I had plans for my little darling. She needed to pay for her temper tantrum, but I wanted to give her plenty of time to think about her actions and worry about what was ahead of her.

Suzy stared at the ground as we walked through the door of Inked. Mikey sat at the desk and was engrossed in his work until I cleared my throat. He looked up, a smile breaking out across his face.

“Suzy, this is my brother Mikey.”

“Michael,” he said, holding out his hand.

Suzy smiled at him and placed her hand in his. “Nice to meet you, Michael.”

“Pleasure is all mine.” He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it.

“Hey, dickhead, break this shit up. Suzy’s mine.” I smacked his shoulder and gave him a glare.

“I’m just giving her a proper welcome, bro. Chill the fuck out,” Mikey said, looking at me with a smarmy grin. Asshole.

“Do you want to come in the back or stay out here with Mikey?” I emphasized “Mikey” just to get under his skin. He’d always been Mikey, but he didn’t like the nickname when women were nearby.

“I’ll keep you company,” he piped in, and I turned to give him the look of death.

“Um, I don’t know. I don’t really like blood. Is it bloody?” she asked.

“Not too bad, sugar. Tattoos are done with needles, so there’s some.” I pulled her close and buried my face in her hair, inhaling her sweet, flowery scent.

“I think I better wait out here,” she said into my chest.

“I’ll keep her company—no worries, Joey.” The fucker winked at me, and I wanted to punch him in the face. I knew he was just fucking with me, because one thing my brother sure as fuck wasn’t was a woman stealer. He wouldn’t try and fuck Suzy or take her from me, but it still grated on my fucking nerves.

I’d never felt so territorial over someone, and especially not as quickly as I had with Suzy. Maybe it was her similarities to Joni or her kind heart, but I didn’t want anything bad to happen to her, and I sure as hell didn’t want to lose the opportunity to get to know everything about her.

“I’ll be done soon with Sophia. I just have to finish the color.” I kissed her, making sure to leave her breathless and her mind only filled with thoughts of me before I left her in the capable hands of my wanker little brother. “Don’t let Mikey fool you. He’s not as innocent as he looks.”

“I figured that. I’m not completely naïve.” I chuckled, because she was that naïve. Mikey had the look of a kindhearted person, with his charming, boyish good looks, but I’d seen him beat the piss out of men almost twice his size.

“Okay, sugar. Just don’t believe a goddamn thing that comes out of that mouth of his, got me?” I smiled at her, and all I wanted to do is take her home and fuck her brains out, but I had to finish Sophia’s tattoo and leave these two to talk.

“Gotcha, big guy. Go finish that tattoo so I can get her home to Kayden before he starts blowing up her phone. I’ll be okay.”

“I still have plans for you, sugar. I haven’t forgotten. Catch ya in a few.” I slapped her ass hard enough for it to sting. She yelped and jumped from the quick swat.

“Dang, City,” she said as she rubbed her ass, and I laughed as I walked to the back of the shop.

Sophia was typing on her phone, and looked up as I approached.

“Get the pussy out of the car?” she asked as I pulled on my gloves.

“Yeah, we had a little talk.” I laughed. I sat down and grabbed my machine and dipped the needle in the yellow ink.

“You have to understand her, City. She’s not like most girls. She’s in a class all her own,” Sophia said as she looked up from her phone.

“Whatcha mean, darlin’?” I asked, rubbing the salve over the design before placing the needle against her skin.

“She hasn’t really had a boyfriend or been in love. Shit, I’d never been truly in love with someone until I met Kayden. She’s not used to any of this. God, I’m so fucking this up, but you’re fucking killing me with that needle, City.” She giggled.

“Just a little bit longer. Tell me more about her, Sophia. You guys were with each other, like, twenty-four-seven there for a while. What don’t I know about her? What won’t she tell me about herself?” I looked down and shaded in the beautiful hibiscus on her hip with shades of pinks and yellows.

“Well, where should I start? I’m sure you’ve figured out she doesn’t swear, but trust me, that girl has one dirty-ass mind.” She laid her head back in the chair and her body grew less tense. Talking seemed to help people get their mind off the needle scraping against their skin.

