And the last person I wanted to see was her fucking brother.
So, with narrowed eyes, I sniped, “I think that sounds like a fair trade. If you’re going to snatch one business up from me, might as well give me some here.”
“Alright then,” he grumbled, his steps already carrying him further into the shop.
I held up my hand. “Hold on there, big guy. My time’s expensive.”
A black card as dark as his attire slashed through the air. Held between his fingers as he lifted it up. “Great, I’ve got money. I’d like your time and everyone else’s. I need the place clear for the hour.”
What a showoff. I glared, my arms finding their way around my body as I looked down at him. Were we seriously going to sell to this asshole? What a joke.
“You’re going to have to pay their rates,” I said.
“Fair.” He shrugged. “I’ll pay triple.”
I scoffed. “What? Can’t afford more?”
He looked down his nose at me. “I’m rich, not stupid. What’ll it be,Gus?”
I stared at him. He stared right back. Something told me this guy was used to getting exactly what he wanted. But what his hard gaze didn’t tell me was if he was here because of my parents and this deal with his company… or if he was just here for me.
My shoulder touched my ear, and I lifted a look about the room. “It’s not up to me. Guys?”
The traitors were already packing their stuff. “Good luck, Gus!”
I frowned. “Seriously?”
Ryan came up to pat my shoulder. “Look, if you rich people fighting means I get paid out for two weeks, then I say take all the time you need.”
Lana agreed as she gave me a joyous salute. “Leave no stone unturned, boys.”
“Don’t forget to ask for his blessing, Gus,” Quis snickered on his way past while Jules eyed Ox hungrily as she walked by murmuring. “I can’t believe this is going to be your brother-in-law one day.”
As the shop door closed and the room fell into silence, Ox flipped the lock on the bolt and turned to me. “Impressive.”
I huffed. “Never seen any of them move that fast in my life.”
Dress shoes clicked across the tiled flooring as the man of the hour strode his way toward me. With every step closer, he was pulling off an article of clothing. First his black coat that he placed neatly over the edge of Quis’s station. Then he was loosening the buttons on his sleeve, dropping the cuff links that probably cost the down payment on this shop haphazardly onto someone else’s tray. And then he was unbuttoning his black shirt, apparently having come prepared with nothing underneath.
He stared, and just because I didn’t want to be outdone I stared too. But to be honest he was making me uncomfortable with all the intensity.
Glowering, I looked away first, using the excuse of needing to ready my tray and materials to curb my defeat. “Could you not stare at me while you do that?”
He only scoffed before coming before me shirtless and tossing his shirt on the back of the chair. He loomed over me, continuing to stare. I thought he was trying to intimidate me, but I soon realized he was watching. Observing my every move as I wrapped the tattoo machines, saline solutions, creams, and surfaces. He stayed that way until I was done. Set up and ready and waiting to pierce his skin. He stayed that way even after, and for a moment I was reminded of theanxious pacer outside the shop as he waited for his wife to get out of the bathroom.
I sighed.
Maybe he needed to be talked into it. “So. What’ll it be?”
He fluttered eyes up to me, but pursed his lips, determined to keep his scowl. Giving the workstation one more cutting glare he eased himself down into the seat facing away from me. He didn’t lie back, just stayed with his back to me while rattling off a date with the instructions to put the numbers into roman numerals.
I scoffed. “What’s that?”
Probably the day he sacrificed eleven babies to become the eleventh richest man in the world. True story, he was in a magazine and everything.
“My wedding date,” he said.
Oh.
