Page 31 of Dirty Heirs

Looking up from the computer, I was shocked to see Aiden. Dressed in ripped jeans and a black band T-shirt, he stood in the entryway with his muscled, tattooed arms on display. This was the first time I’d gotten a good look at his ink. He had tons of it in black and some color, taking up most of his arms.

Aiden was the perfect canvas.

I tried to contain my smile and failed. It was impossible not to with Aiden. The first time he spoke to me was also the first day I had smiled since my mother’s death.

“What brings you to the South Side?” I grabbed my sketchbook and approached him. “People like you don’t usually wander to this part of town.”

“Well, I’m not like the people around here.” He stared at my lips like he wanted to devour me. “You should see where I grew up. The South Side is paradise in comparison.”

The Founders of Devil’s Creek called my city Beggars Bay because of the significant difference in wealth. If it were up to people like Aiden’s grandfather, he would demolish Beacon Bay and turn it into a private community of multi-million dollar homes.

I felt self-conscious when his eyes wandered up and down my bare arms, exposing my tats in a skimpy street art tank top.

“So, what brings you here?” My hands would not stop shaking, so I moved them to my hips, which only pushed out my chest. “Do you want more ink?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I came to see you.”

He smelled like cloves, charcoal, and clean linen, my new favorite scent combination.

Aiden glanced down at my cleavage and licked his lips. His eyes drifted to my newest tattoo a few inches above my nipple. I had ink starting on my upper arms, back, and thighs, down to my toes.

He was so tall he could see down my shirt. The first of the shamrocks wrapped around my left rib, twisted up my shoulder, and spread across my breast. It looked awesome when I wore a bikini.

“Remember when I said I’d show you mine?” Aiden smirked, sliding his finger beneath my tank top, inching the fabric down my shoulder to get a better look. “I want to see this one.”

I bit my lip. “I have a client coming in at six.”

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “We have plenty of time.”

I led him through the studio and into a private room, shutting the door behind us. “Make yourself at home.”

The room was a decent size, large enough to fit an InkBed, a comfy couch, an armchair, and a small bathroom with a toilet and sink. Sean hooked me up because of my dad. This was my favorite spot in Beacon Bay, the one place untainted by bad memories.

“Wow,” Aiden said. “This is all yours?”

“My art brings in a lot of business for Sean.” I waved my hand around the room. The walls were a deep shade of purple and decorated in my designs. Dozens of framed pictures from my clients’ tattoos rounded out the space. “This room is my reward.”

Aiden moved to the wall behind the couch and stared at my art. “These are good.” He turned to look at me. “You drew all of them?”

“Yeah.” I smiled, proud of myself for how much I accomplished. “All mine. I came to Sean with a giant portfolio and offered to work for free. It took me some time to adjust to the tattoo machine, but the needle is like a paintbrush once you get the hang of it.”

He scratched the corner of his jaw, staring at my clients’ pics. “I looked into getting an apprenticeship back in Haven. But it was too hard to get away from my house to commit to set hours.”

I lifted his arm and pointed at the dark take on Alice in Wonderland. “I noticed this one on your first day at Astor Prep. It’s sick. Did you draw it?”

He nodded. “If you like this one, you’ll love the one on my thigh.” Aiden sat on the InkBed and reached for his zipper. “It’s an extension of the Wonderland theme.”

Aiden pulled down his jeans to reveal black Gucci boxer briefs. He spreads his legs and… Holy fuck! His package was enormous. The underwear hugged him in all the right places, and I couldn’t force myself to look elsewhere.

Aiden pointed at the ink on his thigh and laughed. “Eyes down here, Cinders.”

Oh God.

My heart clambered in my chest like it wanted to make a run for it. A sheen of sweat spread across my neck and chest, and my cheeks were on fire.

“Um.” I swallowed down my nerves, unable to look at his face. Keeping my eyes on his work, I studied the dark scenery from Alice in Wonderland, which was just as twisted as the design on his forearm. “Is this supposed to be the Mad Hatter in the Tulgey Wood?”

“You know Wonderland, huh?”

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