Rule (Marked Men #1)(75)

“If I Rule and I break up you really think the next guy in my life is going to be all clean cut and preppy?”

“I don’t see why not. You dated Gabe for six months and he’s about as opposite physically from Rule as one can get. I bet pierced ni**les would send him into cardiac arrest.”

“I’m never dating anyone just because I’m supposed to again, and I’m not planning on dating anyone besides Rule for the foreseeable future anyway so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

The truth was things had been strained between Rule and I for the last week. I didn’t know what it was but he was treating me like I was spun sugar and going to break apart at any moment. When he didn’t think I was paying attention I would catch him staring at me with a confused look in his gaze like he was trying to figure out what I was still doing there, or why he was still around. He was obsessively concerned about my safety and making sure I was never ever alone and even though we still spent every night together at alternating homes the time we spent in bed had morphed from passionate and out of control, to moments that felt tender and fleeting and while it was nice and hard to complain about it didn’t feel like him and it was starting to really concern me. I didn’t know how to address it because it wasn’t like there was anything actually wrong, he was still emotionally present, still attentive and clearly willing to try like I asked him but something was off I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

“If your father finds out he really will make good on pulling his tuition check for next year.”

My dad had finally gotten tired of me ignoring his calls and had ambushed me at the apartment last weekend. I had tried to explain the situation with the car, tried to make him understand about Gabe and his threats but none of it did any good. All my dad was concerned about was how things looked for him and mom the requisite threat about tuition had been lobbied about but it held no weight with me. I told him if he pulled my tuition I would gladly get a job as a striper to pay my way through med school and he hadn’t liked it one bit. I knew the threat would only keep him off my case for a brief minute but for now that was all I needed if he wasn’t going to take my back against what was going on with Gabe.

I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him but I don’t think Rule pushing him around had really sent him to ground. Ayden mentioned she had heard some girls in one of her classes talking about me and from the sounds of it his new mission was to trash my reputation on campus with a series of foul lies and outrageous stories. Luckily I was pretty immune to hearing awful stuff about myself from growing up in such a judgmental and hatful household or else I would have been freaking out even more and contemplating changing schools to just get away from it all.

“Yeah he would, good thing that’s not something he ever has any opportunity to see.”

Cora opened the door with a little metal tray in her hand that looked sterilized and smelled like hospital grade antiseptic.

“You ready?”

I swung my legs up and around so I was lying back in the chair and tried to control my rapid breathing.

“As I’ll ever be.”

“I’m fast so it’ll be over quick. Just remember you have to keep them clean so for the first three to four weeks don’t play with or let you know who play with them even though he should know the rules by now.”

I laughed as she told me to strip out of my tight V-neck Henley and bra. I shivered involuntarily at being so exposed but Cora was reassuring and even though I knew she wasn’t really into it Ayden held my hand and watched what was happening with rapt attention.

“First I gotta mark you to make sure they’re even and straight on both sides.” It was weird to have someone even though that someone was a friend handle my body in such a way. The tip of the marker was cold and it made me shiver but not nearly as much when she put the metal clamp on the first light pink tip. Her two toned eyes stared into mine and I felt my nails dig into Ayden’s palm. “Okay babe take a really deep breath and when I tell you let it out slow and even. You’re going to feel a lot of pressure from the needle pressing through and then the jewelry being put in place just keep your eyes on me and keep breathing.”

I did what she said and after the initial pain that admittedly had a couple of surprised tears welling in my eyes it was just more uncomfortable than painful. She repeated the process on the other side and just like that it was over and I was pierced. She asked me if I wanted a mirror. I took it and admired her handy work.

I had pretty nice br**sts already, they weren’t huge or anything outrageous but they were firm and high and my ni**les were always a nice, pretty pink. The silver hoops were similar to the ones in Rule’s eyebrow and the one in his lip but the ball at the center of mine was a bright aquamarine globe. They were sexy and feminine and I freaking loved the way it looked. I took the aftercare instructions and climbed back into my clothes. I felt the little piece of me that had been flailing over the last weeks lock back down and I smiled at Cora and gave her a hug.

“I love it.”

“You should. It’s over the top hot.”

Ayden nodded as she pulled on her coat. “I didn’t think it would suit you but I was wrong they look really girly and sexy. I can see now why you wanted to get it done.”

Cora lifted her super blond eyebrows as I shoved money into her hands. “I know you said you would do it for free but I want to pay you.”