Chapter Twenty-Two
Calli
It hurts. In fact, it’s so painful in some areas, I have to ask him to stop. Garrett is patient and understanding and gives me breaks when I need them. He even offers to stop, but I refuse.
I’ve thought long and hard about this. Ruby’s questions kept coming all day, to the point I had to give her some information. Not everything, telling her I don’t want to repeat it all to Sin.
She is impressed I tamed the beast. That is not the case. He’s still Garrett. Though he was different this morning. Softer. Even when he was making demands.
We’re taking another short break, and my eyes are closed, my hands on my stomach. I think I may have gone a little numb because it’s not hurting so badly when he isn’t tattooing. Or maybe it’s shock and my body has shut down my pain receptors. I’m not sure.
Garrett moves back over and my eyes pop open. He’s taken off his gloves. I’ve noticed he does that during each break and puts a fresh pair on to restart. It helped me relax further.
“You okay?” he asks. I nod. With his professional hat on, his eyes skim my body again, focusing on the tattoo. “There is about another twenty minutes to finish up. Think you can manage?”
He isn’t being sarcastic, he means it. He would stop with no questions asked if I say no. “I can do it,” I say, determined. I want to see the final image.
“Okay.” Garrett bends closer to check the tattoo.
It’s weird having him so close to me, yet not in the way I’m used to. When he looks up at me over the peak of my nipple, his eyes darken. His lips press to the underside of my breast. My breath sucks in, making my chest lift. Garrett takes it as an invitation and moves his lip over the mound and onto my nipple.
He took out the piercings, so he didn’t catch them while he is tattooing me. My hand drifts up to the back of his head and I grip his hair as he tongues my nipple. His hands are on either side of my body, only his mouth touching me.
“You don’t know how badly I want to fuck you on this bed,” he murmurs. “Seeing my ink on you,” he shakes his head, his base instincts warring with his mind. “But we need to get this finished.”
The change in his tone stuns me, drawing me out of the lust induced moment. He smirks when he sees the disappointment.
“Don’t worry, the night’s not over yet.”
“You’re awfully sure of yourself.”
He pinches my nipple. “This tells me all I need to know. Your body doesn’t lie, Vixen.”
No, it doesn’t. As he gets back to work, the pain is much easier to bear. All I can think about is Garrett peeling off my jeans and moving inside me. While he tattoos me. That’s a hell of a different type of fantasy scenario for me.
It would affect his ability to stay within the lines, so to speak.
I’m surprised when he straightens up, wiping at the ink, announcing it’s done. He uses a spray bottle that has a hint of an antiseptic smell about it to clean away the excess ink. Then he helps me sit up and after a few moments, down off the table.
We walk to the mirror together. Garrett stands behind me as I stare at the tattoo. All thought leaves my head. I barely notice my own naked boobs, too busy staring at the intricate perfect lines. The beautiful color pops and is so lifelike, I could pick it up.
I’m halfway surprised when my hand reaches out toward the mirror to touch it and laugh in embarrassment. My eyes meet Garrett’s in the mirror.
“It’s beautiful.”
He nods, his lips are tight and his jaw tense. Why is he so angry? His nostrils flare and I realize it’s not anger on his face. He moves his hands from my hips, gliding them over my waist and up to cup my breasts. He’s very careful not to touch the tattoo.
My heart thumps as I stare at his dark inked hands holding on to me, mixed in with the feel of his fingers feathering over my skin. It’s suddenly too hot in here.
He releases me and steps back. “Go back to the bed.”
The tone of his voice leaves no room for argument. With one last look at the tattoo, I turn and go back to the bed. My chest burns a little, but it’s not enough for me to call it a night and go home. I boost myself up and turn so that my legs fall over the edge.
Garrett walks over and my shoulders go back in anticipation, but he walks to the end of the bed. I watch as he adjusts the back rest, raising it up. As he walks past me, he grabs my legs and lifts them, turning me on the bed. He goes to stand at the end, his eyes trailing up the length of my body, lingering on the tattoo before he stares straight into my eyes.
