Page 22 of Four Tattoos

From the chair across the room, Mace chuckles. “Do you have a curfew?” He says it like a joke, but I feel the need to defend myself.

“No, I don’t have a curfew, but getting in too late will trigger all kinds of questions that I don’t want to have to answer.”

“You should be able to do what you want without an inquisition,” Mace says.

“Does your brother know you’re here with us?” Hutch asks as I lean over to scan the floor to figure out what became of my clothes.

“No.” I twist a bit of the bed sheet in my hands. “I told him I was out with friends.”

He’s quiet for several long seconds, and when I glance up at him, I can see that he’s processing this information. Finally, he asks, “Does a friend know you’re here?”

I shake my head.

“You should always let someone know who you’re going out with,” he says, sounding stern. “What if we tied you up in our basement and made you our captive sex slave?”

A nervous laugh bursts out of me. “After what just happened here, I’m pretty sure I’d enjoy that.”

His expression doesn’t change. “You need to be careful. Of course, you can trust us, but you should always be safe.”

It’s sweet that he’s looking out for me, and he’s right, but I’m not sure who I’d have told. Definitely not my brother, especially now after what I’ve done with these men. Any mention of them, and I feel like he’d see the truth written on my face.

“I do need to go,” I say, heading for my clothes once I spot them, and suddenly feeling self conscious about my naked body. Christian’s back in the room, too, and he and Mace are wearing sweatpants. I don’t know where Zipper went.

I slip out and into a bathroom down the hall that I saw during my tour earlier. After quickly getting dressed, I return to find the men in the same positions, except Hutch now has his pants back on, too.

“Thank you,” I say, “for dinner tonight, and … everything else.” I’ve never thanked anyone for sex, but I’ve never had sex this good, or been treated to so many orgasms.

Hutch cups the back of my head in his big hand and tips me back for a kiss. The taste of him makes me wish desperately that I could stay the night without repercussions.

Christian pulls me into his arms next, giving me a similarly wonderful and frustrating kiss. Mace tells me goodnight with a prolonged peck and a brief embrace. There’s still no sign of Zipper as Hutch walks me to the door, and then out to my car.

“Good night, Rose. Drive home safely.” He gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze before closing the car door, and then watches me drive out of sight.

Music comes on automatically in the car, but I turn it off, wanting to be alone with my thoughts. My body’s humming with a type of energy I’ve never felt before. I feel so alive, and so exhilarated, and every inch of my body feels good, even the achy part between my legs. It’s like I’m a different person after having the experience I had tonight, but I also feel more fully myself than ever.

The lights are still on in the living room at my house, but that doesn’t tell me anything, since my brother always leaves them on if I’m not home yet. I send up a wish that Patrick will have gone to bed already, but unfortunately, he’s still up watching TV when I let myself in.

“Hey, you’re finally home.” His eyes, which I only meet with a very brief glance, look tired, like he’d drifted off in the chair while waiting for me. “How was your night?”

“It was good.”

“Where’d you go?” It’s not uncommon for him to ask, but tonight it feels like a trap.

“No place special. Just went to a club in Whitman with a friend from my night job.” I keep my back turned to him as I step out of my shoes and fuss unnecessarily with my purse.

“Someone else there had the same night off as you?”

“Yeah, she’s a server.” I shrug, like there’s no rhyme or reason to Club Red’s scheduling. “How was your night? Watching anything good?”

He shakes his head. “Nah. Nothing exciting.”

“That’s too bad,” I say. “Well, I’m going to go get a shower and get to bed.”

“Good night,” he calls after me.

I think I pulled that off. I don’t like lying to my brother, but this situation leaves me no choice.

TATTOO 3

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