Another long one... Second to last. OMG, someone bring me a handkerchief. I'm not ready to let them go!
It's scorching hot, the middle of the afternoon when I walk Bella to Miami Beach — Persy happily tagging along, eager to get in the walks I've been cutting short to spend time with my girl.
"You're sure you want to do this?" I tip down my sunglasses as I watch her. She looks good, a little color on her skin as she walks next to me, a black strappy dress that hits her mid-thigh, and a pair of dressy flip flops that make her slightly taller.
Bella beams at me, her dark hair shimmering shades of red and dark blue. "Yeah, I told you. I want to have a job here, Masen. And I'm not picky. So this will be perfect for now." She says, clutching the strap of her handbag.
I walk her to the arch that leads to one of the beach clubs, the one that was hiring wait staff, and look at the busy tables out on the deck.
"And that dress is appropriate?" I ask her.
The cotton flutters playfully around her thighs. She looks down and back up at me, one eyebrow arched. "They told me to wear black, and either a dress or a shirt and pants. I'm not wearing pants in Miami. This fucking heat is unbearable." She blows a strand of hair out of her face. Her freckles came out of hiding within two weeks of being here. And it's not even summer yet.
"Sure. But I wa—" she cuts me off mid-sentence with a little chaste kiss before she scratches Persephone between her ears.
"I have to go now, babe. I don't want to be late." I eye the wait staff, wondering if a place that serves alcohol is the best place for her. She doesn't seem to have too much of an issue with staying sober, not when she's happy, at least.
"'Kay…" I start. "I'm a phone call away if you need me. I'll come to pick you up at ten. That's when you get off, right?"
"Great, thanks." She kisses me again and I make sure the one guy that keeps looking over knows she's taken. "Love you, Masen."
"Love you, Doe."
I watch her take off, hips swaying, bare legs shining in the sun.
By the time I get home, I've got a text from Dean — the one person I trust with permanent art on my skin. His client for the afternoon ditched him, and I've been hunting him down for a few days now. I smile and shoot him a reply before I go shower and shave for my appointment.
"Ally?" I look for my sister and find her in her room, towel-drying my hair. She's reading on her kindle, waiting for the dye in her hair to process, looking like an alien with her head wrapped in plastic.
"Hmm?" She doesn't even look up, engrossed in her reading.
"I have to run out for a bit. You're gonna be okay?" I ask her.
"Yeah, sure. What're you up to?" She puts her e-reader down on her lap, examining me.
"Just a little surprise for Doe." I cross my arms in front of my chest at the same time Alice smiles, narrows green-and-golden eyes at me.
"Are you finally going to buy her a ring, E?"
I chuckle. "No, Ally. Not a ring. I'm going to see Dean."
"Dean? What the fuck are you going to do? Tattoo her name on your ass?" She laughs.
"Not on my ass, no," I smirk. Alice throws a pillow at me, but I dodge it at the last minute.
"You're such a douche, Edward."
"Why?"
"Really? You need me to say it?"
"Jasper literally has your name on a banner with a ball and chains," I remark. She just rolls her eyes at me.
"You're crazy! That's going to hurt like a bitch, dude. Who gets a tattoo on their fucking penis?!"
"What?" I start laughing, my sides hurting from the look on Alice's face. "I'm not getting my dick tattooed, sis. That would mean I can't use it for a while — and I need to use it."
"Gross!" She giggles. "And could it hurt to maybe keep the fucking in your bedroom? The last thing I need is to find my brother's ass print on the dining room table, or against the fucking window."
"As long as you don't walk in on us, I don't see the problem. It's my condo after all, isn't it?"
"Stop distracting me! I want to know where you're going to get tattooed!" Alice sits up on her knees, the cling film around her head noisy.
"Jasper never told you?" I ask, leaning against the doorframe of my sister's bedroom.
She shakes her head.
"It was a bet…" I start explaining. "Before you came along to steal my friend, Jasper was my wingman. We were at a party, and we made up a little challenge. Whoever had the least amount of girls blow them by the end of the night — or early morning had to get a tat."
"I'm guessing you lost, then?" She asks.
"Yes… exactly. I was only one blowjob behind, but Jasper won by the time we went home. So I had to get 'thank you' tattooed right above my dick."
"You guys were total pigs together…" Alice says, sticking out her tongue.
"Hey, your boyfriend won. So I guess he's the pig here."
"E, do you really have that tattoo? Or are you messing with me?"
"Want to see, Ally?" I pretend like I'm going to drop my pants, hook my fingers in the waistband of my jeans when I get hit by a pillow in the face.
"I don't want to see your dick, Edward Masen! Put it away, please."
Alice makes me chuckle, and I want to walk off, but she stops me.
"So, you're going to add to that, or what?" She asks.
"I am… Seems appropriate the woman who's responsible for my dick's happiness gets a little thank you. Don't you think?"
"Ugh," she scoffs. "You're disgusting."
"Bye, Alice."
— ILCK —
An hour later, I'm in Dean's chair, pants off and the waistband of my boxers dangerously low. It's a good thing I trust Dean, and that I've had him work in the close proximity of my crotch before. The second I tell him about the design of the day, he grins and slaps me in the chest.
