Chapter Four
Calli
The following Friday, Sin meets me and Ruby at the pub across from the coffee shop. I didn’t go back to the real estate office. I filled in my application then stayed and talked to Ruby for a while. I did call to say something came up, and I’d speak to them the next day, chickening out of quitting then and there.
When I explained to Ruby what I’d done, she laughed her ass off. I didn’t tell her the reason why I had that job, or why I’d moved all my worldly belongings across the country. All Ruby cared about was gaining an experienced staff member.
Usually, they hire college kids but they never last, hence why they’re so short staffed with the summer break coming up. I assured her I won’t walk out, even if I did at my other job.
It’s hard work, being on my feet all day, arriving at work at seven each morning. We close at four, so it isn’t all bad. But it is the end of my first full week in Baltimore and Sin wants to do something.
I really like Ruby, she’s quirky and has a mouth on her that I took no offense to whatsoever. I know she’ll get on with Sin.
The place we go is a traditional English pub. The bar is long and mahogany, there are lots of alcoves as well as open areas, all with seats slotted in, some close together, others more private. I love the layout, it isn’t exactly the style I would design but there is something timeless about it.
There is a carpet on most of the floors except by the bar where it’s exposed wood. Edison lamps hang from the ceiling and uplighter wall lamps give the whole place an ambient glow.
It’s busy because it's happy hour on a Friday night. I love it as soon as we step in.
Ruby gets us a corner table in a small alcove by the fireplace. It isn’t lit, it’s too warm for that right now but I imagine it is amazing in winter.
Sin orders us three pints of Guinness. I frown but she assures me I’ll love it. I set my glass down on the cardboard coasters bearing the pub’s name.
“God, you have no idea how I have longed for this moment,” Sin sips her drink, eyes closed.
I exchange a glance with Ruby at the noises she is making, and we burst out laughing. Sin doesn’t give a shit, encouraging us to try the drink. It’s unique, sweet and bitter, and almost reminds me of coffee.
I shrug when Sin asks what I think and take another sip. I’m not gonna run out and buy bottles of it, but it’s not gross.
This is nice, being here with them. I work so hard, by the time I get home, all I want to do is flop on the sofa and watch TV. I am procrastinating. I still haven’t fully unpacked and haven’t been out to explore the neighborhood.
A number of times I have punished myself looking up news reports. It’s still big news in San Antonio, the demise of my firm, my family. The trial is still talked about, even now it’s all over.
Maybe this isn’t the life I envisioned for myself, but it’s the life I have. I cut off all ties with anyone back home, changed my phone number and deleted all my social media. No one except my lawyer knows where I am, and I intend to keep it that way.
I move on to cider while Sin and Ruby get another Guinness. I crack a joke about their shit coming out black that has Ruby’s nose wrinkling and Sin cackling. We always had a gutter sense of humor. I’d lost that a little over the last few years, but it’s coming back easily.
Nature calls and I get up to use the bathroom. The floors are sticky, and the hand dryers don’t work but the cubicles are clean, with plenty of toilet paper and the soap smells good. It all adds to the charm.
When I make my way back to the table, there are two women and a guy with Sin and Ruby.
The guy is standing, leaning his shoulder against the stained-glass divider between our corner and the seats behind it. He’s cute, blonde and covered in tattoos, but he’s young. He barely looks old enough to be drinking the beer in his hand.
One of the women is in my seat. She has a huge grin on her face as she listens to something Sin is telling her. She is also covered in tattoos, all visible with her thin strapped top. She has a red band around her hair in a huge bow tilted to the side of her head. Kind of like the woman in the famous J Howard Miller war poster, proclaiming women are helping during World War Two. She’s cute as a button, tiny and her laugh is loud.
The other woman is dressed head to toe in a long black dress, the sleeves down to her wrists so it’s hard to tell if she has any tattoos. There are a lot of piercings on her face and her hair is bright white. An interesting group of people for sure.
“Oh hey, sorry I stole your seat.”
“No, it’s fine,” I hold up a hand, reaching for my drink.
“This is Calli,” Sin points to me. “Calli this is Lucky,” she points, and the perky dark-haired girl waves. “Katja.” The white-haired woman gives me a shy smile. “And that hunk is Shane.”
He tips his chin and winks at me. Way obvious in how he checks me out.
“Oh, this girl is way too smart and too hot for the likes of you,” Lucky slaps Shane’s arm.
His cheeks turn pink, but he straightens up and gives me a boyishly flirty smile. He grabs me a stool, even though I protest and tell Lucky again she doesn’t need to get up.
Shane disappears after that, leaving us to chat. Sin tells me they all work at Blackhawk Ink, a few doors down the block. I glance at all of Lucky’s tattoos.
“I know, total cliché right?” she laughs.
“Are you a tattooist?”
