back as the man on the loudspeaker continued to introduce the next act. The lights dimmed, and a lone spotlight shone bright in the direction of the entrance from backstage.

  Ladies and gentlemen, please give a rowdy welcome to our very own Lacey! She’s new, she’s wild, and she’s got all the right moves. Give it up!

  A sexy silhouette stood still, waiting for the beat of the music to start up, before storming through the curtain that separated her from the rest of them. She was tall, she was stacked, and she was toned, with curves in all the right places. Toby could totally see the appeal, and yet she still had nothing on a certain brunette he couldn’t wait to see again.

  A pretty lace mask covered the top part of her face, and when the beat of Our Darkest Days’ “Porn Star Dancing” began to play, he was in awe. This Lacey could really dance. Straight, long, blonde hair cascaded down her back as she ripped off her top hat and threw it into the crowd. The hollers, whistles, and cat calls were non-stop throughout. The white dress shirt she wore was the next to be ripped off as she sauntered forward like a woman on a mission. The top parts of her breasts bounced on top of her sheer bra, and her hips swayed to the beat. She exuded a sexy confidence he admired. Lacey’s hands worked her body like magic, and damn, the woman was flexible. She bent forward and shimmied out of her shorts. It gave the men behind her a perfect view of her smooth round ass. All that remained was her thong. Once she discarded her bottoms, she stepped back a few paces threw her leg up in the air and grabbed her ankle until it touched her ear. She held the position and twirled for everyone. It was quite the site to behold, and he was sure every cock in the vicinity was rock hard.

  Carson spit out his beer, choked on it, and groaned. “Fuck me!” Toby smirked as his best friend scooted closer to the table. Carson leaned forward without taking his eyes off the very intriguing dancer. The man was mesmerized, and he couldn’t blame him one bit.

  Lacey pumped her hips and crawled sexily across the stage to accept a bit of the cash from the eager customers in pervert’s row. When she reached the pole, she sat up, arched her back, and slid up to a standing position. Her legs wrapped around it, and she climbed to the top. She spun herself around and round, flipped herself upside down, and stretch out as she hung on backwards. Her smile was radiant, and her body was slick.

  “Holy crap. Look at that,” Rebel said. The guy rubbed his eyes and did a double take. Toby smirked and took a chug of the bottle in front of him. The amber liquid went down smoothly, and he wasn’t sure which he was enjoying more: the performance on stage or watching the two knuckleheads beside him completely entranced. He’d known each for a while now. Carson for longer, of course, and he couldn’t recall the last time a woman seemed to affect them like this.

  “I call dibs, you fuckers.” Carson gulped. “I think I’m in love.”

  Rebel snorted, and Toby chuckled. “Fine with me. I’m into Harlow anyway
.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Rebel winked then addressed Carson. “Good luck with that. I bet every guy in here feels the same way.”

  Carson flipped him off, and Toby shook his head. The song was coming to an end. Lacey reached up to grip the bar and twirled herself back down the pole. Once her feet were secure on the stage, she did a complete body flip and landed gracefully with her arms in the air. She blew the entire establishment a kiss for her finale.

  It was a fucking epic performance, and the bar went wild with applause.

  “I’ve got to see if I can get a lock on some time with the lovely Lacey.” Carson abruptly stood and went in search of someone who worked there to get his dance. Rebel’s shoulders shook with laughter, and Toby rolled his eyes.

  “Damn, Reb. Never thought I’d see the day. Carson’s already hooked.”

  “It’ll be fun to see how this plays out. Got a feeling our boy’s going to be a regular from now on until he gets this chick out of his system.” Rebel grinned and shook his head as if in disbelief. “Want to play some pool?”

  “Sounds good, brother. Go wrack them up.” Toby followed Rebel to one of the vacant pool tables and kicked some ass at it for the most part. It wasn’t long before Carson joined them, sulking.

  “She’s not available for a private dance. What kind of bullshit is that?”

  Toby shrugged. “Don’t know man. Want to play the winner?” He gestured to the pool table.

  Rebel gave him a chin lift, and soon, the entertainment was put to the back of everyone’s mind. They enjoyed the game, each other’s company, and the drinks they slugged back. It turned out to be a good night, after all.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Dear Harlow:

  Why do good things always come to an end? I just got dumped. We were together a year and a half, and he left me for my sister, of all people. I’m so hurt and angry I’d just love to kick both their A$$@$. So, while I take a deep breath and remind myself I look horrible in orange, I’m at a loss on how to proceed.