Page 48 of Ink

“I know you’re awake,” Ink’s gravelly voice says from behind me.

Shooting up in bed, I wince as all the blood rushes to my head, causing my vision to go black.

“Whoa, easy there, darlin’.” Ink’s large hand gently touches the middle of my back, as if he’s trying to steady me while I lie back down. I blink my eyes rapidly, trying to clear the fog, but my brain has no recollection of how I got from the motel to here.

What would ever possess me to climb into Ink’s bed?

All I know is I feel like I’ve been run over by a massive truck that reversed back over me to do it again for good measure. Every muscle has a deep ache that I know is going to be there for days. I’m drained beyond belief.

The memory of Zach waiting for me in my room comes rushing back to me. Him throwing me against the wall. My head taking the brunt of everything. Him taking everything I’ve worked for.

Oh god.

The money.

I close my eyes in an effort to get the room to stop spinning as the anxiety from everything that’s happened threatens to attack.

Oh god.

I lost it last night.

And to put a cherry on top, I lost it in front of Ink.

I shouldn’t feel embarrassed because I didn’t do anything wrong. But I’m mortified. Never in a million years would I have wanted anyone to see me in that state, let alone any of the guys at the shop.

Zach has always been a trigger for me, though.

“Why am I in your bed?” I wince at the sound of my scratchy voice. My throat is so dry it feels like there are a million little needles sticking out on the sides.

“Here, drink this.” Ink hands me a bottle of water, unscrewing it before fully handing it over.

The first few sips feel like life is seeping back into my body. I chug the bottle in four gulps, finishing it on a long sigh. “Thank you.”

“You never need to thank me for takin’ care of you, bunny.”

Bunny?

Now I’m really starting to feel like I missed a few episodes.

I clear my throat, trying to get rid of the awkward tension that has settled over me. “Can you please tell me what happened?”

Ink studies me for a long moment, his face unreadable.

“I was hoping you could fill in the gaps for me. You didn’t show up for work and weren’t answerin’ your phone, so I came lookin’ for ya. What I found wasn’t what I was expecting. You were out of your mind and weren’t making a lot of sense. It freaked me out, so I took you back here. All I gathered was some guy named Zach took your shit and left.”

I let everything he just said digest for a minute.

Ink was freaked out over me?

I know Gage has been telling me the version of Ink I met isn’t who he really is, but I can’t say I one hundred percent believed him. Until now. It’s been so long since I’ve had someone actively try to help me that I’m not exactly sure what to do with it.

“I’m sorry I freaked you out,” I murmur, not able to meet his eyes.

My eyes are zeroed in on a tiny bleach stain on his dark blue comforter. I’m studying it so hard, feeling his rough hand lightly grasp my chin has me jumping. He turns my head to face him in a way that lets me know if I even slightly resisted, he’d let go right away. “What did I tell you about apologizin’?”

I give him a sad smile. “It still doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t need to see all of that.”

Ink’s face hardens at my comment. “Let’s clear somethin’ up real quick, bunny. I’ll be the judge of what I do and don’t deserve to see. And I’ll always put in the effort to make sure I deserve to see you.”