Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
“Well, you deserve it, Mateo. It’s one of my favorite pieces. At least until today. Today’s tattoo will top them all.”
We all walk into a private room in the back. It looks like any other room in a tattoo shop. A large black leather chair, pictures of other tattoos all over, but there is one thing that is different. There are plants everywhere. And I mean every possible square inch one could be squeezed. It’s like walking into a forest. A forest with splashes of bright colors all around. I can almost smell the extra oxygen the plants are giving.
“So what do you have in mind for today?” Mateo asks.
Nick reaches for a pad of paper and a pen and begins writing something down. He hands it to Mateo and says, “I want you to ink these words on me. But don’t sign the name.”
Mateo nods. “Free hand?”
“I trust you,” Nick says.
Nick pulls out a chair for me as Mateo sets up. He then takes a seat in the leather chair and gives me a genuine smile. One with his eyes. He then removes his shirt and points to a small area on his upper bicep. “No scars here, which is why I want this tattoo in this spot.”
My chair isn’t close enough to see what Mateo is tattooing, and I consider getting up and hovering to see, but don’t want to make the man uneasy. Especially since he’s free handing. I’m also nervous for my own tattoo and have no idea what I want. I’m scanning the art on the wall to try to come up with some idea.
It doesn’t take Mateo long before he says, “Finished. No name?”
“Oh I want a name,” Nick says. “Give the gun to Lyriope. I want her to sign the name.”
My attention snaps back to Nick. “Wait… what?”
“I want you to tattoo the name,” Nick says casually but with firmness laced in the words.
“What name? Me?” None of this is making sense.
I get up to go see what the tattoo is and am not surprised to see a quote from Alice from his favorite fairy tale.
I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.
“I want you to sign it as Alice,” Nick says.
“I don’t know how to tattoo,” I say, taking a step backwards and shaking my head.
“Sign it,” he says as Mateo hands me the gun.
“I’ll walk you through it,” Mateo says with a smile. “No worries. It’s not like it will be on his skin forever.”
“Fucker,” Nick says playfully as he punches Mateo in the arm. “You aren’t helping.”
I take the tattoo gun, listen to Mateo’s instructions and bring the gun to Nick’s skin. “You want me to tattoo the word Alice, right?”
Nick nods. “You’re my Alice. Seems fitting that it’s you signing your name.”
Taking a deep breath, I begin, finding it isn’t as hard as I thought. It’s actually… exciting and fun. When a piece of my hair falls in front of my face and I try blowing it out of the way, Nick reaches with his free hand and gently swipes it away. I’m so focused on the tattoo that I try not to pay attention to how intense his stare is on me. Not the tattoo. On me.
Taking my time, I mark the man’s skin forever. It’s not perfect, but then again, nothing is. Once I finish, I step away and admire it. Nick is also looking down with pride.
“I love it,” Nick praises. “Mateo, you may have just lost a client.” He hops out of the chair and extends his hand to me. “Your turn.”
I take his hand and allow him to help me into the chair.
“Have you decided what you want?” Mateo asks me.
I arch an eyebrow at Nick. “Are you going to answer the man?”
Nick chuckles. “So I get to choose?”
“Wasn’t that the plan all along?” I ask, already knowing the answer. “Matching tattoos.” I’m starting to be able to read Nick a little bit better as I get to know him. He may not like the fact, but it’s the truth regardless.
Nick shrugs with mischief glimmering in his eyes as he reaches for the pen and paper again and begins writing. And just like before, Mateo begins tattooing the exact same spot on me as he did on Nick. The difference is Nick stands by my side the entire time. His hand is possessively on my thigh, as if another man touching me—even a tattoo artist—is hard for him to take.
When all the writing is complete, Mateo hands Nick the tattoo gun and says, “It’s ready for you to sign.”
Nick walks around the chair, takes the gun, looks at me in the eyes, and asks, “Ready?”
I nod. “It’s not like it’s on my skin forever.”
With a slight chuckle, he begins.
Trust. That is what today has all been about. Absolute and complete trust. Not only that, but we both will be on each other’s bodies forever. Forever.