Ink Inspired-epub

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “Hey, what’s up? What’s wrong?” He put his hand on her elbow, turning her toward him. She lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze. “Talk to me.”

  “You need to go, Shep.” The words were torn from her, bile rising in her throat yet again.

  He lifted her head with a finger on her chin. “Why, Shea? Why do I need to go?”

  “You…you have to leave. This has been fun. It really has, but I need to go back to my life. I’ve changed my mind about the tattoo. I don’t want it anymore. I don’t want you anymore.”

  She held back the tears, the agony unbearable.

  Pain flashed across Shep’s face before his expression went carefully blank. “What?”

  “I…I can’t be with you anymore. We’re different people. You’re so…you. So vibrant. So…Midnight Ink. I am ice. I’ve always been ice, and I will always be ice. You need to go, Shep.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about, Shea?”

  “You need to go, Shep. We can’t see each other anymore. It’s over.”

  He looked down at her, wearing that same expression he’d worn when she’d first asked for her tattoo at Midnight Ink.

  “No.”

  Chapter Seven

  “No,” Shep repeated, keeping the anger—the anguish—at bay. “No. You don’t get to do this.”

  “No? Why do you keep saying that? You can’t just say no and get what you want.” Her chin wobbled, and Shep clenched his jaw. Something was going on here, something more than fear of commitment or whatever he thought it might have been at first.

  No, this was something much worse.

  Shea was scared about something, and he’d be damned if he let her end it now because of it.

  “I said no in the shop because you had no fucking clue what you wanted inked on your body, Shea. It’s permanent. It’s not a fucking dress or some shit like that.”

  Her head snapped back as though he’d slapped her, and he took a breath through his nose. Shit. He hadn’t meant to lash out, but he was just so fucking angry that she was trying to leave him.

  He’d never wanted a committed relationship before, yet now he wanted one.

  With Shea.

  She didn’t get to leave.

  Not when he knew she wanted the same thing.

  Or least had wanted.

  “I know a tattoo isn’t a dress or pair of shoes, Shep. I’m not an idiot. Don’t treat me like one.”

  “Then don’t treat me like an idiot and lie to me. You’re leaving because you’re done with me? Fuck that. You’re lying. Now tell me what the fuck is going on.”

  She swallowed hard, his gaze following the long lines of her throat. “I’m done, Shep. I don’t want this.” Her voice broke, but she didn’t let the tears in her eyes fall. “Just go. Please.”

  He cupped her face, and she tried to move back. He tightened his grip, not enough to hurt, but to show her he wasn’t letting her go.

  Not without an explanation.

  Maybe not ever.

  “You don’t get to leave me, Shea. Not when I know you’re leaving because you’re scared. If you didn’t want me anymore? I’d know. You wouldn’t be on the verge of breaking down. Something scared you. What was it, baby?”

  She closed her eyes. “Let me go, Shep. I…I can’t do this. I can’t let you get hurt.”

  Hurt?

  “Tell me, Shea.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Is it your family?” Her eyes opened, and she nodded. Okay. He was getting warm. “You aren’t who your family is, Shea. You aren’t the person your mother wants you to be.” She flinched. “Baby, you’re so much fucking more. You’re a breath of fresh air and so fucking amazing that I want to find every single layer of your soul and wrap myself in it. I love you so fucking much, Shea. Can’t you see that?”

  Her breath quickened. “Don’t say that, Shep. You can’t mean that.”

  “Stop it. You don’t get to tell me how I feel. I love you. I’ve never loved anyone other than my family, so don’t tell me I’m wrong. I fucking love you.”

  “You’re trying to tell me how I feel!”

  “Because you’re lying to yourself! You aren’t the person your family thinks you are, or should be, Shea. You aren’t who you think you are.”

  She sighed.

  He was getting closer.

  “I want you, Shea. I want everything. I want the woman I went with on those nights. I want the woman in the prim dress and fuck-me heels. I want everything.”

