Enjoy!

Chapter 31

Boe pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and headed back towards the front door.

Bard immediately went to follow, and Zeke rumbled a laugh as the door fell shut behind him.

I busied myself with cleaning my station. I didn't give a shit about whatever was being said. I didn't care one bit about Bard or whatever his damn angle was. He'd just have to get over it. We drank together. That was all it was. Two broken people at a bar that happened upon each other outside of it. He wasn't a fork in the road; he was just an intercepting path, and I didn't have time to go traveling in any new directions.

"Hello..."

I turned.

Amber had her hands clasped in front of her, a shy expression on her face. "We weren't properly introduced earlier. I'm Amber." She held out her hand.

Every part in my being longed to ignore her, but that was too much like jealousy. There was no reason for me to dislike her. She hadn't done anything to me. But I didn't want to talk to her.

Regardless of whether or not she'd done anything, hormone driven inner Jessie just wouldn't see it that way. She was pissed, literally screaming from deep down inside my chest. She'd been deprived for far too long, and Bard had been her golden ticket to remedy that.

But that couldn't happen, especially not now.

"Jessie." There. Good enough. I turned back away.

She shuffled her feet. "So... Bard's teaching you how to fight?"

I met her gaze. Fuck. This is what I was talking about. The drama. I didn't need this shit. "I didn't know he had a girl. You'll get no trouble from me. I'm going to ask Zeke to show me from now on."

She heaved a sigh, and her hands relaxed back at her sides. "I'm sorry. I just, I'm going through a rough time right now, and I..." her voice broke again, "I really don't need any more heartache."

My gut twisted, and I nodded. "I'm sorry about your dad."

She averted her gaze, shoulders stiff, then ran a hand along her face before she looked back at me. She looked ready to break down, but there was a strength in her eyes. She was a tough one. I'd give her that.

It made it so much worse.

I wanted to punch Bard in his face.

The door chimed, and the devil himself stormed through it, hands tightly fisted at his sides, shoulders and back stiff.

I snorted. Guess I was right in my assumption. Wonder what that conversation was like? If only I could have been there.

Amber took a step away from me, but the way she did it was odd. As if she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"I need to talk to you," Bard directed at me, completely ignoring the girl to my left.

Amber's gaze dropped to the floor.

I grit my teeth and glared at him. "I'm busy."

"There's no one here. You've got time." His jaw was tight, his voice stern. What right did he have to be so pissed? And then the poor girl behind him, who looked so fucking broken already...

"I can't think of a single thing we need to discuss."

"Tequila..." He reached for me.

I jerked away. "For fuck's sake! Your girlfriend is right there!"

Everyone in the shop turned to stare at the three of us, but it was Bard's eyes bore into me, cutting, scorching, branding. "You've got it all wrong."

"Bard," Amber said, voice soft.

The memory of sitting in a crowded, prison media room flashed to my mind.  The way all the women shouted at the small screen in the corner. They'd eat this shit right up. I could imagine it perfectly. Some would yell for me to 'beat her down', the others would rant about men. Jesus. It's like daytime television. I could practically here organ music playing dramatically within each pause of the conversation. I laughed, hard. "Wow!" I waved him off, shook my head as I turned back to my work. "Okay then. Can y'all please just get the fuck out of my station."

Bard looked ready to argue. Hell, he looked ready to club me over the head and drag me away like a caveman, but instead, those freaky eyes took in our audience. "We'll talk later," he said, each word spoken through clenched teeth. He stormed down the hall and slammed the backdoor behind him.

No, we won't.

"Thank you," Amber said before turning away.

My eyes followed her as she headed in the same direction Bard had.

Scarlet rolled her stool over to me. "She played your ass."

"What?"

She made a pfft noise. "Bard has been locked in that RV for years. I've never seen her once. There's no way they're a thing."

"Not my problem," I dismissed her, busying myself once again. "It doesn't matter either way." The situation was grating on my nerves. I didn't need this bullshit. I had more important things to worry about, like not dying.

I was grateful that Scarlett rolled away and didn't comment further.

Zeke walked over. "Want to explain what that was?"

"Not really," I grumbled, flopping down onto my seat.

He studied me a moment, then nodded. "I get it. You need to try and control that temper, though. This may be a tattoo shop, but I still like to keep things professional."

I cringed. First day, and I'd already fucked up. "Sorry about that. It won't happen again."

"I'll have a talk with Bard. Something tells me none of it would have happened if it wasn't for him."

I nodded. Maybe he could get his nephew to chill the fuck out. As it stood, I preferred to spend as much time away from him as possible.

Zeke walked away, and the rest of the day went by without incident. Bard never reappeared, and a steady stream of clients helped to keep me occupied.

I lost myself in the Ink, in the steady buzz of machinery and the feeling of creation, and for that brief span of time, I was at peace. But when the day was done, exhaustion settled itself onto my shoulders.

Between everything the night before, training that morning, and the Amber situation, I was ready to collapse and hopefully get some sleep.

