Page 23 of Painless
“Not exactly.” I rubbed my chin, trying to explain it. “Like I know they’re into each other. I’m not bothered by that. But it’s a special moment for her. We’re her men, not to mention the leaders of the club she’s getting a tattoo of, and she doesn’t want us there?”
“What she said makes sense,” he shrugged. “I don’t like seeing her in pain, and it would stress her out. You’d be bouncing off the walls and probably fuck up the tattoo.”
“You don’t think there’s something else to it?”
“No.” His voice was stern, and he eyed me squarely. “I take her at her word. That’s what trustis.That’s how this whole thing works.” He drew a circle in the air between us. “If you think she’s up to something and treat her like she is, that’s a quick way to send your whole relationship crashing to the ground.”
I leaned back, scratching both hands over my scalp as I tried to calm whatever the hell was going on inside me. “I just wanted tobethere. Not because I don’t want her alone with him, I just wanted to support her doing this. I took it like a man when she told me to leave, but—”
“Your ego was bruised.” Reaper lit up another cigarette. “You wanted her to choose you for something, and she didn’t. Get ready for a lot of that, especially if she adds him in.”
“I guess,” I frowned.
“This shit’s not easy, ‘Dro,” Reaper exhaled a cloud of smoke. “You can’t treat it like being with one person. This isn’t like if your girl gives some lame-ass excuse to not see you, and you’ve got reason to be suspicious. Mari is just telling all of us what she needs while going through this, and that happens to be Gunner. It’s nothing against you, bro.”
“I s’pose you’re right.” I looked at him. “That shit never gets to you? If she wants someone else and not you?”
“Sure it does,” he shrugged. “But I know what it means and how to handle it, because I saw how my dads did. And you know what, dude?”
“Huh?”
He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and grinned. “It makes it so much sweeter when she wants you, and you alone. Everything you worry about just goes away when she’s right here,” he brought a palm to his chest, “and you remember that she reallydoesneed you. She needs what only you can provide.”
“Damn.” I reached for the smokes to light one up myself. “Thanks, Dr. Rory.”
“Shut up.” His face morphing from blissed out to scowling was the funniest shit I’d ever seen. I’d have to tell Mari about it.
Hades suddenly lifted his head with a soft whine. With his nose pointed down the street and ears pricked forward, he was the first to notice someone coming our way. Gunner’s laugh floating down the street made my heart leap. Finally, she was done!
Reaper and I jumped up from the patio furniture at the same time, following Hades to the pool gate. Mari and Gunner were a block away, walking side-by-side toward us with Freyja a few feet away. Gun’s hands were shoved in his jean pockets with Mari’s arm linked around his.
The contact could have been either friendly or flirtatious, but seeing it caused something to tighten in my chest.
Reaper opened the gate to let Hades out, and Mari’s arm pulled away from Gunner as the giant black dog ran toward her. He reared up and hugged around her waist with his front paws, his usual greeting to her lately, while she laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Hades, down!” Reaper bellowed, but the command was unneeded.
He dropped all four paws back to the ground and walked at Mari’s side, looking up at her with all the love and adoration a dog could.
The tightness in my chest didn’t let up as she entered the gate to join us.
“Higuapito.” Mari grinned at me first and slid her hands around my waist.
My heart skipped a beat. “Hi bonita.” I leaned down to meet those plump red lips tilted up to me for a kiss. “How do you feel?”
“A little sore, but fine.” She rested her cheek on my chest, and only then did the tightness begin to soften. “Watch out for my upper back, that’s where it is.”
“Can I see it?” I led her by the hands to the couches to sit down, Reaper and Hades following closely after. Reap smirked at me knowingly over the top of her head. Smug bastard. He was right—she came tomefirst. She neededmenow.
“Shadow just did the outline.” Oblivious to our silent exchange, Mari plopped down on the couch and pulled her arms out of the sleeves of her top. “I’m getting the rest of it filled in in two weeks.”
She lifted her shirt, turned her back to show me, and I couldn’t hold back the awe I felt at the sight of it.
“Holy…shit.” Holding the sides of her waist, I leaned in to examine Shadow’s work more closely. “My boy really outdid himself. Reaper, look at this fucking work of art.”
“Mm...” I didn’t even notice he’d been lip-locked with Mari until I looked up. She turned on the couch to face me, giving her back to Reaper, and let out a content little sigh as she leaned on my shoulder.
Mine. All fucking mine.
