"Barking orders?"
He chuckles. "Yeah." He presses a stencil to my skin and tapes one side. "Now stop distracting me or I'll fuck this up."
"Oh. Sure." I watch him tape the stencil to my skin.
He grabs the tattoo gun. "You ready for this?"
"Will you distract me?"
"Sure." He turns the gun on for a second. "This is what it sounds like."
"Okay."
"You didn't bring anyone to hold your hand."
"Is this where you ask women if they have boyfriends?"
He brings the gun to my skin. "I don't usually date clients."
"You date?"
He laughs. "I don't usually fuck clients." He looks up at me. "On three. I'll do one mark. So you can see how it feels."
I nod.
"One. Two. Three." He turns the gun on.
The needle hits my skin. It hurts. More than other needles have. And without the promise of bliss.
But it's nothing compared to… well, to everything.
I make my voice confident. Strong. "I can take it."
"You can take a lot."
My cheeks flush.
"Shit. You're distracting me again."
"That was all you."
He shakes his head. "Be good, Iris. I know you want to get my clothes off again. But you have to wait until I'm done with this."
I can't help but smile. "I'll keep that in mind."
He looks up at me. Raises a brow. You ready?
I nod. I am.
He turns the gun on and brings it to my skin.
Fuck. That hurts.
My fingers curl into fists.
My teeth sink into my lips.
It's a steady pain. The same stab of the needle over and over.