Vegas, Baby - Volume 2

I quickly took care of the wound and gave her instructions on how to care for it. Though, I intended to do it myself since I knew she’d be back in my shop breathing fire before too long.3ArielLetting a guy you’d just met ink whatever he wanted onto your skin was probably not the smartest decision I’d ever made, but it’d really paid off. The tattoo Maddox had done for me was stunning. I’d never seen anything quite like it before. It was intricate and delicate, yet somehow; it radiated strength. It was a beautiful mixture of different symbols; some I recognized and some I didn’t. The whole piece was inked with multiple shades of vivid colors. It was one of the most gorgeous things I’d ever seen.

When we walked back out to the reception area, Belle was already there. She was chatting with Wendy, and they both grinned when they saw that Maddox was holding my hand. I was in a bit of a daze from my tattoo session and that little kiss against the back of my neck, but I still knew what the smug look on Belle’s face meant. I was never going to hear the end of this.

After a quick glance up at Maddox to make sure he wasn’t looking at me, I stuck my tongue out at my sister. Her eyes went wide, and she slapped her hand over her mouth as she started to giggle. It wasn’t the reaction I was expecting, but I understood it when Maddox bent towards my ear to whisper, “If you stick your tongue out again, I’m going to take it as an invitation.”

Oh, my. I felt that sensual promise deep in my core as a shiver raced up my spine.

“And on that note, I better drag Ariel out of here or else she’ll never leave.” Belle came over and tugged my hand out of Maddox’s hold, offering him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, but I kind of need her since she’s my ride. Griffith isn’t expecting us back for another hour or so, but he’s already blowing up my phone. Cyra came close to rolling from her tummy to her back, and he doesn’t want me to miss it if she tries again.”

Any thought I’d had of suggesting that Belle could take my car and leave me here flew out of my head at the mention of my adorable niece’s possible milestone. “I guess we’d better get going then because I don’t want to miss it, either!”

“Definitely, but first I have a bone to pick with Maddox.” Belle shot an accusing glare in his direction. “Wendy won’t let me pay for my tattoo. She said you sent her a text and told her that if I put up a fuss, she should just tell me to tip Candice what you’d normally charge for my session.”

“Yup.” He leaned against the counter.

Belle’s eyes narrowed. “Griffith pays you for his ink, right?”

“Yup.” His lips kicked up in a small grin, and I had to stifle a giggle at how he was torturing my sister like he’d known us forever.

“Then I don’t understand why I can’t pay for mine.”

Maddox shrugged his broad shoulders. “And I don’t get why this is such a problem for you.”

“Because you can’t just give me a free tattoo!” Belle stomped her foot.

Their argument was going round and round in circles with no end in sight, so I raised my hand like I was a student in a class who had a question. I waited for both of them to look at me before I asked, “Is mine free too?”

“Probably, since Wendy wouldn’t let me pay for yours either,” Belle grumbled.

Maddox’s blue eyes flared with an emotion I’d only really ever seen in Griffith’s when he looked at my sister. “You sure as fuck are not paying to have my ink on your skin.”

“Fine. I get it. I’m guessing that you’re not going to budge on this since I recognize that caveman look in your eyes. I see it all the time from Griffith,” Belle huffed. “As long as you keep it aimed in my sister’s direction, my hubby might get over the fact that another guy paid for something for me. Maybe.”

“Trust me, he’ll get it.” Maddox kept his eyes locked on me as he walked over to the door and held it open for us. Then he followed us out to my car and waited until I was buckled in my seat to bend down and whisper, “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon, little mermaid.”

After he shut my door, I watched him walk across the parking lot and back into Ink Addiction before I started up my car and pulled out. My sister only managed to wait about two minutes before she started in on me.

“So.” Belle’s brown eyes twinkled with humor. “You let him call you little mermaid? I thought you hated that nickname?”