Page 80 of The First Spark

“Hey,” Ash cuts in, forcing me to pivot in his direction once more. “Are you coming back?”

What I want to do is scream at him that I’d far rather endure a root canal sans Novocain. But being the prim and proper librarian geek that I am, I refrain from causing a scene.

Besides, this is his shop and if Raven knows the truth of Ash’s motives with me, most of these people do, too.

To be brutally honest, I’m too damn embarrassed by that notion to raise a fuss.

I thought Ash saw me. Turns out, all he saw was a means to an end, and I fell for it.

“Who knows, Ash? It’s anybody’s guess.”

I don’t stick around to hear his response. There’s nothing he can say to make this situation suck any less.

Mina waits for me at the door of Black Lotus, her foot tapping out an erratic rhythm.

Trust me, I feel you, my friend.

“You heard?” I ask, although I already know the answer. Anger wafts off her in waves and despite her doll-like appearance, I’ve no doubt Mina could kick some serious ass when provoked.

Annabelle and the feral Pomeranian, reporting for duty.

“What a bitch,” she snaps, narrowing her gaze at Raven. “What does he see in her, anyway?”

“Tits, ass, and a good time. Besides, she’s right. I am a mousy librarian type, and you know what? I like me, just as I am. Fuck him and her if they don’t appreciate it. Better yet, they can fuck each other and leave me out of it.”

Mina’s mouth drops open at my forceful reply. Too bad I don’t have the guts to say it to their faces. “Damn straight, but do you actually mean those words?”

I blink back tears as we duck from the shop and into the shared hallway. But instead of allowing the weight of my feelings to kowtow me, I straighten and roll my shoulders back.

“Without a doubt. He can have his basement and his lies. I’ll keep my heart and pride intact. There are plenty of great men out there. Too bad Asher Hammond isn’t one of them.”

“Want me to mop the floor with them? Trip over something while he’s tattooing her and screw up her ink?”

I fiddle with the ring on my hand and force a tremulous smile. “Here I thoughtmymind was traveling some dubious roads today. No, leave them alone. It’s not a big deal.”

Or should I say,I’mnot a big deal, at least not according to Ash. No, to him, I’m nothing.

Mina wraps an arm around me, offering a hug of solidarity.

She knows I’m lying, but she’ll let me play my part.

Suck it up, Oriana. One pitfall of being a romantic is falling for a man who can fake affection as easily as he fakes a smile.

Chapter 16

The Lines We Cross

Ash

“A

sh, you are a work of art,” Raven muses, admiring the fresh ink adorning her hip.

I set my tattoo machine aside and shake out my hands. Four hours of precision work have taken a toll on my digits, although the result so far is a masterpiece. “Not even close, but that beauty will be.”

To be fair, it may be one of my best pieces and it’s not even finished. But the outline is perfection. Two ravens perch atop a wrought-iron gate, with thorny vines twisting through the rails, spelling out the word Unbreakable. Roses curve between the thorns, the black and grays popping against Raven’s ivory skin.

Just wait until I add the hints of color throughout the piece on her next session. This one is definitely headlining my portfolio.

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