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I hear raised voices before I enter Linc’s room. I don’t bother to knock; we don’t have secrets. When I enter, though, I’m surprised to see it’s Kelly that Linc’s chewing out. I expected it to be Johnny. What on earth could Kelly have done to make Linc this mad?
“I don’t see what the problem is,” Kelly’s defiant voice calls out.
“You fucked her! The pair of you!” Linc yells.
Ah. That’ll be what’s pissed Linc off so much. I don’t even need to ask who they’re talking about: the delectable Belle. I doubt they’d even notice if I did speak at this point, they’re that embroiled in their shouting match.
“So fucking what?” Kelly spits back. “We’re grown adults.”
“I don’t give a fuck. You can’t touch her!”
“That’s rich coming from you!” Kelly scoffs.
A vein bulges in Linc’s temple, and I’m scared he’s gonna blow.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” His voice drops to a dangerous low growl.
“Isn’t that a bit like the pot calling the kettle black? And you can’t go around spanking her ass either!”
Linc looks like he’s about to blow a fuse or burst an artery or something. Time to step in. Ha, I’m not usually the peacekeeper.
“Guys, I think you need to keep your voices down,” I gently suggest, stepping further into the room and closing the door behind me. Their attention snaps to me and both of them glower in my direction. “Hey, hey, I’m just an innocent bystander here.” I hold my hands up in mock surrender, even though I’m anything but. There’s no denying we’re all interested in Belle. “Save your dirty looks for each other. I’m just here to say that Belle will be here in ten, and you might not want her to hear you at each other’s throats like this!”
They do at least look contrite when I say that, and immediately go to set up the equipment. It’s taken some logistical planning to set up three machines and workstations around one couch, but Linc has done a good job.
“Why can’t I touch her?” Kelly asks quietly once he’s calmed down.
“Because she’s Johnny’s sister,” Linc replies. He sounds resigned, but disappointed.
“Erm, yeah, I know that. And so did you before you stuck your dick in her at the club. Who cares? Johnny’s a prick, and we’re leaving anyway.”
“It’s complicated,” is all Linc will say before he clams up and goes mute. We continue our set-up in silence, and we’re only just done when there’s a timid knock on the door, and I open it to see Belle smiling tentatively at me in the doorway.
“Hi. I’m a little early, is that okay?” she asks nervously, clutching bags of takeout in her hands. It smells amazing, but I’m more interested in her than food.
“Of course it is!” I tell her, “Come in.”
I move to one side and welcome her into the space, smiling gently to try to soothe her nerves. It’s funny that a chick with that many tattoos would be nervous about getting another one, I muse.
Unless she’s nervous to see Kelly and me again after last night. Oh god, I hope she’s not having regrets. Please let it be the tattoo that's making her quiet.
“Jeesh, it’s hot in here, guys,” she comments, stripping off her jacket and fanning herself.
“We did that for you,” Linc grunts. He’s gruff and grumpy, but Belle doesn’t seem to notice.
“Oh…why?” She frowns.
“Because,” I jump in to explain before Linc can bite her head off, “you’re going to be topless for a few hours, and we don’t want you to get cold.”
“Aww, that’s actually really sweet.”
“Your ink will look like shit if we’re tattooing over goosebumps,” Linc mutters.
“Oh. Well, yeah, good point.” She shrugs. “Shall we get started, or do you want to eat first?”
“Let’s get on with it.”
God, Linc is being an idiot. Can’t he see she’s nervous as hell, and he’s not helping? I know he’s not exactly a people person at the best of times, but he’s not usually this bad. Is he really that pissed that Kelly and I made a move on Belle? Did he expect to have some sort of claim to her just because he fucked her first? I mean, I wouldn’t mind if he said something…okay, that’s a lie. I’d be gutted. But still. Something just isn’t adding up.
