34. Derek

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Derek

L eaning over my client, I try with everything inside me to ignore her giggle as I wipe her chest. I know I'm an attractive man. Add the tattoos and the accent that the ladies here find so raw and rugged; I see my fair share of batting lashes. But this level of overly giddiness is grating on me. Usually, if a woman flirts with me on the table, I'm relatively quick to handle it. Give her a smirk or a scowl, and move on. But today, I feel anxious and annoyed over it.

"Oh my gosh!" she laughs lightly while biting her bottom lip. "I thought tattoos were supposed to hurt!"

Looking up, I see all three of the guys rolling their eyes. If we had a dime for every time a woman said that.

"You don't think this will take away from my breasts, do you? I mean, they still look good, right?" She bats her fake lashes at me, and I hear a loud ha" from Fox's table as Ren looks over at us.

"You know it's inappropriate to sexually harass the artists, right? Not to mention dangerous. I mean, most of their wives and girlfriends are around here." The woman rolls her unimpressive blue eyes at her, the color dull and lifeless compared to Indy's crystal blues. Yet, even with their icy hue, Indy's eyes hold a depth of warmth that draws anyone in.This woman's eyes,on the other hand,lack any kind ofspark or emotion.They're simply there, devoid of anyrealfeeling or expression.

I wonder where Indy is. She was supposed to be going swimsuit shopping with Ren's sister andthencoming here, but that was a while ago. My sore cock twitches at the image she sent me of her in that tiny, string bikini. I nearly had a heart attack.I never had a girl send me photos like that, namelybecause I never gave a girl my number since I never was more of an occasional hook-up.But Indy sent me that, and I nearly broke my phonedroppingit, and then had to hide it for fear Ash would see it.

"I didn't see a ring on his finger, so it seems like daddy here is fair game." She quips, and I find that while daddy is not something I really enjoy being called, even by Indy, this woman doing it pisses me the fuck off.

"I make him wear it on his cock." I drop my fucking machine on the floor at my Indy's sweet voice. My Indy would not say that, certainly not out loud, and not in public, at work, or next to her brother, who wants my nuts to be mounted above his mantle. But theremylittle raven-haired beauty stands at the front of the shop. The warmth in her eyes is gone, replaced with a steel blue and a gaze that could cut glass.

I watch as she walks up to me, and I stare in stunned silence as she grips my jaw rougher than I thought she could and plunges her tongue into my mouth. It isn't caring or sweet, but fuck, it's possessive and sexy as hell. She releases me, and… what am I chewing on? I taste spearmint and realize I have her gum in my mouth.

"Did you want this back?" I ask, pointing at the gum between my teeth, causing Ash to groan.

"At!!!" he sobs. "Make the bad man stop fucking my baby sister!!!"

"You can keep it." She smirks before glaring at my client and walking into the back. Picking my machine up, I groan. Of course, it has some damage. Sighing, I remove my gloves to startthe process ofprepping my backup machine. Glancing at the woman's angry face, I can't help but bite down on the gum as I inwardly smile. Yeah… I'm getting a negative review for this one. Completely worth it, though.

"How's Angel?" Carter's pet name for Indy makes me growl as I walk around the house, cleaning up and starting my dinner. Indy's going out to dinner with the girls, so I'm on my own, which I should love, but we're past the denial stage. We know I hate it. I want her here, her feet on my coffee table, watching a show way too loudly. Seriously, it's so loud. She says it helps immerse herintothe show. Why she feels the need to immerse herselfintoa show about women killing their partners isn't something I plan on figuring out.

"I told you to stop calling her that," I grumble as I slide the meal into the oven. Tonight is a kale pasta bake that would make Indy gag like a toddler if she had to eat it. That thought makes me smile.

"Have you hit that yet?" Carter yawns, and I make a mental note to take a hammer to his kneecap the next time I see him.

"How's it going?" I'm cut off by what sounds like Jackson screaming.

"I don't fucking care! You live here. You abide by the goddamn rules!" I hear him shout.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, my lord! Shall I fall to my knees and wash your royal ball sack afterI finishcleaning the sheets?" I hear a voice I recognize as Ozzy's shout back.

Carter snickers, "Uhhh… Well, Ozzy has been here two days, and Jackson is ready to kill her. She's fucking hotter than sin, bro. Curvy, covered in tattoos and piercings, including her fucking tongue." I snort. It's easy to forget that mylittle hometown doesn't see much in the way of alternative fashion.

"Leave her alone, and I swear to god if you run this one off."

Carter lets out a terrified laugh before whispering into the phone, "I tried to flirt with her when she first got here, and she shoved me back into a pile of cow shit and drove her spiky ass heel into my junk, saying that she would pop them like a grape tomato. I ain't going anywhere near that crazy woman." I laugh, shaking my head.I've never met Ozzy, butevidently,she and Indy were close at one point.I find it hard to believe my sweet, smiley Indy would befriend someone willing to crush a man's testicles. Then again, she's out with the Hel's girls. Fuck, she is a Hel's girl. Fucking hell, what she said to my client today… That pretty mouth spitting that comment out, then claiming me. I was hard as fuck the rest of the fucking day.

Sighing, I look at the clock, six thirty.Sheshould be home in the next hour. That'll give me enough time to eat and get a short workoutin.

7:45 PM

Me: Hey Baby Girl, I justgot down withmy workout and am about to get in the shower.About what time are you planning on getting back?

8:00 PM

Me: Darlin'? What's going on? Do you need a ride home? I'llcomegetyou.

8:10 PM

Me: Indy, while I understand you're an adult, I still feel like I have the right to at least know you're okay.

8:25 PM

Me: Goddamn it, Indiana! When I see you again, I'm taking that fucking phone and turning your location on.

9:02 PM

Me: I'm pulling in now. I talked to Janie. I'll be there in a minute, baby.