Chapter 13 CRANE
THIRTEEN
CRANE
It’s been a few days since I moved in with Kai and his family, but it’s impressive how much better I feel being away from my shithead of a dad.
It’s three in the afternoon, and Kai is still going on about Sierra and Jaden.
“He’s a cunt.”
I lift my eyebrows in response, wondering how we’re back on the same line of conversation that we’ve already chewed over twice.
“Dude. Why do you even care? She’s just doing it to piss you off now,” I tell him with a shrug. “You know what Jaden’s like.”
Kai scowls at me from his position on the sofa.
“Yeah, but where’s his fucking respect? That’s my sister.”
It’s pointless trying to argue with Kai when he’s decided he’s pissed about something.
“Would you fuck his sister?” I ask, tossing a gaming controller his way.
Maybe fucking up some zombies will help.
“Has he got one?” Kai looks at me with a smirk. “Cus’ yeah; I will.”
We lose ourselves in the game for a while before the door opens, and Sierra walks in with her usual cloud of drama.
“Ugh. I hate school. Tell me again why you guys choose to go to college?”
She’s in a tiny skirt with a tight tank, all pouts and messy hair.
I force myself to stare at the screen, preferring the blood and gore to the temptation that is Sierra.
“Dunno, ask Jaden,” Kai replies stiffly, barely paying her any attention.
Sierra huffs, slamming around in the fridge before dragging out a carton of milk.
“Eat shit.”
I roll my eyes as they bicker back and forth, concentrating on the game.
Sierra flops onto the sofa, her long legs hanging over the side.
“How was your date?” Kai continues, his voice dripping in disgust.
I refuse to show that I’m paying attention, but my ears prick up when Sierra laughs.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Don’t come crying to me when he screws you over.” Kai snarks back, his fingers smashing against the controller. “Cus’ he will.”
“Kai, shut up; I’m bored of your unhealthy interest in my sex life.”
“Fucking hell, can you two stop?” I snap, pissed off that they’re still carrying on with this. I push my controller away, jumping to my feet as I catch Sierra staring at me with her wide eyes, her brows knitting together as she studies me like she’s trying to read into my soul.
I don’t want to be around the bitterness between them, and I’m not about to start being the middleman.
“Sorry, man…” Kai mumbles, dropping his controller to the floor. “Wanna head out?”
I nod, wanting nothing more than to get out of my mind.
Why am I always surrounded by negativity?
As though he reads my mind, Kai shoots a scowl at his sister before heading to the door, tugging on his Nikes.
“Let’s go.”
I can feel Sierra’s eyes burning into mine, but I shake my head, refusing to answer her silent question.
“Should we head to campus? Someone will be partying tonight,” Kai remarks over his shoulder as we climb into his car. “I’m sorry about Sierra; she can be a little bitch.”
I shrug, not wanting to talk about it anymore.
“Whatever, I just want to fucking relax.”
Staring out of the window, I feel bad for leaving Sierra in the house on her own, wondering what’s wrong with me.
“Have you heard from your ma?” Kai asks, speeding down the road.
I crank the window down, tapping the roof with my fingertips. The wind soothes me, but I know the only thing that’ll really work is whiskey or something equally dark.
“Yeah, she’s alright.”
Kai tries to talk some more but soon picks up on my mood.
The one thing that's awesome about Kai is his ability to know when to leave me alone, and now is one of them.
I barely register where he parks the car, I just blindly follow him as we speak to random guys and girls on campus.
I perch on the bench beside Kai as he sweet talks some geek into giving him her number, my eyes falling on the most beautiful inked ship I’ve ever seen.
It’s tattooed onto the bronzed skin of what looks like a walking angel, and I wonder how her dainty leg didn’t shatter beneath the pressure of the needle.
Seriously, is this chick a doll?
My eyes move further up her thigh, catching sight of a skull with roses for eyes, a ripped black skirt hiding the rest of her skin from me.
“Have you seen enough?” a throaty voice asks, calling my attention to her mouth.
Nude glossy lips. Nude glossy pierced lips.
“Nice ink.” I nod at her leg as her eyes follow my gaze, her fingers scraping the ice white hair away from her face.
“Done by the best,” she says proudly.
I cock my head with interest as she reaches down to her torso, sliding the skin tight tank top up to reveal a naked woman on a bed of roses on her stomach. Thorns cut into the woman’s skin, droplets of violet blood spilling around her, while the roses seem to caress her skin.
“Huh.” I beckon her closer, wanting to examine the blood in detail. “Why violet blood?”
The girl looks impressed by my question, and she grins, revealing a decent-sized gap in her teeth.
“Because why the fuck not? I bleed unicorn blood, baby.”
I can’t help but grin back, and the woman gazes at me with interest.
“You got any?”
I sigh at my answer.
“Nah. I want them though.”
“Them?” The woman nods enthusiastically, leaning closer to study me. “A boy that wants a fuck load of ink, I respect that.”
A boy?
“Crane.” Kai waves at me, walking backward as he follows a group of pretty girls. “Let’s go.”
“Heather.”
The woman thrusts her hand out, and I can’t help but notice the name Rafe tattooed across four fingers.
“Who’s Rafe?” I drawl, still holding her hand until she whips it back.
