Jake

by Hilary Storm

  "How's your mom doing?"

  "Ehhh. You know about the same. She misses my brother like crazy."

  "I'm sorry Jake. I hate that." I hate talking about this. It hits a sensitive spot for me and I'm not ready to deal with all of this. I start to get up and grab my clothes from around the room.

  "Yeah. Me too." Guess I'll just be leaving in my shorts and shoes. This always gets attention. My tattoos tend to turn heads, which sometimes is a good thing.

  She stands near the door, wrapped in a sheet to give me an official goodbye kiss.

  "I'm supposed to be back through here in a couple of weeks. Maybe we can meet up again?"

  "Yeah. Sounds great." I spend a few minutes kissing her. Jenna is one of the few that gets this from me. She understands that it means nothing. It's just two people feeling in the moment, and in the moment only.

  I pull away and step out the door. Heading down the hallway half naked and fully satisfied, I decide it may be time to give my dick a break. Shit.

  My parent's house is quiet. I get to catch a football game with them and it's nice to just relax. Jax and Drew stop by too and mom seems to be the happiest I've seen her in a long time, even though all three of her boys are tired and hung over as fuck. She knows how to deal with us like this. Food and rest. That's all we want.

  She's still wearing Shane's dog tag, but I don't dare bring that up. I'm having a hard time dealing with it myself, I can't imagine what she's going through. Losing a child seems like a horrible nightmare and something I hope to never have to go through.

  We all stay real late and leave at the same time.

  "Hey Jax. Do you need to crash at my house for awhile?"

  "Nah. I'm staying with Addi for a few weeks."

  "Ah. Ok. Just let me know." Well, there it is.

  Chapter Seven

  Brutus and I are headed back to the shop today, thank God. I don't think my dick can take another day away from work. I need to do a serious piece today. I hope Rikki has me lined up with something badass.

  Walking into the front of the shop, I can see that I'm the last to arrive. It's about damn time all these guys get here before me.

  "Rikki, what do I have today?"

  "You're finishing up that back piece for Trish."

  "Ah yeah." My thoughts are distracted as I hear a voice that sounds like Addi's somewhere in the shop.

  "That's not what I want."

  "Yeah. This is better than what you're asking for."

  "That's your opinion."

  "Well honey, I am the expert." Martin is being his typical asshole self.

  "Whoa. Hold up. What's going on?" I can tell Addi is fuming pissed as Martin is standing over her with a sketch of a huge ass pirate ship. Not sure where the hell a piece that size is going to fit on her, but I'm about to find out.

  "She wants a pirate ship, and I'm giving her a badass pirate ship."

  "I asked for Black Beard's ship specifically. It has to be Black Beard's ship." I can see this is a meaningful tattoo for her instantly. Martin is being a dick.

  "I'll take this one, Martin. You can pick up the walk-ins."

  "The fuck I will."

  "Addi, can you wait for me in that room over there?" I point her in the direction of the door to my tattoo room. She walks away and it's probably not the best time for me to watch that ass in those jeans, but I do and for as long as she's in view.

  "You just want a piece of that ass." Martin starts in.

  "No, you fucked up dude. Clients are always right. If you can't make them happy with the stencil, how the fuck will they like it permanently on their skin?"

  He starts stuffing his things into his bag in a true asshole fashion. "I'm not taking walk-ins. People come from all over to get an appointment with me. That's why you have me here. That's why I travel contract. You know this."

  "Consider your contract over."

  "Yeah well, consider how you're gonna handle my client load for the next two weeks."

  "I'll work my ass off, but that's not your concern." I watch him as he zips his bag and leaves out the front door. I know he's pissed, but that shit doesn't fly in my shop.

  "Damn, Jake. His schedule was packed." Rikki's looking over the calendar with wide eyes. I can see her mind turning on how to fix this.

  "Start calling. Give them the option to reschedule with any of the guys here. Give me the real detailed pieces or any names you recognize."

