“This is what’s between us.” Chase growled.
Damien plucked me from his grasp catching me to take a long look at the black plastic covering both my arms. “What the hell is this?”
“Nothing. Stop.” I tried to shoo them off me again but it was a lost cause because Damien pulled the plastic tape back making me wince. Gone was the surgical scar that marred my forearm from the screws that had protruded through the skin when I broke it years ago.
“What the fuck, Kristen?” Chase grabbed my arm back and I felt like a yo-yo between them until I pushed them both back.
“Guys.” Taylor stepped forward until Hunter wrapped his arms around her middle and eyeballed Damien who backed down.
“Chase, please don’t. Not here.” I whisper hushed my brother who glared. I would ask him later what the fuck his problem was because I was big girl who could handle my own, especially Damien. Right now we needed to get back to our charges and their bachelor
/bachelorette weekend festivities without having the night ruined. An old broken arm was water under the bridge as far as I was concerned. The real estate of my skin had been re-mastered into something new and I felt too good to let either my brother or… Damien ruin it for me.
“What did you do?” Chase asked looking bewildered at the mottled skin now inked and slightly swollen.
Lia pushed forward taking the rest of the plastic off my arms showing them, as we were making one big spectacle. “She got a tattoo. We went to this awesome place by the airport and this guy Jasper totally did it. I got one too, wanna see?”
Lia was ready to drop her pants when Whit whisked her away grumbling. “Lia… what am I going to do with you?” Whit bemoaned taking her away as I heard Hunter ask in the background for the tattoo parlor location.
“What is it?” Chase turned my arm looking.
“Angel wings.” Damien said with a sort of reverence that made my tummy flutter unexpectedly. “Beautiful angel wings.” He repeated fingers slowly tracing the black scrolls of ink between shades of soft watercolor shading.
“I can’t believe this.”
“What, that you don’t have control over your sister who is an adult?” Damien growled back surprising all of us with his defense of me.
“I still have it.” My brother husked himself away from the group leaving the hotel with us to follow or be left behind. He was being protective but this was another layer to our relationship unexpected.
“Of course you do, Calloway. Of course you do.” Demon called out after him while Chase merely lifted his hand up in the air, his middle finger saluting.
I chastised them both as a shiver ran through me. “Boys.”
Demon leaned in to me as we watched Chase stalk out, his shorts clearly in a tight wad. “Well, I see where you learned your one finger salute, Pebbles.” His fingers grazed over the fresh ink a second time and I pulled back feeling the spark between us grow.
I looked up to his eyes feeling myself sinking into them. Damien was deeper than I previously thought and I wasn’t ready to fall. I smiled a half smirk, “Stuff it, Demon Hart.” I walked away with my head held as high as I could get it without tripping over my high heeled toes because I knew he was watching my ass sway down the sidewalk after the girls. A glance over my shoulder and I saw him smile back shaking his head chastising me.
21
Damien
“I think the trip was a success.” Kristen watched Hunter and Taylor walk off holding hands. Her eyes narrowed while a smile hinted in her cheeks. She must have worked out whatever it was that upset her because their happiness finally made her happy. That made me… well it made me something, but I didn’t have her so I wasn’t happy–yet.
“Yeah? So we did good, Pebbles?” She turned to look at me her nose scrunching. Her hand slipped into mine and I pulled her close.
“I think so.” I tell her tugging toward the open bar.
“Are we leaving them on their own?” Glancing around the floor, I saw Whit and Lia slow dancing in a corner and Chase was knocking back drinks checking his phone.
“Don’t you think the couple deserves some alone time?” I nudged her while ordering two of what we had been drinking before.
“I don’t want to sound like a jealous brat, but you know our time with them is going to be different.” She knocked back the first drink and I follow suit.
“When are you not a brat?” I teased earning me a side eye as she slowly licks her lips.
“Fair assessment if we’re talking recently.”
Changing the subject I bring her arms up turning them to see her new ink up close. “What prompted these?”