As soon as I spotted the sign for "The Bad Apple" on the street, I knew it was the place. On the sign was a beautiful cartoon woman winking while holding a rotten apple. As we approached, I could hear techno music coming from the basement entrance. Jake led the way downstairs and opened the metal door for me to go in first. Inside was dark and moody, and aside from the spotlights at the various stations, was lit by neon lights that looked like they came straight out of a cyberpunk movie. There were six stations, but only three were occupied at the time with two male artists and one female artist. The female was the only one to recognise Jake, which immediately made me uncomfortable. She wasn't just attractive, she was gorgeous and her tattoos were so alluring that you could hardly take your eyes off of her. I'd like to think I wasn't a jealous girlfriend, but the way they looked at each other made it clear to me that there was history between them, and the knot in my stomach just wouldn't go away.

"That's Trix," Jake explained. "She'll be doing your tattoo."

"She is busy today," Trix shouted out. "You'll have to come back with an appointment and not just show up because you feel like it!"

"That's ok, I made space in your schedule for us," Jake smirked.

Trix lowered her tattoo gun and said something to her client, before coming over to us, "What the fuck, Nym!? You can't come out of fucking nowhere, pull this shit and expect me to be ok with it!"

"You were booked for like the next month! This can't wait that long," Jake argued.

"I rather think it could," I interjected.

"No, it can't," Jake glared at me. "Our time here is limited."

"It's just a tattoo," I shook my head.

"No, you're getting it done now!" Jake stressed.

"Are you using again!?" Trix narrowed her eyes, then turned to me. "Tell me he hasn't been using again!"

"Uh, no, he hasn't," I responded confused as I didn't even know I needed to worry about that.

Jake rolled his eyes, "I've already rearranged your schedule so it's not like you have anything else right now."

Trix tilted her head in annoyance, "My computer is running slow. Fix it."

"I'm not your IT support," Jake shook his head.

"And I'm not here to answer to your every whim. Go fix my computer, jackass!" Trix pointed to the backroom. "After that, we can discuss this tattoo you want done. And how you intend to pay."

Jake sucked his teeth, then responded reluctantly, "Fine. I will be right back, MC."

Trix glanced at me as Jake walked off, "So you're MC."

"You know of me?" I asked out of surprise.

"Understatement of the year. I still have another 20 minutes or so of work on this client, so please make yourself comfortable," she gestured to the empty seats in the waiting area. I couldn't tell if she was being serious or mocking me.

"Um, thank you," I nodded nervously. "I am sorry. I don't know what's with him and this tattoo today. He's been suddenly incessant on getting it done right away."

"I wish I could say I am surprised, but this is just how he is," she sighed. "I'll be back soon."

Trix went back to her station and I sat down to browse the various ideabooks and portfolios while I waited. Trix's works were absolutely stunning. Each example was more intricate than the next. I couldn't help but feel our request was beneath someone of her skill level. I couldn't understand why Jake was so determined to have her tattoo his red eye on me today. We could've gotten it done at literally any tattoo parlour at any time. I didn't understand why it had to be with her. Was it simply because he didn't trust anyone else or was it something else?

I was so engrossed looking at all of the different designs, I hadn't noticed Trix finished with her client and was sitting across from me just staring at me.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you come over," I put the portfolio in my hands down.

She just continued staring at me, making me feel very anxious and uncomfortable.

"Listen, I think there has been a misunderstanding. I was just wanting a simple design and that is something beneath someone of your calibre," I averted my eyes.

"This is the fabled MC?" She laughed. "I can't say I see the appeal."

"Fabled?" I questioned. "Jake talked about me?"

"Another understatement," she smiled. "He was- is obsessed with you. I'm a bit confused though. He was committed to staying the fuck away from you."

"I don't understand," I shook my head in confusion.

"Oh it's easy, princess. You live up there," she pointed up. "That is somewhere Nym cannot be. The only way he can have you is if he brought you down to our level. And now that you're down here with us, you can never go back up. The question I have is, 'how did you come to be here?'"

"I, uh, I was drawn out by his pursuers. To force him to lower his defences," I explained briefly. "It wasn't really his intention."

"He was waging war again?" She sighed.

"I guess you could say that," I shrugged.

"Well that is mightily convenient for him," she laughed. "But look at you two now, a regular pair of Bonny and Clyde."

"Trix!" Jake called as he returned from the back room. "I don't know what you've been doing to your machine, but it's fucked."

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you," she smiled.

"Have you discussed the tattoo yet?" He redirected.

"No, we were just getting to that," Trix frowned. "What is it that you want?"