“No,” she widens her eyes. “I would totally ruin people if they gave me a tattoo gun. I work reception. Katja is our piercer, she doesn’t tattoo either. Shane is an apprentice. The rest of them are around here somewhere,” she waves behind us.
“How’s Phoenix?” Sin waggles her eyebrows.
Lucky scowls, then shrugs it off with a laugh. I didn’t miss it. Whoever Phoenix is, something about him is under her skin. “Phoenix is Phoenix. He’s probably got some woman cornered.”
“He’s not like that,” Sin shakes her head. She looks at me. “Phoenix is a tattooist and her ex.”
Ah, that makes sense. I give her a sympathetic look. It has to be hard working with an ex.
“It’s not like that,” Lucky tells me. “We’re friends.”
“Really?” Ruby asks.
“Yeah, we even go on double dates,” she adds and picks up her glass. I exchange a glance with Sin but neither of us comment.
Turns out Jericho is a regular customer at Blackhawk Ink, which is how Sin got to know everyone there. We discuss tattoos and Ruby begrudgingly admits she has an ex’s name on her hip and can no longer wear a bikini because she hates people seeing it.
“You should come in and get it covered up,” Lucky says. “Any one of the guys could do something amazing for you. Even Shane, I mean he’s still an apprentice, but Garrett won’t have anyone in the shop who isn’t good at what they do.”
“Who is Garrett?” I ask.
“He owns the shop. Phoenix is his business partner. He’s a good guy.”
“He scared the shit out of me for months,” Katja says.
“He’s a pussycat,” Lucky laughs. “He doesn’t talk so much. You get used to him.”
“What would you get to cover it up?” Katja asks. “Although heaven knows why you got someone’s name, that is like a huge no, no.”
“I know,” Ruby slaps a hand over her face. “But I was seventeen and in love.”
We all laugh and go over our own stupid teenage love stories. Then Sin has a really dumb idea.
“Let’s all get one,” she shouts.
“No,” I shake my head. “Not happening. No offense,” I glance at Lucky.
“None taken sweets, they’re not for everyone.”
“I do like looking at them, but I couldn’t get one.”
“Scared?” Sin asks, giving me a narrow-eyed stare over the top of her glass. “You should get one, for a new beginning.”
“New beginnings and new tattoos aren’t the same thing, Sinclair.”
Lucky’s eyes pop open wide. “That’s your real name? That is so beautiful, you should go by that.”
Sin pulls a face. “Only my grandma calls me Sinclair. She’s a cranky old witch who hates me.”
Lucky laughs. I think I’ve got away with it until they bring up tattoos again. I shake my head even harder, that is not my thing.
“What about a piercing?” Katja asks me.
Touching the small diamond studs that I’ve worn forever, I frown at her.
“Not your ears,” she laughs.
“Where then?”
Katja shrugs. “There are all kinds of different places you can get pierced.”
“Like your nipples,” Sin shrieks.
People at the surrounding tables turn and I cringe, my face turning red. I’m not a prude but I don’t need people talking about my boobs, thanks all the same.
“I had mine done,” Lucky says with an encouraging smile. “Best thing ever. And shit does it drive men wild.”
“I have no desire to drive anyone wild, or stick needles through my nipples.”
“You have to choose,” Sin says. “Tattoo or piercing.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re gonna book in and have a party at Blackhawk Ink.”
Lucky cheers and clinks glasses with her. I glance at Katja.
“It hurts for a few seconds but honestly, of all my piercings, that was the best. And not just for guys, if you know what I mean,” she winks.
“Where else are you pierced?” Ruby asks, wide-eyed as she takes in the hardware in Katja’s face.
None of it takes away from how pretty she is. People probably judge her for it, the same way some of the people here have been eyeing Lucky’s tattoos. Although I only met these two women tonight, it’s like I’ve known them longer. I’ve been lucky enough to find a good group.
When I first made the decision to move to Baltimore and be closer to my best friend, I’d been terrified I’d end up alone. I should have known Sin wasn’t about to let that happen.
“Well, all of this,” Katja indicates her face and ears. “My belly button, nipples,” she pokes out her tongue showing a silver ball. “And clitoral hood.”
We all wince, even Lucky, and Sin bursts out in shocked laughter. That queues up all manner of questions.
Including Ruby asking, “What about if you have sex with a guy who has his dick pierced, could you end up locked together?”
“No,” Katja laughs.
“Your clit,” Ruby leans back, looking somewhere between intrigued and ill.
“The hood,” Katja clarifies. “A VCH, they’re the most popular. I don’t recommend an actual clitoris piercing to be honest, and a lot of people can’t even get one. The glans on some women isn’t big enough to take the jewelry. I’ve only ever done it once, and that was because she already had one previously which closed up. I wouldn’t recommend it.”
“What’s VCH?” I ask.