The thought of going to the motor home made my heart quicken. Would he be there, waiting for me? Yes. He would. I knew it without even thinking. He was furious, with no damn reason to be, and I had no choice but to face him.

I needed to set him straight and let him know this was not okay. He didn't get a say in who I talked to. He didn't get a say in what I did. He didn't get a say in any damn thing.

And he damn sure didn't get to be all in my shit when he had a woman somewhere else.

I quickly finished my clean up and rushed out the back. The light illuminating the front window made me pause. Don't be a little bitch. You haven't done anything wrong. He's the one being an ass.

When I stepped through the door, Bard was sitting at the table gripping a bottle of Wild Turkey. His gaze shot to me, and the moment it did, he stood and closed the space between us.

I hurried around him and into the kitchen. "Where's Amber?" I asked, voice too spiteful for my liking.

"She went home." He continued towards me.

"What do you want to talk about?"

Bard stopped his approach, and his jaw tightened. "You tattooed Boe?"

I laughed. "No shit? You were there. What about it?" I lifted an eyebrow at him, anger growing by the second. This mother fucker.

"You like him?" Bard asked, eyes probing, searching, taking in everything, missing nothing.

"Yeah, actually. He's a nice guy. Why?" My temper rose. Be mad all you want. I had a right mind to sleep with the dude just to prove a point.

"I don't like it." He closed the distance between us in three long strides and stood almost on top of me. Close. Too close.

"I'm sorry," I answered, sounding anything but. "I don't see why not. That's why I'm here. That's my job. And It's none of your damn business what I do."

Bard lifted a hand, grabbed a piece of my hair and ran it between his fingers. "I like your hair like this." His voice was smooth, velvet, and my stupid body grew hot all over again. We were back in the yard. His hands were on my thighs. We were back when he last kissed me, and my blood boiled for him, my body screamed for him.

I jerked away as if he'd slapped me. "I don't need this shit!" I clenched my teeth. "Don't involve me in it."

He held up his hands in surrender. "It's not what you think with Amber."

I laughed. "Really? Have you told her that?God! This is so fucking stupid! I don't even want you! I don't want anyone!" I tried to walk away, but Bard blocked the path.

"Just listen." He moved closer, and I stepped back until I met the counter. I was cornered, forced to stand while his body heat wrapped around me, and those sharp eyes cut through what little defense I had left.

"I haven't seen Amber in years. We were just kids when we dated. It was all innocent." He bent down, eyes level with mine and imploring. "If you hadn't ran off earlier, you would have seen me push her away."

"You left with her."

"Her dad died." His eyes cut, jaw clenched. "She had a cab drop her off here. She wanted to stay, but I told her no. Told her things were different now, but I couldn't just abandon her altogether. I drove her into town and helped her get a room."

I hummed. "Nice story, Bard." Dammit, he sounded so genuine. Could it be? Had that girl played me the way Scarlet said she did?

It didn't matter.

"It doesn't matter, Bard. I'm not looking for a man. You don't need to explain anything to me."

"Yes I do." He stepped closer, lifted his other hand and used it to tilt my head back. "Haven't you figured it out yet, Tequila? I want you like I've never wanted anyone in my life." He bent down, pressed his cheek to mine. "You're in my blood." His voice dropped to a whisper, and cool breath caressed the shell of my ear. "No matter how hard I try, I can't get you out of my head."

It was undeniable. Shockwaves ricocheted through every part of me, my legs, my arms, all leading to the core. Heat pooled into my belly, and my chest rose and fell heavier than was natural.

Bard's hand slowly tangled into my hair and tugged, and my head fell back easily, no fight at all.

His mouth hovered less than an inch from mine. "I know you feel it, too." Those dark eyes locked on my mouth, and I was lost.

"I do," I admitted, voice hoarse. "That doesn't mean I want to."

"I can't walk away from it."

I stood stock still, fighting a losing battle for control. "I'm not the one. She wants you. Whether your telling the truth or not, I'm unavailable."

I tried to pull away again, but Bard's grip only tightened. "I don't want her."

"You're not understanding! It doesn't matter. I'm. Not. An. Option." I shoved his chest. "Even if I was, you think I would let you just discard me at a whim. Treat me like a second thought?" I laughed, a harsh sound. "You think I'm stupid enough to think you couldn't have explained what was going on before you left?"

Bard jaw twitched. "You're the only thought. Since the day you walked in the bar!"

I laughed again, right into his face. "Until Amber showed up. Then you acted like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar."

"I've known Amber since we were kids. She's fragile. I have to be careful with her. She not strong like you are."

That tipped me over the edge, and I lost it. My laughs bellowed out into the room, probably reached the shop. They racked my body and brought tears to my eyes. "You really believe that shit! You call this careful? You're an ass!"

Bard released me and took a step back.

"This," I motioned between the two of us, "can't happen! It won't happen! Ever." I turned away and stomped to the bedroom.

Bard didn't follow, and it didn't take long before I heard the front door close behind him.

Sorry this was late. I had a couple of pretty busy days at work and am stuck with a migraine now. About to take some meds and make it stop. Another upload later today to make up for it!