Page 48 of Inked Beasts

“Please do,” Ava says, and her tone of voice has me doing a double take at the guard. I guess he is an attractive man; I hadn’t noticed, having more than enough men to occupy my attention, but it looks like Ava definitely appreciates him.

“Hi, Lexy.” Ember gives us both a warm smile, lifting her brows in inquiry when she looks at Ava.

“Ember, this is my friend, Ava; Ava, Ember, the woman who keeps the artists’ hectic booking schedules straight.”

The two of them shake hands and exchange pleasantries while I look around the space. My dilemma when coming here, aside from dealing with the groupies, is who to go to first. Both Kai and Gage emit such a strong pull that it’s often impossible to decide who to visit first, which is why I often start with Ember, who tells me which of the men might be able to talk and which of them are deep into a project.

Kai is currently bent over a man’s bare leg, but I don’t see Gage at all.

As if he’s feeling the same pull I do, Kai glances up, immediately meeting my eyes. He tilts his head, beckoning me over.

“Looks like Kai has a free moment,” I tell Ember.

On our way over to his station, Ava and I pass two of the other artists. Pierce greets me by name and gives Ava a friendly nod, while Zeb remains focused on his work. When Ava and I reach Kai, he’s hunched over his client again, so we stay quiet, letting him find a stopping point in his work, which is a dark, furry doglike demon running from the burning gates of hell on the side of the man’s calf.

Another time I was here, I watched Kai inking a butterfly that was so delicate and realistic, it looked like it could take flight from the woman’s shoulder. His artistic range is incredible.

“Time for a break,” he tells his client, who grunts in response.

When Kai slides back in his stool, the man stands up, stretches, and says, “I’m going outside for a smoke.”

“Be back in ten,” Kai says as the man walks off, then turns his full attention to me.

“Do you remember Ava?” I ask.

“Course.” He gives her a chin lift similar to the one Brax gave me. Rolling closer to me, his hand slides up my forearm and comes to rest at the crook of my elbow.

When I glance at Ava, she gives me a look that says,How did you ever try to deny that this is more than a friendship?

“How’re you doing?” he asks, his attention momentarily making me feel like I’m the only person in the room with him. He brushes his lips over the inside of my wrist, and I dissolve into a puddle on the shop’s shiny hardwood floor.

There’s commotion near the entrance, and when I look to see what’s going on, I’m pierced with multiple angry stares from the current group of women clustered near Brax.

One of them waves her hand over her head and calls out for Kai, and just the sound of his name coming from her bright red lips is enough to make my blood boil.

“Kai, over here! I want to get a picture!”

Brax steps in front of the woman, effectively blocking her view. Others are still gawking, and I hear various feminine voices saying, “Who is that? Who are those women with him? He’s kissing that woman’s hand!”

I catch a scowl slide across Kai’s features, but by the time he looks up at his fans, his expression is neutral. He lifts his hand to give the horde a small wave before turning his back to them. “What are you up to today?” he asks, glancing again at Ava, though his eyes are spending most of their time eating me up, or at least, letting me know he wants to eat me up later.

“We just had lunch. I thought I’d stop by before I go back to work.”

“You’re working today, too, huh?” He hasn’t touched me since the groupies made a scene, and my skin aches for him, though I suppose it’s best that he keeps his distance here.

Ava has turned away from us and busied herself looking at a table full of ink bottles and equipment. I take the opportunity to ask, “Is everything okay with your parents?”

When he frowns, confused by my question, I add, “Your mom seemed a little distant on Thanksgiving. I didn’t know if it was just because she was busy, or …”

He understands what I leave unsaid, and shakes his head. “She’s okay. Are you still available this evening?”

As I nod, my stomach gives a little flip from a combination of nervousness about what he’s not saying about his mom, and excitement about seeing him later, even though we’ll be at a public place, helping out at an animal rescue organization the guys support.

My stomach gives another flutter when I hear Gage’s voice. “Lexy.” He communicates so much just by saying my name. I feel cherished and desired by the way those two small syllables pass his lips.

The way he’s looking at me says even more.

“Gage. How are you?” I turn to let him know Ava’s here, too, but she’s wandered back to Ember’s desk, both of them looking toward the door, or more accurately, toward Brax.

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