Dirty Sexy Inked (Dirty Sexy 2)

Katrina realized that her mind had wandered—hopefully not for too long—and that Samantha was still waiting for her to answer her question about what had happened that day she’d met Mason when he’d confronted her bullies.

“Mason saw that I was all alone and being picked on by three boys,” she said, shortening the story. “And when one of the guys wouldn’t back away from me, Mason punched him in the nose and knocked the kid on his ass. From that day on, he was like my bodyguard, and that pretty much made sure that no one else would ever bother me again.”

Samantha gasped in shock, then she started laughing, causing the stylist who was doing her hair to pause for a moment until her giggles subsided. “Oh, my God, so Mason really was a ball buster when he was younger! Clay told me he was a handful, and we all know he’s still a reckless bad boy. I can only imagine what he was like as a teenager.”

“He was a total delinquent,” Katrina admitted as her own hairdresser curled a few wisps of hair around her face, then sprayed the pretty style in place. “He drank, smoked pot, ditched school, and pretty much ignored anyone with any kind of authority, including Clay.”

“He still does that,” Tara said, grinning in amusement. “I mean, who else would get away with banging some chick in the bar bathroom?”

“So true,” Katrina admitted, and shook her head as she remembered just how irritated she’d been with Mason for being so crass. “Honestly, Clay tried his best with Mason, but I just think Mason had a lot of anger built up inside of him, and being rebellious to the extreme was his way of acting out.”

But even though Mason had repeatedly tested Clay’s patience and lived to break rules, she’d always known from the moment she’d met him that day in the park that Mason had a huge heart, even if he didn’t believe it himself. She’d seen that caring side the day he’d rescued her from those bullies, and in the way he’d become such a dependable friend to her over the years.

Through the years and during her time in therapy for her own emotional issues, Katrina had been able to realize that Mason’s mother’s behavior, and the fact that she’d completely neglected then abandoned all of her kids, had affected him more deeply than he’d ever admit.

Then there was the fact that none of the Kincaid brothers knew who’d fathered each of them, and had never had a paternal figure in their lives that they’d trusted. Katrina knew Mason well enough to know that he felt unworthy of anyone’s love, and therefore he did stupid shit to continually test the people around him, to see if he pushed them far enough that they’d eventually leave him, too. It was a reckless pattern that also contributed to his hit-it-and-quit-it attitude with women.

And that was something Katrina didn’t think she’d ever be able to change. He wasn’t the type to psychoanalyze himself or modify his behavior. The part of him that felt unworthy ruled any impulse or need he might have to change. Not even Katrina’s steady presence, unwavering support . . . or love—if Mason would just open his eyes and see it—would change who he was.

“Clay said he even stole a car once,” Samantha said, looking completely scandalized by the crime that Mason had committed in his youth.

“Yes, he did,” Katrina replied as the girl who’d been doing her hair started applying her foundation. “And he ended up spending some time in juvie for it. But even that didn’t straighten his ass out.”

“What finally did?” Tara asked curiously.

“A few months out of juvie when he was seventeen, he got caught spray-painting graffiti on the side wall of this guy’s business, which was a tattoo shop.” Katrina closed her eyes as the girl applied her eye shadow then liner. “His name was Joe, and instead of filing charges against Mason for vandalism and destruction of property, he made a deal with Clay that Mason would sandblast all the graffiti off the wall and work an entire month in his shop as a cleanup guy, which Mason hated.”

Samantha laughed. “I’ll just bet he did.”

“But Mason has always been artistic, and he loved to draw and was a natural at it.” Katrina still had all the drawings that

Mason had done for her throughout their years in high school, most of them whimsical and amusing sketches meant to put a smile on her face, and she still cherished each one.

Katrina continued her story as mascara was added to her lashes. “So, during his month of working at the tattoo shop, Joe told Mason that if he proved he could stay out of trouble, he’d teach him a few things about tattooing and let him design for clients. That was the incentive that Mason needed to focus on something worthwhile, and after another six months of being the shop owner’s grunt, Mason was offered an apprenticeship. Now, he has his own shop.”

“Wow, I had no idea that’s how it all happened,” Tara said in awe. “Clay must be really proud of Mason.”

“He’s proud of both boys,” Katrina said, having been a part of the Kincaid brothers’ lives for so long. “They all had a difficult life growing up, and if it wasn’t for Clay being there for Mason and Levi, there’s no telling how they all would have ended up. Clay is the one who made sure they stayed together as a family, instead of getting split apart by foster care after their mother ended up in prison.”

“And that’s why I’m marrying that amazing man,” Samantha said with a dreamy sigh. “Because he’s got a heart of gold, and there isn’t anything he won’t do for the people he loves, which makes me one very lucky girl.”

A knock sounded on the suite’s double doors, and one of the stylists went to let the photographer in, who was ready to take pre-wedding photos of the bridal party.

“Are you ready to get started?” Sara, the photographer, asked Samantha. “We’ll begin with the boudoir shots that you requested, then get you in your wedding dress and go from there with your two maids of honor.”

Samantha beamed with excitement. “Give me another ten minutes to finish with my makeup, and I’ll be good to go.”

“Perfect,” Sara said with a smile. “I’ll get things set up in the bedroom and meet you in there.”

Katrina smiled at the blissful look on Samantha’s face. Knowing ever having such a fantasy man for herself was highly unlikely, she’d just have to live vicariously through her friend.

But for now, she had to mentally prepare herself for the wedding and to face Mason for the first time since last night and pretend as though everything was back to normal, when that was the furthest thing from the truth.

Chapter Six

Mason couldn’t stop staring at Katrina and how stunning she looked as she walked slowly down the aisle of the small chapel in the Bellagio hotel, and what the hell was that light, pansy-ass fluttering sensation in the pit of his belly? If that unfamiliar reaction wasn’t weird enough, then the increasing beat of his heart as he continued to watch Katrina float toward him like an angel made him wonder if he was getting sick or something. Though he wasn’t nauseous and he didn’t have a fever.

He exhaled a deep breath that calmed his stomach a bit, but his heart wasn’t cooperating. He’d always thought that Katrina was pretty and attractive, but he’d never seen her so breathtakingly beautiful before. Her blonde hair was swept up into some kind of fancy style, and her makeup was soft and subtle, including the pale pink color on those lips he hadn’t gotten nearly enough of last night.