"Dude, she's gonna love that." I'm glad he understands, that he gets her — since I told him about the first time she saw my tattoo, when she blew me in public, in New York.
"I know," I smirk, leaning back into the comfortable chair, waiting for the buzz, the vibration of the tattoo gun against my skin.
"I'm glad you took care of the area yourself. Can't say I have to shave another guy's pubic region a lot." Dean chuckles. He sits down onto his little stool and wheels closer to me before he winks and starts of his machine.
The sting isn't so bad. It wasn't the first time, and these three little letters will be inked into my skin within ten minutes, anyway.
When Dean wipes my skin, I look down and smile. There it was, forever. 'Thank you, Doe.' Her name in its rightful place. This is better than any ring I could ever buy her, anyway. Rings get off, this doesn't.
— ILCK —
"Hey, E. I have a surprise for you. Might help stop the moping. You're worse than a puppy with separation anxiety." Alice dressed up, denim skirt and matching cropped jacket with a white top underneath, her freshly dyed black dark as night. She hates the copper, says she isn't born to be a 'confused ginger'.
"What's that?" I look up from my computer screen, temples throbbing from staring at it for too long. The unread emails in my inbox are piling up, and beneath the meager, ridiculous offers is a money bag with my name on it. I sigh, remembering my promise not to take long-distance jobs any time soon. I might have to break that sooner than I'd anticipated. This is money I can't refuse. It's a six-digit payday.
"We're going out — dinner, on me." She grabs her bag and slings it over her shoulder and closes my laptop.
"Why, Alice Masen splurging on her brother?"
"Come on, let's go. We'll be late for our reservation." She grabs her keys and stands at the door looking like an impatient child.
I stuff my wallet and my phone in my pockets and follow her down and outside.
"I'll drive, okay. I've spent too much time in a Prius this month already."
"None of that. We're walking."
I narrow my eyes at her, suspicious.
"Are you taking me to where Bella works?"
"Hmmm," she chuckles. "Yeah, I am."
"You're so cute, I swear to God." I wrap one arm around my sister's shoulders and kiss the top of her head.
As we walk up to the host, I spot my girl leaning on the bartop, fingers clasped around a wooden tray. She's probably waiting for drinks, but the guy behind the bar eyes her like a piece of fucking candy. I ball my hands into fists at my side, but Alice notices right away, tugs onto my shirt.
"What's your problem?" She hisses.
"That. Is my fucking problem." I nod towards the bar and Alice's gaze follows and drops onto the lanky dude with floppy brown hair.
"Dude, relax. It's her workplace, not a fucking rave."
"Table for two, under the name of Masen," Alice says to the host. I barely notice her move toward our assigned spot until she grabs my arm and yanks me behind her.
"Here I thought I'd share a lovely meal with my brother. But no. He's moping around even more than when he was home." Alice sighs dramatically and fiddles with her napkin. I grab the ashtray and my smokes. Alice steals one from me and holds out her hand for my lighter.
"No, it's so sweet you wanted to do this for me. I just… I don't know Alice, someone wants to book me for another job — you know, the guy from Italy?"
"Oh no… Is that why you're this on edge? Because you're gonna leave again?" Alice looks down, a little defeated.
"Hey, it's okay, Ally."
"No, it's not. You promised. No more long-distance stuff. What're you going to tell New York? You're going to just leave the both of us here?"
"No."
I feel a warm palm on the back of my neck, lips against the shell of my ear.
"What a nice surprise, babe." She hugs me from behind, takes a drag from my cigarette.
I conjure a smile on my face, just because. There's no need for her to worry, I haven't made up my mind yet even though it's ridiculous to let this job slide.
"Thank Alice, it was her idea. I didn't know." I kiss her lips, linger until Alice clears her throat.
"You're welcome." She states, and taps her ashes as she stares off into the ocean.
"Who's the guy?" I ask.
"That's Diego. He's a douche." Bella rolls her eyes. I'm glad.
"He's a little too heavy on the lingering gazes if you ask me." I run my hand up the backs of Bella's thigh. Making sure he sees. "You do remember you're mine, right?" I chuckle.
"As if I could forget, babe." She cocks her head to the side, dark hair falling over her shoulder.
"Your makeup is wearing off," I whisper to her, touching the side of her neck where I marked her last night.
"I wouldn't even need the makeup if you weren't such a teenage caveman, Masen."
"You love it. Admit it."
"Sure, but I'm at work… What will they think of me? The new girl showing up with a fucking hickey on her first day."
"That she's got one hell of a personal life," I smirk.
"Dude, please." Alice intervened. "I'm starving!"
"Let me take your orders, you're in my section anyway."
Alice and I get the seafood platter to share, and a bottle of San Pellegrino. It's too hot for sticky soda, and Alice promised me no more alcohol when she was with us.
"Hey, Masen." Bella shoots me over her shoulder. "Be sure to tip your waitress."
"I'll tip you in orgasms, is that okay with you?" I say. It's a little louder than I planned on, and the woman on the table next to us looks at me like she's choking on her sparkling wine.