Page 14 of Joey

There was a red line blooming across his back from where he had rested against the stairs. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I never thought.”

Ethan waved a hand. “I’m good. I doubt it’ll bruise because it’s not like you were pounding me into it. Anyway, it’s the least I deserve after marking you.”

Joey’s heart somersaulted at the words, but he tamped down on the words he wanted to admit—that he wouldn’t mind having his mark on him always—and chuckled. “I didn’t feel a thing.” He rotated his wrist. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“Even so. That wasn’t very…nice of me.”

“Hot, though.”

Ethan’s lopsided grin appeared again, even as he turned to climb the stairs. “A little. It’s time for bed.”

Joey stared at his ass as he climbed but made no move to follow him. Ethan paused at the top, frowning down at him.

“Are you not coming?”

Joey smirked. “I thought I just had.” Ethan rolled his eyes. “Not yet. I’m not tired.”

Ethan narrowed his eyes. “Okay. Wake me if you need anything.”

Joey nodded, and Ethan disappeared into his room. Joey’s fingers traced over the teeth marks gently, not wanting them to disappear too quickly. Then, pushed by an urge he couldn’t explain—or didn’t want to—he raced out to his car and grabbed his box. Despite the risk of leaving such expensive items in his car, he hadn’t wanted to bring them into Ethan’s house. Not because he didn’t trust Ethan but because he hadn’t wanted to explain.

Now, though, he couldn’t resist. He set the box on the dining room table and cleared a space, going through his usual motions of checking his tools and disinfecting everything he needed. Then, he settled on a chair and prepared his skin. The marks were already disappearing, so he had to be quick. Hoping Ethan was already asleep, he switched on his tattoo machine, the low-level vibration settling something inside Joey he hadn’t realised had been unsettled.

Thankful that the marks were on his left wrist, he carefully traced them with the needle, inking them permanently onto his skin to carry with him for the rest of his days. It didn’t take him long, and soon, the two sets of semi-circles were completed. He couldn’t understand why he felt the need to keep them with him, but no matter. It was too late now.

He cleaned himself and his equipment and packed it all away again, taking the box back out to the car. Once he’d locked the front door behind him, he climbed the stairs and headed to the spare room. He didn’t want to wake Ethan, and he hadn’t even been given permission to join him, anyway.

As he lay staring at the ceiling, he remembered his phone and finally checked for messages. There were several from his family, as he’d expected, but only one from Ani.

ANI: Everything is fine. People are asking after you, but nothing urgent. I do have some news. The funeral is on Friday. Eleven o’clock. Let me know if you need anything.

Joey’s breathing stalled, and he stared at the words until they blurred. Then he closed his eyes and let the tears overflow down his temples and into his hair.

It was too soon. He couldn’t do it. Not yet.

He rolled over and buried his face in the pillow, praying sleep would come.

And it must have because a knock on his door woke him.

“Joey? Are you in there?”

“Yes,” he croaked, clearing his throat before repeating his answer in a louder voice.

“Oh, good. I’ll be heading to work in half an hour if you want to come with me. You don’t have to, though. You can work whatever hours you want, according to Meredith.”

“I’ll be ready.”

“Okay.”

Silence descended, but Joey didn’t hear Ethan move away for several long seconds. When he did, Joey flopped back onto the bed and sighed. He was exhausted. He rubbed his face and climbed out of bed, frowning when he saw his phone wasn’t on the bedside table. Then he remembered and fumbled around in his sheets until he found it. No more messages graced his screen, which was a blessing, but it was still early.

When he was decent enough—with his wrist covered by a long-sleeved shirt—he descended the stairs and met Ethan in the kitchen. Ethan’s eyebrows rose when he glanced at him, but he said nothing, which Joey was grateful for.

“Do you want anything to eat or drink before we go?”

Joey shook his head. “I’m good.”

Ethan didn’t look like he believed him but didn’t argue. “Okay. Let’s go.”

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