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I nod at him already knowing Dane from other sessions I’ve had here. Jax nods and accept his extended hand. “Jax McCabe,” he introduces.
“Zane Valen," Zane mimics.
“We have the occasional high-profile client come through here, so I wanted to assure you we’re equipped to handle your privacy. We also require all our artists and piercers to sign NDAs to work here, but we do keep copies on file for those like yourself.”
I see Jax cringe. I have a feeling he feels awkward because he has his own NDA that he and Zane have kept for years. I remember when my dad suggested it after they became immensely popular in college. Awkwardness won’t keep him from saying something. “I like you and your shop,” he says with that deep raspy voice I love so much. “And Tori genuinely cares for Zoey which automatically makes her okay with us, but we keep an NDA of our own. I’ll email it to you so you can look it over, print, and sign it. It’s nothing personal.”
I love Dane. I’ve only met him a couple of times but it’s easy to see that the gruff exterior is nothing more than that. He’s really nice. He’s always made me feel like I’m welcome in his shop, so I’m not surprised when he waves Jax off. “No big deal, man. I get it.” He rattles off his shop email, and he and the boys walk over to a computer behind the counter.
“He’s pretty intense,” Tori observes as they walk away.
“That’s an understatement,” Maddox mutters.
I cast him an irritated glance. “Jax has to protect himself. He learned it from his brother.”
“Jax is a ticking time bomb,” Maddox smirks. “Twice now, he’s broken my damn nose.”
“Maybe you should stop provoking him,” I snap, not appreciating the way he portrays Jax.
“Calm down, Zo,” he says with his palms raised in front of him. “I probably would’ve reacted the same way if I were in his shoes.”
I nod, accepting his apology. Tori looks at Maddox curiously. “Broke your nose twice,” her lips twitch.
Maddox shrug. “A story for another day. How are you doing, Zo?”
I know that’s a question I’m going to hear a lot. I know even when it’s not being spoken, Zane and Jax will be looking at me with it in their eyes for a very long time. I know I’ve brought it on myself. But that doesn’t make it any less irritating.
I try hard to choke it down with an honest answer. “Better than when you found me in the bathroom. I have good days and bad days.”
“I wish you would have confided in me,” Tori says softly.
“I didn’t talk to anyone, Tori. I know you tried to be my friend, but I wasn’t in a place for friends. If I didn’t confide in Jax and Zane, there was nothing you were going to be able to do to get through to me.”
“We are friends, Zoey. At least, I hope we are. I knew you were hurting. I didn’t take it personally."
I look into her bright chocolate brown eyes and feel humbled by the sincerity in them. Under different circumstances, she and I could’ve been great friends. Maybe we still can try. I move in to give her a hug. “Thanks, Tori.”
“Ready to do this?” Jax asks behind me.
Tori sniffles before pulling her long body from mine. “Of course, I’m ready,” I say excitedly.
“This way, guys,” Dane calls, leading us to a room in the back.
We enter a large room with four chairs lining the wall. The walls are decorated with various types of art. All modern, but not all tattoos. Some music plays in the background. “Who’s first?” Dane asks.
“I’m doing, Zoey,” Tori says casting Dane a look that dares him to argue.
He laughs, throwing his hands up in surrender. “You can do them all, doll. I just thought I’d offer to help."
“Blondie is doing me,” Zane says with a perusing smirk over Tori.
Tori looks at him as if she could slap the smug look off his face. Of course, it doesn’t deter Zane. My brother hasn’t met a girl he couldn’t get since he was sixteen, so if anything, he sees Tori as a challenge. I make a mental note to tell him to keep his man whoring ways away from Tori.
“You can work on me, man,” Jax offers then nods toward Zane. “And he can go first with Tori so he doesn’t have time to chicken out.”
“I won’t chicken out,” Zane grumbles. “Who made you boss anyway.”
Jax just grins, while peeling off his shirt again, revealing his ink covered body. I see Tori’s mouth drop at the sight of him making me a little jealous.