  "Gotcha covered, Boss." That's the best part, I know she does. She'll even do it in a way that the clients think they're getting a much better appointment.

  I walk in and she's standing. Holding her purse against her body, like she's about to leave.

  "Black Beard, huh."

  "Yeah. Don't worry about it. I'm thinking I wasn't destined to have this tattoo. I'm just going to think on it some more." The frown on her face bothers me.

  "I could draw you something up, then you could decide if you like it. If you do then we'll get you taken care of, if not, it was just a drawing."

  "Ok. When do you want me to come back in?"

  "I'll do it now. Where are you wanting it?"

  "From here, to about here." Shit. She uses her hand to show me basically from her arm pit to her hip.

  "Ok. Clothes off." The shocked look on her face brings a smile to mine.

  "Aren't you going to draw it first?"

  "I am. Right on your body." She looks at me like I have a hidden agenda, which I may, but this is business. Plus I think there's something going on there with my brother.

  "You know this is a massive piece and will take multiple sessions, right?"

  "Yeah. I've done my research."

  "Is this your first tattoo?"

  "It is."

  "What made you choose this one?"

  "Personal reasons."

  "Ok. Well, if you're up for it, I'll fit you in today." She looks at me while she contemplates it. She's not wearing her glasses today. Her hair is down and she doesn't look near as uptight as she did last night. Those lips. She turns to put her purse down on the chair and stands tall.

  "I'll let you draw it on me, then I'll decide if it's what I'm wanting." Hell yes.

  "Oh it will be." I know it will.

  "You sound so sure of yourself."

  "Maybe I am."

  "I guess that's a good thing."

  "So you just want me fully naked?" Hell yes I do.

  "That would be easiest, I have a sheet for you." I hand her the sheet and step out of the room just to get some more markers. This will be an insanely badass piece. I can already picture it in my head and on her body.

  I walk back in and she's sliding her jeans down. Fighting the urge to watch her, I start to prep everything I'll need. This is business.

  Before I know it, she's wrapped the sheet across her chest and around her hips.

  "You can lay here." She moves slowly and my mind starts fucking with me. Damn it. This is business.

  With her hand sprawled out over the sheet like it is, I can pretty much see her tits. Or should I say imagine them, the shape of them anyway. She was definitely hiding them last night. I like that. I'm guessing a very full C, maybe a D.

  She sits on the edge of the table and starts to lay back, letting the sheet fall all around her. Fuckkkkk. This is business.

  Now I don't have to imagine her gorgeous tits and that ass will be in my memory every time I see her. This should go over very well when I run into her and my brother.

  She lays on her side and I slide my chair behind her. It's time to get focused Jake.

  "Do you want any details added?"

  "Rough waters. Maybe a few of the sails torn. Just give it character." I start to draw on her flawless skin. Making sure to keep my hands from roaming like they want to.

  "So you just moved here?"

  "Yeah."

  "What made you move here?" My eyes move to her ass. That perfect ass. The one I can't wait to fill my hands with.

  "Your brother convinced me.
" Fuck.

  "Oh yeah?"

  "My father just died and I needed a new scene."

  "I'm sorry to hear that."

  "Yeah. He was really sick. He's not suffering now, I guess that's good."

  "Where were you before you moved here?"

  "Texas." That surprises me. I didn't see that one coming. She doesn't seem like the usual southern girl.

  "That's where my dad decided to retire. So I moved there to take care of him about three years before he died."

  "Makes sense."

  "When did you move here?

  "I've been here the last four weeks solid, but the movers just moved my stuff last week. Before that I made a few trips to work details on the club. I'll be glad to actually have a little time to do a few things not that the grand opening is over."

  "If you need a realtor, just let me know."

  "I already bought my house." How did I know that would be the case? She has her shit together. She's not like the usual females that come through here. Or at least the usual females that I find sexy as fuck that come through here.

