Chapter 22
Glen was quiet as he entered the room, years of practice aiding him in making no noise. He was disconcerted, mildly aware Grace was sleeping and headed for the bathroom. He had put Ryan Shamrock through a door, almost. For some ungodly reason she had come onto him and when he'd rejected her advances her mouth had gotten carried away with her. He had her ready to fly when he realized what he was doing and had dropped her. Sighing, he removed his mask, setting it on the sink, glancing at his reflection.
Grace heard Glen walk in and slid from the bed, seeing the bathroom light on. She bit her bottom lip and knocked on it, seeing him turn around instantly as she opened the door. "Glen?" She murmured, seeing his mask laying on the sink, and frowned before walking over to press a hand to his back. "Glen, you can show me your face. You are still Glen to me no matter what." Her voice was soft and soothing, sighing when he just shook his head. "Very well, I'm glad you made it back safely." She walked back out and slid back into bed, seeing Mark hadn't been lying to her. That was good sign.
Why the HELL would she want to see his face? Glen shook his head again, hastily changing into a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, his fingers grazing his scarred torso before walking out of the bathroom, turning off the light. He quickly slipped into his own bed, pulling the covers up to his chin and stared at the ceiling.
"Why do you want to see?" He asked, his usual rasp husky as sleep began creeping up on him.
"I'm just curious, but I understand. It's alright Glen." She softly replied, hearing how tired he was, and snuggled further into the bed.
She was exhausted from the night's events, her lips still burning from Mark's kiss. She touched her fingertips to her lips and let a shiver run through her body, his scent still lingering on the pillow. She clutched it, holding on for dear life, and sighed gently as her eyes slowly drifted shut once more.
~!~
"Stay away from her, Marcus." Paul hissed angrily, not having to be a rocket scientist to know what the man was so happy over, well, as happy as 'Taker ever got. He ignored the warning growl he received for using Marcus. "You remember what your anger did to your brother?"
"I would never harm her."
"You would and you know it. You already HAVE."
He couldn't deny it, his head hanging.
~!~
The next day, Grace was up before the sun rose over the horizon, wanting to go watch it while she did her laundry at a nearby laundry mat. She left Glen a note, telling him where she was, and got it done. When she was finished, Grace decided to do some shopping, feeling like doing some, which wasn't often. She'd been paid well by the WWF and decided to treat herself, currently window shopping. She was wearing her favorite denim skirt with a deep blue halter top that tied around her neck, her hair up in a messy bun. They were currently Florida as she looked over the trinkets in the windows, smiling softly. She just wanted to enjoy the day and already had three bags in hand, humming lightly to herself.
"Hi." He greeted, smirking when she looked up and caught her before she stumbled backwards, laughing softly. "Sorry Grace." Mark apologized, taking her bags from her and peering inside. "Anything good in here?" He asked curiously, glancing up to see her shocked face. "Sorry again." He passed them back with a sheepish grin, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He wore a pair of faded blue jeans and a white t-shirt that hugged his chest like a second skin.
"Hi." She had to blink to make sure she wasn't seeing things. That outfit definitely suited him instead of all the black and the shirt looked like it would probably bust off of him at any given moment. "Umm... I haven't really looked." This was awkward and Grace had to take a deep breath, not expecting him to join her, wondering how he knew she was window shopping. "It's okay that you're here, Mark." She assured him with a sweet smile, feeling him take her bags again, which she was grateful for. "How are you?" She asked while they walked down the sidewalk together, looking up at him briefly before turning her gaze forward, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Fine, awake." Which was surprising considering he hadn't fallen asleep until about four A.M., replaying Paul's warnings in his mind over and over again. Hence the mood. He was determined to prove Paul wrong. "So just what are we shopping for?" He asked, staring down at the bags, wondering what the hell she had bought already.
"Anything I find interesting. I just wanted to get out and enjoy the day. It's beautiful out here." She always loved Florida, her aunt lived not too far away, though they hadn't spoken in years. Due to her medical career Grace chalked it up too, that smile never leaving her face. "Mostly trinkets and some clothes." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Woman stuff that men secretly groan over." She giggled when he began peeking around in her bags. "Go ahead, look. There's nothing bad in there." She'd bought a beautiful dragon snow globe that would fit perfectly with her collection of fantasy things at home. She was a darker person than people perceived her. "What are you doing out here?"
