Page 97 of Dark, Forbidden, & Taboo

Iwatch as Finley wraps up Ava’s leg. He stole so many glances at me while he worked on her tattoo. He spoke to her, made polite conversation, and even asked her how school was going, but I felt his eyes on me even when mine weren’t on him.

“Here,” he says as he gets up and reaches into one of his rolling, stacked containers. “These are the aftercare instructions.Everything I just told you is on here, but sometimes being able to see something helps too.”

“Thanks,” Ava replies enthusiastically, as she takes the paper from him. “Do we pay you or at the desk up front?”

He rocks on his heels for a second, his arms now crossed over his chest as he looks at me. I look at the floor.

“Tell you what,” he begins slowly. “If you aren’t busy this Friday night, it’ll be free.”

“What?” I bark at him. Clearing my throat loudly, I grab my purse and pull out my wallet, before looking at him expectantly.

“Come on, Aunt Celeste. He’s nice, who knows, I might have some fun for once that doesn’t include staying at home and watching old black and white movies,” Ava begs me excitedly.

I roll my eyes.

She knows good and well that I won’t allow her to date anyone at her age.

“If you’ll just tell me what I owe you, please,” I counter in a clipped tone.

“Do you live with her?”

“Huh?”

I look up at him to see he’s looking at Ava, who’s nodding with a huge grin on her face.

“So, what you’re telling me is that I already have your address,” he begins slowly, as he turns his eyes back toward me. “I could just show up on Friday night and take you out for dinner.”

The way he punctuates his statement with a shrug, like it’s something he does on a regular basis turns my stomach.

“And I could call the police,” I reply tightly.

“And I could tell them that he’s my friend and I invited him over,” Ava intercedes with a shrug.

Finley laughs as he and Ava exchange a glance, and I sigh loudly.

“I won’t let her go to dinner with you,” I relent hopelessly, “but if you want to come by and have dinner with us, then I guess that will be okay.”

He gives me a triumphant grin before he does a grand, sweeping gesture with his arm, letting us know that we’re free to leave, and as we do, I notice that Rya is watching us.

Her look isn’t so friendly anymore.

The brightness that she greeted us with a couple of hours ago has dimmed, now there's a darkness that sends a slight shiver through me.

We’re never coming back here again,I think evenly as I put an arm protectively around Ava and escort her out the front door.

___

“That was completely uncalled for, Ava,”I scold her as we pull into the driveway of our modest home. “Not to mention, it’s illegal. He’s too old to date someone so young.”

“Aunt Celeste,” Ava begins patiently as she tucks her hair behind her ears, “I’m not going on a date with him. He’s coming over here, remember? Besides, I just wanted a free tattoo.”

I grip the steering wheel tightly for a moment before I turn the key in the ignition and slip it out.

Ava leans over and rests a hand gently on my arm. “I know we can use the money. I know you couldn’t afford to pay for this, so I agreed so the money could be used for bills instead.”

I give her a sidelong glance.

Poverty is a rule that I’m supposed to live by, but considering I’m the sole guardian of my niece, I’ve been given more leeway than anyone else has in my vocation.

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