Marks on My Skin (Love & Ink #1) (33 page)

“I’m sorry, Shayne, but your rules for whatever the hell we are aren’t exactly clear.”

I blinked at him, struck dumb by his words as if someone had doused me in a bucket of cold water.

“So what is it,
Shayne
?” He said my name with a particular edge as he stood a few inches from me. “Did you just come over here to tell me what I’m not allowed to do as your non-boyfriend because I need to finish off this girl’s tattoo.”

“It’s nothing. It’s nothing.” I repeated and turned away from him before he could see the tears flowing down my cheek. Liam’s booth was empty at the moment too. There was nobody here I could talk to. Without another thought I made a beeline for the hotel entrance. I needed to get away from here.

I kept up a brisk pace as I stepped out onto the sidewalk. My breaths came in deep rasping gulps as more tears threatened.
I shouldn’t be upset,
I told myself.
It wasn’t like she was ever my mother.
Still, the wrenching pain in my chest tightened. I wiped a sleeve at my face again. The tears wouldn’t stop. They just kept flowing.

Blindly I shoved my way through a large group and broke into a run.
Too many people.
There were too many people around. This city was huge. I ignored the odd looks I got and even the few obscenities shouted at me. I ran for several blocks and my heart thumped in my chest, threatening to burst. A few more blocks away my legs felt like jelly and I slowed to a halt, laying back against the building to catch my breath. When I finally lifted my head, I saw a pub across the street. One that reminded me of Finley’s back home. I took a few breaths to slow my thumping heart then crossed the street and went inside.

“Another?” The bartender lifted a dark brow at me and I nodded, pushing my empty glass forward. His lips eased into a smile that stretched across a handsome face and reached his pale blue eyes. He had a familiar look to him that I couldn’t place. At the very least he was pleasant to look at as I drank myself into a stupor.

“Alright, this one’s on me.” He winked, at me and slid another glass toward me. I took it and downed the glass in a few easy gulps. “Easy there, I don’t want ta have ta pick ya up off the floor, love.”

I noticed his Irish brogue then and realized what it was that I’d found so familiar…He reminded me of Kieran.

“Of course!” I snorted to nobody in particular.

“‘Scuse me?”

“Nothing. Sorry. I’m just having a horrible day.” I laughed at the Kieran look-a-like.

“Well I can see that. The hell did ya do ta yer finger?”

“I um, broke a nail.” I looked at my finger. It had stopped bleeding but still looked pretty nasty.

“I’ve got a first aid kit in the back, why don’t ya let me clean it up fer ya.”

“I’m fine.” I told him, but he shook his head and came around the bar.

“Come on. Ya don’t want it gettin’ infected or something. It’s time fer my break anyway.” He took my other hand and pulled me off the stool. My legs wavered slightly beneath me after a good hour of drinking but I managed to keep upright and followed him down the hall. We passed the restrooms and he pushed a door open on the opposite side of the hall. Racks of kitchen supplies and bottles of various liquors and beers filled the room except for a narrow walking space. The bartender pulled a red plastic box off one of the shelves and nodded for me to sit on a case of beer. “Now let me see.” He reached a large hand out and I held mine out to him.

“You really don’t have to do this.”

He ignored me, ripped open an alcohol wipe, and gently cleaned blood that had crusted around what was left of my fingernail. “So, how exactly did ya break yer nail like that? Boyfriend piss ya off?”

I laughed. “No. I don’t have a boyfriend.”

His blue eyes darted up at that. “No? A gorgeous girl like ya? Must be a bunch of arseholes wherever yer from.” He teased.

“Rhode Island.” I said and he let out an amused snort.

“Mm, that explains it then. Not much there, eh? So what’s got ya drinkin’ like a fish? I’ve been watchin’ ya down drinks fer the last hour. Ya looked pretty upset when ya first walked in.”

My heart lurched painfully in my chest and despite how lightheaded I already was, I desperately wanted another drink. “I lost something.”

He glanced up at me for a moment as he wrapped my finger in gauze. “Do ya need help findin’ it?”

“It’s gone. I can’t get it back.” I said around the forming lump in my throat.

“Oh,” he frowned, still looking down at my hand. “I’m sorry. There anything I can do fer ya then?”

I blinked away a couple more tears and his frown deepened as he watched me.

“No. Sorry. I’ll be fine.”

“Oh come on, love. No tears in my pub.” He wiped a tear from my cheek and I let out a soft laugh.

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop that! Why are ya apologizin’?” He let out a deep husky laugh, one that echoed laughs I’d heard from Kieran and a faint smile crossed my lips. The bartender put the first aid kit away and looked me over, brushing his palm over my cheek in a sweet manner. “Well at least I got a small smile out of ya. Yer even prettier when ya smile. Ya know that?”

I blushed despite myself and laughed even as a couple more tears escaped.

