Chapter 28
Murders Ink
Someone says that Axel got a new tattoo.
It may or may not be a replica of Scarlett's...
And Toby Madison is not a Fearless member, but it's worth mentioning that Karen's not been around lately.
And who is that voluptuous brunette that our favorite troublemaker, Jaxon, has been hanging out with lately?
Oh, and Hector, what's wrong, the VD have you down?
Scarlett
Group chat with Dani and Sasha
Dani: Who wants pancakes for supper?! And maybe a tattoo? Jake wants one.
Sasha: No tattoos for me. My daddy would stroke! But pancakes for days! Yes! Dallas may want a new tattoo, though.
Me: I've been wanting to get a tattoo, but it is super permanent, lol. And pancakes are the tits! Axel says he's getting one.
Dani: Meet at our diner at 5!
It's not lost on me that Karen has been removed from the girl group chat.
I wonder if Toby has told them about her black heart yet.
Or do they just know? I am not that bitches biggest fan.
Axel finds me in the bathroom, getting ready.
He kisses my temple and watches me. "What's up, stalker? " He’s always watching.
He rolls his eyes. "Old news. You almost ready?"
My hands go to my hips. "In a hurry, Mr. Creed?"
"The sooner we leave, the quicker we return." He leers.
"I thought you were excited about our get-together." Scoffing, but I'm secretly pleased he wants me with the same ferocity.
"I am baby, but as soon as we get home, I intend to fuck you until the sun rises." Damn.
He licks his lips as his gaze travels down my body. "You can't say things like that to me, Axel."
"Why?" He takes me into his arms and kisses my neck.
"Because I'll be thinking about it the whole night." I pinch his nipple.
He grunts. Then, he grabs the hair at the nape of my neck and pulls it hard as he grinds his erection between my legs.
"Good. That’s exactly what I want." Just as quickly as Axel came in, he walked out.
Like a lustful hurricane hoping to do some damage.
Now I'm horny as hell, and it'll be hours before we get back. I'll have my revenge. Just wait.
The 50s diner we pull up to has seen brighter days.
The gangs all here, minus Karen. Jaxon has a sultry, curvaceous brunette standing next to him.
She's wearing black-rimmed glasses, jeans, and Converse kicks.
Cute. Very cute. The girl's almond-shaped hazel eyes sparkle with humor.
Jaxon pats me on my back. "Scar Q, meet Rylee Lynn. "
We both go in for a hug. I look at her with a grin. "So you're southern too, huh?"
"Knoxville, Tennessee, born and raised." She smiles.
Fabulous. "Nice to meet you, Louisiana right here."
"So, we're basically family." She gets me.
"That's what I heard as soon as you said TN." I laugh.
Jaxon smiles back and forth at us as we banter.
This boy is obsessed. He's from Knoxville, if I remember correctly. Makes me wonder if there’s some kind of history there.
Are they officially dating or just friends?
The rest of the gang walks up, and Jaxon makes the final introductions.
Leave it to Toby. "Jaxon, you got you a good-looking girl right there, Buddy. "
Jaxon smiles and nods, but Rylee Lynn lets out a nervous laugh. "We're just friends, but thanks."
Jaxon is not amused, but he recovers quickly. I'd expect nothing less from him. He puts his arm around her, and she smiles up at him. Rylee Lynn is trying not to fall. We've all been there with these Fearless men, but in the end, girl, you will fall. "Let's go eat them pancakes I told you about."
As the waitress hands Toby the menu, we all groan. I've been to a few restaurants with him, and he takes forever to order anything. We didn't eat lunch, and my stomach was all kinds of hangry. Toby looks up with a raised eyebrow. "If y'all keep on, we can be here all night."
Hector, who is sitting next to Toby, gives him a look. "I rode with you, bro, but I don't have to ride with you to the tattoo shop. Hell, we hungry."
"Hell, yes, we are!" Axel agrees.
Toby rolls his eyes. "They have like five new choices on the menu. Guys, give me a freaking break."
Dani pats her cousin on the shoulder. "Poor baby, but you need to decide because you may start a riot here if you don't choose soon."
I put my menu down, not even having to look at it. "I, for one, am getting the pancakes, and they better be good, or y'all can cashapp me your condolences."
The table laughs. Dallas puts his arm around Sasha. "Believe me, Scarlett, the best thing you've ever had the pleasure of tasting."
