Tattoo Lust: A Tattoo Romance Collection

by Skyla Madi

  “S-Stephen.”

  “I’m here, baby.”

  “Don’t leave me.” I clung to him tightly.

  The dream still hung heavily in my mind. I remembered every single thing clearly. Especially the blood. His blood. They killed him. Stephen shifted and then his arms wrapped around me as he sat up. He pulled me onto his lap before forcing my face away from his neck. I stared up at him. His face was pale, and his eyes were dark with worry.

  “Alia—”

  I leaned up and pressed my lips against his. He sat frozen against me. When he didn’t react, I pulled away and buried my face against his neck again. I cried harder. He didn’t want me.

  “It was just a dream, baby,” he whispered. “You’re safe. Nobody will hurt you, I promise.”

  “Sam.” I pushed away from him as my head snapped to the bed. The space was empty, which made me panic even more. Stephen’s hands on my hips prevented me from moving.

  “Alia. Jesus, Alia, look at me!”

  I struggled harder. His grip on my hips tightened almost painfully. Without warning, he spun us around. My back hit the mattress seconds before he came down on top of me.

  “Listen to me, Alia,” he said softly. “Sam is asleep in her room. I placed her in her bed when I came to check on you. You fell asleep, and I was afraid she’d fall from the bed.”

  “Y-you hate babies.”

  “No.” His finger stroked my cheek. “I don’t hate babies. I just don’t know a lot about them, and that makes me uncomfortable.”

  I stared up at him. His face was inches from mine. My eyes dropped to his lips. I traced his bottom lip with a finger.

  “Y-you didn’t kiss me back,” I whispered. My lips started to quiver when I remembered his words. “Make love to me, Stephen. Please. I need you.”

  “You have me, baby,” he whispered against my lips.

  His hand moved down to my neck. Fingers stroked skin as his lips brushed mine. My body was already humming beneath his. It knew the pleasure only he could bring. Warning signs started to flash inside my mind when he tugged on the hem of my shirt. If he took off my clothes, then he would notice the changes in my body. Before I could protest, Stephen had already pulled my shirt up. I hesitated only for a second before helping him. His bare chest brushed against mine. It made my sensitive nipples harden until it hurt. Stephen pulled back to look down at me. I couldn’t look away. His eyes were swimming with so many emotions. They pulled me in deeper and deeper until I didn’t care anymore.

  He was here. He was mine, and that was all that mattered. Stephen lowered himself onto his elbows. His lips brushed mine briefly before moving down my throat. I clung to his shoulders as he started playing my body like a guitar. He strummed my strings like a professional. All that I could think of was him. His lips and his hands. The gentle touch of his fingers as he traced my body. His lips hesitated at my breasts. He barely brushed my nipple before moving lower. Stephen paused at the band of my shorts. His lips trailed up to my hipbones, where he placed small, open-mouthed kisses.

  “You’ve lost weight,” he muttered. “It’s not good for you to miss meals. Especially now.”

  He pressed a kiss below my navel, but then I got distracted when he started pulling my shorts and panties down. Stephen moved down the bed and gently pushed my legs apart. I was waiting for him to crawl up my body again, but he didn’t. Stephen laid down then guided my legs over his shoulders.

  “Stephen…oh God,” I cried out.

  He had used his fingers to spread my sex. The first flick of his tongue made my body jerk. He licked my clit before he sucked the bud into his mouth. I tried to press my pussy tighter against him, but he wrapped an arm around my lower stomach. Pulling away slightly, he suddenly licked my slit from top to bottom. He repeated it a few times before sucking on my clit again. I threw my head back as I clutched the sheets. My heels dug into his shoulder blades, but it didn’t seem to bother him. A moan fell from my lips when he started sucking harder. He used his tongue to flick my clit at the same time.

