Messy Love(40)

Friendships meant everything and took their whole meaning when you were going through a rough patch in life.

“Marissa!’’

Startled by Kam’s booming voice, I turned around and walked the rest of the way to leave the narrow hall leading to the restroom and the office to enter the main room where four tattoo stations were set up and the front desk.

“I’m here, sorry I…’’ I trailed off when I realized that Kam was standing in front of Wyatt.

My breath stalled in my chest. No air left or entered my lungs, and a slight burn took over my chest. The fire spread through my veins until it touched my heart. It galloped there, right under my ribs as if trying to make a run for it.

I couldn’t look away from the man who discarded me like I was nothing more than a hole he had used for his twisted pleasure, as much physical as moral. It was impossible for me to see beyond the asshole. I didn’t see his tattoos that had turned me on so much that night, or his dark eyes seemingly too vibrant or his lips so incredible when they kissed any part of my body. I saw nothing but a man that made me feel like I was worth nothing more than being treated like dirt.

He embodied the mess I launched myself into from the moment I got the sealed envelope from the PI with my birth mother’s information.

“You okay, girl?’’ Kam asked me, watching me intently as if I was ready to break down or something. I shouldn’t be surprised considering my odd behavior this past week.

“I'm all right,’’ I said and then looked around the room and found the other two tattoo artists, Jade and Xavier, along with their clients’ eyes on me and the two men standing in front of me. “What are you doing here?’’ I asked Wyatt, my voice flat as I locked eyes with him, determined not to let him play me in my place of work. This was my life, not his. He wanted me out of his life, then he had nothing to do with mine. Period.

He glanced at Kam and then the others still blatantly watching and listening. The tattoo machines weren’t making any noise anymore. It was deathly quiet saved for Lanyard Skynyrd coming from the speakers.

“Can we talk outside?’’ he asked, his voice thick and moody. With his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans riding low on his tapered waist and his feet parted, he looked ready for my rebuttal and equally willing to counter me.

“I’m working. There’s a—''

“Nah, girl. Take your time,’’ Kam butted in and put the nail in the coffin by giving a friendly punch into Wyatt’s big shoulder and turning away from us. “What is it, you idiots? Get back to work,’’ he blurted with a glare at Jade and Xavier. Immediately, the hum of the tattoo machines reached my ears, but when it usually relaxed me, it didn’t help with my nerves any right now.

“Come outside with me a minute.’’

I narrowed my eyes at Wyatt and snorted. “I guess I’m supposed just to do what you want and keep my mouth shut, huh?’’

His eyebrows knitted and he looked down. “I swear it won’t take long. After that, I’ll leave you alone.’’

Jaw locked and stiff as a board, I sidestepped him and left InkSpired, walking farther down the street to avoid the others to look. I didn’t need to turn around to tell he was on my heels. The man’s presence was like no other, and my distrust only tuned me in further into him.

I stopped in front of a liquor store, the one I bought my alcohol from, along with many underage students because they didn’t card as long as you showed a bit of cleavage to the perv manning the store. I couldn’t make out the inside of the store with the dirty windows and the neon flashing in white and red saying it was open. Also, the many adds for shows around town and other events made it hard to find a way to look inside.

I turned around abruptly and faced the man that had been on my mind way too much. “What the hell do you want now? You screwed me, screwed me over and made me understand to screw off. There’s no more screwing to do here.’’

“You forgot one.’’

“Enlighten me,’’ I snapped and kept on glaring at him.

“I screwed up.’’

I wasn’t expecting that. My frown eased up then when I noticed he wasn’t playing with me. Sophie had told me he wanted to apologize, but I didn’t believe a word he said. But upon facing him, the way he seemed to soldier himself for an onslaught of insults and the lack of coldness in his voice made me wonder if maybe… Maybe he wasn’t more human than I thought. That didn’t change a thing, though.

“And?’’

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up to lock eyes with me once again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.’’

“Which part, uh? The part where you had sex with me to drive me away from your mother or the part where just as soon as you were finished you ignored me to make sure I’d leave your place feeling like shit.’’

His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. “Both.’’

“Yeah.’’ I shook my head and stared above his shoulders up the streets. Everything was better than staring at the man who made my life harder than it already was. Everything was better than staring at the one person who had made me feel like trash when nobody else had ever been able to do it. “You know, I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt that night. I was prepared to overlook your dickish behavior, but that’s pushing it. I will never let anybody walk all over me, even if I’m damn lost right now. You’re a scared little boy inside the body of a man, and you don’t deserve my sympathy or understanding anymore. You wanted me out of your life, Wyatt, well you’ve got it.’’