Axel grabs my knee under the table and stares longingly into my eyes. "It's not the best thing I've ever eaten."
My face turns so red that it's purple, and the table erupts in laughter. "Really, Axel? That's not polite conversation."
"Whatever gave you the impression that I'm in any way, polite?
" He laughs, then kisses me gently on the lips.
The waitress comes back, and we all order.
Toby just happened to be in the bathroom, so Jaxon took it upon himself to order for them both.
No one can hold in their laughter when Toby returns to the table.
His expression is one of devastation when he realizes the menus are missing.
Toby stomps on Jaxon's toes. Making him yell, "How do you know it was me, bruh?"
He gives him the stank face, which makes Jaxon laugh. "Because when something annoying happens, you or Dallas have done it. And Dallas is too busy making goo-goo eyes at Sasha right now."
Jaxon shakes his head back and forth. "Damn, young love."
Axles hand on my leg starts to move further up.
I try yanking my leg out of his grasp, but he's having none of that.
His hold is firm and always in control. Axle never moves his hand up any higher, but his grip never loosens, not even while we eat.
A moan escapes my mouth, which should embarrass the hell out of me, but it doesn't. These pancakes are exquisite.
It's better than my favorite diner back home.
Dani looks up from her plate with a smile on her face. "Told you, girl, the best in Austin. If not the world."
Rylee Lynn elbows Jaxon in the abs. "I guess you do know what you're talking about every now and then."
Hector laughs. "I like her, Jaxon."
He just rolled his eyes and continues stuffing his face, but Toby grumbles under his breath. Which makes Dallas have to add to the conversation. "What was that, Toby?"
He very dramatically reiterates what he said very loudly. "I said my pancakes are amazing, but I wanted to try that new buffalo chicken wrap. I guess I'll never know how that tastes now."
That makes me giggle. Even Axel is amused. “Toby, you do realize they have a menu on their website. So, you can take two hours and decide what you want before we even come.” My man teases him.
Toby sucks in a breath. "Yes, I know that, but it's not the same as deciding in the restaurant." The rest of the dinner is filled with banter and making fun of Toby. I look around at my newfound group of friends, and I'm happy to be here in this moment with them.
Butterflies quiver inside my belly. I've decided to get my first tattoo. Axel whispers in my ear as he holds the door open for me as we all walk into Murders Ink. "What's wrong, Wallflower?"
I whine. "Nothing, really. I'm just being a big baby."
He rubs my back in support. "So, you're going to get the tattoo?"
I nod. "Sure am."
He stands behind me and massages my shoulders.
"That's so hot. It'll be fine. The pain can be a little rough, but when it's over, you'll have something to remind you of your mother.
" Hot tears threaten to fall down my cheek, but I can reign them in as I put all my focus on my surroundings.
Murders Ink doesn't exactly look like I thought it would.
The modern light fixtures and furniture give it a classy feel.
However, the decorations on the wall and the music playing softly in the background give off all the rockstar vibes. And we're here for that.
Axel walks up to the front desk. A beautiful, voluptuous woman is behind the counter. She could definitely win a curvy pinup photo contest. "Hey, Axel. You got the whole crew here today." She peers around him at me, and her smile grows. "Is that her?"
Axel turns to me, and a tiny blush stains his prominent cheeks. "Yes, ma'am."
"Hi," she says shyly. "You're just as pretty as he said you were."
"Thank you, I'm Scarlett." I walk up to the desk to introduce myself but stop in my tracks when she turns her head to the side, and the scars that her long hair covers up are exposed.
Starting at her temple and going down to her jaw are nasty faded red claw marks.
It doesn't cover her cheeks, and it's only in that one section. What has this beautiful woman survived?
Before she turns back to me, I’m able to mask my surprise with a genuine smile.
The scars do nothing to take away from her beauty.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Charlie. You and Axel are with Dex.
Jake and Dani, you're with Ridge, and Toby, Jaxon, Dallas, and Hector, y'all are with Nathan.
" Charlie turns to Rylee and Sasha. "And girls, since you're getting piercings, you're with me. "
We walk down an arched hallway until we reach the spacious tattoo room. A waiting area of chairs lines one side of the wall, and in the middle of the room, three tattoo recliners sit. My stomach falls to my ass when I see them. This is it, I'm finally getting the tattoo.
