As with any client wanting a cover-up, I kept my expression mild. Some people were eager to laugh at their past mistakes, but others were so embarrassed that they’d rather pretend the tattoo didn’t exist until it was replaced. Brady seemed like the latter.
But it requiredallmy willpower not to flinch at the sight of that gods-awful tattoo.
It was a bright red cartoon heart with a single name in the center: Corey. The linework was abysmal. The curved lines were lumpy, while the script’s straight lines looked like they were done during an earthquake. The heart’s coloring was blotchy and uneven.
To get a closer look, I took Brady’s forearm in my hands and leaned in. I ran my thumb across the tattoo, seeing how the skin responded to my touch. As I went over the red ink, I noticed scarring. The so-called artist had piled in the pigment way too hard. It angered me that some hack did this to Brady.
“You’ve got some scarring here,” I commented quietly, pressing into it with my thumb.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Brady said, sounding defeated. “I can’t say the guy was exactly gentle with me.”
A roar of anger simmered in my throat, but I quashed it. Letting my feelings get the best of me and transforming into a legendary beast in front of Brady right now wasn’t the play.
Years of practice kept me calm. “Whoever your ‘artist’ was packed in the pigment too hard. And clearly rushed over such a big area.”
As I examined him, I managed to look past the tattoo and focus on the softness of Brady’s skin. It was supple and smooth.
Brady went still, though I heard the skip of his breathing. Did he enjoy being touched this way?
I moved on from the abominable coloring job. Now I looked at the script. It was impossible not to notice the name. It was a neon sign that ignited my alpha instincts. I didn’t even want to say the name out loud. Whatever happened between him and my Brady, it was in the past. It was time to move forward.
“So?” Brady asked hesitantly. “Can you cover it up?”
“Of course,” I said.
Brady let out a long, loud sigh. His shoulders slumped in relief like the pressing weight was no longer on him. “Oh, thank god! You have no idea how stressed I was over this stupid thing. Nobody could see me, and I thought I’d have to cover it with a shirt all summer long.”
As he spoke, his voice cracked slightly. It was deeply important to him for this old tattoo to disappear.
“Sorry,” Brady said with a weak laugh. “Didn’t mean to get so dramatic about it.”
I put my hand over the ugly job, shielding it from sight, then gave him a serious look. “It’s all right, Brady. This is my job. I know the significance tattoos can hold.”
Brady blinked at me with wet eyes. He sniffled and nodded, looking calmer. “Yeah. Thanks.” He blew out a breath and relaxed into the chair. “Man, how did I get so lucky?”
I was the lucky one. Fate had brought my mate right to my doorstep.
“Destiny’s watching out for us,” I said with a smile.
He tilted his head curiously. “You believe in that stuff?”
“I do.”
Brady smiled back. “Yeah... I guess I do, too. How else can you explain this?” He gestured to his current situation with a soft laugh. “Seriously, you’re a lifesaver, TJ.”
My heart fluttered at his compliment. He had no idea what his presence meant to me. Soon enough, he would.
“I should thankyoufor choosing me. It’s an honor to be your artist. Not that you had much choice,” I added playfully.
Brady shook his head. “No way. I’d choose you over anybody else, every single time.”
His words took my breath away. He knew exactly what to say in order to shoot an arrow of fondness into my heart.
I cleared my throat. “Well, this is a big tattoo, and it’s going to be an even bigger cover up. Shall we get started, Brady?”
He beamed with excitement. “Please do!”
Three