That contact is broken when he pulls off his T-shirt and tosses it on a stool behind him. The room is silent, except for the brush of my jeans as Garrett runs his hands up my shins, smoothing around to my calves and under my knees.
Our eyes are locked the whole time, until, he grips the back of my thighs and pulls me. I fall back onto the bed but the head rest keeps me from going totally flat. Garrett nudges my thighs, making me spread my legs so he can lean over me and unbutton my jeans.
A memory of the last time I was in here, taking care of myself after he ran away, filters through my head. I snap out of it as Garrett drags my jeans down my legs.
He wastes no time running his hands up my bare legs and grabbing the sides of my underwear. The way he exhales as he stares between my legs, makes me hold my breath.
Garrett doesn’t say a word as he presses his thumb against my clit. My back bows at the firm pressure of his fingers pressing inside of me. His focused gaze remains on his hand as he turns it over, bending the two fingers he has inside of me, reaching a place I’ve never felt before.
The palm of his other hand smooths over my inner thigh and onto my hip, keeping me locked underneath him as he continues the steady rhythm of his fingers and thumb. My head tips back and before my eyes drift shut, I notice the camera on the ceiling.
Garrett notices my attention shifting and looks up at me, then he turns to see what I’m looking at. “It’s off,” he says. “I never have it on when I’m doing intimate work.”
Is it wrong to want him to turn it on? Somehow he’s become adept at reading what I’m thinking, his hand stills.
“You want to watch?”
I nod, not wanting to speak the words aloud. He leans back. The loss of his fingers makes me gasp. He grabs his phone, using the hand that wasn’t inside me, and pulls up the camera feed setting the phone on the counter, making sure the angle is right.
“I won’t record this,” he tells me.
Why is that disappointing? It’s a way to protect me and despite wishing I’d be able to watch it back, I appreciate what he is doing.
“Spread your legs, Vixen.”
My body is attuned to that voice now. I shouldn’t be so eager to do his bidding, but I need his touch, I’m desperate for it. He leans over, one hand on the bed and pushes back inside of me. Turning my head, I watch the camera as he fucks me with his fingers. The angle isn’t quite right to see his hand working inside of me but the movement of his arms, and my naked body spread out beneath him is more than enough for that intense pleasure to grow.
Garrett leans forward and works harder, deeper, his face a mask of pure, intense focus. A long moan pours from my mouth as my whole body locks and pleasure courses through me. I fight the urge to close my eyes and turn to watch myself come all over his fingers.
His hand withdraws, and he straightens. On the camera, I watch as he turns his head, staring at us on the tiny screen.
I’m sure I hear him curse but I’m still coming down from the climax. Garrett moves his fingers over my nipple, rubbing my release onto it. When he leans over, my eyes drift shut, unable to keep them open as he sucks and licks it all away.
Without warning, he grabs my hips and pulls so that my ass is at the end and my head is flat against the bed. Excitement ripples through me as I watch him on the phone, pulling his jeans and underwear down. Not all the way, but his taut, muscular ass is clear on the screen.
It’s almost a shock as he surges forward and pushes his cock all the way inside of me. There is no way to describe how it feels seeing it on camera and feeling it in my body.
“Look at me,” his command has me moving my head without argument. “You enjoy watching me fuck you?” I nod. He pushes in hard and pulls all the way back.
There is no way to stop myself watching. He leans over me to get more leverage and starts fucking me, and this time, we both watch. His ass muscles clench every time he thrusts, and that alone has me spiraling.
Garrett grabs my forearms and turns them over so my elbows are flat against the bed. He grips me tight, pinning them at my side. I grab on to his hips and he grunts as he pushes in harder, over and over.
He’s not looking at the camera anymore. His eyes are on me. I roll my head back to see him, and do everything within my power to keep my eyes open and locked on his.
The rhythm of his thrusts changes, slower for a few strokes, then harder, all the while he’s looking at my face. God, I wish I could kiss him, I want to pull him down to me, but my arms are still pinned to the bed. I’m at his mercy as his thrusts get more frantic.
