Page 94 of Dark, Forbidden, & Taboo

I shouldn’t feel as good about this as I do, but it seems that the payback I used to dream about is finally mine for the taking.

Chapter 1

Celeste

Ihold the door open for my niece as we enterBay City Body Arts,still trying to figure out how she talked me into agreeing with her decision to get a tattoo.

When she begged me for permission, she promised me that it wouldn’t be too big, too gaudy, or anywhere anyone would be able to see it.

“Hi! I have an appointment!” Ava tells a beautiful young woman with the wildest, emerald-green hair that I’ve ever seen. She smiles up at us brightly, holding up a finger, then pointing to the phone receiver in her hand.

Ava nods in embarrassment as she takes a place in front of the woman’s desk and signals for me to stand next to her. While we wait for the young woman to finish her conversation, I open my purse and begin to fish around for the notarized document required for Ava to get her first tattoo at sixteen years old.

Once I locate the folded piece of paper, I hold it against my leg and attempt to smooth it out as best as I can before I zip my purse back up.

“Hey there!” The young woman finally greets us after a few more moments. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Ava Beckett.”

The young woman nods as she turns her attention back to the computer in front of her and punches a few keys before she glances back up at us again. “You’re booked in with Finley, right?”

Ava nods and I shrug, assuming that the information is correct.

“Great, my name is Rya. If you can fill out this form and …” her voice trails off as she glances down at the screen again, “show me your identification and notarized parental permission, I can go grab him.”

Rya looks up at us expectantly with eyes that match her hair color. I glance over at Ava who’s pulling her ID out of her pocket and I hand her the document she needs to get this done.

“Thanks! You can have a seat anywhere. I’ll be right back,” she tells us with a big smile as she takes the paperwork and Ava’s card, setting them down on her desk before she gets up and disappears down a long hallway.

“It’s not too late to leave,” I tell Ava quietly as I take a seat next to her on the opulent, black leather couch in the reception area. She scoffs as she leans back against the cushions and begins to fill out the form.

I do my best not to sigh.

She doesn’t need someone to tell her what to do at her age; she needs someone who will understand and guide her as best as they can.

“Aunt Celeste, you have to sign here,” she tells me after a few more moments of abject silence.

I lean over and sign my name with a flourish before I turn my attention toward the front desk.

Rya has reappeared and she’s busy with the paperwork, making copies of Ava’s ID, and tapping away at the keys of her computer.

“He’ll be right out,” she offers when she finally realizes that I’m staring at her.

I nod as I turn my attention back to my niece.

She’s so damn excited that I have to fight the urge to grab her by the arm and run.

The body is a temple.

It’s not meant to be marked with anything; it’s an affront to God, but try as I might, I haven’t been able to get her to understand that.

“Hey, Rya?”

The voice that calls out to her is smooth and silky. It piques my interest enough to turn my attention toward the source, but there’s no one there.

I arch an eyebrow at Rya, and she rolls her eyes at the ceiling briefly.

Letting out a long-suffering sigh as she gets to her feet, she gives us an apologetic smile before disappearing down the hall again.

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