Break, page 26
Ethan growls lowly. “Get your shit together.” He’s looking pointedly at my hand, cupping myself. Laughing, I finish adjusting and shrug him away in a ‘what can you do’ manner.
“Ethan, will you call and see if your gal can meet with Mina today?” Max asks, walking into the living room with Mina trailing behind him.
“Afternoon, sweetpea. We getting a tattoo today?” I move over to her side. Another side effect of her having kissed Max; she’s been way more comfortable around all of us. It’s like crossing that line has given her confidence she didn’t realize she was missing.
With her usual soft voice, she grins at me. “I’d like to at least go look and see what it’s all about. I thought of an idea but I don’t know if it’d be silly, or maybe Ethan’s artist will suggest something different.”
“What do you think you’d like to get?”
There’s that damnable blush again. “I’d rather keep it to myself right now if that’s okay?”
Pretending to be upset, I mock glare at her. “Fine. Keep your secrets.” I’m sure whatever she wants will be perfect, but I can wait to see it when it’s all finished. “Do you at least know where on your body you’d like to get it?”
Bouncing her head side to side as she thinks about it, she says, “I was thinking either on my upper back, or here.” She points at the underside of her forearm. “I’m debating if I should get it where I could hide it, if need be, but I also want to be able to see it, you know?”
Ethan is talking on his phone, most likely setting up an appointment with Gray. Max tells her, “The great thing about tattoos is that you don’t have to limit yourself. If you decide on one spot and decide later you want one in the other place, you can always go back.”
“They’re addictive,” Ethan informs her as he hangs up his phone.
“That was quick. What’d she say?” I really hope Gray can see her today. Not that I want Mina to regret it, but she seems really confident about doing it right now.
Ethan locks eyes on Mina. “She gets done in an hour, but she said she’d stay later for you. You don’t have to decide anything today, but talking with her may help your decision.”
“I’d like to go, if that’s okay?” Mina looks between us excitedly.
Clapping my hands together loudly, I give her an apologetic look when she jumps. “Let’s get crackin’ then.”
She looks surprised. “Did you all want to go? I don’t want to interrupt any plans you may have.”
“We’re all going,” Max tells her, grabbing his keys from the hook.
Again, I act affronted, making her giggle. “Umm, yes? Hell yes, we’re all going. It’s your first damn tattoo. Who would want to miss that?”
Ethan stands up, shaking his head at me. “Let’s get going. With traffic, it may take a bit longer to get there than normal.”
Blowing out a nervous breath, Mina wrings her hands together, saying more to herself, “I can’t believe I’m doing this. Holy cow.”
“Holy cow is right.” Holding my hand out to her, she trails her fingertips along my palm before gripping my hand tightly. I hold back the shudder that races through my body at her touch and grip her firmly. “Spur-of-the-moment shit tends to be the most fun. We’ll run distraction while she’s tattooing you if you decide to get it tonight.”
Laughing, she follows me outside. “Much appreciated.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Forty-five minutes later, we’re in the reception area of Anarchy and Vice Ink, where Gray is finishing up with her last client. Mina has gone quiet on us, but not from nerves. She’s walking around the room, looking over photos of featured tattoos and design ideas all over the wall.
I watch her as she moves from photo to photo, trying to gauge what style she’s most interested in. Ethan and Max are talking softly about one of the cases they’re working on, but my attention is solely on our girl. She’s completely lost in thought, her eyes scanning picture after picture with a furrowed brow. Though she keeps going back to a series of birds displayed in the corner.
“Hey, Mina?” I call out to her, gesturing towards the bird tattoo. “Is that the one you’re thinking of?”
She jumps a little, surprised that I’d been watching her. She looks guilty as she refuses to answer me, but she admits with a small smile forming on her lips, “I want to wait until I talk with Gray first before I decide anything.”
I’m itching to know what’s going on in her head. Thankfully, the woman in question finally comes out, greeting us all warmly. “Hey guys,” she says, then nods at Ethan. “Haven’t seen you in a while, Ethan. When do I get you in my chair again?” She walks over to him and picks up his arm, turning it over to analyze his ink. “You’ve got a few spots fading that I could touch up if you’re not looking for anything new yet.”