It’s too much, his body slamming into me, the intensity on his face, the camera. Garrett groans and swears as I clamp down on him. My whole body seizes up as a pulse wave of pure pleasure races from where we are connected, to my head, making me dizzy.
Garrett presses inside and holds as his cock pumps. My eyes open and I watch on the screen, his back is bowed but his ass muscles tense as he holds himself in me and his release fills me.
His head drops, his forehead pressing against my stomach. We’re both breathless, chests heaving almost in sync. A soft kiss is pressed to my navel before Garrett straightens.
He stares at the tattoo between my breasts for a long moment as we catch our breath. The way he stares at it is so intense.
What is happening? There is no way to describe his expression. Finally he releases my arms and steps back. It’s a shame when he pulls up his jeans, his ass disappearing behind the fabric.
“Stay there,” he tells me.
Garrett has cleaned me up enough times for me to know that is what he’s doing. My eyes drift shut, my body spent. I barely flinch when he comes back with a wet cloth. I let him take care of me, listening as he washes his hands, then comes back to stand over me.
The coldness of the antiseptic spray makes me gasp. He’s cleaning the tattoo again. I hold my tongue as he finishes and then covers the tattoo. My voice still doesn’t come back as he helps me sit up and guides me off the bed, but I stay leaning against it. He leaves my bra but helps me into my T-shirt.
Why whenever I come to Blackhawk Ink, do I end up braless?
“You good?” he asks once I’m covered.
Again I nod, afraid to speak in case I say the wrong thing. I’m feeling things I shouldn’t be right now. It’s scaring me. This wasn’t what I intended when I left my old life behind. Garrett isn’t a safe space, he’s surly and rude and he can be a complete asshole when he wants to be.
My eyes shut as he cups my jaw. He takes it for the invitation I try not to let it be and kisses me. It’s not soft, reminding me of everything I told myself about him. He takes what he wants from my mouth. A stirring in my pussy makes me draw back, dipping my chin.
Silence rings out again and Garrett steps back. He goes to get his phone and turn off the camera. I wait, staring at the floor. As he finishes cleaning up, I slip on my sneakers and walk to the mirror, needing to see it again. The tattoo is beautiful, it’s difficult to see through the clear wrap. I have no regrets about getting it done.
My eyes meet Garrett’s in the reflection and I drop my shirt.
“How much do I owe you?” I turn around, sucking up the strange emotions.
“Nothing.”
“Garrett, I need to pay you.”
“I won’t take your money.”
“And I won’t take anything for free.”
“I talked you into it,” he says.
“You didn’t talk me into anything. If I didn’t want this, I would not have come here.”
We both go quiet, both reading into those words. It’s about more than the tattoo.
Garrett gets his wits about him before I do. He steps right up to me, making me tilt my head up. “You’re not paying. End of discussion.”
Huffing, I stop arguing.
“It’s late, I’ll take you home.”
Hiding my disappointment, I nod and go to move around him.
“I have to check on Phoenix.”
Oh. Right, those guys. “Will he be okay?”
Garrett looks at me in silence. When I think he will not tell me anything he speaks. “He isn’t in any danger. It’s…” he frowns. “Family.”
His meaning is clear. Phoenix has an issue with his brother. I swallow around a lump in my throat. Garrett cares a lot about his friends. Even when he’s being a prick, he is never mean to them. I decide to be brave.
“The name of the shop, it was the same as the name on the back of his jacket.”
“Yeah,” he lets out a long exhale and runs a hand through his hair. That’s when I notice the tattoo on his forearm. He doesn’t hide it when realization dawns.
Is he a member of a motorcycle club? I’ve never got that impression from either Garrett or Phoenix. The tension in the room when those guys were here was palpable.
One more secret.
Am I being stupid, getting in deeper with this man? He’s so closed off, even when he’s being open. He listened to me last night, took care of me and stopped me losing control over Jared and mom. The things I want to know, the questions that fill my brain, have to remain locked up.
Neither one of us says a word.
If he doesn’t want to tell me, I can’t force him. All I can do is back off. It scares the shit out of me that he’s burrowing inside of me, causing feelings I never wanted. Allowing my heart to get involved makes me the idiot.