Dex saunters over to where we stand, bypassing Axel and stopping in front of me.
He's even more striking up close. If danger and rough sex had a baby boy, then this would be what he looked like.
My big bad wolf moves to stand behind me, wrapping his muscled arms around my pudgy middle.
Dex laughs. "You must be the beautiful Scarlett. "
I smile and hold out my hand for him to shake. "Nice to meet you." Then I look up into Axel's face. "You talk about me a lot or something?"
He looks down, giving me a wink. "Yeah, something like that."
The two remaining tattoo artists walk into the room. Both come and give Axel a bro hug and the taller of the two comes to stand in front of me. "Hello, gorgeous."
"Hey, I'm Scarlett, and you are?"
A dimpled smile splashes across his devastatingly handsome face. "Nathan, but feel free to call me Nate."
I giggle because he is a flirt and a half.
Of course, Axel interrupts. "She'll call you Nathan.
" Nate absolutely loves Axel's jealousy.
Something is obviously wrong with me, but I love it, too.
The ruggedly hot guy behind Nathan is more reserved.
His chestnut brown wavy locks give him that just got out of bed look.
He gives me a polite nod. "Ridge." His tone is terse, but his expression seems friendly enough.
I greet them shyly. "Nice to meet you both." Axel steers me away from them and leads me to the tattoo chair. Mild panic sets in. "Don't you want to go first, babe?"
He chuckles. "Nope, I want you to get yours first. Mine is a surprise, and don't worry, I'll hold your hand the whole time."
I take a deep breath. I can do this. Dex comes to sit beside me in his chair.
His intensity level reminds me of Axels.
"Your possessive asshole of a boyfriend has explained to me that this is your first time.
I will care for you and ensure it's a pleasurable experience.
" Axle growls, making Dex chuckle, but he quickly continues.
"So, what would you like to get today, Scarlett. "
Pulling a piece of paper from my jeans pocket, I hand it over. It's a copy of the last letter my mother ever wrote me. I explain that the 'Love, Mama' part at the bottom is what I want tattooed on my wrist.
Dex looks at me and smiles. "That's beautiful. I'm glad I can be a part of this. Let me go make my sketch, and I'll bring it back and get your opinion."
Axel holds my hand, and somehow, he realizes I need to just BE right now, no words, just thoughts.
My mother, Stephanie Quinn, was wholesomely good, sweet, caring, and genuine—a brilliant, beautiful light.
At first, with her cancer diagnosis, she could continue with all her charity work, and everything was normal.
Mama helped run a daily soup kitchen and even stopped by the local orphanage twice a week to read to the kids.
But then she died, and a part of my world went pitch black dark.
For a couple of years after her death, I was mad at God, my father, and anyone who tried to get close to me.
But now I understand she was too good for this world.
After my mother's passing, the Channel 10 news in New Orleans picked up the story somehow because she was a local hero.
The mayor designated the day she died as a local holiday for our town.
So, on that day every year, people go to the soup kitchen or the orphanage and volunteer.
The worst day of my life was turned into a beautiful blessing.
Through the darkness, a seed was planted, and something grew through the turmoil and turned into something beautiful.
Axel begins kissing away the tears I didn't even know had started falling.
My big bad wolf is a complicated man, and regardless of how he feels about himself, he's also a good man.
My quivering lips kiss his cheek in return.
Letting my emotions settle, I survey the room and see that Nate and Ridge are both in the corner doing their sketches of what Dani and Toby are getting.
"What are you two getting?" I called to the side of me.
Dani play punches Jake's arm after he grumbles about something under his breath. She said, "I'm getting my survival dates tattooed on my hip bone."
So that's why Jake grumbled. He probably doesn't like the reminder that he almost lost her. Toby is in an incredibly grumpy mood himself today. "Yo grump, what are you getting?"
He rolls his eyes at me, and I wonder if Karen has pissed him off about something. "Well, nosy, I'm getting my scars from the surgery that took me out of baseball my senior year tattooed. What about you, Scar?" He asks.
"The last note that my mother wrote me, she ended it with 'Love, Mama.' I'm getting that tattooed on my wrist in her handwriting."
Toby looks up at me from his phone and smiles. "That's beautiful."
"Well, I think all three of us are getting beautiful, well-meaning tattoos." I squeeze my Axel's hand.
"Hell yeah," they shout in agreement.