I’ve never met Gray before, but I’m surprised to see what she looks like. She’s quite a few inches taller than Mina, probably around 5’8” without the heeled knee-high boots, with blue-black hair pulled back in a long, tight ponytail. Her arms and chest are covered in only black tattoos, no color to be seen anywhere, and from what I can see of the skin underneath them, she’s sporting a golden tan. Gray is a beautiful woman, but I don’t think she holds a candle to Mina. I’m probably biased, though.
Mina’s eyes ping-pong back and forth between the two of them, clearly unsure how well they know each other. Or how she should feel about Gray’s warm reception.
Oh, sweet girl, you have nothing to worry about.
“We’ll see. This is Mina, the woman I called you about.” He holds his hand out to her, beckoning her closer. She hesitates a moment, but Ethan doesn’t back down, waiting her out. Her first couple of steps are slow, but then she hurries over to him and hangs on to him in a death grip. He pulls her down into the empty seat next to him without letting her go.
I have to give Gray some credit. I’m sure artists aren’t thrilled about having a nervous client on their table, but it’s obvious she can tell that Mina has some hang-ups. Squatting down, Gray gives Mina a welcoming smile, softening her features. “Hi Mina, I’m Gray.” She holds out her left hand so that Mina doesn’t have to release her hold on Ethan, and with a tremble in her arm, Mina uses her free hand to clasp Gray’s.
“Th-Thank you so much for sticking around and meeting with me. I hope it’s not a terrible inconvenience for you. We can always come at a different time if it fits your schedule better.” Mina rambles when she gets nervous, or unsure, or uncomfortable, and she’s heading down a path of serious nerves right now.
Holding up a hand, Gray stops her. “I’m thrilled to stay and meet with you. If you decide you’d like to get inked tonight as well, then we’ll do that. I don’t have any other obligations.” Standing up, she offers her hand palm up to Mina. “Would you like to come in the back with me and we can discuss what you’re thinking about?”
Chewing on her lip, she considers her, then slowly releases Ethan to grab onto Gray. The three of us all stand to follow them back, but Gray’s eyes snap over to us. “Just us girls right now. Let me get to know Mina. If she wants you all to come back later, then I’ll let you know.” She’s not nearly as gentle with us as she is with her. I appreciate Gray a little more for the effort she’s putting in with Mina to make her more comfortable.
I cover my mouth to hold back a laugh when Ethan growls and Gray raises a single brow at him. “Rein it in, big boy. Your girl will be just fine. And don’t fucking growl at me like a dog.”
That does it. I double over with a loud laugh. “Fucking dog,” I tease while pointing at him.
Huffing out in irritation, he plops back down into his chair. “Fine. Mina, let us know the moment you want any of us back there with you.”
I’m surprised when Mina pulls her hand away from Gray and moves to stand in front of Ethan. Without hesitation, she leans down and wraps her arms around his neck, whispering, “Thank you. I’ll let you know the moment I decide.”
Fucking Ethan. His shoulders drop into an easy posture when she holds on to him, wrapping his beefy arms around her waist and pulling her into him. Pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, he promises, “We’ll keep an eye out here. Enjoy yourself.”
We’re all quiet as the two women walk into the back, then I turn to Ethan and point at him again. “A damn hug and you calm down? Think that’ll work when I piss you off? Because I’ll totally snuggle the fuck out of you anytime you want.”
His only answer is another growl and Max rumbles out, “Damn dog.” Chuckling, I stay standing, but lean against the counter while we wait for Gray and Mina to finish talking.
They’re back there for a solid thirty minutes before Gray sticks her head out. “You boys can come back now if you’d like. Stay out of my way while I work.” Narrowing her eyes at all three of us as we quickly make our way to the back room, she adds, “One warning. That’s all you’ll get. I reserve the right to kick your asses out if you piss me off.”
