Chapter 17
Rya~
Dalton was cleaning his station, and I was lucky that Ricki didn’t mind me keeping him company during his shift.
Granted, the first time that Dalton had ever invited me here, Ricki had been sure to let him know that he was responsible for me, so there was no way that I’d ever do anything to get Dalton in trouble.
As for Ricki Summers, she was not what you imagined when you thought of a tattoo shop.
Instead of being tatted up from head to toe or pierced every which way imaginable, she looked like a Sunday school teacher.
She was five-foot-six, had light blonde hair, big hazel eyes, and she worked out regularly, giving her a very svelte figure.
She was also disciplined in Taekwondo, Krav Maga, and Jiu-Jitsu, so she was more than equipped to handle any trouble that may come her way with owning a tattoo shop on this side of town.
The woman was also licensed to have a gun in the shop, and she was reputed to be the best tattoo artist in all the state.
She was constantly attending ink expos, and I’d lost count of how many times one of her pieces had been showcased in a magazine or other.
All that just to say that she was very close to her staff, and because she understood that life did not give one fuck about what we wanted out of it, she made a point to know all her employees, so that coming together during a family emergency was never a problem.
So, she knew that I was Dalton’s best friend, allowing me to loiter when it wasn’t too busy.
“I’m scared,” I admitted as Dalton did inventory on his ink bottles.
“No shit,” he retorted. “Ever since your mother left you guys, you’ve never been one to believe that you deserved good things, so having a real-life Prince Charming showing up in your life is probably really fucking with your head.”
“You know, there are times when your pep talks really suck,” I grumbled.
“The truth is a brutal mistress, and it’s not for the weak,” he replied heartlessly.
“You’re not helping me, Dalton,” I informed him.
He looked over at me, a small grin playing on his lips. “If you want someone to blow smoke up your ass, go talk to Leandra.”
Ignoring that, I said, “And it’s not that I feel as if I don’t deserve good things in my life. I mean, after all, I have you, don’t I?”
“That’s a valid point,” he quipped.
“It’s just...we both know that things are going to get ugly once we go public with this thing,” I said, knowing it like I knew the back of my hand.
“Rya, the only way things will become ugly is if he turns out to be a little bitch,” he replied as he went back to cleaning and organizing his station.
“People will only say shit if they feel like they’re allowed to say it, so it’ll be up to Koen to make it clear that any negative opinions about you guys will not be tolerated. ”
“How’s he supposed to do that?”
“Babes, the man has more money than God,” he drawled out. “If he speaks, it’s almost a guarantee that people will listen. No one ever wants to offend the purse strings.”
“And when he gets tired of having to defend me?” I posed.
“If he cares about you, then he’ll never get tired of being your hero,” he remarked pointedly. “We live for that kind of shit.”
That got a laugh out of me. “Oh, really?”
“Rya, nothing gets a man worked up more than being able to defend the woman that he loves, proving that he’s the man for her,” he said. “Our egos really are tied to our dicks.”
“So mature,” I deadpanned.
“Hardly, but it’s no less the truth,” he replied easily.
“So, basically, you’re telling me not to borrow trouble?”
“I’m telling you that it’s been one date, Rya,” he said, sighing a bit. “For all you know, he might start getting on your nerves by the end of next week, and all this worrying would be for nothing.”
“I just...I haven’t liked someone like this in a really long time, and I...I’m not sure that I know what I’m doing, Dalton,” I confessed.
“Then let him do it all,” he advised. “Let him lead until you’re comfortable enough to take over.
However, before you do that, let him know that you’re doing that.
Do not blindside the man with activity behind the scenes.
There’s a reason why they say that communication is the key to all relationships. ”
Just then, the chime on the front door rang, and we could both hear Leandra’s melodious voice calling out to us. “Rya? Dalton?”
Dalton shot me a confused look before heading towards the front, and I was right behind him, wondering the same damn thing that he was, as in what in the hell was Leandra doing here?
When we reached the lobby, she was standing by the reception counter, smiling like a loon as she said, “I was driving by and remembered you saying that you were going to be hanging out with Dalton tonight.”
Before I could say anything to that, Dalton was being Dalton. “What in the fuck were you driving by here for?”
She looked hurt but immediately masked it. “Well, if you must know, I wanted to check out Trinity’s Secrets,” she huffed.
Dalton looked like he was about to pitch a fit. “There’s this thing called the internet, and on it, you can order all kinds of shit from anywhere around the world. Next time, order whatever toys you need.”
“I can take care of myself, Dalton,” she shot back. “I don’t need you lecturing me like I’m a child.”
“Don’t act like one, and then I won’t have to,” he fired back.
“Okay, okay...” I chimed in. “There’s no need for all that. I can go with her-”
“The fuck you can,” he said, cutting me off as he turned to look at me. “You’re out of your mind if you think that I’m going to let you two drive around here at night by yourselves.”
“Why not?” Leandra challenged. “After Rya’s date last night, we could use some girl time.”
“Yeah, because visiting a sex shop at this time of night on this side of town won’t invite any sleazebags to harass you guys coming or going from the store,” Dalton retorted. “Besides, what’s so important at Trinity’s Secrets that it can’t wait?”
“Maybe I’m tired of faking my orgasms, Dalton,” Leandra announced, and this was definitely not a conversation any of us should be having. “Maybe I’d rather splurge on a toy that can get the job done without any of the headaches afterwards.”
“Quit going home with bros, and then maybe you’ll finally get laid the right way,” he taunted.
“Okay, that’s enough,” I said. “How about we go back to my place, and then we can do some online shopping for whatever your little heart desires, Leandra?”
“I’m not going to let Dalton bully me,” she said heroically, trying so hard to stand up to him. “He’s also not my father.”
Dalton just snorted. “You know what? Do whatever the fuck you want, Leandra. If you want to take a walk on the wild side because your frat boys aren’t doing it for you any longer, then be my guest. However, Rya’s going nowhere.
I’m not going to risk anything happening to her just because you want to be stupid and stubborn. ”
“Dalton, c’mon,” I said quietly. “Be nice.”
“No, it’s fine, Rya,” Leandra said, sounding strong, but I knew better. “I should have known better than to come in here. I’ll just leave you guys to it.”
However, before she could leave, Dalton’s true colors were coming out. “You take one step out of that door, and I won’t be responsible for what happens next,” he threatened. “Neither of you are leaving here by yourselves, so I’ll drive you both home, and then come back here for my car later.”
“I can-”
“Not a fucking word,” he snapped, cutting Leandra off. “Now give me your fucking keys.”
I bit my tongue as Leandra handed over her keys, and even though they’d both deny it until their dying breath, they really just needed to hate-fuck each other and get it over with.
Whatever was between these two, it was more than just simple dislike.
They got under each other’s skin like nothing that I’d ever seen before.
The entire ride back to my place, no one said a word, and once Dalton dropped us off, a white car had pulled in immediately behind us, and I’d been able to recognize Ernie Higgins right away. He worked with Dalton at the shop, and I’d never had a bad interaction with the man.
After handing Leandra her keys back and promising to call me tomorrow, Dalton went back to work, leaving us standing on the sidewalk like a couple of scolded children.
“Are you ever going to tell me what is up with you two?” I finally asked.
“I would if I knew,” she answered sadly.
“Well, it’s nothing a couple of vibrators can’t fix,” I sighed.
“You’re not wrong,” she replied, ready to spend a fortune on wishes and fantasies.