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Zane finally peeks over our shoulders to see what I’m wanting us to get done. “Aww, fuck no!” he curses. “I thought you meant more words or something.”
“Zane please,” I beg.
“What’s the problem?” Maddox asks not understanding the conversation.
“Zane is a pussy who hates needles,” Jax states with a shrug.
Maddox snickers. He stretches out his own tattooed arms, turning them for us to see the sleeves covering them. “It’s not that bad, Zane.”
Zane rolls his eyes. “Fine, but where the hell is this motherfucker putting another tattoo?” he says gesturing at Jax’s covered arms.
Jax uses a hand to remove his shirt. “Right here,” he says pointing to bare skin on his left side.
“How about we all get it there?” I suggest. “Like we did with the first ones.”
“Zane, come on man. This is art done by your sister no less. We have a lot to celebrate don’t you think?”
“Why the fuck does celebrating with you two require pain? I am not a fucking masochist like you freaks are.”
Everyone in the shop at this point is listening to the back and forth between my brother and the rest of us. I wonder if he cares that in a few minutes the internet will be going crazy over his fear of tattoos and needles. I think it’s hilarious.
“So, let me get this straight,” Tori says saucily, obviously flirting with Zane. That needs to be a big no-go. My brother would break her heart, and, I have a feeling, Tori would break his face for it. “You get hit on a field by three hundred pound grown men for a living, but we’re masochistic freaks because we’re willing to endure pain for a short while to express ourselves in a permanent way.”
Zane stands straighter with narrowed eyes and arms folded across his chest. I’m sure she was hoping to bait him. Unfortunately, because Zane is a public figure, he’s well acquainted with people trying to bait him. Zane has always been smarter than that.
Maddox and Jax smirk obviously ready to begin ribbing him some more, but I suddenly feel the fight go out of me. It’s part of being me right now, but I’ve learned to accept frequent, but temporary, lows over the constant feeling of drowning.
“It’s okay,” I say softy trying to keep the sadness hidden. “We can do something else. I’ll just get something else, Zane. You don’t have to do this, and I shouldn’t try to push you into it.”
A big whoosh of breath escapes him. “Fuck it,” he says surprising me. “If you can survive everything you have, I can survive a fucking tattoo.”
I feel my eyes widen in shock, but I’m not letting him do this without knowing he’s sure. “Zane, you really don’t have to. It wasn’t fair of me to guilt you.”
He walks up to me, pulling me into a hug. “I’m sure, Zo. Whatever you want.”
Tori jumps up and down in excitement. “I’ll get the paperwork together!”
Jax clears his throat a bit awkwardly. “We actually have paperwork too. We need you and whoever works here to sign NDAs.”
Tori’s excitement seems to dissipate. “Does that mean that I can't tell anyone I gave you guys the tattoos or share them?”
“It’s her lively hood, Jay,” I look to him for understanding. “It would be a big deal for her to say she gave you two tattoos.”
He looks down at me, taking my breath away with the intensity and love in his eyes. “She can share that. Just nothing else. Especially anything we say.” He turns to Tori to clarify, “I know that you know a lot of personal stuff already and wouldn’t tell. But we have to keep our asses covered and Zoey protected. We need to be in a private room away from other people too.”
She nods in understanding then takes off to the back of the shop to get her paperwork.
“When did you draw the tattoo?” Zane asks when it’s just the four of us standing there.
“A few days ago.”
“What’s it mean?” Maddox asks looking at the drawing with an intense curiosity.
“It’s a Claddagh. Celtic tradition uses it in a ring for marriage, but it represents love, loyalty, and friendship. I was having a pretty bad day. Therapy was super intense. I was missing Jax and Zane so much. I was struggling with guilt, remorse, and a lot of hurt. I started doodling and this is what I came up with. I didn’t intend on it becoming a tattoo. It was just something that I saw in my head and put it to paper. It was a good outlet that day.”
Still tucked into Zane’s side, he squeezes me tighter and kisses the top of my head. “Then, if it helped you, I’m glad to get it. It really is beautiful, little sister.”
A few minutes later, Tori emerges with a tall, well built guy with a blond mohawk and a few tablets. “This is our shop owner, Dane. I was telling him about your request.”
