Chapter 5 - Ryan #3
“Trying?” Dom’s voice dropped low as he took a step closer. “There’s no trying, Shadow. But don’t worry about it. Kate wasn’t even touching you and I was jealous enough to want to throw you over my shoulder and run until my lungs gave out.”
My chest expanded as I closed the distance between us. “You know what, Dom—”
“Hey.” A small hand touched my arm, the contact jarring. “Everything okay, babe?”
“Of course.” I stepped back and smiled pleasantly at Kate. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
Kate’s eyes flicked between me and Dom. Dom, who was staring at Kate’s hand where it was resting on my forearm.
Guilt rushed through me as I had the strangest urge to move out of her reach. Instead, I stepped closer. “Just catching up with Max’s friend here.”
Dom stiffened. Guessed he didn’t like the reminder that that was all he was in my life either.
“We’re so glad you could join us.” Kate smiled at Dom, the perfect hostess. “Were you in the military with Max?”
Dom nodded curtly. “Served three tours together. Met Mimic over there in basic.”
Basic. Right after he left me. Which meant that the man he’d been groping had been present for every one of the years I’d missed.
I rubbed my arms, wishing for a jacket. I was so fucking cold all of a sudden.
Kate nudged my side. “How weird that both your twin and your bestie ended up signing up. It’s like you were destined to have long-distance relationships.”
She didn’t know the half of it. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think I had commitment issues.”
Okay, so that was a dig at Dom, the man I would’ve committed to in a fucking heartbeat if he’d given me a chance. Wouldn’t have mattered if he’d been stationed in Timbuktu, I would’ve made it work.
Dom didn’t seem to pick up on it. He was frowning at Kate. “Bestie?”
Kate laughed. “I know, such a juvenile term. But it’s really the best way to describe Xander. He and Ryan have always been thick as thieves. I can’t wait to meet him.”
Now I was the one Dom was frowning at. “Xander? I’ve not heard that name before.”
I smiled sweetly. “Funny that you haven’t, given what a large part of my life he is. Everyone important to me knows who he is.”
Dom winced as that hit landed.
“Oh, I love your tattoos,” Kate exclaimed suddenly, oblivious to the rising tension. I had to force myself not to react as she lightly touched Dom’s wrist. “Is this a paintbrush?”
My chest tightened as Dom smiled tightly, stretching his arm out for her to see. “Yeah. Most of the sleeve is just tribal patterns, but there’s a few special details hidden in there.”
“Fascinating,” Kate murmured, tracing the ink with her fingers before her blue eyes flashed up to his. “Sorry, do you mind that I’m looking?”
Dom gave her a lazy grin that sent my blood pressure skyrocketing. “Be my guest, sweetheart.”
Okay, I wasn’t cold now. The opposite. Burning fucking hot. I pulled at my tie. Was I getting sick?
“These are stunning,” Kate said. “A lark. A rowan tree. And is that the logo for Caffeine Daydreams?”
I went still as I realised the connection between those pieces. No. He hadn’t. My sketchbooks were safely at Mum’s. There weren’t any missing.
Were there?
I thought back to the day after Dom and Max left. When I’d shoved all of my sketchbooks into a drawer, never to open it again. I’d been too upset to look through them, to check if they were all there.
But surely Dom hadn’t…
“It is indeed.” Dom chuckled. “I have a special connection with that band. Best night of my life happened after seeing them live for the first time.”
I sucked in a breath as the room seemed to tilt.
“Aww, I love that,” Kate said. “What made you choose all of these? Is there something that links them together?”
“Just the artist,” Dom said lightly. Oh fuck. He was going there. I tugged at my tie once again. It was practically undone at this point.
Kate smiled, unaware that I was ten seconds away from having a full-scale meltdown. “The tattoo artist?”
“No, although he did a great job capturing the original artist’s work.” Dom smiled fondly at the tattoos. “That’s what was most important to me. I decided long ago that the only actual art on my body would be his. The patterns don’t count.”
“Is that why you have gaps?” Kate tapped one such patch of skin mischievously. My pulse ticked higher at how much she was touching him. “Waiting for his next masterpiece?”
“Always,” Dom said. His eyes met mine and the amusement there made me wary. “You know, Ryan used to be quite the artist, back in the day.”
“Really?” Kate’s lips parted as she looked at me. “I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Dominic exaggerates,” I said blandly. “I used to dabble, but I was never serious. Didn’t think it was worth mentioning given I haven’t touched a pencil in years.”
“That’s a shame,” Kate said softly. “I’d love to see your work.”
But she had seen it. She’d seen and admired it just a minute ago. Given the examples were permanently inked on my ex, I wasn’t about to enlighten her.
“Maybe your muse left you,” Dominic said, his gaze lingering on my face.
“Maybe it did. If it came back now, I wouldn’t be interested. I’ve moved on.” From art. From Dominic. From anything and everything that reminded me of him.
Pain flicked over Dom’s face as his jaw tightened.
Kate, thankfully, was still oblivious to the building tension. “Do you have any tattoos anywhere else?”
“A few.” Dom cleared his throat. “All of them designed by the original artist. Though there are two written tattoos that weren’t designed by him. I think he’ll forgive me though.”
“How intriguing,” Kate said. “Can you share those?”
If Dom stripped his shirt off in front of Kate, I was going to lose my fucking mind.
Thankfully, he just held out his other arm for her to see. “Just this one. The other’s private.”
My gaze took in the word there, written up the inside of his forearm, and my heart stopped in my chest.
There, in beautiful cursive, was his name for me. The one no one else was allowed to use.
Shadow.