  I keep drawing and she keeps talking. Not giving away too many details as she talks, but it's an easy conversation.

  "How did you meet my brother?"

  "At a club I managed in Texas." I wonder what the fuck my brother was doing in Texas? "He was looking into starting a business and was asking questions about how I ran it. We just hit it off from there. That was over a year ago." That sucks.

  "That's awesome."

  "He told me to get my tat here at your shop."

  "He didn't tell you to ask for me?"

  "He did, but I just thought I'd get a sketch first and I'd be able to tell if the guy I get assigned is good."

  "Yeah sorry about that. Martin is a great artist, just a shitty businessman. Some of his pieces are the best in the industry."

  "I mean it was a badass piece, I just wanted it specific and he didn't want to listen."

  "I know. He's an ass. Ok. Take a look and tell me what you think."

  "You're already done?"

  "It doesn't take long. The shading isn't all there, but you can get the jest of what it's going to look like."

  She stands and I let my eyes roam again. Watching her face in the mirror as she turns to look at the details is the best part of this whole thing. She has her arm over her tits, trying to hide. Little does she realize, it's too late. I've already seen them. I can still see them.

  Her face says she likes it, but she hasn't said a word. I move closer to get a better look as turns a few more times.

  "This is exactly what I imagined."

  "So you want to get it in real ink?"

  "Yes for sure. This is the one." She moves back to the table and lays back on her side.

  "Ok this is when I need you to not move a muscle. This is the real deal now and it's not as easy to fix if either of us fuck up."

  "I won’t." I lose myself in the true outlining of her piece. She's doing perfect and this is turning out to be a simple easy conversation with her. She's been through so much the past few years. She seems to love the club and the challenge of making it unique and extremely successful.

  Chapter Eight

  I can hear Drew behind the door before he knocks. He knows better than to interrupt me when the work light is on.

  "Sorry. I need to see what he needs."

  I open the door and purposefully block his view from seeing her.

  "Something's wrong with Brutus."

  "What?"

  "He's throwing up and he doesn't want to move." Panic hits my chest. He's never sick.

  "He's also shitting everywhere. I've got Tyler with him outside. Thought you'd want to get him to the vet."

  She's wrapped the sheet around herself and steps up behind me.

  "Shit, don't let anything touch that. I need you to keep it clean."

  "Actually I used to be in vet school, let me look at him."

  "Let me wrap your tattoo first. I'm sorry, but I'll have to finish this session next time."

  "It's ok. I understand. Is Brutus your bulldog?"

  "Yeah. How did you know?"

  "Your pictures." Hell I forgot about those. She's observant.

  "He's like my kid."

  "I get that." I finish wrapping her piece and I leave her while she gets dressed. Brutus has his head up, but doesn't act himself when I walk in.

  "What's goin on, Brutus?" He looks up at me and I swear his face just told me "I'm fucking sick."

  She walks in and heads straight to Brutus. She kneels down and starts talking to him.

  "Hi Brutus. I'm gonna get you something to make you feel better." She looks at his eyes and pets him a few times before standing.

  "You can take him in if you want, but I have some medicine at my house you can have. Then if he isn't better by this time tomorrow, I'd take him to see the vet."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Oh yeah. I actually think this will fix him up. I'll go get it now and bring it back for you."

  "I can just take you. Maybe we can get a few more hours in on your session once he gets his medicine."

  "Ok. Sounds good."

  "Ty, watch Brutus til we get back."

  "Sure Boss."

  I lift the overhead door and we pull out of the garage in my truck. "Turn right, then my housing edition is three miles down the road." She lives close.

  "Thanks for doing this. It just sucks we didn't get further on your piece."

  "I can go whenever you have time. Now that the club is up, I could miss a few hours. Jax could surely handle it."

  "It's great to have my brother her local again."

  "I can imagine. He's been there for me like no one else, and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to repay him for what he's done."