“Really? This I gotta hear.”

“I don’t want to give away all her secrets, but she needs a guy like you.”

“What’s that mean?” I had an idea, but I wanted to hear her best friend say it.

“Suzy is a control freak. She needs someone that won’t give in to her, but—and this is a big but—she also needs someone that’s going to care about what she wants. She’s been with men that don’t really live up to the promises in the sack, or make her feel like a freak.”

Now she fucking intrigued me. “What would make her feel like a freak?”

“She has this fantasy about being kidnapped and sold into slavery.”

She whispered the last words, and I looked up at her. I almost fucking choked. “Suzy?”

“Don’t be so shocked, Joey. She just wants to be owned, if you know what I mean. She may be a control freak, but in the sack she wants to be used and controlled. Think you’re up to the challenge?” She moved her eyebrows up and down, with the biggest smile plastered on her face.

“I think I’m just what the doctor ordered. Tell me more—this shit is good.”

“She has fantasies, but will probably never share them with you.”

“Why not?”

“No one has ever asked her, so don’t expect her to just cough up that shit. You have to pull it out of her.”

“Got it.”

“Just don’t break her heart, City, or I’ll crush your balls. Got me?”

“Loud and clear, and I think you’d do it too, Sophia.” Sophia didn’t seem like the type to not follow through on her words. She reminded me of those strict teachers that you didn’t want to fuck around in class and get that pissed-off-teacher look from, but I knew she was sweet too, ’cause Suzy wouldn’t be friends with someone who wasn’t.

“Oh, I have no issues inflicting bodily harm when necessary.”

“Kayden must be one hell of a guy to handle you, Sophia.”

“He’s complicated.”

“Suzy mentioned something along those lines about Kayden.” I dipped the gun into the black to finish the shading as I hit the home stretch on the design on her leg.

“I normally wouldn’t take as much shit as I did from him, but when you love someone and you know you’re meant to be with them, you stick it through. I couldn’t abandon him in his time of need. Someday I’ll tell you the whole story, ’cause it’s a long fucking tale.”

“Almost done, just a few more lines. Was it worth it?” I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear her say it was worth the struggle that I feel she had to endure to find the love of her life.

“I wouldn’t trade a moment of our fucked-up journey. We were meant to be together. I don’t regret a second of my time with him.”

I liked hearing about Kayden and Sophia. All my friends and siblings were single and had been put through the ringer. I wanted to hear that it was possible to find love in today’s jaded world.

I put the machine on the table and began to wipe the tattoo to clean her skin so she could get a good look at it. “There ya go, darling. Hop up and look in the mirror.” I leaned back in my chair and stretched my back.

Sophia jumped up and walked up to the mirror, holding the side of her pants down. It was beautiful and permanent.

“Whatcha think?”

“Oh my God, City. It’s amazing. I fucking love it.” She turned to the side and stood closer to the mirror. “The color’s amazing.”

“Will Kayden like it?” I asked. I was sure he’d love it; what man wouldn’t love their woman to have their name on their skin? She was marked and his forever.

“He’s going to freak out. The guy has a thing for tats, and he has my name on him. I can’t wait to show him.” She just stood there and stared in the mirror with a giant smile across her face.

“He does?”

“Yep, huge down his leg. There’s no way to cover that shit up, either. He’s mine forever and I’m his,” she said as she walked back over to the chair.

“I never advise anyone to tattoo a boyfriend or girlfriend’s name on their body. It’s asking for disaster. You’re brave.”

“Brave? I’m never leaving that man, City. No one will ever love me like he does.”

“I’ve seen the chemistry you two have. I did my part in warning you, but I can’t deny you the design you want.” I rubbed the salve on her skin and covered it to keep it clean. “You know how this works and about after-care?”

“Yep, it’s my fifth tattoo. I got this shit.”

“Well then, darling, you’re all done.”

“I have to use the ladies’ room. Where is it?” she asked.

