Zombie Ink

Tricked

Chapter 5

TRICKED: Chapter 5

BREE

After pulling my clothes back on, I fall down on the edge of the sofa and drop my head into my hands.

What the fuck did I just do?

I drag in a deep breath and instantly regret it because all I smell is him. He's everywhere… on my skin, under my skin, and in my head.

"Fuck," I yell, thinking that Addie could return at any moment. I jump up, make quick work of tidying the place up, then grab my bag and the trash to throw away on the way out so her place doesn't stink of the Chinese we'd eaten while she was gone.

I shut my mind off as I make the short journey back to my place. I refuse to allow myself to think of what I did or what the consequences might be until I'm safely inside, behind my locked door.

The lights from the house above mine shine bright, and, as I pass the window to head down the stairs, movement catches my eye and I find Bucky, my oldest brother, and his wife dancing in their kitchen.

Curling my lip up in disgust that it can be quite so easy, I make my way down.

Dumping my bag on the table in the hall, I make my way to my bedroom, run the bath, and strip from my clothes. I shove them all in the laundry, fully prepared to have to burn it all to successfully remove his scent from them.

I walk naked to the kitchen to locate a fresh glass of wine, knowing that it's very unlikely anyone will see me down here baring everything before I return to the bathroom and sink down into the too-hot water.

My skin prickles, but I refuse to blast any extra cold in. I need the pain. I need it to wash him away and as some kind of fucked-up punishment for what I did tonight. I guess it's karma. My best friend allowed my brother to fuck her while I was in the next room, so I allowed her friend… his employee… to bang me on her sofa.

I groan, placing my wine on the side and sinking down so it's only my face above the waterline.

How could I be so fucking stupid?

I run the events of the evening through my mind and mix them with the little hints of things I've gathered over the years but never bothered to look into.

Him turning up at Addie's door demanding that she follows him because there's something wrong with Zed. That's not news. He's been MIA since the wedding. All of us have tried to get in touch with him, but none of us had any success. Then I combine that with his admission at the wedding that he was Addie's boss, and James telling me he worked with Addie. Zed's secret makes sense. He spent all his childhood with a pen or pencil in hand, and it takes me back to a few years ago when a friend told me that he'd inked her boyfriend. I didn't think anything of it at the time, too focused on my own life and not what my idiot brother was doing, but I guess it goes to prove that the signs were there the whole time.

So what happens now? I know the studio… Addie told me which one it is. I could turn up and confront him, demand he tells me the truth like I did on Saturday at the wedding, or I could just let him be. He clearly wants to keep his two lives separate, and who am I to force his hand? He's happy. Or is he? The only reason James appeared tonight is because something's going on.

I ask myself again. Do I turn up? Try to see him and find out what's going on? Then the image of James standing before me tonight with his shirt off appears, telling me 'what you see is what you get', and I change my mind.

He has no way of finding me. Well, he has Addie, if he goes against my demand not to say anything.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. My head spins with everything, and I fear that only a very large amount of wine is going to slow it down.

What I do know is that I never should have slept with him tonight. I shouldn't have turned up to that date after his warning that he had something he needed to tell me, and I shouldn't have answered Addie's door tonight, let alone let him in and allow him to get his hands on me.

My skin prickles as I remember just how good it felt. I bite down on my bottom lip as I vividly recall how his lips felt against mine, brushing over my breasts, kissing my pussy.

Heat heads south as I think about his tongue, and I squeeze my thighs together. Shit, I shouldn't have been turned on with him in front of me, let alone now when all I have is memories. He shouldn't hold that kind of power over me.

I talk myself in circles about what I should do from here, but by the time my wine is empty and the water is cold, I'm still no closer to having any answers.

All I do know is that James Bonzo is not my type. Should our paths cross again, I need to stay as far away from him as possible.

ZzZzZzZzZzZ

It might have been a month now since the night I try to forget, but he's still just as under my skin as he was the moment he stepped inside Addie's apartment.

Tonight is Zed's birthday meal that's been organized by our mom and Addie, who's now officially Zed's girlfriend. Is it weird that my best friend is banging my brother? Yes, very. Addie and I have shared everything since we bonded in school a few years ago, but that's had to come to an abrupt end because I really, really don't need all the sordid details of how things are with my brother. Watching them kiss openly in front of me is weird enough. I do not need to know about anything else they do behind closed doors.

