Temporary (Indelibly Marked #2), page 5
Immersed in dissipating quivers, she put her hand on the back of his neck and closed her eyes as their breathing slowed.
“I meant to ask you something.” He kissed a trail down her jaw line.
In a haze, she ran through the possibilities. The connection between them stronger than ever, she sensed his question as she sensed by his attention, that he would want to make love again. He wanted to ask if they should move forward, decide on one apartment and stop sneaking around. She wasn’t a baby, she was a woman, one he had to have. A week apart was too long and he didn’t want to be separated from her. “Okay.” She stopped short of saying yes.
“Did you feel the rush?” He turned to take care of the condom and returned to her.
“I definitely felt it.” She waited for him to continue.
He let out a chuckle and gathered her back up in his arms. “I meant after the tattoo.”
“Oh.” His words had to be leading somewhere else. “I feel like I can do anything.”
He cupped her breast.
“Things are different now.” She prodded him forward.
“Yes they are, you are now part of an elite group.” He kissed her lips and dipped his head down to her breast. “You didn’t even need a break, you were epic.”
“Maybe we can finally do this.” She tilted his face up to hers giving him a light kiss.
“There’s more.” He smiled. “I didn’t want to tell you until I was sure, but there’s more.”
“Well now with things different, let me in on the secret,” she said then held her breath.
“It’s a whole side piece.”
She exhaled and rewound what he said. “Side piece?”
He tickled his finger from under her bandage all the way down her side to the waist of her skirt. “Yes, and now with things back to normal between us, we can continue.”
Before the rock in her throat landed in the pit of her stomach, she tried once more. “Back to normal…but different, right?”
“Well with us having to run the show around here, things are different, but once the baby’s born, things will even out again.” He reached over to his wallet, found another condom and held it up between two fingers. “God, I missed you.”
The rock plummeted, boring a hole through her middle. One day she would be smart enough to learn.
He leaned in to kiss her but before he could cloud her mind again, Emily found her strength, slapped the condom out of his hand, and pushed him back. The force of her sudden movement toppled the boxes and they both fell with Ivan landing on top of her.
“Oh no.” The sting in her side radiated through her body and she pressed her hand over the bandage.
“Are you okay?” He laid his hand over hers. “If you wanted to change positions you should have just said something.”
Once able to take a full breath, she glanced up at him. “I want to change a lot of things.” How did the old saying go? Two steps forward three steps back. In her case it was three miles back. “I need to go.”
“Do we need a change of venue?” He stood and helped her up.
She covered her breasts. “I need the change of venue. You need to stay in whatever happy place you created for yourself.”
“Emily.” He crossed his arms. “Now what?”
“It’s not even you.” She squeezed the bridge of her nose and tried to move past him. “I’m so stupid. I just need to grow up.”
“What?” He caught her by the shoulders. “I thought—”
“I know what you thought!” She cut him off. “I even knew what you thought before you thought it. I’m the idiot who wanted it to be different. Just let me go home.”
He let go of her. “What about the shop?”
In the world’s shortest but most humiliating walk of shame, she made her way to the door, pushing her skirt down her hips.
“Emily.”
Even with her faith fading, she still managed to turn. They’d made a mess of themselves and the storeroom.
“Who’s going to take care of your tattoo?” He stepped toward her.
“I shouldn’t touch it for the next twenty four hours.” She recited the rules she knew by heart.
“I suppose you would know how to take care of it.” He bent down and slipped on his jeans.
“I’m my brother’s sister.” She threw those words at him. Her last name cursed her when it came to Ivan. “The youngest of the Elliotts. Never forget, the first time you slept with me I wasn’t old enough to gamble and you were rounding the big three-oh. Most men would kill to be you.”
“Now what?” He lifted his shirt off the floor.
“We have two businesses to run.” She put her hand on the doorknob.
“I’ll call you later.”
“Please don’t.” For the first time she wouldn’t wait like a dog by the phone. Ivan was right. Things were back to normal. She opened the door, the cool air of the shop evaporating her last bit of hope into nothing.
Chapter Four
“I set up the accounting office’s phone in here and I brought in the rolling chair Emily likes.” Ivan put the cordless phone on the counter, patted the piece of furniture and motioned toward Tam to take a look.
She pursed her lips.
“I made sure the bathroom is fully stocked with toilet paper and put a fine of five dollars for anyone who leaves the seat in its full and upright position.” He grinned using all his teeth, deciding not to tell Tam that he also made sure to use the aftershave Emily loved and spent extra time grooming…everything in the event make-up sex was in order.
She exhaled.
“Look!” He held up a finger and bent down to the fridge where they kept water and juice for their customers. “I ran down to the corner and got the iced tea she likes and I already pre-sweetened it.” He lifted a bottle and shook it. “I even got straws so she doesn’t wreck her lipstick.” Later he would lick the pigment off.
Tam didn’t as much as blink.
“I got her favorite cinnamon cookies from Koslowski’s bakery,” he said and glanced at her. “Girls like when we pay attention to detail, right?”
She shrugged.
