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He nods, his heavy gaze lingering on mine. “We’ll be out front.”
Perfect.
Turning back to my client, I finish up his shading before cleaning him up and making sure he’s all good to go. He stands in the mirror for way too long, and as he flexes to himself, watching how his ink sits with his body, Crew glances toward me, a heavy scowl across his face. “Really?” he questions, arching a brow, his tone thick with disdain. “Viper’s been inked more than anyone in this fucking room and suddenly you think he might need a little guidance with his aftercare?”
I stare back at him, suspicion deep in my gaze, not liking his tone. “If you’re jealous, just say that.”
Crew scoffs. “Jealous? Of Viper? Get fucked, babe. I’ve already got you. I don’t need to be jealous of some asshole who can’t catch a fucking hint.”
Irritation burns through my veins. Already got me? I mean, sure. He fucked me last night, left his mark from one end of my apartment to the other, but that doesn’t mean shit. We talked about my boundaries, and as far as I was concerned, he was okay with them.
“Then what’s your issue?” I demand, getting frustrated with him, ignoring his comment about already having me because right now, all he’s about to have is my foot shoved so far up his ass he won’t walk for a week. “I’ve been working on Viper for years, and you know just as well as I do that he doesn’t give a shit about aftercare, and I spent way too many hours on that piece to have him come back in here in a few weeks telling me it healed like shit. So yeah, I asked him to stay so I could check up on it, but you know what? I don’t owe you any explanations, and I sure as hell shouldn’t be standing here trying to justify myself to you. He’s my client, and if I wish to check how his chest is healing, then that’s none of your damn business.”
Crew stands and steps into me. “You’re leading him on,” he growls, getting in my face, his hand balling into a fist at his side. “And you’re only fucking doing it to get at me. To prove some fucking point that you don’t belong to me, but I told you, Ky. You’re mine. Whether you fucking like it or not.”
“The fuck did you just say to me?” I demand. “You might have made me scream your name all night, and we might have something worth looking into in the future, but if this is the kind of bullshit I’m going to get from you for simply looking out for one of my clients, then you can forget it. You’ll never fucking touch me again. Don’t make me regret what we did, Crew.”
He clenches his jaw just as the bell over the door chimes and Viper strides back into the shop. He takes one look at the standoff between me and Crew, and a cocky grin stretches across his face. “Trouble in paradise?” he laughs, already gripping the hem of his shirt and pulling it up over his head, putting that impressive torso on display.
For fuck’s sake. I swear, Viper’s timing is always on point.
I roll my eyes and step away from Crew as my client finally pulls his shirt on and makes his way back to the reception desk to pay, probably sensing this isn’t somewhere he wants to be right now. Then despite having a girl working the desk today, I walk back around with him, needing a minute to calm down before having to face Viper.
He thanks me before finally getting his ass out of the shop, and when I turn back around, I find Viper and Crew looking as though they’re about to tear each other to shreds. “Fucking hell,” I mutter under my breath.
Making my way back to my station, I shove my hand against Crew’s big shoulder, forcing him back a step, a deep ugliness in my tone. “Knock it off,” I tell him. “Your client’s waiting.”
Crew looks at me as though he wants to tear the flesh right off my body. “We’re not done with this conversation.”
“We were fucking done with it before it even started,” I hiss.
Viper steps closer into my back as though I need some kind of protection, and with that, Crew finally relents, clenching his jaw as he walks back to his station, muttering something under his breath.
“You good?” Viper asks from behind me, his hand falling to my waist.
I let out a heavy breath and turn back to face him, letting his hand fall away. “Fine,” I say. “Just trying to work out where we stand with each other.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks as I cross my station to grab a new pair of gloves and a few supplies.
“It’s nothing,” I say, indicating for him to take a seat in my chair.
Viper does as I’ve asked, and as I lean over him to peel the bandage back, I feel his heavy gaze lingering on my face. “You fucked him, didn’t you?” he murmurs, keeping our conversation private.
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” I say.
“Ahh shit, babe,” he mutters as though I’d just made some horrible, life-changing mistake that I’ll never be able to come back from. “You know he’s no good for you.”
My brows furrow. Why would he think that? Apart from the fact I’m not ready for a relationship or that I want to skin him alive right now, Crew and I make the perfect match. But considering everything we talked about last night, I didn’t think a jealous Crew was something I was going to have to worry about.
“Funny,” I say, my gaze locked on Viper’s chest, suddenly very uncomfortable. “That’s exactly what he tells me about you.”
Viper laughs. “He’s right. I’m no fucking good for you. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t treat you like my fucking queen.” I don’t respond, and when his hand finds my waist again, my gaze lifts to his, not believing him for a second. “I’m serious.”
“About what?” I ask. “That Crew’s no good for me or that you’d treat me like a queen?”
“Both,” he says. “But I’m talking about Crew. You’ve always had blinders on when it came to him. You’ve been friends for years, but he’s only ever shown you the parts of himself he wanted you to see. You don’t know him like I do, and if you really want to get involved with him, that’s your call. I just want you to be careful.”
Unease pulses through my veins. What does he meanknow him like I do?Outside of this shop, I wasn’t aware they knew each other at all. I mean, sure. Their lives might have crossed here and there, but Crew doesn’t involve himself with the Grim Reapers. “Care to elaborate?”