Thankfully, Addie's been totally preoccupied with him since the truth came out about what sent him into hiding, being dad's illegitimate son. While everyone else was shocked by Zed's announcement about him owning a very successful chain of tattoo studios, the other one that came out that same day rocked me to my very core. It seems the perfect relationship Mom and Dad have had all these years hasn't always been quite so. I guess we all have skeletons hiding in our closets, and it's best to remember that the people we look up to aren't always perfect. Things aren't always as they seem.

That final thought takes me back to James. Was he right when he claimed that he didn't lie to deceive me but to find something different? And if that is the case, could I ever overlook it to give him a chance?

No. No, you can't. He's not your type, remember?

My hands tremble as I lift the zipper on the back of my dress for tonight. I haven't asked for details about who's going to be there, but I overheard Mom telling Lacey that she and Addie were arranging to bring both of Zed's families together… his real one as well as his work one. So there is a very good chance that's he's going to be there. I tell myself that he's not the reason I spend an inordinate amount of time ensuring my hair is perfectly straight or that my make-up is flawless, or the reason why, when I chose my underwear for the night, I pulled out the tiniest, sexiest set I own.

It's for confidence, I try convincing myself, but I've always been a shit liar.

Happy with how I look, I sneak a shot of vodka to steady my nerves before heading up to Bucky and Lacy's house for a lift to the restaurant Mom picked out.

My stomach is in knots as I trail behind the rest of my family to find our table. I have no idea if we're first or last, and to be honest, I'd rather not know. Mostly, I just want to run home and hide. I can only imagine it's going to be hard enough to ignore him if he's here, let alone try to appear unfazed by him, when in reality I'm not sure if I want to hate him or fuck him.

I'm a strong, independent woman. I always have been. So this tattooed bad boy being able to unnerve me so much is unsettling, to say the least.

I don't want him. He's not my type. He tricked me. That should be the end of it. I don't do liars or cheats. That's my one hard limit when it comes to me, and that's exactly how this started, so there's no way there can be anything else between us. No way, no chan… The moment my parents part, our table comes into view, along with one very amused pair of brown eyes. I don't need to look down to his lips to know he's smiling as our eyes lock, although I don't miss the confusion that fills them.

Something sits heavy in my stomach. I want to say it's dread that I've got to spend the evening in his company, but I fear the reality of it is very different.

Movement finally makes my eyes drop, and when they do, I find him suggestively running his tongue along his bottom lip. My thighs clench as the memory of what that tongue can do hits me full force.

I have no idea how much time passes, but the next thing I know, Addie is beside me as everyone stands to greet the birthday boy. He does a round of introductions, but apparently, that's not enough for Addie, who insists I get to know everyone better.

"Bree, come and meet the crew," Addie says, winking at me, telling me that she didn't miss what just happened between me and James. She wraps her hand around my upper arm and squeezes just to nail home the point. "This is Wyatt, he's the sensible one who keeps everyone in line."

"Hey," Zed shouts from behind us. "The boss keeps everyone in line, I'll have you know."

"Whatever you say," Addie mutters with a roll of her eyes. "This is Wynter," she says, gesturing to the woman sitting beside James. She smiles and nods politely. "And this is Bonzo… but I think you two already know each other, right?"

"Something like that." I risk a glance in his direction, seeing as it's the polite thing to do when being introduced.

"Guys, this is Bree. Zed's little sister."

James', or Bonzo's, as he seems to be known, chin drops in shock. That one move tells me a lot about him. His shock means that he's not had a conversation with Addie, much like I haven't, about what was obviously off between us that night in her apartment. I've only managed to achieve that by mostly avoiding her since the event. It's not been all that hard seeing as she's been preoccupied with Zed.

I can see the curiosity in her eyes every time she so much as looks at me… how he's managed not to get a grilling from her god only knows.

"Zed's little sister? Whoa," James says, openly checking me out.

"And that's code for keep your eyes to your fucking self, dickhead," Zed snaps, coming to stand beside me and staring daggers at James.

"That's rich, seeing as you're fucking my best friend," I mutter under my breath, but Zed doesn't miss it.

"Not the same, sis. Not the same."

"Really?" I turn to him, staring into his eyes. I don't know why I'm fighting with him over this. I can only hope it's the principle of the thing, that it's okay for him to have my best friend without me batting an eyelid… kind of… but I couldn't possibly go near his friend. I mean, that has to be the only reason… right?

He rolls his eyes at me and turns back to his friends. "I'm fucking watching you two." He points his fingers to his eyes and then theirs, making everyone laugh, although I don't find it half as amusing as the others.

If James is at all bothered by the warning, then he doesn't show it.