35. Katrinia
35
Katrinia
L ast night Cooper fucked me senseless. When he was finished with me I laid there, fully sated and unable to move while he cleaned me up with a warm towel before I slipped into the dark and quiet contentedness of sleep.
Now we’re both in full blown work mode even though I have the aching between my legs as a reminder of him. Every time I hobble or groan he grins wickedly in my direction.
Right now he has a poker player in his chair getting a spade tattooed behind his ear while I have Richie’s girlfriend Anna, one of Coop’s tattoo friends, handing out disclosures and waivers to those waiting in line while I enter new customer information into the tablet.
Cooper has a great client management software that makes it super easy for me to pull the information into the accounting program later that I am much more familiar with, but I’m making this work.
He showed me around the tablet while we were setting up and unloading the booth before the convention but with this many people, the loud music blaring through the speakers and utter chaos around me I’m starting to get overwhelmed.
I stumble in my mind and forget the guy’s name standing in front of me as soon as he says it.
“I’m sorry, what was your name again.” I shout over the music, chatter and constant buzzing of tattoo guns.
“Seriously? I just told you, it’s Mick.” He shakes his head and nudges the guy next to him as they start to laugh at me.
“Sorry I..” I feel Coopers hand on my back before he speaks.
“Move along.” He prompts in a tone that doesn’t encourage any argument.
“What the fuck man? I’m just trying to get a tattoo and the chick here is draggin’ ass.” He scoffs as he waves a dismissive hand in my direction.
Cooper leans over the table and snatches the guy by his t-shirt, dragging him closer so their faces are almost touching before he growls, “That’s my fucking wife and you will address her with nothing but the utmost respect or you and your Machine Gun Kelly wannabe here can piss the fuck off.”
“Cooper, it’s fine. It was my mistake.” His eyes snap to mine as he shoves the guy back and he stumbles drunkenly into the couple behind him.
“ Don’t . Don’t apologize for him or anyone else. Not even for yourself. You don’t need to do that anymore.” Cooper stares down at me and I am instantly transported back in time.
Reliving a memory behind my eyes as I see myself, sixteen years old, in the school’s nurses office sipping a juice as Cooper busts through the door.
“Hey son, take a seat in the hall. I’ll be with you soon.” The little old lady in a pearl button cardigan scolds as she waves Cooper off.
Cooper shakes his head as he kneels in front of me, taking my hands in his. “What happened, dorogoy? Theo said you passed out at rehearsal?” He scans my eyes, completely panicked.
I sigh and shake my head, “It’s nothing. I just got a little light headed on stage. The lights are hot.” I try to reason away the fainting spell.
What I don’t want to admit is that my mom hasn’t paid for my school lunch in over two weeks and has been stealing the babysitting money I keep in the ceramic sloth I painted when Cooper took me to one of those cheesy ceramic shops in the mall last year.
“Eat these honey. They will help settle your stomach.” The nurse hands me an individual pack of butter crackers and Cooper’s brows dip between his eyes.
“Are you sick? Do you want me to take you home?” He asks.
“This girl is not sick. She needs a good meal.” The nurse huffs as she pens something down on a clipboard. He sighs looking up at her before turning back to me.
“Come on. I’ll give you a ride.” Cooper offers, going to stand and taking me with him.
“But you have practice.” I argue, stuffing the crackers in my pocket and sipping the rest of my juice.
“My goal is always the same, dorogoy. Throw the ball to an open receiver and watch as he runs over the goal line. I won’t forget that just because I missed one practice.” He shakes his head as he guides me out of the nurse’s office.
Theo is sitting in a chair in the hall with my bag and the books I left in the auditorium.
“Come on, Theodore. Bring that stuff with you.” Cooper tosses his arm around my shoulders as we walk out the doors, the three of us heading for the parking lot.
Theo slides across the leather of the back seat, slamming his door closed before he spills the details I told him in secret about my mom and how she’s on another drinking binge.
“Theo! I told you that in confidence!” I twist in the front seat so I can reach back and smack him.
Cooper grabs the waistband of my jean shorts and pulls me back into my seat.
“Why didn’t you tell me she was drinking again and not paying for your lunch?” Cooper’s eyes are filled with so much concern and pity it makes me cower in shame. I know he only cares and never judges me for my mothers mistakes but I hate the look just the same.
“It’s fine. I didn’t want you to worry. It’s not a big deal.” I mumble as I fidget with the fray of denim on the hem of my shorts.
“It’s not fucking fine, Trin. You always do this. You soak up everyone else’s bullshit and keep it all in. You need to talk to me. Their problems are not your burden.” Cooper shifts the old bronco into drive before taking my hand.
That day Cooper turned left out of the parking lot towards town instead of right towards our neighborhood. When we pulled up in front of the diner, he put the truck in park and turned it off before coming around and opening my door. He and Theo both watched me that afternoon as I finished my burger and slurped up every last drop of my strawberry milkshake.
“It’s fine .” I mutter again in a calm voice placing my hand on his arm.
“Say it’s fucking fine one more time Trin. I dare you.” His voice is a challenge as he shrugs me off.
“Bro the chick said it was fine. No big deal ain’t that right, princess.” Mick laughs as he sips only god knows what from his massive plastic Eiffel tower cup. I don’t think I’ve seen a sober person in two whole days.
Cooper slams a hand down on the table and hoists himself up and over before tackling the guy to the ground. Taking the guy completely off guard. Richie, who came in this afternoon to help him tattoo, drops his gun and runs over to rip Cooper off the guy who is much much smaller than him and now bleeding all over the floor.
I watch Cooper’s chest heave as Anna comes to stand behind me. She wipes my face with a tissue and that’s when I realize I’m crying. I take the tissue and turn, walking out of the booth and towards the restroom as Anna follows me.
I hear people gasp and whisper before Richie shouts at Cooper to take a beat. I feel his energy storm off as I push my way past the gawking line and into the women’s restroom.
Splashing my face with cold water, I suck in long drags of perfume filled air as I try like hell to calm my nerves and racing heart. Gripping the edge of the marble sink I raise my gaze to meet Anna’s in the reflection of the mirror.
She hands me a paper towel before a chuckle leaves her. “That was kinda hot, right?” She shrugs before continuing, “Richie has never stuck up for me like that.”
“That was just Cooper. He’s always been like that. I just don’t do well in crowds.”
I turn towards Anna and she gives me a tight smile. We both know why I’m here if I don’t like crowds. It’s probably the same exact reason she’s here and that annoys me. I don’t want to sacrifice myself for others.
Not anymore.
“Trin!” I hear Cooper’s voice boom off the tiled walls as every woman in the restroom around me gasps.
“Cooper! You can’t be in here.” I shake my head. Looking around all eyes are on me.
“Like hell I can’t. You’re in here.” Cooper rubs a thumb over my cheek as he leans one hip against the counter.
“I’m a woman, I’m allowed.” I push his chest nudging him back as he scoffs out the door. Nearly every woman in line has their eyes on us, or on him rather.
“I’m sorry, zhena. Are you OK?” His large hands cover mine, holding them to his chest.
“I was just getting overwhelmed and I forgot that guy’s name.” I sigh as I stare down at the cheesy printed convention center carpet.
“If it’s getting to be too much you don’t have to stay.”
Anna comes out of the bathroom. “I got this. Richie drags me to these things all the time and we use the same software back in Maryland. So I’m good if you want to head out early.”
She walks off back towards the booth and I see Cooper looking down at me with a crooked grin.
“What?” I raise a brow instantly curious.
“I have an idea.”