Hating You, Loving You (Inked Hearts 4)

The lady doth protest too much.

I have a million excuses for my feelings about Chloe.

Keep deflecting attention.

Avoiding the subject.

Even with myself.

My phone buzzes in my shorts. Five minutes. Right on time. Another banana. But this time it's a heart. And it's a mirror selfie. Chloe holding the thing in her bedroom.

Her twin bed behind her.

Plain white sheets. Grey bedspread. Not what I expected. Not what I imagined.

But now…

Fuck.

Walker's gaze shifts to my cell. "Fuck. She likes you too."

"She hates me."

"She wants to fuck you."

"Look at me."

"Ryan will kill you."

"I can take him."

"He'll fire her."

That's a bigger concern. I do like Chloe. I'm not taking this from her.

"But fuck Ryan. We co-own the shop. I vote for her to stay. We can sway Brendon."

"Brendon doesn't give a fuck about us."

"Yeah. But he likes her." Walker runs a hand through his wavy hair. "You're really worried."

"No."

"Yeah." His eyes meet mine. "Shit. You're really into her."

"No idea what you're talking about."

"I can help."

"Horrifying."

"I will."

I shake my head. "You wouldn't know where to start."

"You admit it?"

"That I want to fuck her? Yeah. But that's it."