We’re quick to acquiesce, and then step around Gray as she holds the door open for us to file in. My steps halt when I see Mina sitting on the table with her shirt off and pressed against her chest. The straps of her bra are visible, along with the smooth skin dipping where her waist is the smallest. Christ, she’s beautiful, and looking much more at ease now that she’s had time with Gray.
“Soo…” I drag out and flash a smile at Mina. “We’re getting a tattoo, then?”
Her braid bounces across her collarbone as she nods vigorously. “Yes.” Her words come out breathy. “Gray doesn’t think it’ll take too long with what I’ve chosen.”
Max, Ethan, and I all find spots to stand in front of her, taking us out of view of where Gray will be working. “What are you getting?” Max asks her, curiosity and interest has his head tilted to the side as he studies her.
Inhaling deeply when she feels Gray move in behind her and touch her gloved hands to her skin, she says, “A dove.”
“I knew it!” I exclaim, looking at my friends like I’ve won something. Max rolls his eyes, so I explain. “Well, not that it was a dove exactly, but she was eyeing up those birds the entire time we were out there.”
They both ignore me, so I scowl at them.
Max focuses on Mina. “Why a dove? I think it’s a beautiful idea, but did you choose it for any particular reason?”
Gray’s eyes flick up to me, then the other two, as she gets her station prepared to start. Setting her hand on Mina’s shoulder, she says, “I’m going to start now. You can explain if you want. You don’t have to stay quiet, but I do need you to do your best to remain still. If you need a moment and would like me to stop, just let me know and I can give you a break. This one should only take about thirty minutes.”
Grinning at her over her shoulder, Mina agrees, then looks back at us. “Are you familiar with the story of Noah in The Old Testament?”
Gray turns on the tattoo gun and holds it away from Mina’s back. Probably a good choice because she jolts when she hears it, and then instantly apologizes. “I’m so sorry. You just told me not to move. I’m really sorry, Gray.”
She looks like she’s on the verge of tears, so I step forward and grab her hand, kneeling down in front of her. “Hey, it’s alright. She had the gun away from you. No one is mad.”
“Mina, I always turn it on before I start for this exact reason. It’s jarring when you hear it for the first time. I am going to start now, so try to stay relaxed. I’ll touch you with my hand before I put the needles to your skin. It’s going to sting at first, but you’ll get used to it fairly quickly. It’ll eventually become just an annoyance, like someone is scratching the same spot over and over. Are you ready?”
The gun is still vibrating in Gray’s hand, and she looks a tad concerned about Mina’s reaction. I’m glad she didn’t express it though, instead only giving Mina confidence to ease her nerves. In a wobbly voice, Mina answers her. “I’m ready. It just startled me, is all. I’m not worried about it hurting. Thank you so much again for taking the time to do this. I-I really appreciate you.”
I’m not sure what it was about Mina’s words, but Gray looks taken aback. She blinks rapidly a few times and then squeezes Mina’s shoulders. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Thank you for letting me be the first to do this for you. It’s an honor.”
Mina looks surprised at Gray’s words, widening her eyes at us, not sure how to take what she’s said.
Squeezing her hand to gain her attention, I ask again, “Why the dove, sweetheart?”
Popping her mouth open, she looks sheepish. “Oh, I forgot what I was saying. You guys know the story of Noah and the Ark?”
We all nod, and Max says, “We do.”
“Sorry, of course you do. It’s one of the most commonly known stories from the Bible. So, you know that after the flood, Noah waited for a sign from God that it was safe to leave the boat. Noah sent out a dove and each time it came back empty-handed, it let him know that there was no place to land. They waited and waited until finally the dove came back carrying an olive branch, indicating that it was time for them to leave the Ark and start their new lives.”
She pauses here, but when we all stay silent, including Gray, who had stopped tattooing to listen to Mina’s story as well. She continues. “The olive branch served to tell Noah that it was a time of peace and deliverance. It was a new start for all of humanity, new expectations, and new hope; all symbolized by the dove and the olive branch.” Swallowing deeply, she finishes. “I thought, for my first tattoo at this time in my life, what better design to choose than the literal embodiment of a new beginning? I’m free.”
