Branded as Trouble (Rough Riders #6)(113)

Colt was stuck in hell—the foyer at the back of the building between the tattoo studio and the stairs leading to India’s apartment.


He’d been there for the last twenty minutes.


He racked his brain trying to remember whether he’d slept with Cat, but it was pointless. There was a period of eighteen months that’d been a total blur. But he did know in the years he’d been sober, whenever she’d come on to him at Dewey’s, he’d let her know he was not interested. In fact, he’d been downright rude to her on a couple of occasions.


So…his rudeness, not calling her after a two-night stand…he could see why she had it in for him.


What sickened him, as much as Cat’s tactics to turn India’s niggling doubts into full-blown doubts, was that India hadn’t defended him. Not once. She’d demanded clarification on a couple of points. But never once had she said, you’re wrong. I know Colt. I know his heart. I know his soul. I know the man he is now, not the man he was.


Not f*cking once.


And what was up with her cryptic claim, I am getting what I want from Colt McKay?


A gut-level fear froze his breath in his lungs. Was India just another person who took what they wanted from him, expected his support, but when push came to shove, couldn’t offer it in return?


Support or trust?


A leopard doesn’t change his spots.


Colt shifted the bouquet of flowers and lumbered up the steps, not bothering to tiptoe. They’d tiptoed around these issues plenty, it seemed, and the time had come to face them dead on.


India heard the stairs creak and knew Colt had come calling a day early. Her heart leapt for joy and she set the tattoo gun on the tray table. “Almost done, give me one sec.” She hustled to the backroom.


The foyer was empty. Ever since she’d tossed the wrench at his head, Colt kept his distance when she was working. But really, had he been in such a damn hurry he’d left the back door open? Her hand curled around the doorknob and she pulled the door shut. A click echoed in the enclosed space.


A familiar click.


Heart pounding, India opened the door to determine her ears weren’t playing tricks on her.


Click.


She hadn’t heard him go upstairs until just now. Which meant…he’d heard every word.


You mean he knows you didn’t defend him.


Colt didn’t understand how a woman like Cat operated. The only way to keep their relationship private, and not fodder for Cat’s gossip mill, was to ignore her.


But Cat taunted you and you fell for it.


Heartsick, India dragged her feet returning to her tattoo station.


She picked up the tattoo gun and dipped the needle in the ink.


“You okay?”


No. “Yeah.”


“Well, then, as I was saying—”


“You know what, Cat? The truth is, I have a vicious headache.


Let me concentrate on this last petal and you’ll be done.”


Numb and weary, she shifted into autopilot as she finished adding in the last of the pink to the rose.


After she swabbed the area and Cat admired the tat re-furb, India taped a bandage on it. “I’ll ring you up out front.”


Cat stopped. “Ring me up? What do you mean?”


“You didn’t expect me to re-ink you for free, did you?”


The look on Cat’s face said exactly that.