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I chuckle, but it’s awkward. He knows my greatest secret. He was there when I found out. “It’s okay. Not like any man will have this bride of Frankenstein body.”
“That’s enough,” he says in that domineering voice I’ve heard him use a few times. I raise my brow and tip my head to the side. “I’m serious. You’re still beautiful and sexy.”
“Hey, don’t let my little sister hear you tell another woman that,” a deep, gruff voice says, and I look up at the man standing next to our table. He’s dressed in black jeans that hang low, a black leather jacket, and a black band T-shirt. He’s got sexy as hell tattoos peeking out of his shirt collar. His dark brown eyes focus on me, and his dark hair is cut with the sides closely cropped to his head and long on top in a faux hawk style. It’s long enough that a few curls fall onto his forehead.
Something deep and dormant in my body buzzes to life.
“Oh, hey, Leif. This is my best friend, Ley.” Ryan introduces us, and I stand up.
Leif reaches out and takes my hand before I can go for the fist bump that I prefer. Something puzzling crosses his face as a tingle works through my hand. My breath catches as I look down at our joined hands.
“Nice to meet you, beautiful. He’s right, you are stunning.” He pulls his hand back, and I lower my eyes as a flush warms my cheeks. “Well, gotta get into the office so I can get books taken care of.” He’s gone before I can make a bigger fool of myself.
“I’ve got it,” Ryan says as he looks at me with a huge smile on his face. “Remember when I told you about the club?”
“Yeah.” I look at him in confusion before I turn to watch Leif walk down the street. He crosses the road and enters a storefront with the logo, Frozen Tattoo and Piercing, displayed in big, bold letters.
“Hello. Ridley.” Ryan waves a hand in front of my face and uses my full name.
“Sorry.” I shake my head, trying not to think of Leif.
“What if I suggested you see a whipmaster?”
I think about it. It’s something he and I have talked about before. I’ve found that I’m into a touch of pain. I haven’t had sex since the attack because I still can’t stand anyone touching me. My therapist says it’s not uncommon after what I went through.
“I’m not saying you’ll want Leif, but there are several others at the club. You should apply and try it out.”
I raise my brow and stare him down. Of my few friends, Ryan doesn’t flinch under my stare. He smiles and takes a sip of his mocha. It’s then I realize what he said.
“Wait, that man is a whipmaster?”
I look across to the shop he entered. I watch as a beautiful woman in super high heels and a short miniskirt walks in. She’s beautiful with her long hair hanging down her back. She’s very petite and has curves. I can’t stop the comparison. I’m all hard edges and muscle.
“Yes,” Ryan says as he follows my stare.
“Okay.”
I’ll do it. I’ll apply and see what happens. Whomever I work with will have to follow my rules completely.
* * *
Leif
I turn as the bell rings over the door and see my sister, Erika, step inside. Her body is barely covered, and I shake my head.
“How the fuck are you going to tattoo in that shit? Someone can see your…” I can’t think of a word to refer to her sex without it sounding raunchy.
She laughs. Most men find the throaty sound sexy. “What? My pussy? I have little shorts on.” She flips up her skirt that looks like a mini kilt, and I see a pair of shorts.
“Yeah, okay. Do you have an early client?” I look at the computer. Jas won’t be in today as she is recovering from what happened to her on Friday. I told her to take a week or so off. She still hasn’t returned to full-time duty at her regular job working for the ambulance service, not since she was beaten and attacked almost a month ago. I think of the woman I just met.
Ley.
Ryan was right when he said she’s beautiful and sexy. She was in a baggy hoodie, but I could tell she has muscles and breasts that are slightly larger than my hands. I wonder what she looks like under that oversized outfit she was wearing.
“Hey, did you hear me?” My sister stands at the counter.
“No, sorry, Rika.”
