“You’ve got me there,” I conceded as I pulled into a parking spot. I waited until I’d tugged her out of the car and into the tattoo parlor before adding, “But we both also know that once it’s done, you’ll be glad that I gave you the extra nudge you needed or else you’d never go through with this.”
“Wrong.” Belle made a buzzing noise like I was a contestant in a trivia show who’d just given an incorrect answer. “I know no such thing, and you only think you do.”
“Welcome to Ink Addiction. I’m Wendy. How can I help you today?” The girl manning the front desk looked up at us in the middle of her greeting. Her smile was quickly wiped from her face when she saw my sister’s scowl. Her gaze darted between the two of us before she asked, “Um...do you have an appointment?”
Since Ink Addiction was a high-end parlor where you had to book your appointment months in advance—unless you were married to a rock star apparently—it was a fair question. She was probably hoping the answer was no so she could tell the crazy ladies who looked like they’d never stepped foot in a tattoo parlor to leave.
“Yup.” I grinned at her and nudged Belle forward. “My sister does.”
Belle trudged over to the counter and sighed. “Yeah, I called last week, and the guy who does my husband’s ink said he’d fit me in today at noon.”
“Last week? That doesn’t sound right.” Wendy tapped at the keyboard in front of her. When she found Belle’s appointment, her eyes went wide. “Oh! I get it now. You’re Griffith Thorne’s wife. That must be why Maddox came in today. So he could do your tattoo. I was wondering since he didn’t have any other appointments scheduled.”
I elbowed Belle in the side when she didn’t say anything. “Did you hear that? The guy came to work just for you.”
“You probably bribed him to do that so I’d feel too guilty to chicken out at the last minute,” she muttered.
“Aw, there’s nothing to be scared about.” Wendy stretched out her right arm so we could see the butterfly tattoo on her inner wrist. “It really isn’t that bad, and Maddox is the best at what he does.”
The butterfly had a 3D feel to it, almost as though it was perched on her wrist, ready to take flight at any moment. “I can see why you’d say he’s the best. This is some fantastic artwork. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It is, but Maddox didn’t do mine. I wish he had been the one to do it,” Wendy sighed. “Not that I don’t love my tattoo. All of the artists here are amazing, but Maddox is kind of picky about the work he does. He owns the place, and people come from all around the world to get inked by him. Getting an appointment with him is sort of like winning the tattoo lottery.”
“If you really want a tattoo from him, you should take my spot,” Belle was quick to offer.
Wendy’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “Why do I have the feeling this is the last place you want to be?”
Belle shrugged her shoulders. “Because it kind of is?”
“Then why are you here?” Wendy asked.
My sister pointed her thumb in my direction. “This one double dog dared me to get one. But that can wait. You really should—” I slapped my hand over Belle’s mouth before Wendy decided to cancel her appointment and take it for herself.
“Don’t mind her,” I interjected. “She’s a tiny bit afraid of needles, but it’ll all be worth it when her hubby catches sight of his name on her skin.”
Belle’s lips stopped moving, and after a moment I felt most of the tension melt from her body. When I pulled my hand away from her mouth, she offered me an apologetic smile. “Okay, fine. You might actually have a point.”
“Does that mean you’re finally willing to admit that it’s a good thing I double dog dared you into getting a tattoo?”
Belle rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t go that far. I’m still not sure about this.”
“You don’t have to get one today if you don’t want to. I’d rather do her anyway.” A shiver raced up my spine at the sound of the deep voice, and it intensified when I spotted the man whose fierce gaze was locked on me. He was about four or five inches taller than my five foot eight inches, with a muscular body. His eyes were a piercing blue and his dark hair looked silky to the touch, making my fingers itch to run through it. His snug-fitting black shirt with the name of the tattoo parlor stamped on the front in a super cool font stretched over his broad chest, and it showed off the dark ink of the full sleeves of tattoos on his arms.
As quick-witted as I usually was, my brain could only come up with one word. “Pardon?”
His full lips tilted up at the edges as he prowled closer. “I get that Belle’s the one who has the appointment with me, but I’d rather tattoo you instead.”
2 Maddox
There was a design I’d had in my mind for years; one I’d sketched out right after I opened Ink Addiction. I wasn’t sure if I would ever ink it on someone’s skin. Then this red-headed goddess strolled into my shop, and I knew I’d found the perfect canvas.
“I think that’s a fantastic idea!” Belle effused, giving the red-head a slightly evil grin.
“Uh, no. We’re here for you,
