Maddox
BEFORE
I find Ian in a cheap lawn chair. Jamie is waving his hands around talking to my man.
What the fuck now? I don’t see his girlfriend anywhere.
He needs to let that one go. She’s terrible for him, and I don’t think he’s that good for her either.
I know her sister can’t fucking stand him.
All they’ve done since we got here is fight.
I better save my man.
I walk up to them and see the beer in Ian’s hand. It’s definitely not his first. “What’s going on?” I slide into his lap. My beautiful man smiles up at me. “Oh, someone is drunk.” I boop his nose then give him a kiss. He tastes like beer.
“Yes, you’re both fucking adorable, now have you seen my sister?” The last time I saw Luci, she and Bri were arguing. I did not want to get in the middle of that fight. I love Luci to death, but that girl has a temper.
“She’s with Bri.” Damn, he needs to relax.
“Bri left.” He looks around the woods. “They got into a fight.”
“Hey, she’s fine. She’s probably around here somewhere.
” I know Jamie feels things for her that he shouldn’t.
For one she’s a lesbian with a girlfriend.
And two she’s his adoptive sister. Yeah, okay, they didn’t grow up together and are in no way related, but still.
I don’t really think he loves her the way he believes.
I love my best friend, but he’s a little fucked in the head. It’s not his fault. He grew up with so much abuse and trauma. I’m happy he’s as adjusted as he is. Still. Luci was the first person to ever be kind to him, and I think he’s crossing the signals.
His dark eyes land on me while mine drift up to the flower tattoo on his neck.
Jamie sits well for me, but that tattoo.
Fuck, man. That one got him. It’s why I only got the outline done.
Necks suck. I told him I had to stop for the day, so he didn’t feel some type of way about it.
He likes to push himself. “There are tons of shitbags here looking to take advantage of a drunk girl. I need to find her.” He threads a hand through his hair. “Can you please help me?”
I open my mouth then snap it shut when a swinging ponytail catches my attention. Fuck. Not what we need right now. “Incoming, dude.” Good luck with that shit.
“Wha—oh, fuck.” Exactly what someone should say when they see their girlfriend. Seriously, he needs to break it off. Ailee storms up to Jamie.
“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Yeah, and I’m sure he’s trying to avoid you, girl.
“I’m trying to find Lu.” Oh shit, man, she’s going to kill you.
“Well, how about you worry about where your girlfriend is?” It’s dark outside but I can see her icy eyes try to turn him to stone. This dumbass. As soon as they met, I knew there’d be trouble.
“Look, I’m sorry, but Luc—”
“Sometimes I think you like her.” A laugh bubbles out of Ian.
“Don’t laugh,” I whisper then bite his earlobe.
“It’s so obvious it’s painful.” Ian’s head lolls to me. Man, he’s out of it. I don’t drink myself, but I think it’s cute when he gets like this. He’s so rigid and pessimistic. Mr. Raincloud. My stormy man.
“You’re cute when you’re drunk.”
“You’re cute when you talk me into things.”
“I don’t talk you into things.” His brows rise. “I simply suggest with solid data to back me up, and my assessments are so smart you have no choice but to go along with them.”
“You’re an idiot.” He blinks at me.
“Maybe,” I say.
Ian swallows, looking at me.
“But I’m your idiot.”
“I love you.” He kisses my forehead.
We’ve been through a lot this year, getting the shop ready. A lot of fights, a lot of hard days, but he’s never given up on me. He may fight me, or get worried, or overthink, but he’s always believed in me.
Even when I didn’t believe in myself.
“Look at me, drunky.” I hold his gaze, getting him to focus on me with the dopiest smile on his face.
“You’re the smartest person I know, with more talent in one finger than most of us have in our whole bodies.
You know I don’t believe in the afterlife or any of that shit, but I do believe in luck, and meeting you that day in the diner was the luckiest day of my life. ”
Ian swallows, giving me a wobbly smile.
A squeal startles us both and I look up to see Luci, black hair pulled up into a bun, in Jamie’s arms. I watch the doofy as fuck smile on his face. This is painful to watch. “There you are.”
Luci giggles, folding her arms around his waist. I watch Ailee’s eyes narrow. Oh, someone is drunk drunk. I feel Ian’s lips press against the back of my neck.
Fuck, I love him so much.
It’s crazy to think that all this is happening.
For years this was my dream. My own shop, doing the thing I love most in the world with the person I love most in the world.
And somehow, he loves me back. I know he does.
It’s in his annoyed eye rolls and pinching sighs.
I love how much he loves me. I love how he loves me.
He squeezes me tight on his lap. “I love you, Madd.”