  Within seconds, I crashed over the edge. Instead of stopping, his tongue slid lower to enter my pussy. I reached down to grip his hair as he started to tongue fuck me. His nose brushed my clit every time he moved. After two more orgasms, he finally let up. He kissed the inside of my thigh, then my pubic bone, all the way up until he covered my body. Stephen captured my lips again. I could taste myself on his tongue, and instead of it disgusting me, it only turned me on more.

  His tongue slipped past my lips at the same time the head of his dick pushed against my entrance. I wrapped my legs around his hips. Stephen shifted his hips slightly, and then he slowly entered me. Pulling my lips from his, I moaned loudly. He nudged my head aside to gain access to my neck. My legs moved higher up his hips until my feet were locked over his wonderful buttocks. I gripped his arms but then moved my hands to his back.

  “F-faster.”

  “Slow.”

  “Stephen,” I moaned.

  “Alia.”

  My lips twitched but the smile died down when he suddenly sat up. I clung to him when he leaned back with me on his lap. His hands moved down to grip my ass.

  “Ride me.”

  It was all he said before capturing my lips again. I unhooked my legs from his waist and placed them over his. The moment my knees hit the bed, I started lifting and lowering myself. Stephen broke the kiss to stare down at me. His eyes were dark with desire and something else that made my heart swell. He wrapped both his arms around me to crush me against him. Our eyes stayed locked as the passion between us started to rise. My stomach tightened. I moved faster until I cried out, letting my head drop back. Stephen continued to move until his body shuddered against mine. My name fell from his lips as he followed me over the edge. Stephen gently lowered me back onto the bed. His lips brushed my forehead as he slowly pulled out of my body. I expected him to leave. He was only here because of the nightmare I had.

  “I’m just going to switch off the lights,” he muttered.

  I nodded. He hesitated as he stared at my face. Giving me another kiss on my forehead, he stood and walked out of the room. I stared up at the ceiling as I listened to him walking around the house. After a few minutes when he still hadn’t returned, I turned onto my side. I reached for the teddy bear and hugged it tightly. Just as I was about to drift off I felt the bed dip behind me. The room turned dark as he switched off the lamp. Stephen wrapped his arm around my waist to pull me closer against him. His fingers softly stroked the skin of my stomach. It felt comforting. My body relaxed against his.

  “I love you, Alia.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  I tugged on the green tie around my neck once more. It felt like I was being suffocated. The heat in the small classroom wasn’t helping. I could feel the sweat trailing down my back and between my breasts. My stomach grumbled—a reminder that I skipped breakfast. My grip on the pen tightened until my knuckles turned white. I could hear my heart beating in my ears, and that just made the sick feeling worse. The pen slipped from my sweaty fingers. I swallowed. It took a lot of energy just to raise my hand. One of the unfamiliar teachers approached me.

  “I don’t feel so good. Can I please get some fresh air?”

  “I will take her.”

  A hand grabbed my arm and pulled me onto unsteady legs. Everything was spinning. With an arm wrapped around my waist, I was led between the tables and out. The slight breeze cooled my skin slightly, but it didn’t bring any relief. I was barely aware of what was happening around me. When the dizziness began to fade, I realized I was lying on a narrow bed. Something cool was placed against my forehead and my neck. I blinked up at the white ceiling then risked a glance around the room. It was familiar. I was in the sick room. It smelled a whole lot better, not to mention how good it felt to be away from the heat.

  “Hey.”

  My eyes snapped to the door where Nathan entered. He was carrying a bottle of ice water in one hand and papers with a pen in th
e other. My bag hung over one of his shoulders.

  “Do you feel good enough to finish your test?” he questioned. “You can finish it here, or if you feel too sick, you can make arrangements to finish it at a later date.”

  “I’m feeling better,” I said softly.

  “You know better than to go out on an empty stomach in this heat.” I stared up at him in surprise. “That’s what your symptoms led me to believe.”

  “Symptoms?”

  He nodded as he placed the water and test on the cabinet. “The headache, dizziness, your body overheating and you feeling sick. It makes you panic, which makes you feel worse.”