  “Shep.”

  “No, let me finish. I want you to get that tattoo. I want to mark your body with your soul then mark you with me. I want you to look down at yourself and know I love you.”

  The tears started falling.

  “Then, baby, I want your brand on my body. I want you to look at me and know I love you.”

  “Shep.”

  “I want everything, Shea.”

  She pulled away and tried to go around him. He wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her close so her back rested against his front. He pressed his nose to her nose and inhaled.

  “Baby, tell me what’s wrong.”

  “I can’t.” Her voice shook, and he broke for her.

  “Baby, don’t be scared. I’ll be there to catch you, though you’re strong enough to catch yourself, too. You just have to believe it.”

  Silence, then a whispered, “I-I’m not strong enough. I’m a c-coward.” The tears fell in earnest now, and he turned her, crushing her to his body.

  He ran a hand down her back while murmuring his love and promises.

  “Baby, tell me what happened.”

  “My mother,” she whispered, her voice dead.

  His grip tightened. “Your mother?” What the fuck had the bitch done now?

  “She…” Shea stopped, took a deep breath, and tilted her chin until she met his gaze. “She told me that if I kept seeing you, she’d destroy you.”

  “Destroy me? What the fuck? Does she think this is some B movie or something?”

  Shea shook her head. “You don’t understand. My family has connections. No, not mob connections or anything.” She paused. “Actually, I don’t know if that’s true. But the thing is, they have money. Lots of money. Mother uses that money to get what she wants.”

  “And what she wants this time is to break us up.”

  Shea bit her lip. “That and more.”

  “Why do I not like the sound of more?”

  “She wants me to leave my job and meet Richard tonight.”

  “Richard. Your ex-fiancé, Richard?”

  “That’s the one. She says she’s paid him to marry me. She sold me to gain more influence for the family.”

  He hugged her tighter. “Oh, baby. I love you, but I want to fucking kill your mom.”

  “You’ll have to stand in line,” she mumbled.

  “Tell me about what she has on you for you to even consider this, Shea. I know you, baby. You left the family once, and yet you’re going to go back to them?”

  “Like I said. She’s going to destroy you.”

  “How? Honey, she doesn’t even know me. How can she destroy me?”

  “She’s going to have Midnight Ink shut down and make it so you can’t work. Then she’s going to hurt your family up in Denver, Austin and everyone. Shep, she’s done things like this in the past. She had my third grade teacher fired and her license revoked because the woman stood up to her when Mother wanted me to do different work than the kids whose parents had less money than us.”

  “Jesus. What a fucking bitch. How the hell did she do that?”

  “I don’t know. Money solves a lot of problems for her. Shep, I don’t want you to lose everything. I can’t let that happen.”

  He kissed her. Hard.

  When he pulled back, she looked up at him, her eyes dark.

  “No. She doesn’t get to do this. Fuck that. She might know people, but the people at Midnight Ink are even craftier than her. Fuck her. My family has influe
nce too, baby. Not the same as her, but enough that she can’t hurt us. I’ll find a way to keep us safe, baby. You don’t get to run from me in order to protect me. Got it?”

  “Shep. I won’t have her hurt you.”

  “Well, you don’t get to decide that.”

  “You tell me to be independent and fight for myself. That’s what I’m doing.”

  “No. You’re fighting for me and doing a fucked-up job of it.”

  “Well, fuck you!”

  Shep threw his head back and laughed.

  “This isn’t a time to laugh, Shep.”

  “Jesus, baby, you just told me to fuck myself. You, the one who doesn’t like using curse words except when I’m buried deep inside you.”

  A slow blush crept over her skin. “Stop bringing that up.”

  “Baby, you look beautiful when you come. You look beautiful every day. You do not get to leave me because your mom is a bitch. I’ll call a few guys at Midnight and get this taken care of. She doesn’t have the power she thinks she does. We’re not high up in the echelons of power. We’re down and dirty. She can’t play our game.”