“Vertical clitoral hood. It’s the most common and the most fun,” she winks. “Nipple piercings can be as stimulating. It’s not something you go into lightly. They do have benefits, and I have some really pretty jewelry.”
“Oh my God,” Ruby’s face is flushing now.
“Worth it,” Lucky says.
I can’t help but glance down. Lucky pushes her chest out and I can see the very faint outline of something beneath the fabric of her top and bra. I widen my eyes too.
“I’m not kidding. Show a guy your nipples are pierced, and I swear they lose their minds. Some of the best sex of my life was after I got them done. So sensitive.”
We laugh and drink more and the conversation moves on, but I can’t stop thinking about it.
Piercing my nipples? That is not me. Am I me anymore? God, I’ve had too much to drink if that is the kind of question I’m asking myself.
Then again, this is a new start. Not that I’m planning on finding a new guy, men are the last thing on my mind, but Katja explained the pleasure isn’t only for men.
She had Ruby practically hiding under the table when she told us how much fun she had on her own with her nipple jewels.
It’s nearing midnight and we’re all pleasantly drunk when Shane and one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen come over. He only has eyes for Lucky and helps her when she wobbles off her chair.
Sin catches my eye and mouths, ‘ Phoenix’ at me. I look at them again, wondering why in the hell they aren’t still together. They are so cute.
“Clear your diaries for next Tuesday,” Lucky shouts.
“What for pint size?” Phoenix asks her.
Sin fans herself at his nickname for Lucky. I can’t stop staring at Phoenix. No one has introduced him, but I don’t think that matters. He is all about Lucky.
“The girls are all coming for tattoos and Calli is getting pierced.”
“I’m not.”
“Awesome,” Shane says. “You can’t just clear the diary though.”
“I manage the diary,” Lucky reminds him. “Come on girls, we had such a good time talking about it, let’s do it! I’ll get another one. Shane, you can do it.”
“No fucking way,” Phoenix snarls. “You get inked, me or Garrett do it.”
Lucky glares at him, then waves him off. “Whatever.”
“I’m in,” Sin says with a shrug, she elbows Ruby and pointedly looks at her hip.
“Okay, me too,” she says. She’s drunk, I’m not sure she will be agreeable in the morning.
Then all eyes turn to me. Fucking hell. How can I say no? Although it doesn’t have to be my nipples, it could be my belly button. Yeah, I’ll do that.
I find myself nodding and everyone cheers. Phoenix laughs and says he’ll see us soon and everyone from Blackhawk Ink leaves.
“I can’t believe you,” I say to Sin.
“Come on, it’s an adventure. And you need some of that in your life right now.”
Ruby is swaying in her seat, singing along to the music. I get up. “We need to take her home.”
“Not before you agree,” Sin points at me. “Don’t agree and back out, you have to swear it.”
“Sin…”
“If I can get a tattoo, you can get pierced,” her eyes drop to my boobs, and she grins.
“Oh my God, quit that.”
“Come on, please, say you’ll do it.”
Ruby starts in on me too. Bitches. Fine.
“Okay, shut up about it.”
Sin cheers.
When I finally get home and flop into bed, I stare at my breasts for a minute. I’m a C cup and they’re high and firm, fortunately. I exercise regularly, working on my chest muscles so I’ve got great breasts.
I pop one out and look at the nipple. It pebbles in the cool air, and I try to imagine metal poking through it. Is it really that attractive? Lucky and Katja seem to think so. I’m sure they weren’t doing it to drum up the business. They meant it.
The thought of getting my clit, or anywhere down there stabbed with a needle makes my skin crawl and my legs clamp together. It’s bad enough going for a physical at the doctor’s office, never mind having someone between your legs shoving a needle in your most sensitive part.
I shudder again. No thanks, I am not going there . But, nipples?
“Urgh, God,” I groan glancing at my boobs again. “What am I thinking?”
Clearly not straight because after looking up pleasure from piercings, I start to think it might not be so bad. I avoid the horror stories. I’m sure Katja is good at what she does, and she’ll take care of me.
Jesus. I’m going to do this.
Jared would hate it. He’d tell me it was cheap and disgusting and only dirty women got their nipples pierced. He always looked down on anyone who wasn’t like him. A rich, self-centered jerk.
Of course, I only saw that during the demise of our relationship, when my perfect husband and my perfect life blew up in my face.
He stifled me. And now I’m here, because of him.
I’m not doing it for him. I’m not even doing it to spite him. I’m going to do it because after all that talk and laughter, it feels right.
I’m not brave enough to get a tattoo. At least with a piercing, if I don’t like it, I can take it out and it will close over. That won’t happen with a tattoo.
Then again, this could all be the alcohol talking.
“Fuck it,” I flick my nipple then groan, tucking my breast away, pulling the covers up over my head.