Landen looked at me, then down the hall, and then back at me.
“I’m . . . I’m so sorry,” I said, handing him our card. “Here’s the number for the shop. Calvin works on Wednesdays and Thursdays, by appointment only.”
Landen took the card. “I didn’t know,” he said, smiling sheepishly. The door chimed when he left, and I turned on my heels, stomping down the hall into Trenton’s room.
“What the hell was that?”
“He asked you out!”
“So?”
“So? I should have beat his ass!”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “Trent, I handled it. You can’t run customers off every time they flirt with me. That’s what Cal hired me for.”
“He did not hire you to be flirted with. He hired—”
“A hot piece of ass to work the counter. A job you offered me, don’t forget.”
“He didn’t even ask you if you were single, first! At least the douche nozzle could have started with that.”
“I had it handled.”
“I didn’t hear you turn him down . . .”
My nose wrinkled. “I was dodging his question! I can’t just shut him down while he’s out here in the waiting area! It’s called professionalism.”
“Oh, is that what it’s called?”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“You could have told him you have a boyfriend.”
“Is that what this is? That I’m not holding up my new label like a picket sign? What if I just tattoo TRENTON’S GIRL across my forehead?”
His face softened, and he chuckled. “I will gladly tat that somewhere else.”
I growled in frustration and walked back to the front. Trenton jogged after me.
“It’s not a horrible idea,” he said, only half teasing.
“I am not tatting your name on me,” I said, disgusted that he was even entertaining the idea. Trenton had already filled in the poppies the first week of Christmas break with a striking cherry red, and then two days before Christmas, he’d added some tribal art and black and bright green swirling clouds to the same arm. A week after New Year’s, I had a gorgeous blooming red rose with yellow accents. I was on my way to an intricate, badass sleeve. We had begun to refer to our sessions as pain therapy. I would talk, and Trenton would draw and listen. I loved sharing that time with him, and knowing that I carried his beautiful pieces of art with me everywhere.
He sat on the counter, his palms planted flat against the Formica. “Maybe I’ll hide it in one of your tattoos one of these days.”
“Maybe I’ll break your machine into a million pieces,” I said.
“Whoa. Shit just got real,” he said, hopping down to stand next to me. “I’m sorry you’re angry that I ran the guy off. I’m not sorry for running him off, but I am sorry I made you mad. Think about it, though. I wasn’t going to tat him up after he hit on my girl. Trust me. It was best for everyone.”
“Stop making sense,” I snapped.
Trenton wrapped his arms around me from behind, and then buried his face in my neck. “I’m almost not sorry for making you mad. You’re f**king hot when you’re angry.”
I playfully elbowed him in the ribs, and the door chimed again. Colin and Chase walked toward the counter, and Chase crossed his arms over his chest.
“Tattoos?” I asked. They weren’t amused.
Trenton’s grip relaxed. “How can we help you, guys?”
Colin frowned. “We need to talk to Camille. Alone.”
Trenton shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”
Chase narrowed his eyes and leaned toward us. “She’s our f**king family. We’re not asking for your permission, Maddox.”
Trenton raised an eyebrow. “You are, you just don’t know it yet.”
Colin’s eye twitched. “Chase is here to talk to his sister. This is family business, Trent. You need to stay out of it. Camille, outside. Now.”
“You can talk to me here, Colin. What do you need?”
He glared at me. “You really want to talk about this here?”
“What do you want to talk about?” I asked, trying to remain calm. I was sure if we went outside, Colin or Chase would lose his temper and a fight would break out. It was safer to stay put.
“You didn’t show up for Thanksgiving. Dad said you had to work. Whatever. But then you don’t show up at Christmas. Then your chair is empty again at lunch on New Year’s Day. What the f**k is going on, Camille?” Chase asked, incensed.
“I have two jobs, and I’m taking classes. It’s just the way things happened this year.”
“Dad’s birthday is next week,” Chase said. “You better f**king be there.”
“Or what?” Trenton said.
“The f**k did you just say to me, Maddox?” Chase snapped.
Trenton lifted his chin. “She better be there, or what? What are you going to do if she doesn’t show?”
Chase leaned against the counter. “Come get her.”
“No. You won’t,” Trenton said.
Colin leaned in, too, keeping his voice low when he spoke. “I’m only going to say this one more time. This is family business, Trent. You need to stay the f**k out of it.”
Trenton’s jaws worked under his skin. “Cami is my business. And her cocksucking brothers walking into her work trying to bully her is most definitely my business.”
Colin and Chase glared at Trenton, both of them taking a step backward. Colin spoke first, like he always did. “Camille, come outside with us right now, or I’m going to tear this place apart while I kick your buddy’s ass.”
“I’m not her buddy. I’m her boyfriend, and I’ll knock you the f**k out before you can scratch the paint.”
Calvin appeared on the other side of me. I looked down and his hands were balled into fists. “Did you just say you were going to tear up my shop?”
“What are you going to do about it?” Chase spat on the floor.
“Chase, Jesus Christ!” I yelled. “What is wrong with you?” Trenton held me back, even though I wasn’t trying all that hard to go anywhere.
Bishop and Hazel came out of their rooms, curious about the noise. Bishop stood on the other side of Calvin, and Hazel on the end.