  I just stared up at him.

  “Once upon a time, I wanted to be a doctor.”

  “Why aren’t you?”

  “Because,” our eyes locked, “my mother went to jail and my father turned into a crazy ol’ bat. I was given custody of my brother and sister.”

  “Y-you have a sister?”

  “Had,” he muttered. “She was killed after being tortured and raped numerous times. Then her body was dumped by our front door with a little note.”

  I sucked in air. His words shocked me into silence. Was that why Stephen became a cop? I needed answers, and now was the perfect time to ask him.

  “W-what was written on the note?”

  He turned to me. Hazel eyes had suddenly turned emotionless, cold. “‘This was an example. This is what will happen to everyone you love.’ He gave us a warning, and we ignored it.” Letting out a low laugh, he turned to look at me again. “I ignored it and fell in love with the most amazing girl. We were engaged. I left her alone for only an hour, and when I got home, she was dead. She was beaten to death. Her legs and arms were broken while she was still breathing. Then they beat her until she was unrecognizable. Police thought it was me. I made the mistake of calling Stephen in my panic. He came over seconds before the police arrived. He took the blame, and that’s why he was in jail. Stephen didn’t kill anyone. He’s not that kind of man, but if you stay with him, Alia, he will become that man who will hold on to you.”

  ***

  I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I pulled into my street. I was filled with dread. This day was going to get worse, and I knew it. I could feel it. After Nathan said that, he left me alone. Another teacher later returned to sit by me as I finished the test. My mind wasn’t on it, so I knew I was going to fail. Pressing a shaky hand against my stomach, I sucked in a breath before parking my car in the driveway. My parents had returned with smiles, but I could tell it wasn’t enjoyable. Something had happened, and they weren’t planning on telling us about it. The moment I opened the front door, I knew something was wrong. My mother was crying and begging someone. I followed the sound down the hall and straight to my room. Michael was throwing my stuff off the shelves. I winced as my eyes fell on the broken laptop.

  “Alia.” My eyes snapped to my mother. “No!”

  I didn’t see him coming. Michael gripped my arm and pulled me down the hall towards the living room. I was thrown onto the nearest couch, where he hovered over me. He looked the same when he saw the photos of me.

  “We fucking expected you to behave yourself. We trusted you to do that, but instead you whore around!” he yelled. “Sam was your responsibility. You were supposed to look after her!”

  “Michael—”

  “Stay fucking out of it! You’ve been too lenient with her. I fucking came home to find an envelope with pictures of you! Pictures of you and a fucking stranger fucking in my house!” He turned to grab something. “Then I fucking find these!”

  I raised my arms to cover my face when he threw something at me. It hit my arm before dropping to the ground. Numbness spread through me as I stared down at the test. They knew. Michael paced up and down in front of me while my mother begged him. I only watched them silently. Minutes passed before he turned back to me again.

  “If you want to be part of this family, you get rid of it.” All the air left my lungs the moment he finished speaking. He wanted me to kill my baby. Stephen’s baby.

  “N-no,” I breathed.

  “Then get out!” he yelled, pointing to the door.

  It took all of my strength just to get up and walk to the door. I ignored my mother calling my name. She didn’t even try to stop me when I got into the car or when I drove away. I drove under the speed limit until I reached the edge of town. It took another half an hour before reaching the hill overlooking it. The moment I sank down onto the ground, I started to cry.

  I wrapped my arms around my body and allowed all the pain to seep out. The sky was covered in pink and orange as the sun started to set. I wrapped my arms tighter around my body when I heard the sound of an approaching car. Seconds later, two doors opened and then slammed shut again.

  “How long are you planning on staying here?” Patrick asked as he took a seat next to me.

  I shrugged, not even sparing him a glance. He stayed silent for a while before turning toward me. I was forced to look up at him.

  “We’re worried about you.”

  “Who’s we?” I whispered.