“I work for the club but I’m not an active member.”
I’m so stunned that I stop breathing.
“It’s long and complicated and it’s too late to get into right now. I got drawn in when I was younger and started working here. The owner was a member. You should know that.”
Does that mean he wants to tell me more?
“Thank you for telling me.” My words are genuine. My mind is a complete muddle though.
Garrett surprises me by taking my phone off the counter where I left it earlier. He holds it to my face to unlock it, then taps around.
His phone buzzes from his back pocket. Did we just exchange numbers? Keep your shit together. Garrett hands me the phone back, waiting for me to say something.
“Thanks?”
He laughs, breaking the tension. “Come on.”
The ride seems to be over far too fast. I’m getting too comfortable riding on the back of his bike. Knowing what I now know about him and the motorcycle club, it hits a little different. It doesn’t make me want stop this.
I’m too confused to figure it out.
At my apartment building, he comes inside to make sure I get in safely. It seems a little overkill, but it’s nice he’s concerned about my safety. I’m not sure what this change is in him. My stupid heart is making more of it than I should.
A man gets off the elevator when the doors open. Garrett stiffens up beside me. God, he needs to relax, not everyone is a threat. I nudge him out of the way so the man can pass. That’s odd, he is staring at Garrett too. Do they know each other?
The man carries on without a word. Perhaps he’s intimidated. Garrett is scary when you don’t know him. I give him a quizzical look as he watches the man leave the building. When he sees, he shrugs and looks away sheepishly.
Part of me says he has no right to be jealous, but another is excited. At my door, he stands right behind me as I unlock it. It’s not like he is about to kiss me goodbye so I step inside.
“Lock the door.”
“I always do.”
He stares, waiting for me to do it. With a roll of my eyes, I close the door. Then lock it. The doors are sturdy but I still hear him walk away, his heavy boots thumping on the thin carpet. Leaning my back against the wall I stare at the framed drawings.
I learned a lot about him tonight, there is more to know. He gave me his number, he told me about a piece of him he doesn’t like. In Garrett world, that has to mean a lot.
Stop it, Calliope. I need a reality check, big time.
It’s time for a talk with the girls.
I had to get away from my apartment so we’re at Sin’s place. When I asked to meet up, she agreed far too eagerly, calling me a multitude of rude names for avoiding her. Even if it meant late afternoon drinking after Ruby and I shut up the coffee shop.
Jericho doesn’t live with her, a fact that confounds everyone given how close they are. The place is all ours. Sin made two jugs of margaritas, which we’ve been throwing back while we caught up on Jericho’s family.
The tension is building. It’s shocking Sin has lasted this long.
“Okay, we’re caught up enough, and missy over there is going to be too smashed to keep up if you don’t start talking.”
“Hey,” Ruby pouts at Sin’s assessment.
“You’re a lightweight, Rubes. Don’t try to deny it.”
“You’re too heavy-handed with the tequila,” she rolls her eyes. “And I am fine.”
“Best margaritas in Maryland,” Sin points a finger gun at Ruby. “However, back to my sneaky little friend over here,” she leans both elbows on the counter and rests her chin on one palm. “Did you think you were going to get away without telling us you’ve been getting dick from one of the hottest, but most closed off, grumpy ass men I’ve ever met?”
“Nope, nothing gets past you, Sinclair.”
Ruby giggles.
“After that encounter at Shane’s party, you said you were too embarrassed to face him again, so what gives?”
“What encounter?” Ruby asks, her head bouncing back and forth.
“Miss ‘Nosy Pants’ snooped, and Garrett caught her sneaking a peek at his drawings. He got mad, then he got horny, kissed the shit out of her almost gave her a five-finger thrill, then got mad again and ran off.”
“He did not?” Ruby looks to me to clarify.
“That is a very simplified version. There was no five fingers.”
“You wanted there to be,” she smirks.
This was never going to be straightforward. I fill Ruby in on what Sin already knows. Both of them laugh their asses off when I recount the full story of the camera and my embarrassing moment. At least I can laugh about it now.
