Page 65 of Imperfect Skin

“Mouse, you took the first step coming here. I promise I’m going to give you the tools you need.” Dec smiled, and I felt a strong sense of relief. I could do this.

“See you three back at the café once you’ve finished. Alice, you listen to Mouse and Rhys.”

Alice held my hand tightly, looking excited. “Promise, I’ll behave.”

“I know, petal. Have fun and don’t fill up on sweets.” I wasn’t sure which one of us Callum was aiming that comment at, but I got the feeling it was all three of us. Standing on my tippy-toes, I kissed Cal’s cheek.

Rhys was busy hugging Simon and blushing. I didn’t want to know what my brother had whispered to have Rhys blushing that hard. “Have fun, baby bear, and don’t fill up on doughnuts.”

“As if I would do such a thing,” Rhys gasped, giving his best wounded kitten look. Alice and I laughed out loud, dragging him off before he could get in trouble with my brother.

The three of us linked hands crossing the busy road, and Alice decided it was the perfect time to start ribbing me.

“Rhee, guess what?”

“What, munchkin?”

“I caught Dad and Mouse kissing.” She giggled, making kissing noises.

“Oh wow, that’s pretty cool, isn’t it?”

I could have kissed Rhys, he was so damn supportive.

“Yep, and he even promised not to always take Dad’s side on stuff,” Alice said proudly, leading us towards the doughnut stand.

“You know we’ll cop it from Simon and Cal if we pig out on doughnuts,” I said, watching Rhys order the largest bag of hot cinnamon doughnuts he could find.

“We’ll just have to eat them all before we head back, won’t we?” Rhys held out the bag, the sweet cinnamon smell drifting up, and there was no way in hell I was saying no.

Picking up Alice, I pointed towards the dodgem cars. “Come on, let’s head to the dodgems, then we can head down penny alley and try our luck.”

Thirty pounds lighter in cash, and with one giant, pink stuffed elephant that nearly dwarfed Alice in hand, we headed back to meet the guys. It had been an amazing time. Alice was yawning in my arms, clutching a bag of toys she’d won at the ring toss. Rhys was looking a little green around the gills. Anyone would, after eating eight doughnuts in a row.

“Come on, Rhee, if we stop by the shop I can grab you a bottle of water to try and settle that stomach of yours, or Sy’s going to take one look and know you ate to many doughnuts again.”

“I’m dying, Mouse.” Rhys looked at me like a kicked puppy.

“I know, dude. Do you want me to call Simon? He can come and get you.” We’d gotten to the bench just down from the shop, and I set Alice down and then helped Rhys sit. He didn’t look great. I knew he’d just eaten too much junk food, but it still worried me. I didn’t like to see my best friend in pain.

“No, I’ll be okay. A drink of water might help.” Rhys held his stomach and gave Alice and I a watery smile.

“Okay, wait here. I’ve got a couple of bottles in the fridge at work.” I looked at Alice, who was patting Rhys’s hand. “Do you want to stay here with Rhys?”

Alice nodded. “I’ll keep an eye on him. We’ll be safe. Look.” Alice pointed back towards the sideshows and stalls. “Officer Grumpy is there.”

I snorted out a laugh. Of course she’d picked up our nickname for poor Donald. Sure enough, he was on the road, directing cars to the parking lot.

“Okay. I’ll be quick.” I ran the two hundred yards up to the shop. I could see Rhys and Alice in the low light of the sunset.

The front shutters were down on both sides of the shop, and I was going to duck down the side and go through the back door. I had my keys, and it would only take me a few minutes before I’d be back with Alice and Rhys. As I jogged past the front, I slowed down. The narrow shutter that covered the shop’s front door was slightly open. Maybe Sy or Cal had popped back.

I lifted the shutter the rest of the way and stepped into the shop. Cal always left a couple of lights on, one by the counter and the other in the studio proper. It smelled rank inside, something that made my eyes water and my nose itch.

It was only because the lights were on that I saw the utter chaos. My latest sketches that Cal had only just hung by the front counter were torn to shreds, the frames they’d been in smashed. The corner of the studio that was mine was in disarray. My stool had been thrown against the wall and my table tipped over, and my gear smashed and thrown around. My gear wasn’t the only thing that had been trashed. Both the tattooing chairs had been sliced up, and bottles of ink were sprayed all over the floor.

“What the actual fuck?” I moved deeper into the shop, treading over the spilled ink and whatever else that had also been spilled all over the floor.

“Thought I’d do some redecorating,” a familiar voice sneered from the back of the shop.

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