Tempting (Inked Hearts 1)

Joel rubs his temples. "Whe

re is Valentine?" He looks to me. "Strong, don't fucking tell me she's not here."

I say nothing.

Joel stares daggers at Mal. "Oh, was she getting in the way, too?"

"Violet is like a sister to me," Mal says.

"Never see your sister around. That's not helping your case," Joel says.

"Don't need you falling on this sword for me," Kit mutters.

"Yeah, well I'm not doing shit for you, Rhythmic One. This is fucking personal." Joel looks at me. "You gonna fucking say anything?"

"You're doing a bang-up job speaking for me." My shoulders clench up, but this isn't Joel's fault. Or Mal's fault. It's my fault. Should say as much. "Mal left it up to me. I choose to be here."

Joel's brow screws with confusion.

"Mal didn't do shit. This was all me," I say. "I fucked everything up."

"Why the fuck would you choose this over the woman you've been pining over for the last two years?" Joel asks.

Because music is all I'm good at. Music is what makes me happy. Music is everything.

It feels like nothing right now.

Feels empty if I can't share it with Violet.

Despite my insistence Mal isn't at fault, Joel continues staring daggers at my brother. Mal stares back with the same don't fuck with me attitude.

Might not know how to fix shit with Violet, but I can do something to fix this.

"Enough of this fucking animosity," I say. "Joel, Kit, you're family as much as Mal is. I trust both of you with my life. Let's stop this bullshit."

Joel and Mal hold their stares.

Kit pushes himself up from his chair. He looks at Mal. "I get why you don't trust me. Don't blame you for that. But fuck you for sneaking around behind my back."

Mal nods. "You're right. Don't have a good excuse. I'm sorry."

"Good," Kit says.

"It was the ex-manager. Shouldn't have jumped to conclusions about you, Kit. I know you wouldn't fuck us over." He offers Kit his hand.

Kit shakes.

Like that, they're cool.

Joel looks between them. "That's it?"

Kit nods. "This is where I want to be. If I wanted to be somewhere else, I'd leave."

Joel tosses his empty water bottle in the trash and grabs another. Discomfort spreads over his face as he paces. He looks at Mal. "Democracy from now on. We discuss everything. If we can't agree, we vote."

"What breaks ties?" Mal asks.

"Flip a coin," Joel says.