“Okay, so that happened. When was the first fuck-fest? I’m assuming that happens with a man like him. Please don’t let me down by telling me he’s a dud.”
“He’s not a dud,” I say.
Sin’s brows shoot up her forehead. “Was it that night at the pub? When you disappeared on us, and I had to tell everyone you got your period and needed to leave?”
“What the hell?” I toss the first thing I can find on the counter at her. Practically everyone from Blackhawk was there that night. And that is what she told them.
Sin knocks the ice cube tray before it can hit her, and it clatters to the floor. “What was I supposed to say?”
“Oh, I don’t know, she was ill, she got a call to say her apartment was on fire… something that was not, she got her period .”
She smirks. “What would be the fun in that? Come on, out with it. Was that when it started?”
“No. It was a few days after the accident, with the bike.”
“That was weeks ago,” Sin accuses me. “You’ve kept this to yourself for over a month. Oh, you are so losing your best friend card. Calliope, how could you not tell me about this.”
Ruby looks over at me, a surprised smile curving her lips. “I didn’t know that was your name. Kuh-li-oh-pee,” she says, pronouncing my name the way Sin did. “Isn’t that a Greek Goddess?”
“Mom was into Greek mythology for a hot minute. You have no idea how often I had to spell out my name. It’s why I go by Calli.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Off topic,” Sin glares at us both. “The fucking started ages ago and was not discussed.”
“It just happened,” I finish my drink and grab the jug. Ruby holds out her glass to be topped up too. She is a total lightweight. She isn’t giving me shit though, so I like her.
I explain the torrential downpour and the trip to my apartment.
“That’s kind of romantic.”
“It’s sordid,” Sin disagrees. “Afternoon delight? Didn’t know you had it in you, babe. I love it. So, how is the sex?”
“Sin.”
“What? I’ve told you about every guy I’ve ever slept with.”
“Difference is, I didn’t ask.”
She waves a hand as if that is irrelevant. “It’s the law, right Rubes, you gotta dish the deets, spill the tea. Fill. Us. In. What is his dick like?”
Ruby giggles again. “Enquiring minds would like to know.”
I give Sin the side-eye, but she grins. She’s corrupted Ruby. I don’t believe for a second that would have been Ruby’s first or even third question about my involvement with Garrett.
“It’s fine.”
“Fine? Sunshine on a cloudy day is fine. Jericho’s mom’s cooking is fine,” she pauses. “Actually, her cooking is pretty shit, but don’t tell Jer that. Come on, don’t disappoint us. It’s girl law. You wanted this talk.”
“Okay,” I take another long sip of my drink. Sin makes a mean margarita. And I’m not that far behind Ruby. Which is the only reason I say this.
“It’s the best dick I ever had. And he knows how to use it,” I add, pointing at Sin with my glass. Ruby hoots and slaps the table.
“I thought he might,” Sin winks.
“He calls me Vixen.”
“That’s hot,” Ruby says with a frown. “No one ever called me a name like that.”
“What else?”
“What do you mean ‘what else?’”
“There has to be more to it than great dick,” Sin says. “You don’t want a man, it’s all you’ve said since you got here. You’ve gone back for seconds, or thirds.”
After a moment of hesitation, I smirk back at her. “He has a Jacob’s ladder.”
Sin screeches.
Ruby wobbles on her stool and almost knocks over her drink. Her eyes are wide as she grabs the glass. I reach over to grab her arm so she doesn’t fall off the stool. Once she’s steady and I’ve stopped laughing, she grips my arm.
“As in he has piercings, down there ?”
Katja did fill us in on the myriad of piercings she’s done over her career.
While I was busy saving Ruby, Sin has been searching the web. Fortunately, it’s not an actual dick pic when she holds up the phone for us to see. It’s a banana with six piercings through it. Which is weird. Oddly obscener than the real thing.
“It’s nothing like that ,” I make a face.
“I should hope not,” Ruby raises her glass at me. “Although that is very large,” she eyes me.
“They’re alike in that sense,” I tease.
“Holy shit,” Sin holds out a fist.
