Tattoo Lust: A Tattoo Romance Collection

by Skyla Madi

  “It would’ve been detected?”

  The doctor nodded. “An ultrasound would’ve confirmed it. We would’ve made arrangements then to prevent this from happening.” The doctor gave both of us a small smile. “There won’t be any complications if you want to get pregnant again, but I suggest you wait a few months before trying again. One of the nurses will bring you some information about aftercare. I’ll see you again once I have the results of the tests.”

  The room was deadly silent once he left. I slowly turned to look at Stephen. Without saying a word, he stood. Stephen started to pace back and forth in front of the bed.

  “I should’ve made an appointment at the doctor the moment I realized. I was so fucking stupid.”

  “Stephen?”

  “I noticed the changes in your body that day we made love, Alia. I found the pregnancy tests.” He turned to face me. “I didn’t think anything about the tests, but then I saw the changes. I was waiting for you to tell me.”

  I wiped the tears that fell down my cheeks. Stephen walked closer and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He took my hands and pressed a kiss against my knuckles.

  “Why didn’t you tell me, baby?”

  “I-I was s-so scared that y-you’d leave me.”

  “Oh baby,” he whispered, pulling me against his chest. “I’m not a bastard. You should’ve just told me and we would’ve told your parents together. We would’ve worked it all out together. Instead, you kept it all to yourself. We’re in it together, baby. You and me.”

  ***

  I was released from the hospital a few days later. Patrick and Tyler came to visit me whenever they could. I also saw my mom and Sam with Emma. Michael sometimes came with them, but he never said anything to me. I smiled and laughed with them, but inside a part of me still felt dead. The doctor had explained that I might have some complications if I did get pregnant again. It took me a while to understand that it was the reason he ordered the tests. Stephen had sat by my side through it all. He would ask questions at some points and just listen attentively at others. He came to visit me every day, but something was different. Stephen was silent most of the time, and when he talked, he was trying too hard to act okay.

  A part of me knew he was hurting just as badly as I was, but he didn’t want to show that. He had his pride.

  My mother had offered for me to come home. She said that she had spoken to Michael and that he had no problem with it. Going home meant that I had to put on a brave face. With Stephen, I knew that he would understand if I just started crying. Stephen picked me up from the hospital and drove me home to collect some of my things. I packed a bag of clothes and a few personal items. After having a cup of coffee with my mother, we left again. I expected the house to still be a mess, especially the kitchen, but to my surprise everything looked normal. There was no sign of the shootout that had taken place weeks ago.

  “Do you need anything before I leave?”

  “You’re leaving?” I asked him as I turned to face him.

  He hovered in the doorway, looking ill at ease. His green gaze darted around the room before locking with mine. “There’s still some formalities I need to take care of.”

  “Oh.”

  I turned back around and bent down to unzip my bag on the bed. Strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind. Stephen pressed a kiss against my shoulder.

  “I know you don’t want me to leave, but I need to do my job.”

  “It doesn’t have to be.”

  He pulled away and took a few steps back. “What does that mean?”

  “Well,” I licked my lips, “I just meant to say that there are a lot of work opportunities out there.”

  “No, Alia.” He shook his head. “You can ask me a lot of things, and I’ll do them, but not this. This job is my fucking life.”

  “Then what am I?” I whispered. “Is it so bad of me to want you to come home to me every night?”

  Stephen silently stared at me. I could see the emotions flashing through his eyes. After a few minutes, he stepped toward the door.

  “We will talk about this later.”

  He was out the door before I could say anything. I walked over to the window to stare down. Stephen had his phone pressed to his ear as he walked to his car. He paused briefly and glanced up at the window. A few seconds later, he drove away. Depression hit me hard as I sank down onto the edge of the bed. Things were different between us. I wasn’t ready to let him go.

  ***

  The doorbell suddenly rang, which made me jump. I groaned as I slipped the bookmark between the pages. The house was empty except for me. Everything had gone back to normal except the relationship between Stephen and me. Emily stood on the other side of the door with a bright smile.

  “Hey, cutie over there allowed me in,” she said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder.

  I stared past her at the police cruiser parked across the street. The man inside nodded at me. This wasn’t the first time I saw a car parked outside. Anger rose as I thought back to all the other days a car was parked outside.

  “Can I come in?” I stood aside for her to enter before slamming the door shut. Emily was staring with wide eyes. “Damn, this house looks amazing.”

  “Is there anything you need?” I winced at the harshness of my voice. “Sorry, I—”

  She held up her hand with a smile. “Don’t apologize. I totally understand why you don’t want to see anyone. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Great,” I muttered, walking back to the couch. “Is there anyone who doesn’t know what happened?”

  “Well, I suppose only your family would’ve known if it wasn’t for your friend spreading the news.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah. Kate’s been telling everyone that you had an abortion, but word later got out that you had a miscarriage. I can’t believe that she claims to be your best friend and then goes behind your back to spread lies.”

  “What lies?”

  Emily winced. “I’m just here to drop this off for you. None of your friends wanted to.”

  “Emily, please tell me,” I begged.

