Ruthless Kings (Windsor Academy 2)

/>

She laughs. “Really? You can just walk in for something like that?”

I shake my head. “Technically, yes, but the really good artists are booked up from what I understand, especially on weekends. But the other day, I texted Kai, the tattooist, to see if his offer still stands. He said he had a cancelation today if I wanted to drop by at five.”

“I’m totally in.” She looks at the time on her phone. “Where is it? How long of a drive do you think it’d be?”

Now, here’s the part I’m not sure she’d be so chill with. “It’s in my old neck of the woods, which takes about an hour or so, depending on traffic. The shop is right in between Watts and Compton.”

"Okay. So, if we left by three-thirty, we'd for sure get there on time?"

I blink a few times, honestly surprised she agreed so fast. “Uh...yeah. That should be good.”

Ainsley pops another fry into her mouth. “It’s a date.”

"HERE WE ARE, ATLAS Ink." Ainsley shifts her car into park and kills the ignition. She looks around the strip mall parking lot, taking in the surroundings. "Wow. A yellow Lamborghini kind of sticks out like a sore thumb around here, huh?"

I feel like an idiot for not thinking about the culture shock Ainsley must be going through. I'd imagine it's similar to what I felt moving to Kardashian Land, only in reverse. I love how she didn't even hesitate when I asked her to come with me, though. Someone like Peyton would probably laugh her ass off and make a bad joke about not wanting to get shot. Yeah, there's a lot of crime in this area, but most people who live here are hard-working and honest. They have a strong sense of community, and they take care of their own. Growing up in Watts made me who I am, and regardless of my zip code, I'll always be a proud South Central girl at heart.

“It’ll be fine. The shop is small enough to where we’ll be able to see it the whole time. If anyone starts creepin’ around, Kai will take care of them.”

Ainsley smiles, seemingly satisfied. “How did you know about this place again?”

I nod to the hot as hell man leaning against the building, watching us. “Malakai is my ex’s older brother.”

Ainsley drinks him in. “Damn, girl. Does his brother look anything like him? If so, why in the hell did you two break up?”

“They’re three years apart, but they get mistaken for twins all the time.”

Her eyebrows lift. “I’ll ask again. Why in the hell did you two break up? He looks like a young, badass version of Idris Elba, for shit’s sake!”

I laugh. “Right? I used to tell them that all the time.”

“Seriously, though, what happened? Why’d you break up?”

I bite the tip of my thumbnail. "When my mom died, I just couldn't deal with it, ya know? I was put into the system, my sister was ripped away from me, and I had no idea what would happen next. I told him I needed space to get my head together, and he didn't argue. Didn't even text. I heard he was already hooking up with another girl a week later."

Ainsley gives me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s no biggie, honestly. I wasn’t in love with him or anything. I mean, I cared for him a lot, but he was always more of a friend than a boyfriend. He’s a few years older than me, but we were next-door neighbors growing up, so we’ve known each other forever. He treated me well, he looked like that, and he was there so...”

“So...you two fornicated like bunnies whenever the mood struck?”

I shrug. “Pretty much. When my mom died, Shawn—that’s his name—didn’t make any effort to console me. Maybe he just didn’t know what to say, but the fact he didn’t even try was a big eye-opener for me. It's one of the reasons I never bothered reaching out to him after I moved to Hidden Hills. He's not a bad guy—he's actually really sweet and fun to hang out with—just emotionally stunted with relationships, I guess.”

“You know what I think? I think we should stop talking about stupid boys and get you some ink.”

Ainsley's a dependable shoulder to cry on when you need one, but she's equally reliable for focusing on the brighter side. It's one of my favorite things about her. I need all the lightness I can get in my life right now.

I grin. “Sounds good to me.”

Malakai offers me a big smile when we approach the shop and motions to come in for a hug. "Girl, you look fly as fuck. No cap."

I give him a good squeeze before pulling back. “You too, Kai.”

Kai gives Ainsley an appreciative once over. “And who’s this lovely lady?”

I gesture to Malakai. “Ainsley, this is Kai Cooper.” I jerk my head to Ains. “Kai, this is Ainsley Davenport. She’s gotta man, so don’t get any ideas.”