It’s stupid and immature, but I’ve had enough alcohol to brush it off. I fist pump my best friend. She’s bursting with pride.
“Like, are you guys dating now? I mean he came to the coffee shop to take you on a date.”
“It wasn’t a date,” I tell them.
“Hold up,” Sin raises a finger. “I’m still hung up on the piercing part of this story. Did it hurt? Or is it like the nipple thing? Did it make everything better?”
“No, it was good. Different. But Garrett is also very skilled.” The girls both laugh. I eventually join them. “In answer to your question, Ruby. No, we’re not dating. Actually,” I twirl the glass between my hands, looking into the dregs of my third margarita. “I’m not sure what it is.”
“What do you want it to be?” Sin asks. The mood in the room changes.
“I’m not looking for a boyfriend.”
“He doesn’t strike me as boyfriend material,” Ruby says.
She’s not wrong. I guess I don’t hide the disappointment all that well because they both give me sympathetic looks. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“You were with him again last night, though. Right?” Ruby asks.
“Ah, yeah.”
“What is that?” Sin frowns.
“What is what?”
“That look on your face. That is your guilty face. What did you do? And don’t lie. You forget I know you. Something happened last night.”
I followed the instructions Garrett gave me as we were leaving the shop and took off the wrap a couple of hours after I got home. Who could sleep after what we did last night? I washed it and added the cream he gave me.
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve looked at it in the mirror today. Astonished at my choice to let him tattoo me. Especially when I’d been so adamant it would never happen.
Against my will, I imagined Jared’s face seeing it. The tattoo and the small crystal hearts in my nipples. I might have gone a little crazy and bought a selection from Katja.
The redness has faded, but I took painkillers this afternoon because it hurt.
“He er… Well, I went to the shop last night and. I kind of… got a tattoo.”
“You never,” Ruby gasps. “Oh wow. Can we see it?”
Sin is staring at me like I’m an alien. Ruby gets off her stool and comes over. My tank top has a built-in support, which is a lot more comfortable than wearing a bra, even though I tried. I do need to control my boobs, they’re not exactly small.
With the two women watching on, I lift up the hem of my shirt and pull it up. Careful to keep my nipples covered, sue me if the only person I feel like showing them to is the man who did the tattoo. I hold it so they can see where the tattoo goes up between my boobs and curves beneath.
“Holy mother,” Ruby bends down. “Calli, that’s beautiful. I wish he tattooed me now. Although I love what Sumner did. This is exquisite,” she babbles on. “Look at those fine lines and that color really makes it pop. It’s like a heart. Calli. Do you love it?”
“Yeah, I do,” I murmur, my eyes are locked on Sin. She still hasn’t said a word.
Ruby senses the change in me and turns to look at Sin.
Does she hate me? She was the one encouraging me to get a tattoo when they all did. She is the one who wants me to move on from Jared and everything else that happened. I don’t get it.
Then a tear falls over her lashes. She brushes it away. Holy hell. I move around Ruby and Sin hops off her stool. She pulls me into the tightest of hugs. Who cares if she is crushing me. I love this woman. I’ve always had her support and her kindness in getting me away from my nightmare, making me a part of her circle.
“I’m so proud of you,” she whispers.
“You saved me,” I say back.
Sin holds me at arm’s length, her eyes watery. “No honey, you saved yourself.”
“It would never have happened without you.”
Sin shakes her head. “You called me. You took the first step.”
“We were amazing together, right?”
“I can live with that.”
“What does a new friend have to do to get in on this action?”
Sin waves her arm, and Ruby comes over to join in the hug. Cliché it might be, I’ve never been happier than I am right now. Until….
“Okay, operation tame Garrett Larkin is underway, ladies.”
Ruby and I exchange a glance. Uh oh.
“No,” I tell her.
“Trust me. I can be subtle.”
“Hopefully better than me,” Ruby laughs.
There is no point arguing when we’re all a jug deep in margarita. I’ll stop her in her tracks tomorrow. Even if a part of me wonders what it would be like.
Garrett won’t be easy to convince. As Sin plots, I try not to let myself believe she can do it.