"Jake's red eye, here," I put my hand on the middle of my chest.

Trix eyed me, "Is this your first?"

"Uh, yes it is, why?" I questioned.

"Figures. You've chosen one of the most painful parts of the body to get a tattoo," she pointed out. "So I will have to ask you to reconsider. That is not a position for amateurs. Especially not princesses."

"She can handle it," Jake insisted.

"I'm glad you have such faith in your girl, but that's a decision for her to make," Trix shot down Jake.

Suddenly all eyes were on me. "The pain won't be worse than burning?"

"No, I don't imagine it would be," Trix replied honestly.

"Then I'll do it," I insisted. "This tattoo is for Jake. I can handle it."

Jake grinned, "Then it is decided."

"Just his red eye? Nothing else?" Trix asked. Her voice was dripping with contempt.

"Yes, that's it. Black outlines with red fill," I explained.

"You'll have to come back for the colour later," she added. "Let's get you ready then. Jake, you better get to work fixing my machine."

"What? You need a whole new fucking machine. You have multiple parts failing," he argued.

"Then go buy me a new machine," Trix pushed as she stood up. "Unless you plan on paying for this tattoo with cash?"

Jake sighed, "You just said this will be extremely painful."

"Yes, it will be, but I always look after my clients. You don't need to watch her suffer," she assured him, but there was something about the way she said it I couldn't put my finger on.

Jake gritted his teeth, "Fine. MC, I'll be back as soon as I can, ok?"

I stood up and nodded, "I'll be ok, Jake."

Jake stepped over and kissed me lovingly. Then he touched his forehead against mine while he looked deeply into my eyes. "I love you."

I smiled, "I love you too."

"Excuse me while I barf," Trix rolled her eyes. "MC, when you're ready, come over to my table. I'll start getting ready."

Jake stroked my face with his fingers, "You're being so brave for me."

"It's nothing compared to what you went through," I sighed. "It's just a little pain."

Jake cupped my cheeks and kissed me once more before leaving. I took off my hoodie and went over to join Trix.

"I can tell him that it turns out you're allergic to the ink I use," Trix offered. "You don't have to go ahead with him branding you."

"Branding me? The tattoo was my idea," I frowned.

"I'm sure it was," she responded sarcastically.

"Ok, that's it. If you're not comfortable doing this for your ex's new girlfriend, that's fine. We can go elsewhere," I argued.

"That's not it," she shook her head. "I'm trying to look out for you. I know how easy it is to get caught up in his insanity. He can be very intoxicating and manipulative. The next thing you know you're agreeing to things you never expected. Or worse, things happen you have no memory of."

"There's a lot of history between you two," I frowned.

"I really am not jealous of you," she laughed. "I'm well and truly over that. But I did see him at his worst and invested a lot of time getting him out of that hole he had dug himself into. So seeing the news, seeing you here asking for this tattoo, I can't help but wonder if he's starting to fall into old habits again, which makes me less than pleased."

"I didn't even know he had used," I admitted. "But he hasn't been using while I've been with him."

"Not that you're aware of, at least," she smirked. "And I doubt he would want you knowing. No, he would keep you blindfolded while he drags you into hell with him, whispering sweet nothings in your ear as he does."

I just looked at her speechless, unable to fully comprehend what she was talking about. "Jake's life may not be full of bright sunshiny days, but I would rather be by his side than living a lie again. I love him. Being next to him is where I belong. If anything, not being with him for all these years only caused the two of us great pain."

"Uh, no, if you were there at his worst, he would've killed you," she lowered her voice from prying ears. "I'm not joking. He was so angry and furious over what happened to him. He was literally burying himself in alcohol and drugs to forget the fire and forget you when I met him. You have to understand, he couldn't separate you from that memory."

"So you were there, I take it? When he was suffering and needed proper help? You did what exactly? He needed to see a psychologist to help him through that trauma!" I snapped.

"Proper help!? A psychologist!?" She burst out laughing. "That's a luxury he can never have! You might as well call the police on him!"

"No, I'll find a way," I insisted. "I'll find someone willing to help him despite his history."

"Knowing some of the fucked up shit that goes on in his head that he barely has a lid on, they'll want to put him in a institution," she warned. "He is a loose cannon, MC."

"Yeah, well, he's my loose cannon now," I narrowed my eyes.

"You know, I sent him on his mission because he'll get off on watching you in pain," she admitted. "Especially when that pain is for him."

I bit my lip, "Maybe I want that."

"You know, when you get around to making that shrink appointment, you should check to see if there's a couples discount," Trix mocked. "All right, take your shirt off so we can get started."