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I half listen as the guy in front of me drones on and on and on. He wants me to tattoo his chick, but she doesn’t seem to be here. There’s no point in me getting pissed though, the guy has more money than sense with the amount he’s paid me to close the shop today and give Mica and Kelly the day off. If he wants to waste my time, today at least, I can afford it.
The bell to the shop door chimes just as I’m walking back into my office to grab my portfolio. The flashy bastard was muttering something about trust and relationships and needing to make a connection. Whatever. I just need to smile, take the money, and be done.
When I return to the reception area, I stumble to a halt, dropping my portfolio. Oh well, it won’t be needed anyway because she’s here.
She’shere.
Belle.
I can’t believe it. She may have her back to me, but I’d recognize those long brown waves and the tattoos down her thighs anywhere.
She’sthis guy’s girlfriend?! The one with an incomplete eyesore of a tattoo that’s completely fucked and needs fixing? My hands curl to fists as I wonder who the hell touched her and fucked up my masterpiece.
She turns to face me and gasps, pulling large shades from her face in disbelief.
“Hey, Beauty,” I say, sounding way calmer than I feel. “What brings you in here?”
I give her a lopsided smile which quickly vanishes when her butthead boyfriend replies, “I told you, she has shit ink that needs fixing. I’m paying through the nose for your time, so don’t waste it with idle chit-chat and pleasantries.”
“Linc?” she whispers, looking like she’s seen a ghost. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been hired to tattoo you, if we have a connection.” I smirk, because of course we have a fucking connection. It’s tangible in the room right now. Even the asshat hopping from foot to foot can sense something’s amiss.
Just seeing her face instantly transports me back to the night she left.
“She’s gone. She left. Henry helped her get out unseen, and apparently she was a wreck,” Mica informs us, and I stare at my friend who looks as fucked up as I feel.
“Where?” I ask, but Mica shakes his head.
“The old man won’t say.”
“Fuck!” I snap, barely restraining my anger, and the urge to hunt her down. I just need to explain what happened.
“Let it go, man. There’s nothing we can do right now. She needs space,” Kelly says calmly.
I shake my head. I don’t want to give her space. I want her back here, with us. Where she belongs.
Things moved so fast after that. Within a few weeks we had packed our shit, left Johnny a sniveling mess, and contacted a fellow artist in L.A. to help us set up shop back here. It was always Johnny who wanted to be in Miami and we agreed because the shop’s success allowed all of us to help our families, but we always planned to come home eventually. This just accelerated our timeline for a fresh start.
We had hoped Belle would still be in L.A., especially once I called in a few favors to hold up her visa, but I never expected her to walk in here. Right now, it feels a lot like fate.
“Wait, so you guys know each other?” the arrogant boyfriend snaps, bringing me back to the moment.
Belle is still staring at me.
Do we know each other? More intimately than you ever will, asshole. Who the fuck is this guy? He’s not even Belle’s type. Hell, he’s not anyone's type. Where the fuck did she find this loser?
I ignore him and turn to Belle. “How’s the ink?”
“Healed,” she whispers. “Incomplete.”
It’s almost funny to see her so lost for words, she’s clearly shaken, so I guess Johnny never told her that we relocated.
“Seen your brother lately?”
“We don’t even talk.” She shakes her head, still looking shaken by my presence, but I don’t miss the flash of pain on her face either. I’m not surprised. Johnny was vile in the weeks after Belle’s departure, some of the things he said about her causing me to sock him more than once. I heard he was in rehab now, but if he still hasn’t reached out to Belle, I can understand why she’s still hurting.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I say, somewhat honestly. I’m sad for her because she doesn’t seem to have a lot of family, but I can’t really be upset that Johnny is no longer in her life. He’s a poison, and she’s far too pure to be tainted by him. I’m not convinced he’ll ever get clean.
