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“Hey, I can’t help it if junior is hungry,” she returned with a shrug.
I spent the next couple of hours casting covert glances at Soleil while she and Faith worked the desk. A couple of people came in to buy jewelry, one made an appointment with Laila, and a few scheduled appointments with Chains, Leo, and Price for ink.
“Thanks for coming in, Dirk,” I heard Price say and lifted my gaze to see him walking his new client out to the desk. “The girls here will get you taken care of. Remember, if you have any questions about aftercare, you can go to our website. But don’t be afraid to call us if you have further questions.”
“Thanks, Price. I appreciate it,” he drawled as they shook hands. Price’s brow furrowed as the dude released his hand and turned to the counter. Then Price shook his head slightly and went back to his room to clean up.
“This place has a great reputation, but I didn’t know there was such gorgeous scenery here when my buddy recommended it,” Dirk said practically drooling as he leaned on the counter and grinned at Faith and Soleil.
“Well, thank you,” Faith responded as she made a production of rubbing her belly. I snickered quietly to myself.
“I’m taking that as a big fat hint, but I don’t see a ring on your finger,” he murmured to Soleil, and my humor immediately evaporated. “Do you like stand-up? Because there’s a local guy performing down at the Cabaret tonight, and I kind of have an in. Then maybe we could hang out there afterward.”
My displeasure grew exponentially, and I gritted my teeth. The Cabaret was a popular sports bar and grill.
“Oh. Um, I don’t, uh…,” she stammered as her cheeks flushed a soft pink.
“No pressure,” he assured as he grabbed one of the business cards and a pen from the cup by the register. He wrote something down. “Here. If you decide you want to go, it starts at seven. Send me a text or give me a call. We can even meet here if it makes you feel better about going out with a stranger.”
“Thank you, but I, uh, probably won’t be able to go on such short notice,” Soleil explained as she nervously fiddled with the card he’d handed her and bit her lip.
From where I sat, I could see the heated stare he gave her as he watched her mouth. I slapped my magazine onto the table with a loud crack. They all looked my way, and I gave them an innocence shrug. “Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
I might’ve been mistaken, but I thought he gave me a little smirk. Except I blinked, and I couldn’t be sure.
“Hope to see more of you, pretty lady. I’m going to be watching my phone and waiting.” He winked at Soleil, and I clenched my hands. Maybe the girls didn’t catch it, but I saw the way he leered at her tits before he licked his lower lip and pushed himself up off the counter.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I held myself back from beating the skinny bastard’s ass for the way he looked at her. I was practically trembling with the need to tell him to back the fuck off because she was mine.
His hand hit the door, and he paused. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck as he slowly turned his head to lock gazes with me. The corner of his mouth kicked up and his eyes went black.
“I’ll be seeing you around, Aros,” he imparted before he pushed the door open and stepped outside.
For a split second, I was stunned, then I was on my feet and racing after him. I slammed into the door so hard, the glass should’ve broken, and I rushed outside. The small parking lot of the strip mall was empty, and he wasn’t walking off in either direction. After looking around the corner to see if he went around back, I barged into the shop next door and frantically looked around but saw no sign of him. As quickly as I went in, I was back out and into the next one. I did that with each of the businesses that shared the strip mall with us. When again there was nothing, I darted out and went back toward our front door.
The strip mall our tattoo studio was located in was on South Ankeny Boulevard—literally a straight shot down from the clubhouse property. There were too many places he could’ve gone or hidden, but I should’ve seen him either pulling out in a vehicle, walking down the street, or inside one of the places in the strip mall. I hadn’t paused for long after he spoke to me.
It was as if he’d disappeared like a wraith. Chains and Price came out front as I spun around in bafflement.
“What the fuck just happened?” Chains asked.
“Yeah, we heard you hit the door, and the girls said you went running out after my last client,” Price added with a confused frown.
“That guy—Dirk,” I grunted. “Who was he?”
“No clue, really. One of my regular clients is a friend of his and recommended me to him. He came by a few days ago for a consultation and to set up his appointment, but I’d never met him before that,” Price explained. “Why?”
“I thought he said something as he went out the door. It was weird but it was probably nothing,” I lied. Price was a great guy, but I wasn’t discussing my business with him. Chains cocked his head, and his expression questioned my answer.
“Huh, okay. Well, let’s go order something for lunch,” Chains offered, but his eyes told me we would talk inside.
I nodded. “Sorry. I really thought the guy said something shitty to the girls,” I apologized with a shrug and a phony grin.
When we went inside, Faith and Soleil were looking at me like I’d lost my mind. “Sorry, ladies. Go ahead and use my DoorDash app and order us lunch. Surprise me with whatever,” I told Faith as I set my phone in front of them.
I went to the back and into the break room. Chains followed me like I knew he would. Price poked his head in.
“Everything okay?” he quietly asked as he glanced back and forth between me and Chains with a concerned stare.
“Yeah, man. It’s all good,” I assured him.
“Okay, well, I don’t have another appointment until four. I’m gonna run home to check on Dad. I’ll be back.” He gave us a wave, but I could tell he didn’t believe me.
The minute he left, Chains turned to me and closed the break room door. “What the fuck really happened?”
A tic twitched by my eye as I worked my jaw. Then I inhaled deeply and let it out. “I think it was him.”