"Wandering." He grinned. "Actually, I was on my way to a tattoo parlor, I know a guy who wants me to check out a design, something he said he thought I would like." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Not a big deal, if I don't check it out today, I can catch him next time I come back this way." He actually lived in Florida, for now. He bounced between Texas and Florida, whichever one caught his fancy on his time off.
"You don't have enough?" She asked, trying not to laugh when his eyebrow rose, chuckling softly as she leaned against him. "We can go check it out if you want. I don't care. Didn't really have anything specific planned and I could use another inking..." She felt Mark stop and looked over at him, raising a slow eyebrow herself. "What's wrong?" He was in shock as he stared at her out of those emerald green eyes, seeing no acid in them, and kissed his lips to kick him out of it. "Is it THAT shocking that I actually have a tattoo?"
"Mildly actually, I remember you being terrified of needles." Mark said with a slight smirk, grinning when she stuck out her tongue at him. "C'mon, I remember when they were giving boosters at school and you wouldn't stop crying until I did it first." He then winced at the memory, rubbing his arm absentmindedly at the thought of how bad those damn shots had hurt. "So...where's the tat?"
"You would bring that up." She mumbled, though it was good-naturedly and turned around, her back to him. Moving her halter top to the side, right to left, a beautiful purple and green dragon with golden eyes stared him in the face. It was wrapped around a black rose, a design she had picked out from a tattooist her first year in college. It wasn't big, but it did cover her shoulder blade. "I got it around eight years ago, right out of high school, my first year in med school. I just bit the bullet one day and got it done. A birthday present to myself actually."
"Very nice." He murmured, reaching out to trace the tattoo, wondering how in the hell he had missed it the previous night, but then again, the lights had been off. "So you want another one huh?" Mark guided her down the street, slowing his steps for her, knowing if he walked at his normal pace, she'd of been jogging to keep up. "Any idea of what? Or where?" He arched an eyebrow, a wicked gleam in his eyes.
"I was actually thinking about getting one on my right shoulder blade, another dragon. Only this time to have it more green instead of purple and have it wrapped around a black heart." She replied, having thought about it, and shrugged with a smile. "Other than that I have no idea. I just love dragons and anything mystical. My living room at home is covered with wizards and witches, shit like that." She knew it surprised a lot of people to hear that considering how she dressed, but that was who Grace was. "We can do whatever you want, I think I'm done shopping." She informed him softly and smiled when he grabbed her hand, entwining their fingers together.
"Tattoos it is." He joked. It didn't take them long to reach the parlor. He led the way inside. "Hey, Kev, get your ass out here, boy."
"One second Stiff, I'm working." A man with long brown hair pulled back emerged from a back room, finishing slapping together a sandwich. "Ah, finished." He took a bite, eyeing Grace. "Hi."
"You told me to hold on for a sandwich?"
Grace laughed softly and took the tattooist's extended hand, shaking it gently before releasing it. "Hello, I'm Grace." She looked up at Mark, who still looked incredulous, and nudged him with a smile.
While the two men talked, Grace began looking at the artistic work, immediately being drawn to the mystical drawings. They fascinated her, Grace had books upon books of mystical creatures and collected anything she saw that had to do with them. Dragons, warlocks, wizards, witches, and especially Mythology.
"Look, check it out." Kevin said, opening a sketch pad, showing off a skeleton. "It's Bonesy."
"You named it?"
"C'mon, Deadman, it's for you, be nice."
"I'll have to think about it." Mark snorted, laughing when Kevin rolled his eyes. "I do want some shading done though." He gestured to one of the many tattoos on his arm.
"Sure thing. Honey, you interested in one?"
"Actually, yes I am, if you have time." She smiled when he nodded and walked over, handing him the design that she described earlier. "I want this only I want the blue to be purple. The green can stay. You'll see I have another one similar on my left shoulder blade with a black rose." She couldn't believe he had her design, then again, it probably wasn't that hard to draw up. "Oh and I'd like this one to have blood red eyes instead of the amber color." She looked over at Mark, seeing his inking, and ran her fingertips over the demon one that was closest to her while Kevin went to make the design for her tattoo. "You can go first since mine is going to probably take awhile."
