Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Prologue
Elodie
Two Months Ago
"Oh, I want this." I point at the small mermaid tattoo in my older brother's sketchbook.
"It is pretty," my best friend, Gemma Marsh agrees, peering at it over my shoulder while we wait for my brother, Keegan, to finish up with his client. "It matches the one on your shoulder."
I nod, running my finger over the tiny drawing. My brother is an amazing artist. At this point, I'm basically a walking billboard for him and his art. His drawings cover my arms and legs and shoulders. One even stretches across my ribcage. He's done every single one of my tattoos since I got my first at seventeen.
I have a feeling he drew this one with me in mind. He knows how much I love mermaids. The lore surrounding them has always fascinated me. They're guardians of the water, protecting it ferociously. Most people see beauty when they look at them. I see freedom.
"Where will you put it?" Gemma asks.
Footsteps sound behind us, but I ignore them, carefully considering her question.
"For Keegan's work, I'll find a place." I'm running out of real estate for new ink, but I always find a spot. I love the feel of the gun against my skin and the look of the ink in the mirror. It's like armor at this point, protecting me from the world.
Men have been staring at me since I was fourteen and grew boobs. The ink helps hold them at bay.
"He's not tattooing you," someone growls.
I spin around, blinking as my eyes tangle with the cranky giant standing behind us, his arresting blue eyes locked on me. With his dark hair in a fauxhawk, tattoos running up and down his arms, and piercings in his bottom lip, I know on sight that he's Coby Kaiser, the friend my brother has told me so much about. But my older brother left out some pertinent information. Like the fact that his best friend in Silver Spoon Falls is flipping gorgeous. Because, holy crap, this man is a whole new level of beauty. He has a mean look to him, like a dangerous, wild animal. But there's beauty in wildness, and he's got it in spades.
"Excuse me?"
"He's not tattooing you," he says again, his dark voice sending ripples of desire straight to my core. His voice is pure sin, deep and delicious. Unfortunately, he's saying things with it that aren't nearly as attractive. He's hot, cranky, and rude.
Ugh. Why is there always something wrong with the hot ones?
"And why not?"
"He's busy."
"He's never too busy for me."
Coby's eyes narrow as they rake over me like wildfire. "He is today, princess. If you aren't on the books, you aren't sitting in his chair. And we both know you aren't on his books."
"You don't know that."
"Yeah, I do. You think you're the first girl who has waltzed in here thinking you could bat your lashes and get your way?" He arches a brow. "Try again, princess."
Gemma watches us like she's watching a ping-pong match.
Well, I guess he doesn't know I'm Keegan's sister, then.
"Do a lot of women show up here trying to jump to the front of the line?" I ask, genuinely curious. It wouldn't surprise me if it happens frequently. This is one of the premier shops in the state. People fly in from all over to be inked by Keegan, Slade, and Coby. I can see women making a nuisance of themselves around here.
It's not like it's anything new. Women have been throwing themselves at my brother since I was little. He never goes for it, but they try anyway. After meeting Coby, I can see the same thing happening to him. He may be cranky, but he's gorgeous. Slade, the owner of the shop, isn't hard on the eyes either.
"You certainly aren't the first," Coby growls, seemingly pissed about it. Because he thinks I'm one of them or because they annoy him? I don't know. But his cranky attitude is starting to annoy me. It's unfortunate, really, because he's got my stomach turning somersaults over here.
"I bet you love that, don't you?" I ask, unable to resist teasing him.
"Frankly, I'd ban every single one of you from the shop if it were up to me," he retorts. But his eyes tell a different story as they rake down my body. He may want to believe that, but I don't think he wants to ban me. I think maybe it pisses him off that he doesn't want to ban me.
Huh. Is he jealous that I'm here to see Keegan?
Surely not?
"Hmm." I tap my lip, eyeing him with my head cocked to the side. "Full of shit and your eyes aren't even brown. How about that?"
"You're working my last nerve, princess," he growls. He isn't mad, though. I see it in his eyes. He likes that I'm messing with him. That's what irritates him. He doesn't want to like me, but he can't help himself.