Page 57 of Inflict

Hell no.

Connor rounded the entryway to the living room just in time to see Killian set a piece of paper down to the glass coffee table. Evelyn sat beside him, albeit with a good cushion of space between them. He was ready to break their party up, but his friend’s next comment stopped him.

Just in time, too.

“Honestly, Connor has a better eye for this sort of thing,” Killian said with a shrug, still looking over whatever was on the paper. “And unlike me, he could do this freehand, if he were in the mood, no transfer needed. Three hours, four max.”

“Really?”

Killian nodded. “Also, it wouldn’t be smart of me to be saying yes to something like this, lass. It’s a delicate spot—I’d bet my arse he wouldn’t be okay with it. Maybe somewhere else, but I don’t even think he’d stand for that.”

His old friend was entirely right about his assumptions. Just the thought of Killian—though Connor knew the man probably wouldn’t do anything that might risk his life—tattooing Evelyn, made Connor’s rage boil.

No one needed to be touching her.

Feckin’ no one.

Evelyn’s lips turned down into a frown. “He wouldn’t care.”

A dark, dry laugh escaped from Killian. “Yes, yes he would.”

“But—”

“He would care very much,” Connor said before he could stop himself.

Evelyn and Killian turned in the direction of Connor’s voice, but only one of them seemed surprised to see him standing there. Evelyn, that was. Killian simply shot Connor with an arrogant smirk, like he knew exactly how irritated the other Irishman was in that moment, and stood from the couch. Had he drunk a bit of liquor before going home, Connor might have considered throwing a fist into Killian’s stupid face, just for the man’s haughtiness alone. Killian grabbed the bag he’d brought along, slinging it over his shoulder before looking at Evelyn.

“Another day,” he told Evelyn.

She nodded once. “Sure.”

Connor waited in his spot as his friend crossed the living room, to pass him by in the entryway. Killian stopped, that annoying grin still a permanent mark on his features.

“No touching. That’s what you said. I followed the rules,” he said.

Connor’s hand twitched with the urge to reach for the pocket knife in his trousers, while his knuckles practically sang with the need to make the man bleed. “You’re pushing your luck today, boyo.”

“I was cleaning my kit. She was curious. I can’t help where it went after that.”

Their conversation was too low for Evelyn to hear, but Connor still found her staring at him when he looked in her direction.

“Did you tell her no because you knew I was there, or because you knew you wouldn’t make it out of the house alive otherwise?”

Killian’s smile finally melted away. “Because I meant what I said, you feckin’ wagon.”

“And?”

His friend chuckled.

“And because you’re a crazy bastard.”

Connor nodded, agreeing silently. “All right. She doesn’t exist outside of here, yeah? Remember that, and keep your mouth shut.”

“Funny.”

“What?”

Killian shrugged. “She didn’t even tell me her name. A girl with no name, who isn’t supposed to be here. Seems easy enough to say she probably doesn’t exist.”