"Actually, mine can wait, I want to see you getting this done." Mark said, his green eyes practically glowing. "Nothing sexier than a woman getting inked."
"You two, uh, together?"
"Kev, you're awesome man, but I WILL snap your neck." Mark said pleasantly, though his tone held a warning.
Grinning, Kevin held up his hands. "I get it. Save all the pretty ones for yourself, greedy. Through the back honey."
"Hmmm...so he's been here before with another woman?" She asked Kevin, her own eyes glittering wickedly. "I think we're going to become fast friends." It was also a good thing she was wearing a halter top because she wouldn't have to take anything off, her shoulder blades completely bear. Grace nodded as Kevin went through the routine with her before laying on the bedding, taking a few deep breaths. The tails were going to entwine together. "On second thought, Kevin, can you change that color of the dragon's eyes to an emerald green?" She asked, feeling Mark hold her hand, and smiled when he nodded. Her other dragon had amber eyes, this one would have emerald, it would remind her of her unconditional love for Mark as Kevin placed the design on her shoulder blade, closing her eyes.
Mark sat down on a stool beside her, holding Grace's hand, his eyes watching as Kevin got even more familiar with Grace's beautiful skin then he himself was. "Damn woman, you're a bleeder." He teased, watching Kev wipe away the blood that broke skin.
"The beautiful ones always are." Kevin sighed melodramatically. "You holding up sweets?"
"Her name is Grace."
"I'm fine." She softly replied, taking deep, slow breaths and squeezed Mark's hand as her eyes closed when he hit a spot that hurt. Shoulder blades were one of the more sensitive areas on the body; Grace knew that from medical school. She would pull through though, like last time, and stared into Mark's green eyes with a pained smile on her face. "Talk to me about something, anything." She told him, knowing if she was distracted she wouldn't be thinking about the needle going into her body along with the color.
"Let's see...did you know when you're masking your pain your eyes darken to an almost burnt caramel color?" Mark commented, his face inches from hers as he leaned down, staring into her beautiful orbs. "They also turn that color when you're turned on." He whispered, his voice low enough so Kevin wouldn't catch it over the buzzing of the tattoo gun.
Her cheeks turned a crimson red when he said that, hearing him chuckle, and felt him press his forehead lightly against hers. "No I didn't know that." She quietly replied, feeling him bring her hand up to kiss it gently, not believing the complete turn around he made. She loved this side of him. He was tender, sweet and playful, not dark, dangerous and menacing. Grace suddenly wondered how long it would last before pushing that thought process away. She loved him and nothing would change that. "So what kind of tattoo did he show you?" She asked softly, mildly curious about it.
"Bonesy." Mark chuckled, shaking his head and glanced up at Kevin who just smirked, snorting and returned his attention back to the beautiful woman, smiling at her. "It was a dancing skeleton. I told him I'd have to think about it."
"Hey, we could put it on your dick, then it'd really dance." Kevin suggested, pulling the needle away when Grace began laughing. "Whoa, honey."
Mark just slapped his forehead with a groan.
"Sorry!" Grace giggled as she quickly calmed down, shaking her head. "I think that would hurt INCREDIBLY bad for one considering that's probably the softest and more tender part of the human body, aside from the shin." She groaned and decided to just shut up, burying her face in the bedding, hearing both Mark and Kevin laughing at her. Her mouth ran away with her at times as Grace turned even redder, almost reminding someone of a cherry, and squeezed Mark's hand when Kevin began the process again.
"If I DID get it done, I'd say on my arm."
Kevin perked up. "How bout on the front of your neck? That'd be great advertising."
"Um, actually, no...I really don't need another skeleton and sure as hell not on my neck."
Grace listened as they bantered back and forth, a smile on her face, distracting her from the pain she knew she would feel. When the outline was done, the hard part was over and she relaxed visibly, knowing it was easy considering he just numbed her. She didn't let go of Mark's arms as they fell silent, Kevin wanting to concentrate on the coloring of the design.