Chapter 27 The Prince of Tattoos
THE PRINCE OF TATTOOS
We opened the champagne and toasted to Zoey’s safe journey. I watched the minutes turn into an hour before the buzzer rang again. I knew it was Tristan. I let him in and stepped out into the hall. I didn’t know what to say to him. Where this would end.
“Hey. Sorry I’m late.” He stopped in front of me. There was no blood or bruises. Nothing looked broken.
“Thank god you’re alright.” I hadn’t realized how worried I was. That I had so easily slipped into that old space of thinking the worst. That he would stagger into my room with a busted lip or bruised jaw.
“Hey.” Tristan cupped my cheek. “I’m okay. He can’t hurt me anymore. God, Ev. I’m sorry.” He pulled me into his embrace. “I should’ve called.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled his familiar scent. Would we ever get to the point where I didn’t worry? Worry that James would materialize and take the boy I love? I pulled away. “Is Noah okay?”
“Don’t.” He wiped the first tear that fell. “This isn’t your shit show to worry about.”
“How can you say that? He slept in my bed as much as you did. If not more.” Tristan said nothing more. “Tristan.”
“He’s fine. It’s just some stupid shit I have to figure out in the morning. Right now I’m going to spend tonight with you and our friends. I’m not going to let my life interfere with us.”
“Your life is part of us.” I reached for him.
The front door opened. “Ev? Oh hello, you must be Tristan.” Callie smiled.
“Hey, sorry I’m late.” Tristan smiled. “Callie, right?”
“Yep, Callie.” She stuck out her hand.
Tristan gave her the Tristan smile, the one he gave everyone so they believed he was okay. “If Craig asks, you don’t want to see his knife.”
“Maybe I do.” Callie winked. “Are you two joining us?”
“Yeah.” Tristan took my hand, and we followed Callie in.
“Well, well, look who showed up.” Craig grabbed Tristan around the neck and pulled him into a headlock. “I’ll kill you if I have to.”
“No blood spilled at my party,” Zoey chimed in. “Nice to see you again. And I promise I won’t get that drunk again.”
“It’s okay. It was a bar. Sorry I was late. Family shit.”
Zoey rolled her eyes. “Don’t get me started.”
We sat around the living room, Zoey and Tyler on the couch, Callie on the other end, and Craig on a chair from the kitchen next to her.
I sat on the overstuffed chair, Tristan at my feet.
It was almost the life I had pictured for us.
The one I had planned when I was seventeen.
There were no board games. But this version was better.
“So what about this knife everyone keeps talking about?” Callie turned to Craig.
“You want to see it?” Craig asked.
“No.” Tristan shook his head.
“Why not?” Tyler asked. “It’s a knife.”
Tristan looked at Craig, shaking his head.
“Oh, come on, Tris, don’t you want the girls to see your work? An artist should always be proud of his work. Tris is really good. He has gentle hands for those special areas.”
I blinked a couple times, putting pieces together. “Wait. Is it…”
“Yep.” Craig nodded.
“And he…” I looked at Tristan, who hung his head.
“He owed me. How do you think he got his—”
“Craig, I will kill you if you say another word.” Tristan lifted his head. “I will fucking cut that knife off.”
“Wait, I’m confused.” Zoey looked to me and then back to Craig.
“Holy shit.” Callie’s eyes were round as she caught up. “Tristan, you’re a tattoo artist.”
“Yes, he is a very good one. He worked for my cousin who owns a tattoo and piercing place in St. Cloud. That’s where Tris and I met. You wanna see some of his work?” Craig stood.
“Craig.” Tristan reached for him.
Craig lifted up his shirt and turned around to show off the large piece on his back. It was a dragon swallowing the sun.
“Oh my god.” Zoey shook her head and looked at Tristan. “You tattooed his cock.”
“Sure did.” Craig pulled down his shirt and sat back down.
“That’s the one I wish I would have been drunk for.”
Craig winked at me. I could see where Callie was going. “Callie,” I warned her, shaking my head. She smiled a wicked little smile, running her tongue over her teeth.
“Craig, before becoming a world-famous chef, what did you do?” Callie looked at me while she asked it.
“I did piercings for my cousin.” Craig looked at Callie, then at me.
“Interesting.” Callie smiled, rubbing her hands together. “Where’s the oddest place, say, a friend has ever asked you to pierce?”
“Callie, I swear to god, I’ll kill you,” I warned.
“Fuck me.” Tristan laid his head back and looked up at me. “It’s okay, Blu. Tell them, Craig.”
I loved the way Tristan looked at that moment. His neck stretched out, his eyes sparkling with what was about to be told about him. About us. His perfect bottom lip between his teeth. He wrapped his arms around my waist, his shirt riding up, showing the flat planes of his stomach. He was my drug.
“Wait.” Zoey held up her hand. “I don’t want to know.” She looked at me. “Do I?”
“I don’t,” Tyler said.
“The tip of his… ear.” Craig winked at me.
“That’s not that weird,” Tyler said, shaking his head. “Anyway, it’s late and I got work in the morning.”
“And I have a four-day drive ahead of me. I’ll grab your coat.” Zoey and Tyler slipped down the hall.
“Are you pierced?” Callie turned to Craig. “Since we’re outing everyone?”
“No.” Craig shook his head.
Callie leaned in closer. “I’m doing a study on men with tattoos and if they are better at sex than men without. Would you like to be part of my study?”
Craig smiled, watching Callie. “I wasn’t very good at school. I might need a tutor.”
Callie stood. “Well, you’re in luck. I hear Tristan’s a really good teacher. Ask Ev.”
Tristan choked out a laugh.
“I don’t want to be part of your foreplay.” I eyed Callie. She and Craig would look good together. Callie was tall and thin. Her pale blonde hair and cool blue eyes complemented Craig’s complexion.
“Nah, he’s not my type. He’s too ugly.” Craig stood.
“Thanks for the lovely evening. But I, too, should be heading out. Good luck with your study.” Craig bent towards Callie.
“I don’t need any help. I have a really big knife.
” He stood and nodded at Zoey and Tyler.
“Good luck, Zoey. And you, fucker. Call me before you do anything stupid.” Craig pointed at Tristan.
“I better make sure you find your Uber,” Callie said.
Zoey rolled her eyes. “God, you two are horrible. It was nice meeting you, Craig.”
Tyler, Craig, and Callie left. Zoey turned to me. “I’m going to bed. Please keep all orgasms to yourself. It was nice seeing you again, Tristan.”
“What time are you leaving?” I asked, standing.
“Early. So come say your goodbyes now.” Zoey held out her arms.
I got up and hugged her tightly. “Please be safe. And call me when things get to be too much. I’m only a flight away.”
“I will.” Zoey pulled away and watched Tristan clean up the kitchen. “Goodnight.”
Tristan stacked the dirty dishes in the sink. I walked up behind him and put my arms around him. “Thanks for coming.”
He twisted around to face me. “I’m sorry I was late.”
“Is Noah okay?”
“He’s fine. I don’t want to talk about my little brother when you look this good.”
“Good, because I don’t want to hear about him.” There would be plenty of time for that tomorrow.