Page 105 of Ink Me Three Times
My heart thunders.
I can’t believe this is happening. This is wild, insane, crazy, but in the best way possible.
And I have to admit, Ineverwant it to end.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Timothy
The last dayof the con, and it’s chaos in all the best ways.
Mitchell’s in the middle of a forearm piece that’s drawing a decent crowd, the hum of the tattoo gun buzzing through the booth like it belongs there. I’ve been running back-to-back consultations, barely pausing for breath. Hell, even the chair behind the table is starting to feel like a distant memory.
Freddie’s got Penny, who’s bouncing around like she’s mainlining sugar, and it’s a damn miracle she’s not tried to tattoo herself with a marker yet. He’s still got that wobbly, uncertain smile on his face from earlier, but when Penny’s around, it’s hard to keep your guard up. She’s just too damn contagious.
Ivy, though, she’s different today.
She’s laughing. Full, unrestrained, the kind of laugh that makes me forget about everything else. Watching her, I realize how much I’ve missed it. There’s something about the way she lets herself go, finally, in a space that’s almost as chaotic as she feels right now.
She’s letting herself breathe again, and I can see it in the way her eyes light up, her shoulders dropping like they finally understand the weight of everything.
But then…
What the hell?
One minute, Freddie’s standing there, talking, something about whatever it is he’s trying to sell to a client, but then his whole body freezes, like someone hit pause on him.
For a second, I wonder if he’s just staring at Penny in that way he does, but then I see it. His hand, still on her shoulder, tightening in a way that doesn’t belong.
I turn, following his gaze.
There’s a woman walking by. Blonde. Tall. White blouse. Sunglasses perched perfectly on her head like she owns the whole damn place. She’s not looking at us. Doesn’t even seem to notice the ripple of tension she’s just dropped into our little world.
But Freddie’s already pale. His jaw tightens, and something’s wrong. I know that look. I know him too well.
“Freddie?” I say, stepping a little closer, trying to make my voice light, but there's this low hum of concern crawling up my spine.
But he doesn’t move. Doesn’t even blink. His hand just stays locked on Penny’s shoulder, too tight.
I see Mitchell glance up, but it’s already too late. The damage is done. Freddie’s frozen. The air between us all just shifted, and Ivy’s noticed too.
“Ivy,” I say, my voice low but insistent, cutting through the moment. “Take Penny out of here. Now.”
She blinks, her gaze flicking from me to Freddie, then to Mitchell. For a second, I’m not sure she’s going to move, but then I see it. Something in my eyes must tell her to listen, because I’m not saying this for fun. This is too heavy for her to be standing in the middle of.
She hesitates, a slight frown pulling at her lips. But then she takes one look at the scene and knows she’s not going to get anything out of it, not right now.
“C’mon, Penny,” she mutters, scooping the little girl up with surprising ease, her arms wrapping around the small body without missing a beat.
Penny’s kicking her legs and shouting about wanting to see the bouncy castle, but Ivy’s already walking, pulling her through the crowd without saying another word.
As she moves past, I catch her eyes for a moment. She’s got a look on her face I can’t quite place, but it’s all business, like she’s already decided what’s next. She won’t get involved. Not today.
I watch her disappear into the crowd, the space she leaves behind thick with unspoken words.
Freddie finally takes a breath, and it’s like he’s coming out of a trance. He looks over at me, and the guilt is written all over his face. But he doesn’t say anything. Not yet.
Ivy’s gone. Penny’s safe.