  “You promise?” she asked, her voice so full of hope he broke for her.

  “I promise. Don’t leave me, Shea.”

  “I didn’t want to. I want to stay with you. I want it all too.” The last part was whispered.

  “Jesus I love you so much.” He kissed her hard then pulled back. “Do you have anything to say to me?” he teased.

  Shea smiled, the tears in her eyes now of happiness rather than the pain he’d seen before. “I love you so much. So freaking much.”

  “Damn straight, woman. Now, you have the office to yourself for a bit?”

  Shea frowned. “Yes. I’m alone today. Why?”

  “Because I’m going to fuck you on your desk while you’re wearing those pretty pink heels. Got a problem with that?”

  Her eyes darkened, and she squirmed in his hold. “Shep…”

  “Got a problem with that?” he repeated.

  “No,” she whispered.

  “Good. Take off your panties, Shea.”

  She gulped. “What about my skirt or shirt?”

  “I want to keep you dressed. Doesn’t that sound good? Me fucking you with us both dressed so when you go back to work later today, you’ll be wearing my scent?”

  She nodded and moved to slide down her panties.

  What a sight.

  Jesus.

  He undid his jeans and took his cock out. Then he took the condom out of his back pocket—something he always had on him since meeting Shea—tore the package open, and slid it over his length.

  “Bend over your desk, Shea.”

  She licked her lips and did what she was told. Her skirt was too long for him to see anything so he stood back and stroked his already hard cock.

  “Hike up your skirt. Show me that pretty pussy.”

  Her arms reached around, and she slid her skirt up to her hips, keeping her cheek to the desk. Hell, his woman knew what he wanted.

  The act left her ass and pussy bare for him.

  “Spread your legs a bit, baby. I want to see all of you.”

  She did so, her legs shaky in her high heels, but she looked damn gorgeous.

  Her ass was round, firm, yet with enough give that he always had a nice grip when he pumped into her. Her pussy was wet just from his voice, and he couldn’t wait to sink his cock into it. Usually, he’d eat her out and go slow, but right now, he wanted her around his dick.

  He stalked toward her and rested one palm on her ass. He moved and slapped it hard.

  “Shep.”

  “Never leave me again. Don’t even think about it. Not when it’s for something as stupid as what happened.”

  She nodded, and he soothed the spot he’d slapped. They didn’t play with spanking, other than a few here or there, but from the way she’d gasped when he did it, it would be something for them to look forward to in the future.

  He let the tip of his cock rest against her folds, and she sighed. She tried to push back, taking more of him, but he held her firmly.

  “Not yet, Shea. Let me control it.”

  “Anything, Shep.”

  God, he loved this woman.

  He positioned himself then slammed into her with one thrust.

  She arched back, a scream in her throat. Her pussy constricted around him as she came.

  “Jesus, Shea. You came with just one touch. You’re fucking hot, you know that?”

  “You do it to me, Shep. Now, please, fuck me. Make me yours.”

  Well, if that’s what she wanted.

  He pulled back slowly then entered her just as fast as he had before. He gripped her hips and fucked her hard, pumping into her as fast as he could. Sweat beaded his forehead as he fought to keep from coming.

  He didn’t want this to end.

  No, he wanted the image of Shea bent over her desk, his dick sliding in and out of her pussy, ingrained on his mind forever.

  His balls tightened, and he cursed before pulling out of her.

  “What?” she asked before he flipped her on her back and entered her in one stroke. “Oh,” she gasped.

  “I want to see your face when I come.” He tangled the fingers of one hand with hers, the other on her ass to keep her steady. She wrapped her legs around his waist, heels and all.

  He pumped into her as he kissed her, trailing his lips on every part of her he could reach. They were both still wearing clothes, and he knew as soon as he could, he’d strip them both so they could touch skin to skin.

  His dick throbbed, ready to explode, and he took her mouth one more time.

  “Love you, Shea.”

