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Shit. This is all Alex’s fault. He’s kept me sexually frustrated for the past two weeks. If I wasn’t so worked up and my favorite monster dildo wasn’t so far out of reach, I would have been able to satisfy that raw, relentless craving, and I would probably be thoroughly repulsed by the idea of the wicked things my stalker would do to me.
Yep. It’s official. I’m sick in the head, but hell, maybe me and my stalker might have something in common, you know, apart from the fact that we both like hanging out in my apartment.
Trying to put all the thoughts of this mystery stalker out of my head, I drop my gaze back to my sketchpad and let myself get lost in what I’m doing. My pencil glides over the pages effortlessly, and it feels a lot more natural than it had yesterday. I can’t help but wonder if it’s because this new development with my stalker is keeping my mind off the guilt I feel about Crew, or if pouring all of my emotions into my design yesterday has somehow managed to clear my head. All I know is that today, I haven’t been hung up over Crew’s death. Don’t get me wrong, not having him here still kills me, but today it seems so much easier to breathe.
A few hours pass when I hear the familiar chime above the door, and I glance back over my shoulder to find Big Jim making his way in. “Hey, kid,” he calls out through the shop, raising his voice over the music I’m playing. “How’re you feeling today?”
“Alright,” I say with a slight shrug of my shoulders as he strides to his station and dumps his shit on the table.
“You good? You never beat me in.”
“Yeah, fine,” I tell him. “Just wanted to get a head start on a few designs. I got a little behind last week.”
“Sure thing,” he says before holding my stare, his lips pressing into a hard line as if deep in thought. “Hey, listen. I wanted to run something by you.”
My brows furrow, and I wait in silence for him to continue, not sure I like the tone in his voice. It feels as though I need to prepare myself for whatever is about to come.
“If it’s too much or too soon, you need to speak up, but with Crew gone, the workload is just too much for the two of us to maintain. You’re doing crazy hours trying to take on Crew’s ongoing clients, and I know you like the cash, but you’re gonna burn yourself out.”
“What are you getting at?” I ask, hearing the familiar rumble of a bike rolling to a stop outside the shop. As I glance toward the front window, I’m not surprised to find Viper peering inside, his dark, unreadable gaze already locked on mine.
Big Jim lets out a heavy sigh. “I know it’s only been a week since Crew died, but I need to hire someone new.”
My back stiffens, and I whip my gaze back toward Big Jim. “You want to replace him?” I ask, hating how reasonable it sounds, and yet at the same time, the idea of seeing someone else at Crew’s station makes something ache in my chest.
Big Jim nods. “Have a think about it,” he tells me. “If it’s too much to handle, then we’ll figure something out. We might have to turn away a few clients, but I have a business to run, and making sure neither of us burns out is my top priority. If either one of us goes down, I’m not sure the business could survive it.”
“Shit.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
I press my lips into a hard line, and just as my gaze shifts back toward the front window, I watch as Viper takes off again, the roar of his engine practically shaking the whole fucking building.
What the fuck was that about? Is he checking up on me?
I don’t get to linger on it as my phone vibrates against the table and as Alex’s name appears across the screen, a smile pulls at my lips. Grabbing my phone, I unlock the screen as I glance down at his text, and my smile turns into a beaming grin.
Alex - I’m taking you out on Saturday night, and if you even think of telling me no, I won’t hesitate to kick down your fucking door and drag you out by the teeth.
Kyah - Wow. Drag me out by the teeth, huh? Sounds brutal. But to be honest, I pictured you more as a collar and leash kinda guy.
Alex - Don’t fucking tempt me.
Kyah - Down boy!
Alex - Yes or no, Mace? I need to know if I have to stop by the pet store to grab a leash.
Kyah - Are you suggesting that you already own the collar?
Alex - Wouldn’t you like to know.
Kyah - I think you have a whole bunch of dirty little secrets that I’d like to know. But to answer your question, yes. You can take me out, but you better blow my mind. Otherwise, I’m not giving you another chance.
Alex - Liar.
Alex - Your new collar will be waiting for you when you get home.
I laugh to myself, placing my phone back onto the table as my next client strides through the door. Then just as I get him settled into my chair with the design I spent nearly three hours on last week stenciled onto his skin, my phone buzzes with another notification, only this is a sound I’ve never heard before.