I smile, tipping my head back, and capture his lips.
“Ailee, I have to take her home. She’s fucked up right now.”
I watch his sister glare. “Excuse me.” She pinches his nipple. “I am fwine. So fwine!” Okay, this shit is painful to watch. Jamie says something to her I don’t hear.
“What the fuck, Jamie?” Ailee stomps.
“I’m taking her home,” he says back to her.
“Then I’m going too!”
“No you’re not. Stay, have fun. Your friends are here.”
“You’re always doing this.” She sniffs.
I stand up, walking over to this train wreck. Jamie looks at me and passes Luci to me. She flops into my arms, giggling and looking up at me. “You’re a fucking menace, you know that?” Her blurry eyes brighten.
“I fucking hate her,” she whispers.
“Yeah, well, Jamie needs to deal with that. He’s to blame too.” And I’ll tell him that. I hear Ailee yell. “What’s going on?” With Luci leaning against my body, I walk up to them.
“I just want to take Luci home. Ailee wants me to stay.” I feel Luci tug on my shirt. Yeah, yeah, I know you want her to leave, chill out. While Luci is in no way into Jamie, she’s very protective of him.
“Let me take you guys home, alright?” I slide Luci back to Jamie. His problem and she does reek like a bar.
“No, it’s okay. I can drive. I’ve only had one beer.” Luci’s eyes widen.
“No, I’ll drive. You’re too distracted with Luci. I can do it.” I turn to Ian with a smile. “I’ll be right back, babe.”
“Don’t be gone too long.”
“Hey, look at me, drunky.” Ian’s sleepy eyes blink up at me. “You better stop drinking. We have a job to do tomorrow.” I press a kiss to his forehead and lean in. “I love you.”
“Stay with Ian. I’m fine. I’m not drunk.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be right back.”
“Did we forget something?!” Ailee stomps.
“Go find your friends, we’ll talk in the morning.” He needs to end this shit. After we drop her off I’m going to kick his ass.
I lean into Jamie. “Just let her come. We’ll drop her off first, okay?
” I don’t wait for him to answer, putting my arm around his girl.
“Come on, Ailee.” I grin. “Shotgun with me, darling.” She gives Jamie a triumphant smirk as if she’s got any chance of making him jealous.
I am a proud lover of dick, and it just so happens that my boyfriend has the best one.
Ian walks beside us. I’d take him home but there isn’t any room in the jeep. I mean, I doubt he wants to sit in the back with those two anyhow. I let go of Ailee, touching his hips. I lean in with a smile. “I’ll be right back.” I kiss him. “I love you.”
“Gross,” Jamie says to Ian.
“Fuck you,” Ian growls.
“Only if you ask nicely.” Jamie winks.
This fucker. “Keep it up and you’ll be riding on my roof.”
“I’d rather ride your boyfriend.”
Oh, this asshole! “I’m going to kick your ass.” I punch him. “Wait, where’s Bri?”
“She left.” Luci sucks in a breath. “She broke up with me.”
“What?” Jamie asks.
I can’t handle this anymore, can we get a fucking move on?
I slide into the car as they argue while Jamie stuffs her body into the back of the jeep.
Ailee quietly buckles her seat belt. I watch her glance back at them quickly.
“Break up with him,” I whisper. Her sharp gaze softens at me.
I watch her swallow then turn her attention forward.
While I love Jamie, and I don’t like Ailee, whatever is going on between them needs to end. Ailee is dating him for the thrill of dating someone she knew her parents would hate, and Jamie is dating her because, well, blowies are awesome. That’s all I’ve really got.
I hear Jamie and Luci talking in the back seat. I lift my eyes and he meets mine in the mirror. “What?” I shake my head, looking at Ailee fully having a meltdown.
“When are you coming to get your tattoo filled?”
He touches his neck where the outline is.
I love how down he is for anything. That snake on his arm is sick.
My favorite piece to date. I love the dragon on his thigh too, but that was mostly his drawing.
It’s sick, don’t get me wrong, but that snake is all me.
I love how it looks wet to the touch, as if you can feel the scales.
Pops of red and pinks around it in the cherry blossoms. I’ve got people scheduling tattoos on that piece alone.
“When you get time, now that you’re a hotshot artist.” Yeah, I fucking am. Booked for nearly a year before we’ve even officially opened.
“Always have time for you, bro. Tomorrow, I’ll have a very drunk man to take care of, but maybe tomorrow night.” I slow for a red light. I crane my neck and blink at my idiot friend. “Dude.”
Jamie rolls his eyes. “It’s green.”
Whatever.
I step on the gas.
A scream.
Blinding light snaps across the car.