“Down the hall to the right. I’m going to go check on Suzy.” I wanted to see her and make sure Mikey kept his paws off her.

I pulled my gloves off with a snap and threw them on the table. I cracked my neck and rounded the corner to see Mikey and Suzy sitting in the chairs talking and a little closer than I’d normally feel comfortable with—but this was Mikey.

They began to laugh. “Oh stop, Michael, you’re killing me.” She covered her mouth and slapped her knee.

“I shit you not,” Mikey said, then looked up at me and cleared his throat. “Oh, big brother. How’d things go?”

“What the fuck are you two talking about?” I knew Mikey wanted to find any way to embarrass me; my family was fantastic for that shit.

“Nothing at all.”

Suzy’s face turned red, and she could barely look me in the eyes without breaking out into a fit of laughter. “Don’t you worry, we’re just sharing family memories.”

Cocksucker. Someday I’d make him pay for this shit. I wouldn’t normally give a fuck, but I didn’t want Suzy to think of me in the way Mikey had probably described me. Thank the motherfucking gods that the rest of the group wasn’t here today. Izzy would be all over Suzy, grilling her and filling her head with stories that should stay in the past. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“No worries. Michael was just reminiscing,” she said between her fingers, trying to hide her laughter.

I wanted to choke the motherfucker. I knew he had a knack for making shit up just for his amusement and my embarrassment. I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to stop myself from punching him in the face.

“Where’s Sophia?” Suzy asked, getting up from her seat.

“She’s using the ladies’ room. Go back and see the work I did on her.” I kissed her, patting her ass as she walked away. “What the fuck did you tell her?” I said to Mikey.

He started to laugh as he stood. “Oh, nothing.”

“Bullshit. What lies did you fill her head with, asswad?”

“I told her you slept with a teddy bear and sucked your thumb until you were ten.” He doubled over in laughter, and I saw red.

“You’re a dickhead, Mikey. Why do you always do this shit to me?” I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing.

“You never got all worked up before. You must really like this one.” He plopped his ass in the chair and pulled himself up to the desk.

“Fuck you.”

“Oh, testy. Definitely a boner for that blonde bombshell. Hey, you told my last girlfriend that I pissed my bed until high school. All’s fair in love and war, rat bastard.”

I burst into laughter. That was the last time that woman came around the family. She broke up with Mikey shortly after our Sunday dinner. “You didn’t even like her. You were just fucking her.” I heard the door creak, and Suzy and Sophia emerged with smiles on their faces. “Guess you’re right, I deserved it, but for fuck’s sake—I really like this girl. Don’t fuck it up for me. Got me?” I said, leaning over the desk so only he could hear.

“Righto. Don’t get your panties in a wad, man.” Mikey stood quickly, and smiled as the ladies walked up to the desk. “Everything okay, ladies?”

Sophia’s smile couldn’t be any bigger. “Fabulous. You did such an amazing job, City. I fuckin’ love it, and Kayden’s going to be shocked as hell.”

“Kayden?” Mikey said, his voice filled with curiosity.

“Yes, Kayden, my boyfriend and father of my baby.”

“Fuck, all the good ones are taken,” Mikey muttered as he walked away.

“I’m glad you’re happy. Let me know what Kayden thinks about it.”

Sophia wrapped her arms around me and said, “Thank you.”

“Anytime, babe. I’m your man if you ever need any more work. Give that some time to heal. You’re going to be sore for a couple of weeks. The hip is tender. Watch what type of clothing you wear, too.”

Suzy stood off to the side and smiled at us both. I couldn’t wait to get her alone later, but I still had work to do. “Come here, sugar.” I held my hand out to her, and she placed her tiny fingers in my palm.

I wrapped her in my arms and pulled her body against mine. “I haven’t forgotten that I owe you for your little display earlier.” Her eyes went wide as she stared at me. “I never break a promise, either, sugar.” I kissed her and rubbed my dick against her stomach. I couldn’t wait to bury myself in her pretty little cunt. “I’ll be over around eight. Be ready.” I smiled and said goodbye as the two girls walked out of the shop in a fit of giggles.