Chapter 23 #2
“Fuck.” Ren shook me until I looked up at him, then stared down at me for a few seconds. I got lost in his pretty hazel eyes. His lips crashed over mine. The kiss was brutal, just what I needed, then inexplicably, he softened his lips. I was the one who wanted to swear.
I pulled back. “Let’s get upstairs. KC has to be worried.”
“Yeah.” His voice was delicious gravel that sent sparks down my spine, warming me up.
“Take the stairs, not the elevator.”
He grimaced at the reminder that the power could go out as we rushed upstairs.
“Do you have any battery-operated space heaters?” I asked. When he looked at me blankly, I held in a groan. “Never mind. I’m sure it will be fine.”
Our feet pounded each step in the echoey stairwell I’d never used, which led to the hallway where the elevator opened on our apartment’s floor.
As my heart slowed and we strolled through the front door of our home, it really hit me that we could’ve been one of the unlucky people stuck waiting for help that would never come.
And in that horrific scenario, would I have cared that I hadn’t given anyone a tattoo?
The question gnawed on my brain as I stripped out of my winter gear and vaguely registered Ren explaining the dire situation KC’s Jeep was in.
KC whining that they would impound it when they started clearing the streets.
Ren offering to pay. It all blended together as background noise to the shit churning in my brain.
If I had died this evening—and that had been on the table—what would I be sad I’d missed out on? A lifetime with KC and Ren. Seeing my new sibling. Graduating college. I’d worked hard.
Was tattooing on that list?
I would’ve been mad that I hadn’t made better art, but was that the same thing?
I didn’t think so.
Maybe not.
I wished I’d tattooed some simple design on someone at least once, but maybe Ren was right. Did I get trapped inside the idea of tattooing out of spite, since everyone kept telling me no? Did I really want to do it?
KC dragged me into a hug and out of my head. His strong arms closed out the world and his solid chest radiated warmth that made me hum.
“You’re cold, too,” KC said, worry tinging his tone.
“It’s okay.” I nuzzled my nose against his soft shirt and inhaled his woodsy scent.
The TV snapped on, someone already talking about basketball irritating me, but Ren flipped through the channels until the local news, which we rarely watched, was on the screen.
A serious stout man with his blue sweater pushed up to his elbows was gesturing at arrows moving into New Gothenburg from Lake Ontario.
“This blizzard is extremely dangerous, folks. Heed the warnings, please. This storm is getting stronger, not blowing out. Three days is the expected duration, but we aren’t sure if that will be it.
Stay home. I repeat, stay home. Shelter in place. ”
Ren turned down the volume, then tossed the remote on the coffee table, leaving the man to silently show video of the snow piling up around the city.
“Good thing we went to the grocery store yesterday.” I glanced in the direction of the kitchen. “Too bad we aren’t at Mom’s. She has a fireplace.”
“Fuck, this is nuts!” Ren flopped onto the couch and stared at the windows, which were swirls of white.
KC dragged me over, and I collapsed on the couch between my two guys, letting out a sigh of relief as they snuggled close.
“Eh.” KC leaned around me to peck Ren’s cheek. “This is life on the Great Lakes. They’re really freshwater seas, not lakes. The weather turns on a dime.”
“You two are way too calm about this.” Ren squeezed my thigh, and I melted on the spot as heat rushed through me. My cock roared awake. After everything—the rise of an adrenaline rush, then the crash—my body was keyed up and ready to shoot toward the sky again.
Ren rubbed my thigh, a deep massage that forced the tension to flee my muscles. “So, Oli—”
“I’m glad to have a couple of days away from everything,” I murmured.
“Aw. You deserve a break.” KC smiled at me, and it was strange to realize he hadn’t been doing much of that lately. I was glad to see him acting more like himself. “What’s wrong?”
Ren and I shared a long look, but I just needed more time before we discussed my future at Revenge Tattoo. And I knew we would. And I knew we would beat it into the ground before we were done. I just didn’t have that in me.
I shook my head.
“Is anyone ready for dinner?” Ren glanced at KC as if that had been the only thing on his mind this whole time, but I doubted that was the case.
“Nah. I’ll make a sandwich or something later.”
Ren shrugged, then frowned and reached across me to grab KC’s hand. “You’re supposed to be seeing your therapist twice a week. With all the snow—”
“It’s not your business,” I grumped at Ren.
“It’s fine. The appointments were already moved to Zoom. We’re cool.” KC smiled, but this time it seemed forced. I was starting to be able to tell when he was pretending to be happy for our sake. His eyes weren’t quite as bright.
Ren shifted around like he was going to get up, but I grabbed his hand. “Sit here for a minute. Some of those people we passed on the way home might not be here tomorrow. I just want to appreciate my life and my boyfriends.”
KC inhaled deeply. “Fuck, it’s that bad?” He glanced toward the windows.