Chapter 36
Promises
Ethan
We’re all silent after Mina shares why she chose this tattoo as Gray finishes up.
Vincent is still kneeling in front of her, running his thumbs over the back of her hands while she sits still with her eyes closed. She’s in a sort of trance, which I’ve found happens to me a lot of times while I’m tattooed. You sort of absorb yourself into the slight pain and repetitiveness of the needles scraping across your skin.
“Gray?” I ask in a low tone, not wanting to distract Mina. Gray’s eyes flick up to mine briefly, then back to Mina’s shoulder, where she’s concentrating. I know she’s listening, so I ask, “Can I watch?”
Gray gives me an almost imperceptible nod of permission, so I move around the room to stand behind her, getting my first view of Mina’s artwork. The outline is finished and Gray is adding a touch of color to create depth. She’s using a dark forest green color, which compliments Mina’s skin tone, for the olive branch being held in the dove’s beak. It looks like a sketch with flowing swirls instead of feathers, wings spanned out like it’s readying itself to land.
“Beautiful.” Gray nods again, agreeing with me, but she doesn’t know I’m not just talking about the tattoo. Everything it represents is beautiful and I can’t think of a more perfect piece for Mina’s first.
I continue to watch as she finishes up, impressed with Mina for staying still for this long without any movement.
As Gray wipes away the excess ink with a soft cloth, Mina opens her eyes slowly and looks at her shoulder in the mirror that Gray holds up for her. A huge smile spreads across her face, her eyes shining with tears. She turns to Gray. “It’s perfect. Thank you!” Then she looks at me. “What do you think?”
Without looking away from her face, I respond the only way I can. “Exquisite.” Her shoulder muscles relax, and she grins broadly at me, happy with my praise.
The guys wait for her to turn around to show them, and when she does, they both are quick to tell her how amazing it looks. With her back to them, she drops her shirt to grab onto Gray’s hands, and I suck in a breath as her bra-covered breasts come into view. Quickly looking at the ceiling, I swallow deeply to get myself under control. Fuck me, she’s so goddamn perfect.
The brief look I got showed slightly small, but perfectly rounded, high breasts with a light smattering of freckles across them. There aren’t any on her face, so seeing them across her curves makes me want to look again and examine them more closely, but I refrain.
“Gray, I can’t even begin to tell you how happy you’ve made me. Seriously, you’re so talented and this is everything I wanted and more.” She’s getting choked up, but she forces her way through it. “You must be so incredibly proud of your skill, not only with this,” she waves at her shoulder, “but with taking the time to make your client feel heard. I know I’m just a client, but you made me feel special.”
I’ve known Gray for a long time, but one thing I’ve never seen is Gray become emotional. She’s a hardass, which she has to be in this predominately male-driven line of work. Gray doesn’t respond to Mina with words, but she does grab both of her hands and pull them against her chest. Leaning down, she presses a kiss to Mina’s cheek, then cups it.
Clearing her throat, she drops Mina’s hands and looks at us. “I’ve already told her how to take care of this at home, but any of you can call me with questions. Ethan, you’re a pro at this, so you all shouldn’t have any issues.” Looking back down at Mina, who has still forgotten to cover her chest, she says, “This was a pleasure, Mina. We’ll step out so you can get dressed.”
Mina looks down and then lets out an adorable squeak, yanking her shirt back up to cover herself. She’s always been a bit of a blusher, but the shade of red that covers her from cleavage to forehead is impressive. It’s bordering on magenta.
Vincent is laughing as he walks out, and Max stops just before he leaves. “I’m going to go look around outside before we take you to the car. You did good, Mina.”
“Thanks, Max. For everything…” Her eyes are wordlessly telling him she’s thanking him for more than driving her here today.
Knocking on the doorframe, he smiles at her and then leaves. Turning to Mina, I say, “I’ll be just outside.”
Biting her lip, she gives me a quick nod and waits for both me and Gray to exit the room. Pulling the door shut behind me, I hear Gray blow out a breath. She doesn’t wait before she slams me with questions.
