Page 3 of Midnight Ink

Until he died.

“I can’t think of anything else to say.” I feel helpless. Not angry, just helpless. The one person in the world who swore they’d always be here with me, who swore we weren’t making a huge mistake opening our own shop on the eighth of August, fucking died a month to the day before our opening. “I love you so much.”

It’s sad to admit that I hoped this would fade, that at some point this grief would be manageable. But it’s hard when I go to work every day in the shop we were supposed to run together. When I go home to the apartment with memories around every corner. When at night I slip into the same bed that used to hold so much warmth. When I look in the mirror and see his art all over my skin.

He’s everywhere. In everything.

Everything reminds me of Maddox fucking Cruz.

Idly, I rub the infinity symbol on my wrist and think back to the day I got it.

“An infinity symbol?” I look at it, and while I’m confused why he chose it, it looks incredible. “It looks like ink.”

Maddox smiles. “It looks like it comes straight from a calligraphy pen.”

“It’s great.” I watch him. “Why an infinity symbol?”

He smiles wider. All white teeth and bright eyes. This man is trouble. “Because it’s us.” He looks at it. “Meeting on the eighth month. Our birthdays are on the eighth. That’s fate, Ian.”

“That’s coincidence.” I look at it again and notice his eyes drop to my lips when I drag my bottom lip between my teeth.

“That doesn’t sound very whimsical either.”

“You and whimsy.” He’s unbelievable.

“You know what would be whimsical as fuck?” He grins.

“What’s that?”

“If you kissed me.” A sharp laugh leaves my lips. “Peak whimsy.”

“You’re terrible.”

“I’m also a great kisser.”

“I have two pieces to do today.” It’s Saturday. I had hoped for a day off tomorrow, but I have some things to do in the morning. I think Jamie’s coming up too. Noah’s on vacation, so maybe I’ll go visit them tomorrow after work. Since tattooing a tiny dick on his chest—long story—we got pretty close. He’s even brought a couple of friends by. Although if I visit, Noah will demand a game night. He also calls me Tattoo Daddy now, and Anna thinks it’s the greatest fucking thing.

Those two are dangerous together.

I need to do something else. Something that doesn’t have to do with the shop or anyone who’d been in Maddox’s orbit.

Maybe Julian would want to hang out tonight?

Julian.

His name tugs a small smile from my lips with a side of guilt. I’m not sure why it manifests when I think about him. Our shop closed for months while I processed everything, and part of me never wanted to open it back up. I had a full book of clients looking for tattoos once the shop opened and I had no clue how to do any of it.

Then I met Julian.

We instantly connected. I found out he was an incredible artist, and he apprenticed for me for a bit until I hired him full time. We just clicked. It was like this huge weight was lifted after Maddox’s death.

Julian is special.

Which is why after all this time I still haven’t mentioned his name when I come here. I don’t know why, it’s not like Maddox would ever know. I mean, if ghosts are real and he hasn’t made himself known this entire time . . . that’s fucked up.

If it were reversed, I would have haunted the shit out of him.

I’m not sure why I haven’t mentioned him, but I keep Julian for myself. I shared everything around me with Maddox while he was alive. Our shop. Our friends. Our apartment. The bed we slept in every night.