  “Love you, Shep.”

  He slammed once more into her, his come filling the condom as he groaned her name into her neck.

  “Best. Ever,” Shea panted.

  He grinned against her. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

  Epilogue

  “It rubs the lotion on its skin…”

  Shep froze, one hand on Shea’s side, the other on her bare bottom, keeping her in place. He repressed a shudder and closed his eyes.

  “Shea, baby, stop saying that every time I put lotion on your tattoo.”

  She twisted around so he could see her face. The action brought her breasts closer to him so he leaned down to lick one peak.

  He couldn’t help himself.

  Shea moaned and wiggled in his hold. He squeezed her ass then spanked her hard. “Keep still.”

  “You just spanked me!”

  “You keep making that creepy movie reference when I rub you down with lotion.”

  She snorted and shook her head. “Sorry. It just comes to mind whenever you’re lubing up my tattoo.”

  “And stop calling it lube. We’ve had to be careful for months so I wouldn’t hurt you when I fucked you, so don’t get me hard now.”

  Shea pouted, and Shep laughed. Oh yeah, he loved this new playful Shea. Sure, she could still be the ice princess when she needed to be, but whenever it was just the two of them, she was pure silk.

  Pure his.

  Together, they’d broken ties with Shea’s family for good. That damn mother had no idea who she’d been trying to mess with. The Montgomerys and the people of Midnight Ink did not bow to anyone. It had taken only a few calls and they had enough dirt on Mr. and Mrs. Little to bury them forever. It was amazing what money for drugs and the need for kink—kink that wasn’t within the boundaries of the law—could do to a family that prided themselves on being proper.

  Apparently being proper was only for the cameras.

  He’d chosen to keep that close to the vest though. There was no way he’d hurt Shea in the process of taking out her parents. He’d had the people at Midnight blackmail them. Yes, Shea knew everything to the last detail, even though she’d hated it, but nothing would blow back on her.

  The Littles relented, and Shea had broken free.

  She was free to be herself
, to be with him, and to get her ink.

  He ran a hand over the piece that had taken two very long sessions to complete. Shea had been a trooper, only wincing a couple of times before she fell into a rhythm with the buzz of the needle.

  Oh yeah, he totally fucking loved this woman.

  His finger traced the cherry blossom tree that ran up her entire right side and smiled. A branch curved under her breast and he knew that had hurt like a bitch, but she hadn’t complained. Another branch ran up to her shoulder so it peeked out of dresses she wore. The tree’s limbs tangled around the trunk and down across her hip, flowed across her lower back and ended right above her ass.

  Seriously, it was his best piece of work ever.

  Each bloom was a delicate form of pink, white, and shading.

  The cherry blossom symbolized the end of winter, a difficult time, or a journey that had taken its toll. They’d chosen the cherry blossom tree because of her change and the way she wanted to live life.

  Free.

  She blossomed without her family’s influence, so it was only fitting he’d done this for her.

  What made that tattoo perfect for them were the carvings within the trunk of the tree. He hadn’t gone for the normal fill and shading but had sketched markings that were special to them, leaving room in certain areas to add more when they occurred.

  There was a Celtic marking for joy right on her ribcage. He remembered her laugh, her smile, her pure joy on their first date while listening to the bands play.

  Another marking was Celtic for fearless. She’d run through the cemetery with him, jumped head first into his world, and brightened it for him. She’d gotten one of the largest tats he’d ever done on her first try because that’s who she was.

  The final marking was for freedom. That was the easiest thing to put on her body. She was finally free, though her freedom did come with him attached.

  Not that she minded.

  He rested his hand on her side and looked down at her. “I love you, Shea.”

  “I love you too, Shep. Though now that I’m fully healed, I’d love you more if you’d finally get down to business like you’ve been planning.”

  He threw his head back and laughed.

  “Shush you. I was going to ask you something. Stop getting me hard.” He looked down at his cock. “Or harder.”