Page 27 of Midnight Ink

Then my eyes drag up, taking in the galaxy tattoo on his chest. That tattoo is insane. It begins just below his pecs. The dark clouds swirl and form a border, then you’re dropped into darkness punched through by stars, milky ways, and galaxies. There are several shining moons and an undiscovered planet that pops against all the darkness surrounding it. The tattoo crawls over his shoulders, nearly bleeding into the angel-devil on his back. The tattoo stops halfway up his neck and sort of spills down one arm, while it stops at his other shoulder, morphing into an ocean half sleeve on his arm. “Did Maddox do that?”

Ian looks confused, then realizes and nods. “Yeah. He’s done most of mine.”

“Except for the ones I’ve done.” I smile. Yeah that ocean sleeve is all my work. Pops of color decorate his nearly black and gray ocean-themed arm. It looks like a small ecosystem on his skin.

He steps further into the kitchen and comes over to me, looking over my shoulder. “Thank you.” He kisses my cheek making warmth sink into my skin. Thank god he brushed his teeth. “I’m sorry about earlier. I’m sorry I yelled at you. That was wrong. I was upset and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

I swallow with a nod as he moves and leans against the counter. “Where’s Jamie?”

“Well, that was why I was drinking.” Shame sparks in Ian’s eyes. He takes a deep breath and shakes head. “After you left, I said something horrible to him. Something I can’t take back.”

“How bad?”

His shoulders drop. I let him have a minute, fixing his sandwich and sliding it to him with the hot sauce. He pours a generous amount onto the cheese and groans when he takes a bite. “Goddamn, that’s good.” He puts the sandwich down then rubs his face. “I lashed out when he was just telling me the truth. I didn’t want to hear it. I basically blamed him for the accident.” He drags in a shaky breath then presses his palms to his eyes. “I can’t believe I did that.”

His hands drop as he reaches for his sandwich again.

“He knows you didn’t mean it.”

He shakes his head. “He said he knows I didn’t but . . . it was so ugly, Jules. I don’t blame him. What the hell is wrong with me lately? I hate this. And you—fuck, I’m so sorry. I never meant to yell at you. I’m so sorry.”

I take a bite of my sandwich. “Hold your sorry, you might want to take it back.”

“What?”

“I did something and you’re going to be pissed.”

His eyes cut to slits. “What do you mean?”

Come on courage, don’t fail me now. I played this conversation over in my head the entire time he was passed out. I’ve practiced this, but I’m having a hard time now finding the words. “You were right, I didn’t know him⁠—”

His eyes soften. “Jules⁠—”

“No. Listen to me. I didn’t know him, but I can’t imagine loving someone and watching them burn themselves out like this. I didn’t know him, but if you think the way you’ve worn yourself so thin for this shop is what he would’ve wanted—” I take a breath, my words rattling around. I need to say this. I have to. “I’m not going to speak on your relationship. I’m just going to say this.” I steady my thoughts. “I didn’t know him, but I would never want this for you, Ian.”

“I told you, I’m fine, it’s just⁠—”

“I called all our appointments for the next two weeks and said we need to reschedule them.”

“What?”

“I said in two weeks we’ll call them and reschedule. I offered ten percent off and said we’ll get them done soon. Most understood.”

“Are you fucking joking!? You have no right⁠—”

“You need a break! We need a break. Anna, well Anna barely works, but she wants a break too. We need a break. You can’t keep going like this. Two-week vacation. That’s what we’re all doing.” I finish up my sandwich and try to ignore the visibly seething man.

“Well, I guess I’m calling everyone back and telling them my coworker’s insane.”

Hurt slaps me. “Coworker? I’m your friend, dick. Which is why this is happening. I don’t care what you do for those two weeks, but you’re not tattooing. You’re taking a vacation. I don’t care if it’s in your fucking bedroom or in the Bahamas. Go to Jamie’s. Go to the fucking moon. You’re taking a break.”

“No I’m not. You can take a vacation, but I’m not going to do that to my clients.”

I figured as much.

I take my plate and put it in the sink then walk over to him. “You can go ahead and do whatever you want, but if you don’t do this, I quit.”

“What?”