I had a feeling they weren’t the only misunderstood creature in town. “Oh, I know. I actually have a tattoo of a honeycomb.”
Calliope tilted her head and her cheeks flamed. Her eyes looked anywhere other than at me as she asked, “You, uh, you do?”
Her attempt at nonchalance failed, and I wondered if she already knew about my tattoo. It was one of many on my body, but it had always been one of my favorites. Did she psychically know about my tattoo, or perhaps, had she seen it in person? Had she seen my videos?
Not wanting to lose…whateverthis was, I slowly started to take off my cut. I’d done a number of stripteases on my channel. This wasn’t meant to be ateasethough. I kept my cut hanging off my left shoulder and lifted my shirt off my right side. I brought it over my head, keeping my left sleeve on. I wasn’t ashamed of my body in the slightest, but I also didn’t want to risk embarrassing her by removing it fully. This seemedslightlymore modest.
Down my right side were the Chinese symbols for hope, strength, love, bravery, and perseverance in black ink. The way my shirt was lifted revealed boldly letteredSACRIFICEabove my belly button. Part of my lion tattoo showed but was mostly still covered. On my upper chest were a skull, eagle, and stars of my Marine Raider tattoo.
Going from my right shoulder down to my elbow were the hexagonal cells with black ink and red background.
Calliope took a step forward, her eyes fixated on my right bicep. I added a little flex for her benefit. Hesitantly, shereached up, placing her small hand on my skin. Our eyes met, and fuck me, because for a moment I forgot how to breathe.
Fuckingmoron. That was exactly what I was. This woman couldn’t be plain if she tried.
“Why did you get it?”
It took me far too long to remember what the fuck we were talking about. Right, my tattoo. Jesus Christ, I could drown in her eyes. I wanted to. Wanted to see them light up with excitement, witharousal. Wanted to see her hair splayed out across my pillow as I brought her to the highest of heights.
I didn’t talk about my past often, but there was no way to answer her question without broaching that subject. “My dad was a piece of work. Drunk, violent, and mean. The triad of great parenting,” I scoffed. “My mom abandoned us when I was five-ish. I had my suspicions that he’d killed her and hid her body, but then she tracked me down asking for money some years ago. Turned out, she wasn’t winning any parenting awards either.
“Anyway, I was thirteen when I ran away. Hit the streets. Because as dangerous as they were, they were still safer than staying at home. I was lucky, though. I didn’t end up turning tricks or becoming one of the many casualties of the streets. I met up with a group of kids, and we banded together to create our own little community. We watched out for each other, kept everyone fed, in school, and safe.” Her thumb started to make circles on my bicep, over the thick vein that bulged there. I swore it had a direct route to my dick. I fought to keep my voice even. “Those kids became my family, myhive. We’re all grown now and we all made something ofourselves. Once a year, we meet back up, and we keep in contact almost daily.”
Her eyes were so wide, so trusting. Did she have any idea just how expressive they were? “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
Her voice was breathless as she spoke, but I found her words peculiar. She didn’tknow? What should she have known that she felt the need to apologize now for not knowing? She was so genuine, and I knew in that moment she truly did hurt for me, for my past.
I needed to take that pain away.
“I got that tattoo to remember my family, my community.” I hated breaking contact with her hand, but I needed to show her the rest. Turning, I revealed my back to her. Along my lower back was a replica of my red and blackHarley-DavidsonBreakout on a water colored road. Above it was a list of names, starting at my left shoulder blade. The list formed three columns, though only the first was completed. The second and third still had room to fill.
I felt her fingers trace down my spine. “There’s so many,” she commented.
“Family used to mean nothing to me,” I explained. “Now it means everything. Every one of those names is someone important to me, someone I would die for. Starting with my friends growing up, to my fellow Raiders I served with, and now my club brothers and their families. Each time one of them gets married or decides to add to the population, I have Angel add their name.”
I felt her fingers move, going first to the left, then once in the middle, and once on the right. I didn’t need her to voice the question to know what she was asking.
“Those I’ve lost,” I said softly. “The black ribbons bytheir names are the ones I’ve lost.” Thank God I hadn’t gotten around to having Angel add one by Scar’s name before we found out he actually wasn’t dead. That would have been awkward.
“I’m sorry.” I felt her breath on my skin, and fuck if my entire body didn’t stiffen at the contact.
Begrudgingly, I stepped away. I hastily put my shirt and cut back on before I did something stupid. Like tackle her down to the floor and fuck her against the unfinished shelves.
Calliope’s eyes went comically wide and she emitted a rough gasp. Her face flushed, brighter than I’d ever seen it, as her eyes landed on the two unbuilt units still on the floor next to us. When I saw her nipples pucker under her loose shirt, I realized what emotion she was displaying: arousal.
Holy fucking shit. If I didn’t know any better… But no, she couldn’t have… That wasn’t possible. Right?
I hooked my thumbs into the front pockets of my jeans. I was going for a casual pose, when in reality, I was just trying to give my dick some wiggle room without openly adjusting myself. “Did you just read my mind?”
She swallowed hard. “No.”
I raised a skeptical eyebrow.
She dropped her face into her hands. “Yes!” Her admission was muffled by her palms. “I didn’t mean to, but you were practically shouting at me.”
I wasn’t embarrassed. If anything, I was relieved. “So is this like an Edward thing where you can read my thoughts all the time or…?”
Calliope’s head popped up. “Did you just referenceTwilight?”
