“I did. Ask Noah and Chad.”
She reaches her hand over to my shirt trying to lift it when I stop her. “What? I’m curious.”
“Well, show me your chest and I will show mine,” I say, never intending to follow through on that.
“I am. Hi! Topless.”
I laugh and scoot close pulling my glasses off my head, and begin to slowly remove the wrap. I see her wince from the pain and hate that she hurts.
“I know, Pet. Sorry, love,” I say softly, and spray her with the antiseptic spray then blow softly knowing this shit burns.
“I’m ok,” she says. Her throaty words threaten my control once again.
I vow to finish this and stop the small talk so she can be done with the pain. I focus, every line a perfect replica of the last and after about an hour, I am content with the piece.
“All done,” I say, and roll back grabbing the salve and applying it, admiring the piece. Pride fills in my chest knowing it is on Mya.
I sit back, phone in hand ready to take a picture as I do with all my clients, but her face is priceless when she sees the work. I snap a few pics of her as she turns looking from different angles before looking at me with tears in her eyes. “Sully…I’m speechless. It’s so perfect.”
“Pet, I have never seen anything more perfect.” I sound reverent, not uncommon when placing a powerful tattoo on someone, but this one has a power that draws me in like nothing ever has. This is us, even if for one night, it’s the crow and the butterfly.
She hears my words, each one, and how they say too much. She walks towards me slowly with pure seduction with every step.
“Mya….don’t.” My tone proves my words mean nothing and she doesn’t stop.
“Why? How can you pretend not to feel it, deny it, and then do something like this, something real and personal? You leave your mark, then deny me? It’s not fair that I feel this alone, Sully.”
I have no choice but to be cold and look away. I hate myself for it, but I refuse to spend my life anything, but alone. “Stop acting like all the vapid bitches that come in here looking to gain status.” I turn and grab my jacket and keys. “It’s beneath you, Pet, and so am I. Get used to that, for both our sakes.”
I don’t wait for her argument, knowing damn well she is cuing one up. She should hate me. She needs to hate me or she will be destroyed by me.
