Page 12 of Inked Heart

Walking away from Kitty last night was the hardest thing I ever had to do, especially after what she shared with me. What I really wanted to do, was take her in my arms and never let go. I wanted to kiss that fucking memory out of her head and fuck her until she admitted she knew I would never do that to her. But I recognized the agony in her face and knew I needed to give her the space she asks for. It goes against everything inside of me, especially since she is carrying my baby, but I didn’t know what else to do.

When I finally make it home and take a swig of beer, I can think past the pain and picture her beautiful face. My woman is the smallest woman I have ever seen. She barely comes to my pecs and not to mention how petite she is. But fuck is she perfect. She has the most enchanting greyish blue eyes. They are weird because I have never seen anything like them, but they pull me in every time I investigate them, and I don’t want to look away. She looks like a little fairy. Built for me to carry around and protect and as soon as she gets out of her past, I am going to do just that.

Waking up this morning she is the first thing on my mind, but I swore I would give her space and that is what I am going to do. I throw my old ass out of bed, go downstairs, and turn the coffee pot on. Walking back through my house, I take a moment to do something I haven’t done since I moved in. I look around and admire the job me and the Crawford brothers did while building it. When I built this house, I had no intentions of having a family or finding the love of my life, but somehow my house was built for a family.

I grew up in a very influential family and the mansion we lived in always felt cold and off limits if you will. Don’t get me wrong, my parents were great growing up and still are. The mansion has been in my father’s family for generations, therefore everything in it is old, drab, and full of history. There is never any room to add life to it.

When I went off to college, I fell in love with architecture. But not the conceptualization part of it, the construction part. Imagining shit before it is finished is not me. I stopped using that part of my imagination when I was 10 and I like to work with my hands in it. Watching it as it happens. I fell in love with farmhouse style houses, especially ones with wrap around porches and love the story it can tell of the family living within.

For example, the pillars on the front. Those are representative of the head of the family. The man of the house standing in front of his family and protecting them from anything meaning to tear them down. Or the way the foundation of the house is held up by bricks. Everyone knows a woman is the hearth of her home and the very foundation that holds it all together. But the bricks she leans on is the strength of her faith in her husband to protect, guide, and honor the life they built.

See what I mean.

That is how my house is built. The outside is a very beautiful white, with black shutters. I of course added all the modern amenities you could think of and I added an extra floor which serves as the master suite. There is also a split level third floor, I hope Kitty loves.

After spending way too, much time admiring my house and picturing my new family living in it with me, filling it with love and laughter; I get my ass in gear and go to work. Not surprisingly, waiting for me at the door with a shit ton of messages and coffee is Lanie.

“Good Morning, Sir. How was your night?”

“You got to be a pain in the ass this early in the morning?” I jokingly say to her as I shake my head.

“Yep. You have a shit ton of appointments this afternoon, but your morning is pretty, free. Which is a good thing, since you have a surprise visitor in your office.”

Shit. Kitty? I hope she’s ok. My stomach is in knots thinking the worst. On a good note I feel elated she came to a decision so fast and has come to me.

“Shit Lanie. Why didn’t you lead with that?” I say as I make a beeline for my office. Rushing to the door, I open it with as much enthusiasm as I can muster. “Baby I so……”

I stop dead in my tracks mid-sentence, because standing before me is not Kitty.

“Good morning, big bro. Don’t look so happy to see me, why don’t cha.” My baby sister. Snapping out of my disappointment, I walk over to Carrie Ann and embrace her the way I have since mom and dad brought her home.

“Good morning baby sis. To what do I owe the honor and where is my nephew?”

“Nothing. I had a breakfast date with mom, but she canceled at the last minute. Something about dad and an important meeting, I don’t know. DJ is at the sitters. As much as I love my baby boy, I can’t get anything done when he is home and right now, mama has got to find a job. I don’t want mom and dad paying all my bills forever. But anyway, I thought I would come and see what it is you wanted to talk to me about before I go back home and job hunt.”

Oh crap. I totally forgot I called her about the receptionist job at Inked. “Well actually, I might have found a job for you. At least one until you figure out what you want to do. My friend’s brother, owns a tattoo shop and they are looking for a receptionist. I gave him your name and told him to expect your call. I figured with all your ink, you might just fit right in.”

She looks at me a bit skeptical at first and I must stop myself from fidgeting under the scrutiny. That’s the thing about my sister, she can read me better than anyone and it is unnerving sometimes.

“So who is this friend of the brother?” Fuck. I am not ready to tell anyone about Kitty and the baby. At least until we have a more solid arrangement and she is moved into our house. Otherwise, I am going to get a bunch of shit from my mom about taking care of my responsibilities. Like I would do anything else.

“I’m not ready to talk about it yet. But I promise, as soon as I am, you will be the first to know.”

“Ok big bro. I know when I am being put off. Well give me the number for the shop and I will give them a call. Thanks for always looking out for me.” As usual she says this with her head down, like she doesn’t deserve it because of the one mistake she made.

Although the situation is not ideal, I don’t call it a mistake because I love my nephew more than anything in this world. Well almost more than anything. Kitty and my baby, will always come first. But that little man, will always be my little chief. And as usual I hug her, kiss her head, and tell her I love her, to let her know I could give two shits. I love her all the same.

Once Carrie leaves, Lanie saunters her annoying ass in here to put me to work. Of course, she cannot help but to push my buttons, by sitting her ass on my desk. She knows I hate that. Wench.

“Now. Mr. Crawford wants you over at the office to discuss the Kentucky job at 12:00. Then you have Mr. Milford at 1:30 and Taron Jorgensen at 3:00 to discuss the expansion of the jewelry store.”

I hear the chimes for the bell over the door and though I have no appointments on my calendar, people stop by all the time to grab brochures and such. I hear whoever it is coming down the hall, but I am focused on the list Lanie has when suddenly……

“What the fuck is going on in here?” Shocked and happy all at once, I get up to go to my, but the look on her face could incinerate whole landfills.

So instead I simply say, “Angel. I am so happy you came.

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