He straightened up to show off the shirt Emily gave him for his last birthday. “How do I look?”
“Like you pissed off Emily.” She shook her head.
“Well, you don’t have to be so blunt about it.” As he kicked the refrigerator closed the bell on the front door rang and his muse, sweeter than pink cotton candy, strolled through the door.
“Good morning!” The vision swirled around the front counter.
Pink, yes. Sweet, no. “Emily?”
“Good morning, Ivan.” She hugged Tam and put her purse down on the chair.
“May I ask what you’re doing?” He tapped his foot and assessed her ensemble for the day. Her normal attire of a short but appropriate skirt and frilly little top somehow morphed into short shorts and a loose shirt that appeared to be see-through.
She leaned around to Tamsin and cupped her hand over her mouth. “I’m going to work with Billy today.”
“Not dressed like that you’re not.” He stopped and looked up at the ceiling not sure if he sounded like a jealous person, a parent, or Shane.
“You have no say in what I wear Mr. Harlow. My outfit is perfectly fine for a tattoo shop. Isn’t it Tam?” With her hands on her hips she posed in front of Tamsin.
Tamsin tilted her head and gave her a thumbs up. “The girls look good.”
“I was going for that look.” Emily thrust her chest out.
“It worked.” Tamsin nodded and reached into her jeans pocket. “Seeing you now, I think these belong to you.” She handed Emily back her pink thong from the night before and walked away.
“I got your favorite cookies.” Ivan held up the little bakery box.
“You can’t ply me with calories.” Before Emily faced him she shoved the undergarment into the trash. “Twisted Tattoo is blogging today at Pins and Needles blog. I think you need to work on some media.”
“Why don’t you be in charge of media?” The Elliotts loved being on display.
“Because I’m not a tattoo artist.” She eyed the box then reached in her bag and handed him a print out of the blog. “I need to get to work, or did you forget my brother’s shop is being threatened?”
“Not for one second.” He stepped forward. “I am thinking about that now.”
“Well I’ve been thinking about it all night.” She lifted her chin. “I am going to go help Billy and see if we can make some headway.”
“I can do that.” He met her lifted chin with a narrowed eye.
“No, you’re not nice to him, and I am the perfect candidate.” She motioned toward her girls. “Go re-read the papers. They are all full of mumbo jumbo.”
“You can’t talk to him wearing the necklace I gave you.” He pointed at her girls and lifted his finger to the little amethyst pendant. “That’s real gold.”
“Get over yourself. You have given me a necklace every year since you met me.” She snatched the box of cookies away, spun on her heel and sashayed to the back.
He ground his teeth and watched her approach Billy. The man stood the moment she came over. Of course he got up, no one should miss taking in his muscles or his height.
Emily giggled and Billy flashed one of those smiles that should have a little gleaming starburst of light on his tooth.
Ivan tapped his foot while they chitted and chatted. Emily might want to handle Billy, but he was the man in charge of the shop. Even that man who served him papers thought he was Shane. Nice or not, no one except for one Mr. Elliot knew more about Permanent and he deserved, no, he demanded to be part of the powwow. He only needed to wait until Emily begged for his help.
Yes, any second now, she would turn, summon him to her and he would take over the investigation.
Emily flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat down on Billy’s table.
The tick tock of the seconds counting down seemed to echo over the rock music, and he strummed his fingers on the counter watching Emily share his cookies with their traitor. At last he gave in, sat down and read the papers, page by page.
Every word.
He didn’t skim or scan. Instead, he made sure to take it line by line. “Oh, no.”
The consents didn’t matter.
He needed to tell Emily and he needed to kill Billy. What had the man done?
Emily’s hands flitted around as they continued their conversation and she lifted up her shirt revealing not only her freshly inked tattoo but a bit of side boob, and there was the sign, the indication…the end.
“Hold up!” He rushed toward them, actually, toward Emily and returned her shirt into its rightful position.
“What are you doing?” Emily shooed his hand away. “I was not exposing my body to people I barely know.”
He turned his back to bad boy Billy.
“Shane says we’re all family, and I just wanted to show Billy my tattoo,” Emily shouted then stared him down.
“I will take care of the tattoo and you can reveal it when it is ready to be shown to an appropriate audience.” Namely himself.
“You put the tattoo near my breast and you are no different than Billy. If I want him, or Tam, or anyone else to see my boob, then I will very well show it.”
Behind him Billy chuckled.
He clutched his hand into a fist. “What do you want me to do?” She knew the drill, and he never lied to her about their status.
Color rose in her cheeks. She shifted her focus to Billy and back to him. “I was speaking to Billy about the consents. I thought we could try to scour the shop, hopefully they only got misfiled.”
“I would have come in early, but I don’t have a key to the shop.” Billy’s tone came out laced with a bit of sarcasm.
Ivan turned to him. “Maybe we should go to your place, I’m sure the consents are there, though they’re not needed.”
“Ivan?” Emily tapped him.
“I told you yesterday I put the consents on the front desk.” The ass squared his jaw, providing Ivan the perfect plane to give him a punch.