  “She’s bragging about sleeping with Stephen behind your back.”

  Shock washed through me as her words penetrated my mind. My best friend was bragging about sleeping with my boyfriend behind my back. I went over all the times she came to visit me. She was happy, but she seemed different. Whenever she was over, Stephen wasn’t home. He was gone almost all the time and then returned home late at night. When I woke up in the mornings, he was already gone. Was he really sleeping with her?

  “I should go. You need to read the letter. It’s from school regarding the winter classes.”

  “Thanks.”

  I walked her to the door before heading upstairs. Emily stood at the police cruiser talking with the cop. I watched as she handed something to him before walking away. A few minutes later, the car pulled away from the curb. I shook my head as I turned to stare at the room. Was he sleeping with Kate? Was that why he didn’t touch me?

  The hours seemed to pass slowly. I couldn’t focus on the book I was reading earlier. Thoughts of Stephen and Kate tormented my mind. My eyes fell on the brown envelope on the coffee table. I sucked in air as I reread the letter. The test I had rescheduled wouldn’t count. According to them, I failed, and if I didn’t attend the winter classes, they would kick me out. I dropped the letter onto the table as my phone pinged.

  What I saw wasn’t what I was expecting. I stared at the photo of Stephen. He was naked from his waist up and lying in bed with a woman at his side. Her naked body was pressed against his.

  Unknown: Your past always follows you.

  ***

  Stephen got home earlier than I expected him. The moment he walked through the door, he stormed upstairs. I hesitated only for a few seconds before following him. Stephen was busy undressing. I leaned against the doorway as I watched him strip down to his boxer briefs.

  “How well do you know Kate?”
His question caught me off guard.

  I blinked at him when he turned around to face me. “We’ve been friends since the schools merged. About four years now,” I said softly.

  He nodded as he picked up his utility belt. Stephen removed his gun before dropping the belt onto the desk. The gun was placed in the drawer in his bedside table.

  “Why?” He didn’t answer me. “Why is there always a patrol car outside?”

  “Because I asked them to watch the house.”

  “Why?”

  “What’s with all the questions, Alia?” he asked, turning to face me. “I asked them to keep a watch on the house so I know that you’re safe.”

  He disappeared into the closet and came out dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Stephen walked to the desk where he started searching through the papers.

  “Are you leaving again?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you going to meet Kate?” He froze and then slowly straightened to his full height. His green gaze locked onto mine. “Why would you ask me that?”

  “Kate has been spreading stories about the two of you. Apparently you’ve been sleeping with her behind my back.”

  “And you believe that?”

  “I don’t know what to believe anymore, Stephen,” I whispered. “You said you’d tell me everything I wanted to know about you, but every time I bring it up, you clam up. Not once have you touched me since I got home from the hospital. It feels like you’re avoiding me. You’re barely home for five minutes before leaving again. Is it me? Is it because I lost the baby? Do you hate me because I lost our baby?”

  I stared at him through blurry eyes. He muttered something under his breath as he stepped toward me. A sob fell from my lips when he wrapped his arms around me. Lips brushed against my forehead. I allowed him to pick me up and carry me over to the bed. Stephen sat down on the edge and placed me on his lap.

  “I don’t hate you nor do I blame you. I’m not mad at you for losing our baby. I’m not trying to avoid you either.”

  “It doesn’t feel like it,” I whispered as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. “I won’t blame you if you don’t want to be with me anymore.”

  “You have no idea how badly I want to be with you. This case is important for me. We’re getting closer to catching these guys.”

  “Is that why you’re never home anymore?”

  He nodded and then leaned down to press his lips against mine. He kept the kiss slow and gentle. “The sooner we close this case, the better I’d feel about your safety. That’s why I have someone watching the house, to make sure that you’re safe.”

  “You’re not sleeping with Kate?” I gasped when he suddenly cupped my sex.

  “This pussy is the only one I want,” he said softly. “You’re the only woman I want, Alia.”

  “Good,” I whispered. I wrapped my arms around his neck and then pressed my lips against his.

  He groaned. “I need to go, baby,” he whispered against my lips. “I’ll be back in half an hour.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Two days later, Kate suddenly showed up at the house. I was surprised when she gave me a hug. Kate acted like she usually would. To her, nothing was wrong, and I really hated that. I wanted to scream at her, maybe even punch her. How could she act like she wasn’t spreading lies? I used to love being around her, but now all I felt was fear. This wasn’t the Kate I made friends with. She had this crazed look in her eyes whenever she locked eyes with me.

  We sat in the living room making small talk until she excused herself to go to the bathroom. I watched her as she walked down the hall. My phone pinged, which made me jump. The message made my heartbeat increase. Fear washed through me as my body turned icy cold. I glanced up to make sure she was still in the bathroom before diving for her bag. Gripping the material, I quickly unzipped it before searching inside. My finger closed around her phone. It wasn’t password protected like I expected it to be. I thought the message Stephen sent me was wrong until I opened a folder that contained every single picture that was posted of us. Including those that were edited.

  “Well, look what we have here.”