  "Glad he could help. It's great that you found someone."

  "Yeah. Turn right, then take the road all the way down to the end." I notice the nice houses in the area and know she's going to have a similar one.

  "You don't live that far from me."

  "Oh yeah. Ok, it's the one on the left." I pull into her driveway and put it in park. I figure she'll just go in and come right back out.

  "You might want to come in. I'm still living out of boxes and I'm not sure which one it's in."

  We both enter the house and I can tell she likes to keep stuff clean and in order. I like that.

  "Jax should be here somewhere. I think that box is in the stack in the dining room." She begins to open a few and starts moving others. After she gets through them all, she moves to the other stack in the kitchen. "You want to look in that stack in that bedroom right there? Look for the box that says medicine. I know I labeled it Rx right on top."

  I flip open the lid to the top box and see towels. It wasn't labeled, but it's obvious. The second box is labeled sheets and blankets, the third says 'my box'. I flip open the flap and find out why she labeled it that way. Sex toys. Flogger, whips, handcuffs, blindfold. Damn it.

  My brother is a lucky son of a bitch and I want to kick his ass for it when I see the sex swing. I hear her footsteps and move to the next box, acting like I haven't seen a thing.

  "Last box in here says sheets too. Not in here." She walks in and notices the toy box on top of the new pile that I was making. I try to act nonchalant, but the fuckin smile on my face is giving it away.

  "Seriously? Did you fucking look in that box?"

  "Why would I?"

  "You did. Oh my God. Don't you dare tell your brother. He'd never let me live this down." Wait what?

  "He doesn't know?"

  "Hell no. He wouldn't understand." I have to be looking like a fucking idiot right now with a confused look on my face.

  "Are you not with my brother?"

  "NO! We aren't like that. He's too much of a pain in my ass. So don't you dare tell him about this." Oh don't you worry, I won’t. Shit. She's not fucking my brother. This is possibly the best news I've heard all week.

  Why does this make
me so excited?

  "And don't start teasing me either. I don't need that shit."

  "Sex swing?"

  "I told you no teasing."

  "Oh, I'm not teasing. That was an offer."

  "Not on your life."

  "What? You know it would be fun."

  "There's no doubt it would be."

  "So what's the problem?"

  "I'm too damn busy to deal with you right now."

  "Right. I wasn't meaning right now anyway. Brutus needs his medicine."

  Inked Brothers: Jake Volume Two

  Coming late March 2015

  Have you read Hilary's Rebel Walking Series?

  How about the brand new story out in her new Bryant Brothers Series? Check out a sample of 'Don't Close Your Eyes' after the acknowledgements!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  By Hilary

  The top spot always goes to the man who has to deal with me daily, Nathan. Without him, I could never write. Hell, I couldn't breathe. He completes me and has for like twenty one years! My babies... they sacrifice the most for this career. I promise to always strive to make it a fair balance of family and career. Maybe one day soon, I'll get there!

  Jacob Wilson.... What the hell! We did it. Well, we started it. We have so many more stories up our sleeves... (Even though your sleeve is more colorful than mine.... I like to think mines just as badass.... ok dumb analogy... but you get what I'm saying.) I still wonder how the hell this partnership worked so well. It has to be the fact that we're both so damn blatantly honest. I've never met someone with that quality and your wit. In fact the only other person even close... Is me... It makes for an interesting journey for sure. We are quite the power team and it makes me proud that we've made it this far. I can't wait to see what else we do!

  Golden.... Look at our boy! He's an author now! Who saw that coming? Thank you for giving me the best pictures in the industry... You have an eye that captures the exact feeling I'm looking for every time! I love ya and can't wait for so many more!

  Kellie.... You saved me. You fixed our shit. Editing is the worst thing I could imagine doing, yet you love it! Thank God, because my head can't even comprehend all the rules. Can't wait to see how big things really are in Texas... If I have anything to say... It will be giant!