Royal Savage (Savage & Ink 1)

We both plop down into our chairs when done, and start chatting as the other girls finish cleaning their stations.

“How’s that tattoo?” Madison reaches for my shirt and lifts it up. I lean back and let her examine it. “It looks really fucking good.” She replaces my shirt. “You getting another one soon? I think you should. You would look badass tatted up. You’re just the kind of chick that can pull it off.”

I pull my bottom lip into my mouth in thought. After the other night I’m not sure that we’re welcome back to the shop, and after having Royal’s work on me I don’t think I’d let anyone else tattoo me.

“We’ll see.” I stand up and pump her chair up as high as it will go. She’s super short; tiny but lethal for sure.

“Is this your way of distracting me, woman?” She slaps my hands away as I start playing with her hair. “Not going to work.” She points over to my chair. “Thanks for the lift, but take a damn seat.”

“Madison, I’m tired.” I close my eyes and yawn; not just for show either. I’m actually pretty exhausted, and ready to get the hell out of here, but we still have about fifteen minutes before close. “I don’t really know if I’ll be getting another tattoo, and I don’t feel like thinking about it right now either.”

“I think you should. Just saying.” Madison’s eyes widen and she sits up high to look out the window when the sound of motorcycle engines come into close range. She stands on the bottom part of her chair. “Is that . . . Holy shit. I think Blaine and Royal just pulled up.”

My heart involuntarily starts going wild in my chest as I look out the glass to see the two guys, now pulling their helmets off. I get ready to say something, but then stop when I realize that I have no idea what to say.

I never thought I’d see two badass, tatted up guys in ripped clothing pull up outside of a pretty little feminine salon like Stylin’ on motorcycles.

Apparently neither did Ellie and Anne, because they’re watching with wide eyes and flirtatious grins as the guys walk past the glass and reach for the door.

Suddenly feeling nervous, I turn away from the door and start organizing my station as the door dings.

“Boys,” Madison says cheerfully. “Miss us already?”

I look up into the mirror to see Royal watching me with curious eyes. He lifts a brow when our eyes meet.

Next thing I know he’s taking a seat in my chair and lowering it.

From the corner of my eye I see Ellie and Anne whispering to each other and watching the boys’ every movement.

“Do me,” he says huskily.

“Excuse me?” I shake my head and pull it out of the gutter when I realize he’s not actually demanding me to do him. “You want me to cut your hair?”

I smile in amusement as Royal reaches for the stylist apron and snaps it around his neck, before pulling his hair toward his face. I swallow hard as a thick strand falls over his eye and he peers up at me. It’s that sexy, lethal look again that makes my legs quiver with both fear and excitement. “A number two.”

When I look beside me Blaine is sitting in Madison’s chair, but facing her. He grabs her by the thighs and pulls his bottom lip into his mouth, giving her a sexy look.

She laughs and reaches for her apron.

“Alright.” I turn back to Royal and grab his shoulder, yanking him back to sit straight up. “Hold still or I might shave that gorgeous hair off.”

He smirks at me through the mirror as if my sassiness entertains him. Oddly . . . that makes me smile to myself.

Shaving his hair is somewhat nerve-racking. I’ve been cutting hair for five years now, since I first turned seventeen, but the thought of shaving off any of his pretty hair by accident has me almost sweating.

He notices me getting nervous when I get to the top of his hair, so he places his hand on mine and yanks it up, just under the long part. “There you go, babe. Loosen up a little.”

Our eyes meet in the mirror, before I move his hand off mine. “I’m not tense.” I take a deep breath. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”

He reaches up and grabs the clippers from my hand after I shut them off, then watches me through the mirror as I reach for his apron to undo it.

Setting the clippers on the desk in front of him, Royal spins around in the chair and places both of his hands on my hips. Looking up at me, he begins sliding my shirt up.

As hard as I fight it, a small moan escapes my lips at the feel of his hands running up my sides. “You been taking care of that tattoo?”

I close my eyes and nod my head as his thumb lightly brushes the skin, just under the feather. My stomach fills with butterflies from the contact, but I do nothing to push his hands away. I don’t remember the last time I’ve gotten that feeling.

“Yeah. Jax sent the aftercare instructions to Madison and she sent them to me.” I breathe.

He lowers my shirt and our eyes meet. “Good. It looks good. What about my brother? Did he flip his shit?”

I shake my head and watch his hands as he runs them over the sides of his head. “We’re on a break. He hasn’t seen it.”

He lifts a brow, but then looks up and winks at Ellie and Anne when they walk over to my station, smiling at him.

Both of their faces are completely fucking red; especially after that little wink and from the look on Royal’s face. I know he’s aware of the effect he has on women with little effort at all.

Anne clears her throat and then speaks. “We’re out of here. You girls need anything else done before we leave?”

“We don’t mind sticking around for a bit,” Ellie adds, while looking between the boys.

Don’t ask me why, but this annoys me. They both know damn well that they’re only offering because of the tatted up eye candy. They’ve been bitching all day about how they have better shit to do tonight and how we should close early.

“No thanks.” I motion for Royal to get out of my chair. “We’re walking out in just a few minutes here anyways. We’ve got it.”

“Sure thing,” Ellie says, while grabbing for Anne’s arm. “We’ll see you in the morning.” She turns to Royal and pulls a business card out of her bra, handing it to him. “In case you ever come back.”

With that, the girls walk out the door, looking back to get one more glance at Royal and Blaine, before jumping into Anne’s Range Rover.