Page 36 of Under My Skin
“Is there something you need, Troy?” I ask, my arms crossed to hide the fact that my fists are clenched. Most people would assume he’s just being friendly, but Troy will try to hook up with any girl who walks in here and gives him a second look. We had to start a rule that he can only fuck up relationships with his own clients, not the clients of the other artists. He was starting to lose work for Toni and Alex, so we had to sit him down for an intervention.
That’s probably the reason he wants to be the one to tattoo Lucy. And another reason I wish she had decided to get the damn cat tattoo tonight. If I had been the one to tattoo her, she’d be off-limits.
Troy rubs a hand over his buzzed head. “Nah. I just wanted to let you know Alex left for the night, Toni is finishing up. I know how you feel about locking the place up, so I just wanted to make sure you’re good to do that.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I answer with a nod.
Simon looks at Troy. “Want to come?”
Troy’s eyebrows shoot up, mirroring my own. I don’t usually hang out with the artists from the shop outside of work. Thebusiness comes first, and at the end of the day, I need to be neutral—no playing favorites.
“To On the Rock?” he asks, not bothering to hide his surprise. His eyes jump to me, like I’m the dad who’s going to remind him he still has homework to do.
I shrug, surrendering to the night I didn’t sign up for. “Why not? Come have a beer.”
He grins, but his eyes land on Lucy when he says, “Yeah. I think I will.”
I scoff and shake my head. If Simon was worried aboutmebeing around his sister, he has no idea what he just did. At least I’m loyal. No matter how much I think about Lucy in ways I shouldn’t, nothing would come of it because I won’t fuck up my friendship with him—I can’t. He’s the closest thing I have to a brother, and I won’t lose that over a girl, regardless of who she is.
Troy, on the other hand, only knows Simon through me. He’s got nothing to lose.
My jaw tenses at the thought, and I’m ready to get this night over with. Grabbing my jacket and keys from the corner of the floor, I slip one arm in and then another. “Luce, who are you riding with?”
Her face falls. “I can’t walk?”
She could, but it would take twice as long. I’m not crazy about the idea of her walking around town alone at night either.
Simon cuts in. “No way. Just ride with me, it will take less than ten minutes.”
My eyes dart back to hers. “How’s orange rank on your list?”
She bites her lip, and I fight the urge to walk over to her and pull it free with my thumb until her voice snaps me out of my thoughts. “It’s supposed to be one of the safer colors . . .” she answers slowly, but there’s no mistaking the hesitancy in her voice.
“Great,” I answer as I head toward the staircase. “Troy, we’ll meet you over there.” There’s a good chance Troy drove an actual car here, but I’m not opening that door for Lucy. She might thinkriding on the back of a motorcycle at night is dangerous, but it’s still a better option than going anywhere alone with Troy.
Simon starts going off about all the fun facts he’s learned about this bar as everyone files out, and I shut off any lights in our wake. I’m glad Troy chimes into the conversation with him because all I can focus on is how quiet Lucy is. She doesn’t say a word as I turn the lights off and lock the door, she’s still quiet when Simon invites Toni to join us on the way out, and the entire time her brother helps her secure his spare helmet, her eyes are locked on me.
Chapter Twenty-One
LUCY
As soon asthe bike stops, I smack my brother hard on the back. He winces before his head snaps around to look at me, but all I see is my own reflection in his face shield.
I hit him again. And again. And pretty soon, my pent-up, frustrated words come out of my mouth with each blow. “Don’t. Ever. Do. That. Again.” I pause, my chest heaving. I have no idea if it’s all the smacking that’s making me overexert myself, or if it’s the pure panic I experienced while this asshole split lanes the whole way here.
“Would you rela—” His muffled voice comes from his helmet, and I give him another set of whacks.
“You. Are. So. Stupid!” I’m not even sure how to properly dismount this thing, but without thinking, I jump off the bike and rip off my helmet. I shove it at him, and he fumbles a little before catching it. “Stupid!” I say one more time for good measure. Spinning on my heels, I stagger a step backward at the sight of Everett leaning against the outside of the bar with his arms and ankles crossed. There’s an amused lift to his lips, but it only makes me bristle. “What?” I snap.
He shakes his head, his eyebrows shooting up with feigned innocence. “Nothing.”
“Does he always drive like that?” I point my thumb over my shoulder without looking back at my idiot brother.
He shoves his hands in his pockets as he steps away from the stone wall. “I mean, he doesn’tneverdrive like that.”
I shoot Simon a glare over my shoulder. He’s finally off the bike and walking up to join us, not even looking phased by the fact that he could have killed us both. Looking back at Everett, my eyes narrow. “Do you drive like that?”
“Me?” he asks, placing a hand to his chest.
