6. Lexi
6
LEXI
I shouldn’t be here. I know I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t stay away. After talking to Ben yesterday, I had so many unanswered questions, and I just can’t let it go.
I look into the front windows of Heat & Ink and remember the last time I was here. I was so excited and happy to go in and see Ben, and when I left, I was holding back tears until I got to my car. I felt foolish, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m doing the right thing now or not.
I turn off my car and get out. I’m literally trembling in anticipation of seeing him again, and the bells above the door jingle as I walk through. A woman is behind the desk, and she smiles at me. “Hey, I know you, but I don’t think we met. I’m Alice.”
I grit my teeth because of course she’s going to remember me. I’m sure I was a joke to all these people after the last time I was here. I lift my chin up. “Yeah, hey, Alice. I would like to get a tattoo.”
She looks me up and down. “Uh, do you have an appointment?”
I shake my head.
“Does Boss know you’re coming in?”
I look down the hallway to where I know he is and then back at the woman in front of me. “Actually, is there someone else that can do it?”
Her mouth drops, but she recovers quickly. “You don’t want Boss to do it?”
I shake my head, and she looks down at the book in front of her. “Sure, Gunner’s got time. I’m assuming you’re getting something small so it will be quick. Come on, follow me.”
We go a few steps, and she stops to look at me. “You know Boss is going to lose his shit, right?”
I jut my chin at her. “He’s not the boss of me.”
She just laughs. “Okay, this should be good. Come on.”
She knocks on a door and pushes it open. “Gunner, you have a walk-in.”
I walk in the door, and he points at me, not even trying to hide his surprise. “Virgin, what are you doing here?”
Are you kidding me right now? “My name is Lexi, and I’m here to get a tattoo.”
He crosses his arms over his barrel of a chest. “A tattoo, huh?”
I nod my head.
The man named Gunner looks at the woman standing next to me. “You can go, I got this.”
She laughs and leans against the door frame. “Oh no, there’s no way I’m missing this.”
Gunner shakes his head and stalks toward me. He wraps his massive hand around my arm and tries to pull me to the door. I jerk from his hold. “What are you doing?”
He puts his hands on his hips. “You want a tattoo or what?”
I match his stance. “Why else would I be here?”
He chuckles like he knows something I don’t. “Fine. Follow me.”
He walks out of the room, and I follow him with the woman right behind me.
I know where he’s going before we reach it, and I pull my shoulders back to prepare for whatever I’m about to see.
“What’s up?” I hear Ben say.
I haven’t cut the corner yet, and Gunner says, “I have a walk-in and thought I’d ask you if you want it.”
“Hell, no,” Ben says, and when I walk into his room, he slams his mouth shut and looks between Gunner and me, ignoring the giggling woman behind us. “What the fuck, Gunner?”
He holds his hands up in front of him. “What? I’m not risking you cutting my hands off for touching her.”
Ben grits his teeth. “Get the fuck out. Both of you.”
Alice whines behind me. “Boss, you’re no fun.”
“Out!” he says again, pointing toward the hallway.
Gunner chuckles as he walks past me and squeezes my shoulder. “Good luck!”
A growl comes from Boss, and I move in front of him because he looks like he’s about to kill his friend. “Ben, stop. What’s your problem?”
He shuts his door and turns on me with an angry glare. “Did you come here to get a tattoo from someone else? From Gunner?” he spits out.
“Yes, why do you care?”
He hovers over me, enunciating each word. “I think I told you what would happen if another man touched you.”
I start to laugh and then stop. “Gunner is your best friend, like a brother. I don’t think you’ll kill him.”
He gives me a smirk. “You wanna bet?”
I just shake my head. “So do you have time to give me a tattoo or not?”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “You really want one?”
“Yeah, I do. I’ve had it drawn out for a while but never felt brave enough.”
He holds his hand out, and I pause for a second, unsure.
He searches my eyes and must see the uneasiness I’m feeling. He waits patiently, hand still out, palm up. “It’s okay.”
I nod and pull the paper from my pocket. I take my time opening it and then hand it over to him.
His eyebrows raise, and he holds it up. “This is beautiful. Did you design it?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks, but I lift my head to him. “I did.”
“Where did you learn to draw like this?”
“I’m minoring in art in college.”
He holds the paper in his hands and leans back against the counter. “What are you majoring in?”
“Marketing.”
He nods. “So tell me about this.”
I look at the paper in his hands, and even though I can’t see the drawing, in my mind I can see it plainly, but I press my lips together.
He looks at the drawing, and I shrug my shoulders. “Do you always interrogate people before you tattoo them?”
He steps toward me. “Don’t do that. Talk to me.”
I blurt out a laugh. “Right, talk to you. Like you’ve done for me?”
He crosses his arms over his chest, making sure not to crumple the paper in his hand. “Hit me. What do you want to talk about?”
“I want to know about you.”
“Why?” he asks, completely perplexed by the idea that I’m asking about him.
But I just smirk at him. “Humor me.”
“I work here. I’m a member of the Exiled Guardians?—”
I interrupt him with a roll of my eye. “I’m not asking you what you do. Tell me about you. How did you get into tattooing? Tell me about your family. Why Whiskey Run?”
He shifts uncomfortably. “I started drawing when I was a kid, and by the time I was fifteen, I was giving tattoos out of my trailer to make money. My family is the Guardians. They’re all I’ve ever known, and when they moved here from Texas, I came a few months after to get things started.”
I know there’s more about his family than what he’s letting on, but I’m happy he at least attempted to answer my questions. He holds the paper up. “Tell me about the tattoo.”
I will not tear up. I will not tear up . I’m telling myself that, but I know I’m not going to be able to talk about my mom and dad without blubbering like a fool. I pull my shoulders back. “My mom and dad died eight years ago. It was, uh, hard to say the least, and that was my mom’s favorite Bible verse.”
He points up and down my body. “Where do you want it at?”
I point to my ribcage. “Here.”
He looks almost frustrated. He seems all tense, and I feel like he’s about to refuse me, but he gestures to the bed. “Get up there.”
I sit up on the bed, and he turns his back to me. I watch as he gets his equipment ready and then slides a tray next to me. “Hold on,” he says.
I grip the bed as he lowers it, and it brings us so close all I can do is breathe him in. He gestures for me to lie down.
I grip my shirt, holding on to it, and he tilts his head. “Did you change your mind?”
I shake my head quickly. I’m more sure of this than anything. I want Ben to be the one to give me the tattoo. “No, that’s not it.”
He smiles softly. “What is it then?”
I close my eyes, wanting to hide from the embarrassment of it all. “It’s just, I’m not like the cherries is all.”
His forehead creases. “I don’t think you are. What does that have to do with anything?”
I blow out a breath in frustration. Why is this so embarrassing? “I mean that I don’t look like the cherries. Like when I pull my shirt up, you’re going to see flab.” I clench my eyes shut. “Maybe I should just let Gunner do it.”