She isn’t Sierra, but she’ll do.
“The man who changed me from a blank canvas to this.”
I nod, rising to my feet.
“Wanna meet him?” Heather continues, glancing at Kai. “Bring your friend if you want.”
“Where?” I dream of a dirty bar where I can drink whiskey and get inked whilst this woman sucks me off.
Heather laughs.
“At his studio, of course. He has his own parlour.”
“Yeah? Where?”
I’m invested now, and even Kai has given up on the girls to come and join us.
He casts a glance over Heather, shrugging at me when he thinks she’s not looking.
“Downtown, I’m getting a ride but I can give you the address.”
Heather tugs out a tattered business card, holding it out from beneath black nails.
“See you there.”
Kai watches as she strides away, his eyes widening.
“She looks like fun.”
I study the card.
Ink Station.
For the first time in a long time, I smile. A real, genuine smile.
“The fucking Ink Station?” I whistle.
I’d been past it many times, but there was no way I could afford a session with any of the artists there.
Kai laughs, shaking his head as a black motorbike pulls up with one heavily tattooed guy nodding at Heather. He glares at me until she hops onto the back, blowing us a kiss before sliding her arms around his waist.
“Uber to the Ink Station then?” Kai pulls his phone out of his pocket, and I chuckle.
“Yeah, man. Why the fuck not?”
Downtown is a hub of bodies, mainly students who want to get wrecked.
Like me.
“There it is. The Ink Station.” Kai whistles, nodding at the building across from us, the black bike Heather had disappeared on earlier commanding our attention.
“That bike is sick,” I mumble, dragging a hand through my hair.
The exterior of the shop looks like a coffee shop, all floor-to-ceiling windows with what looks like fishnets on the glass, preventing you from seeing inside clearly.
A neon sign screams the name Ink Station, and the door is a myriad of tattoo designs behind thick protective glass.
A burly guy is smoking outside, watching us warily.
“His beard is bigger than your dick.” Kai snorts with laughter as we move inside.
“That’s not what Lorena said,” I counter, watching as Kai makes a face at me.
Fucker.
As we walk in, the woman from campus emerges from the back, gathering her hair into a bun on her head. Kai and I exchange looks when she bends forward to examine a thick book, dragging her nail down it as she bites on her fingernail.
Okay, so she’s fucking sexy.
“You’ve got Yoki here in ten, babes.” Heather yawns, stretching her arms over her head as her eyes land on us. “Oh, hey, guys! Let me get Rafe.”
I baulk, wondering if she means Rafe Deacon, the fucking god of tattooing designs.
Surely not.
He owns this place?
Heather turns, walking straight into a man who is watching us with interest.
“Two blank canvases?”
Heather turns back to us, her eyes glittering with excitement.
“This is Rafe. The creator of...all that you see on me.”
My heart thuds in my chest when I realise I’d wanted Rafe Deacon’s girl to suck my dick.
I would’ve been killed.
Kai arches a brow as Rafe smirks, not taking his eyes away from us.
“Only because you inspire me, baby.”
Heather reaches up to tug him down to her lips, and all dreams of her sucking me off leave the building.
“My wife said you want tattoos?” Rafe says, breaking the kiss with annoyance.
“He does.” Kai points at me, stepping back.
Rafe’s gaze flickers over to me.
“Yeah? You at college, son?”
What is it with this young couple calling me son and boy? They aren’t much older than us. Rafe has been designing and tattooing for a few years and has already made a name for himself for being one of the greats, but he must only be about twenty-five.
“Uh, yeah. I’m a little confused, did you say wife?”
Rafe lifts his brows in amusement as Heather laughs.
“Wouldn’t you have made her your wife?” Rafe challenges me, his lips pursing.
“Yeah, you just don't look old enough to be hitched.”
This makes both of them die laughing, and Rafe points at me good-naturedly.
“I like you. But we’re older than you. What are you studying?”
Heather watches me eagerly, almost like she’s hopeful I’ll give her husband the right answer.
“Art and design.”
Rafe and Heather exchange a look.
“What do you want to do?” Heather presses, leaning forward so her cleavage spills from her top.
Tattooed tits, Jesus.
“This,” I answer honestly, waving a hand around the shop. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Rafe nods, stepping back to grab some paper and a pencil from his drawer.
“Sketch me something.”
“Are you kidding me?” I laugh uneasily as Kai grins.
“He’s insane at this shit; don’t be modest.”
Heather peers over the paper Rafe has placed in front of me, licking her lips eagerly.
“Go on then,” Kai hisses at me, clearly eager to get on with it.
I stare at the bone white paper and swallow.
Sketching at college is one thing; it’s learning while surrounded by others the same as you.
But this?
I take a deep breath, letting the pencil move across the paper with ease.
My anxiety melts away as I lose myself to the heart I draw, pouring my soul into it like I’m alone in my room.
I’m shading chambers, but it stands out like it’s 3D.
Before I can ruin it with detail, I stop, looking up to see Rafe watching me intently.
He holds his hand out, and I hand him the paper as he studies it with interest.
I don’t dare breathe when he lowers the paper, glancing first at his wife then at me.
“I think you just found our first apprentice.”