Page 17 of Coco and the Misfits

“I know just the man. You’ll thank me later,” Ezra says, and then I have a blank.

I blink and I’m on the street, stumbling between Ezra and Gael. I know the neighborhood. It’s not far from the gym where I work.

My head is spinning. Am I sick?

No, I’m drunk. Wasted. And the guys are hauling me as if they are on a fucking mission.

“Where are we going?” I slur.

“We said we’d get a tattoo,” Ezra says. “Forgotten about it already?”

“Are you serious? Now?”

Ezra clucks his tongue at me. “The shop is open until late. Told ya, I know just the man.”

“Who?”

“Ryder. Ryder Kassidy at Ink and Shadows. He tends to work afternoons and evenings. I’ll give him a call.”

“Ah, I don’t know, man.” I laugh. “I don’t even know what tattoo I’d get.”

“Trust the artist. He’ll know what you need.”

“Trust the artist? Are you serious? Ink is permanent, dimwit. Trust the artist, my ass.”

But the man answers the phone and apparently he’s closed the shop but can open it for us as he lives close by.

Are we really doing this?

It seems we are.

“It will be fucking great,” Gael says. “I’m getting a mermaid. Always wanted one.”

“I want a bird,” Ezra says.

“A bird?” Gael laughs. “Just any goddamn bird?”

“Yeah, fucker, any goddamn bird the artist puts on me is fine.” He winks. “The man is hot. Wait until you see him.”

These guys are insane. How did I end up living with such weirdos?

The tattoo shop is familiar, I think as we enter. I’ve passed outside a million times but never made up my mind to enter. I know Ronin, one of the tattoo artists working there. He’s an alpha in my dad’s pack, and...

A tall, muscular man with dark hair shaved at the sides and a lip ring walks toward us.

I blink. Whoa, who is this guy? His face is sharp and angular, softened by his wide mouth, his eyes are amber, his cheekbones cut, and he has ink reaching all the way to his chin.

He looks dangerous and hot.

For a man.

Just to be clear.

“Come on in,” he says. “I hope you fuckers don’t want anything big and complicated. Tomorrow is my day off and I can stay late, but I’m not as clear-headed as I’d be in the morning. Sure you don’t wanna wait until next week?”

“Nah, we’re getting that ink tonight,” Ezra says. “No time like the present.”

“That’s right,” Gael choruses.

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