  “Your mom, your sisters. Me and Marlin.” He paused. “And Stephen.”

  I let out a humourless laugh as I shook my head at him. “She doesn’t care. If she cared, then she would’ve stopped me. She wouldn’t have allowed him to give me that ultimatum.”

  “And what about Stephen?”

  I turned to look back at the darkening sky. “He’s going to hate me.”

  “Why would he hate you?” Patrick wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

  “He said he doesn’t want children. If he finds out, he’ll be so mad at me. He’ll throw me away.”

  I began sobbing again. Patrick pulled me closer against his chest. He sat silently as I cried. His hands rubbed my back as he whispered soothing words against my forehead. By the time my tears had dried up, I had a headache. My eyes felt puffy. I was tired, but I knew I was safe with Patrick. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me.

  “She’s exhausted.”

  “After everything that has happened, it’s understandable.”

  I frowned. That voice sounded familiar. It sounded like Stephen. Stephen was here? My eyes snapped open. I blinked rapidly to clear the sleep before pushing myself out of Patrick’s arms. Stephen was leaning against my car. He looked pale and tired. I stumbled to my feet. The urge to run to him was strong, but I was glued to the ground. His eyes trailed over me and then lingered on my stomach. He already knew.

  “I called Stephen when you didn’t show up at our house. I knew you wouldn’t go to Marlin’s house,” Patrick explained. “After searching the town, he suggested we come here.”

  “S-Stephen—”

  “You two can talk at home,” Patrick cut me off. “The wind is starting to pick up. In your condition, it’s best you get out of it.”

  He wrapped an arm around my waist and led me toward my car. Patrick opened the passenger door. With a kiss against my forehead and a promise to call me later, he helped me into the car. The door slammed shut, leaving me in silence. I watched them through the window as they spoke. Stephen handed something over to my brother-in-law. After a few more words, Stephen made his way over to Patrick’s car.

  My heart sank as I watched him open the door. I squeezed my eyes shut. He was mad at me like I knew he would be. The car door opened a few minutes later and then slammed shut again. I jumped when his hand was placed on my thigh. Stephen sat next to me, holding out a brown paper bag. The smell of something sweet made my stomach grumble.

  “Nathan mentioned something about you not eating breakfast,” Stephen said softly. “I wasn’t sure if you had a chance to eat at home before…shit happened.”

  I still couldn’t move. He was here. I thought he was going to let Patrick take me. A whimper fell from my lips as I threw myself at him. The bag dropped to the floor as he caught me.

  “Shh, stop crying, Alia.”

  “S-Stephen.”

>   His hands were shaking slightly as he cupped my cheeks. He forced my eyes up to his. After searching my face, he finally pulled me onto his lap. Strong arms wrapped around my shaking body to press me against him.

  “Calm down, baby. It’s not good for either of you.” His lips brushed my forehead. “I’m going to take you home and then run you a bath. When you feel a little better, we will have a talk.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “When did you find out?” Stephen asked softly.

  My body tensed against his. Stephen hadn’t said a word on the drive home or when we got home. He had silently led me up the stairs and into his room. Stephen left me in his bedroom while he ran a bath. He had surprised me by getting in along with me. That’s where we were now, sitting in the bathtub. He was using the sponge to drop water on my upper body.

  “That day Kate showed up,” I whispered. “When I was in the bathroom, I took them.”

  “Are they accurate?”

  “Yes. I got the best on the market.”

  We fell silent again. I wasn’t sure how to act around him. He wasn’t yelling at me or throwing me out of his house. Stephen was sitting with me in the bathtub. He was holding me.

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “Why would I be mad at you, baby?” His arms wrapped around my waist. “As far as I’m aware, it takes two to tango. Besides, it was my responsibility to take care of you.”

  “We always used protection,” I muttered with heated cheeks.

  “I’m aware.” He paused. “I would’ve noticed if the condom broke when I took it off.”