Page 17 of Love at First Ink

She was dressed in all black, a far cry from the outfits he had seen her in before. Her shirt was an off-the-shoulder crop top that laced up the front. A red strapless bra peeked through the laces, pushing up her breasts. The tight leather skirt was almost indecently short, but showed off her tattoo, which appeared to be healing nicely. It looked damn good too. Her hair was done, mostly straight with a slight curl at the end. The outfit was complete with black leather booties.

For a second, he forgot how to breathe.

“You look beautiful,” he said in a way of greeting.

“I know,” Marisol said, straight-faced. Her red lips twitched up, breaking the façade. “Thank you. You look really good too.”

Cisco wore black fitted jeans with a dark collared shirt and a brown bomber jacket. The days were warm, but nights in Berkeley had a chill to them. If Marisol was concerned about this, her outfit didn’t show it. He was glad he decided to bring the jacket in case Marisol needed it for later.

“You ready for tonight?”

This time, Marisol couldn’t hide her smile. Her face lit up, showing a more playful side to her. “I’m so excited, but also nervous. I don’t know what to expect.”

“Expect fun. Are you hungry? We can eat before,” he suggested.

But Marisol shook her head. “Too nervous. Can we eat after? I’m also going to need a drink. Or maybe two.”

He nodded once and gestured to the door. “Drink it is, then. Let’s go.”

The venue,Lucky Rabbit, was nestled on the other side of town, about fifteen minutes from Marisol’s house. Already, the night life was in full swing, forcing Cisco to drive at snail speed so he wouldn’t hit any drunk pedestrians fucking around on the road. Luckily, the parking lot was policed by a security guy, shooing away anyone not here for the concert.

Cisco pulled up to the valet, tossing the keys to the young man salivating over his car. “This is it?” Marisol asked, her voice laced with uncertainty. Her grip on the door handle turned her knuckles white.

Lucky Rabbit wasn’t much to look at. It was a cinderblock building painted black with an obnoxious pink rabbit smoking a cigarette. Two bouncers manned the door, checking tickets and IDs of patrons. The crowd entering Lucky Rabbit varied in age from teenager to middle-aged rocker dads. The Sinner’s Web was a small band, so the location of the concert made sense and added to the whole indie, grunge vibe the band was known for.

“Yeah, they play here a lot.” Cisco parked the car, leaving it on for the valet driver.

“Oh,” was all Marisol said, not making an attempt to get out. Not until Cisco got out and opened the door for her. He offered Marisol his hand, but she hesitated. He didn’t think it was from not wanting to touch him but being completely out of her element.

Honestly, it was adorable.

“Hey.” Cisco crouched down so he could be eye level with Marisol. Her large, honey-brown eyes stared back. She tried to remain stoic, but the way her eyes darted from side to side and the tight grip on her purse gave her away. He didn’t think Lucky Rabbit was a place she was accustomed to. It made him wonder exactly how glamorous a life she lived. If her condos were any indication, he could guess.

“Are you uncomfortable?” Cisco asked.

“This just isn’t a place I would normally go. It’s…different,” she said, confirming his suspicions. “The places I go don’t look like this.”

“I imagine it’s very different. But it could be a fun different.” Cisco offered her his hand. “Want to be different together?”

That made Marisol smile, and Cisco wanted to capture that moment. It made him feel like he just won an award and was gifted with a trophy. “You’re convincing,” she said and took his hand.

Cisco coaxed her out like a timid dog. She stayed glued to his side as he led her to the entrance. The bouncers knew him on sight, and Darrell—the head of security—nodded at him before letting him and Marisol through.

“Hmm, didn’t realize I was out with a big shot.”

Cisco knew Marisol was teasing, but he still shrugged. “I’m part-owner.”

“You own this place?”

“Partly.” Cisco laughed at Marisol's stunned expression. “I like music. I can’t sing worth a shit, but I can provide a venue for those who can.” Plus, the cash flow was nice and allowed him to provide for his extended family.

“A tattoo shop owner and a music venue owner. Should I know anything else?” Marisol asked.

“I once owned a hot dog stand, but then my cousin crashed his car into it. That business didn’t last long.” He earned a laugh from Marisol. It was a sweet sound he wanted to hear again.

The moment they stepped through the entrance, they were greeted by the smell of cigarettes and weed. Already a large group of people had arrived. This was a sold-out show, so by the time the concert started, the number of people would double. There was standing room only, no places to sit on the main floor. Marisol seemed to notice this as well and pursed her lips together.

“It’s a big crowd,” she said, gripping Cisco’s hand tighter. She hadn’t dropped it, even though they were inside now. Not that he was complaining.

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