“Whatever game you’re playing, it doesn’t matter.” Ivan met him nose to nose. “We don’t need them, though isn’t it convenient that the only customer who ever threatened to take us to court has missing consents?”
“What’s going on?” Emily slid off the table and moved between them.
“We never had one problem until Mr. New York came here with his portraits.” He inched closer.
“They can sue anyone with or without consents.” Billy lifted his chin.
“You seem to know a lot about what people can do.”
“Funny, it was the owner’s sister who just told me that.”
Both he and Billy looked at her.
“I did a lot of research last night.” She put her hands on her hips. “I’m more concerned about the publicity than the lawsuit.” Under her precision applied makeup, she paled.
Ivan took a breath. His initial strategy of finding the consents was gone. In fact, the shop lay with its underbelly exposed, courts and bad publicity right on the horizon. Their infected customer could talk any time, and they could do nothing to stop him.
As if they shared one mind, he and Billy looked at each other.
“I’m tearing the shop apart.” Billy ran both hands through his hair. “I’ll find the consents.”
“It doesn’t matter.” What were they going to do?
“What are you talking about?” Emily yanked him.
He unclenched his jaw enough to get the words out. “Mr. Lipson went to the emergency room six hours after he left the shop. The aftercare, the consents, they don’t matter, in that timeframe the infection happened here.”
“I have never had a problem before. My work is perfect.” Billy lifted his chin.
Ivan ached to ram his fist into the guy’s face, especially with the way Emily covered her mouth.
“Billy?” Emily’s voice came out broken, draped in anxiety, hurt and worry.
“Yes.”
She cleared her throat. “I was thinking you should collect some testimonials and such from past customers.”
Billy didn’t as much as acknowledge her, but he did turned as pale as Emily.
“Did you hear her?” Ivan waved his hand in front of the jerk’s face, stopping short of slapping him.
“Yeah,” Billy said, but his tone said something else entirely.
“Then get to work.” Not wanting to deal with the douche, Ivan snapped his fingers.
Without another word, Billy walked to the front filing cabinet.
“Don’t mess up our system!” He wished he owned a bullhorn and whip, he would get the ass into shape, all the while showing Emily he had it covered.
“Ivan.”
He turned to her, sure their reunion was right around the corner. All the grooming and aftershave would definitely pay off. “I got you some of that iced tea you like, and I thought in a bit we could go down to the deli and get some lunch.”
She shook her head.
“I was nice.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “The situation will get fixed.”
“We need help.”
“What?” He bent down to hear her.
“All we need is that guy talking to the press. We have to do something.” She mimicked his action and balled her hand in a fist. “We have no plan. Nothing.”
“He needs to get on this and figure out what happened.” He motioned toward Billy digging through paperwork.
“No.” She shook her head. “We need Shane, but we can’t have him, and we can’t have him come back to a wrecked business with a baby. For once I need to be smart. There’s someone who can help us.”
“We both agreed we can’t go to Shane and Lindsay.” He took her by the shoulders.
“I have another big brother.” She didn’t meet his eyes.
At the mention, or strategic non-mention, of Dillon, his jaw tightened to the point he could barely open his mouth. “No.”
“I’ll be back.” She pushed him away.
“Emily.” He moved in front of her. “How do you even know he’ll help us?”
“Do you have a better solution?”
Anything had to be better than Dillon. Without an answer he stepped aside.
She rushed away, the bell on the door ringing after her exit.
While he spent the last night thinking about how he would get sex tonight, Emily had spent the night worrying about her family’s business. “Damn it!” He pounded his fist onto the counter. “Tamsin!”
“Stop yelling and hitting things like a moron.” She stood up at her station.
He pressed his palms together and took a breath, setting his plan in motion. “Watch the shop, and especially watch him.” He tilted his head in Billy’s direction.
“Where are you going?”
“I don’t know.” All he knew was he should be the one with the answers, not Dillon. Hell, not even Shane.
~~*~~
“Emily!” Dillon’s voice echoed through the little private alcove in Beachwood Canyon.
“I didn’t think you would come.” Wind blew through the clearing and Emily turned, clenching her jaw to stop her teeth from chattering.
“It’s like 67 degrees, you’re going to freeze dressed like that. It’s also see-through.” Her oldest brother approached. Without Shane’s savvy style or Carson’s gorgeous good looks, Dillon possessed something all his own. While the three younger Elliotts chose the alternative route, Dillon stayed true to himself, conservative and handsome, his looks pure without the extra hair dye and flair the rest of them preferred. Any mainstream girl would positively swoon over him with his big blue eyes and brown wavy hair. “Why didn’t you think I’d come when you called?”
“Gee, I don’t know.” She shivered. “Maybe because one day I went looking for you to find out you left for New York without a word, and with our money.” Even two years later the memory stung.
“There’s more to the story than you think.” He took off his suit jacket and held it out to her, leaving him in a white button down shirt and green tie.
“That’s not what our bank accounts say.” She might as well get a knife out and cut open the scab that formed over the wounds.