  The phone dropped along with the bag as I spun around. Kate stood behind me with her eyes narrowed. I gave a nervous laugh as I pressed my hand against my chest.

  “You scared me,” I said as I bent down to pick up the bag and phone. “Your phone started ringing.”

  “Oh,” she muttered.

  I handed the phone and bag over to her before moving away. My eyes fell on my phone lying on the couch. With a side glance at her, I made my way back to it.

  “Would you like some tea?” Kate suddenly asked.

  “Uh…sure,” I muttered with a little uncertainty.

  I watched as she made her way into the kitchen. The moment she disappeared from sight, I grabbed my phone. My fingers flew over the keyboard as I replied to the earlier text.

  Don’t do anything. Just act normal and don’t give anything away. I’m on my way.

  I felt lightheaded. My stomach was knotted with nerves. I took a seat on the couch again. Kate’s fingerprints were found in the house and on some of the photos. She was here on that night. My best friend was the one posting pictures on the internet and spreading photos of us.

  “Here you go.”

  I took the cup from her with a shaky hand. With a small smile, I placed it aside. I didn’t trust her enough to drink it. A tense silence had settled around us. She was busy typing on her phone. Her cheeks were flushed red. The front door suddenly burst open. My head snapped toward it. Stephen stepped inside the house and quickly closed the door behind him. His eyes locked with mine briefly before moving to Kate.

  “Hey, Stephen,” Kate said excitedly.

  “Kate,” he muttered stiffly.

  Our eyes locked as he took a seat next to me. With his arm wrapped around my shoulders, he pulled me against his body. His lips caught mine before moving to my ear.

  “Wait five minutes and then go to the bathroom,” he whispered against my ear. Stephen answered Kate’s questions stiffly—like he usually would whenever they talked. His thumb stroked my arm all the while. I waited until I knew the five minutes had passed before making the excuse. Leaving him alone with her was something I was afraid to do, but I knew I had to. The door softly clicked shut behind me. I walked over to the faucet and opened the tap. Splashing my face with cold water, I waited a few more minutes before walking out of the bathroom. My steps faltered when part of their conversation drifted toward me.

  “Have you told her about your stepmother yet?”

  “What the fuck do you know about my stepmother?”

  “A lot of things.” Kate laughed. “I know that you sent her to jail and that you don’t want her to get out. I know she’s the reason your father hated you. I also know that you are the reason your sister got killed.”

  I pressed a hand against my mouth to silence the gasp that escaped.

  “You fucking know nothing about me or my family, Kate.”

  “I know enough about everything you have done. The question is does your stupid, naïve girlfriend know?”

  “Kate, if you say a word to Alia about any of this, I swear to God I will make you regret it.” His voice rose with anger, which made the hair at the back of my neck rise.

  I’d never heard him talk like that before. I didn’t hear her reply, which made me frown. Deciding to make my presence known, I stepped away from the wall and into sight. Tears welled up in my eyes at the sight that greeted me. My chest tightened and my heart cracked into a million pieces.

  Why was he kissing her? I blinked rapidly to clear the tears. I wanted to turn around and walk away, but a few minutes later, I was thankful that I didn’t. Stephen ripped his lips from hers and harshly pushed her away from him. He rubbed his mouth as he turned away from her. As he turned, his eyes fell on me. I watched as the color drained from his face. Panic flashed through his eyes.

  “Alia.”

  M
y eyes moved to Kate. I caught the satisfied smile before she wiped it from her face. She span around then rushed over to me. Her nails dug into my skin when she gripped my arm.

  “Alia,” she gasped. “It’s not what it looked like! He just grabbed me and started kissing me!”

  I gripped her wrist and pulled my arm from her hand. My eyes darted between them. Stephen’s eyes were flashing with different emotions. Anger. Fear. Hate. Panic. Shaking my head, I turned to face Kate.

  “I think you should leave, Kate,” I said softly.

  Her mouth fell open and then slammed shut again. Surprise washed over her face before she could hide it.

  Kate stepped forward with tear-filled eyes. “You believe a man you barely know over your best friend? He fucking kissed me. How can you believe him?”

  “Best friend?” I questioned softly as I took a step toward her. “Do you even know the meaning of it? What best friend tells everyone that I had an abortion? What best friend goes around telling everyone that she’s sleeping with her best friend’s boyfriend?”

  Her eyes widened. She stumbled back slightly. I saw the fear flashing through her eyes before it turned into anger.

  “What friend does that?”

  “Alia, I swear he was the one who kissed me!”

  The slap echoed through the living room. My palm burned as I lowered my hand to my side. Kate stared at me with a hand pressed against her cheek. She deserved more than just a slap.

  “Get out, Kate, and stay away from me and my family.” She growled then stepped forward with her hand raised. Stephen caught her wrist then stepped in front of me.

  “Get out of my house, Kate. If I ever see you near Alia again—”

  “You will regret it!” Kate yelled before storming out of the house.

  A shaky breath fell from my lips as my shoulders sagged. But then tears filled my eyes as the feeling of complete sadness filled me.

  “Alia,” Stephen said softly, drawing my attention to him.