The bartender took a step closer to me, hooking a finger under my chin. “Oh, a laugh? Even better. Though we need ta do something about these still.” He said and wiped another stray tear from my cheek. A loose strand of brown hair fell into his eyes as his gaze met mine and I let out a soft gasp. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe he really did look like Kieran, but the resemblance at that moment sent a shiver racing through me. I reached a hand up, ran my fingers over his stubbled cheek, and the bartender’s eyes darkened.

“Careful, love.” He teased, clearing his throat and turning his cheek against my palm. His hand slid over my knee and I thought back to what Ian had said to me. No, he wasn’t my boyfriend, despite the fact our relationship had been going in that direction. Something held me back from taking that step, but maybe it was a good thing. I wasn’t good with anyone, and right now, I just didn’t want to think. I wanted to do something stupid, I wanted to forget how everything in my life felt like it was spinning out of control. My other hand slid over the bartender’s and dragged it higher up my thigh.

“What if I don’t want to be careful?”

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

She Saw Me

It was a little before six o’clock when I walked into the pub I’d told Liam to meet me at. I sincerely hoped he didn’t bring Shayne with, but I’d dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a t-shirt, just in case. The usual bartender wasn’t behind the bar when I walked in so I flagged down one of the waitresses for a beer. She grinned at me and grabbed me a drink while I waited for my brother.

I’d barely slept last night. My mind drifted to Shayne standing in front of the hotel with that guy, only cementing the fact that I’d missed the boat. I took a heavy gulp of my beer and looked down at my watch. Liam would be here any minute. I finished off my beer and he still hadn’t arrived yet. Checking my phone I hadn’t gotten any messages from him, but he was doing tattoos today. Maybe he’d just gotten held up.

After polishing off another beer, I had to piss something wicked. Leaving cash on the bar, I strode toward the bathroom and found a urinal in the nick of time. I let out a deep groan of relief as the urine flowed out of me with a shudder.

“Jayhsus, that was a long piss.” I grunted as I zipped up then washed my hands.

A nice buzz settled over me and I pulled the bathroom door open, hoping Liam was waiting in the pub for me finally. I stepped into the hall, but a loud thump gave me pause. I glanced toward the door at the end of the hall that read “Storage” across the front. The door was cracked open, but the room was completely dark. Another thump came and I stepped forward cautiously, my nerves on high alert. I was a foot from the door when a man’s deep groan came with another thump and I relaxed.
Ah, just a couple having a bit of fun
. I let out a silent laugh and turned back for the pub, but a soft whimper froze me in place.

“Harder!” She whispered, and I knew it was Shayne. I turned back, peering into the darkness of the room. I didn’t want to know it was her, I didn’t want to see her with another man, but I couldn’t stop myself. It was hard to make out anything more than two figures moving together but my eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness and I saw her face. He had her on top of a stack of boxes on the opposite side of the small storage room. Her skirt was hiked up around her waist and his pants around his thighs. He thrust into her and she let out another whimper, wrapping her legs around his hips and urging him on. A ray of light came in from a small window and I saw that her eyes were squeezed shut, black lashes damp against her cheeks.

I was an intruder. I knew that. I had no right, no claim to her whatsoever, but I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t help the ache that welled in my chest as I watched her with him. A voice inside my head screamed for me to leave, but I stood there. Frozen. Watching, lusting, agonizing over Shayne as her head rolled back with another moan of pleasure. The man tugged her shirt and bra down, taking one of her nipples between his teeth and I groaned inwardly, remembering the sweet taste of her flesh. I’d thought about her like this so many times since I’d left, wanting nothing more than to bury myself inside her like he was. A ripple of pleasure moved through me and I closed my eyes, trying to calm the arousal I was feeling.
No, what am I doing? I need to go,
I told myself. Still, I couldn’t move.

When I opened my eyes, he had her bent over the boxes. His body collided with her in hard, unrestrained thrusts and she whimpered again as his hands grasped her hips. My body ached, remembering her bent over in front of me, and my cock twitched against my jeans. Shayne’s back arched and he slammed into her, jarring the boxes as they both came, moaning simultaneously. I let out a gasp, and stepped back from the door, realization and embarrassment finally winning over. I needed to get out of here before either of them saw me.
What the feck is the matter with me?

“Kier? That you?” My brother’s voice came from the other end of the hall. Startled, I stumbled and toppled a box beside the storage room door as I nearly lost my balance. It was too late. As I righted myself I saw those rich brown eyes watching me from the darkness of the storage room, mirroring my own shock and embarrassment.

Without a word to her or my brother, I ran from the pub, too horrified to look back.

“Um, that someone ya know?” The bartender’s gruff voice asked behind me as I tugged at my rumpled clothing.

“Yeah.” I swallowed hard.
What is Kieran doing here? I thought he was still in California…with her.
At first I thought I was going crazy, but the bartender had seen Kieran too before he ran from the pub.

“Do ya need ta go after him?” I looked back at the man as he slid the used condom off and he gave me a sympathetic look.

“Yeah, I should.” I said. “Sorry.”

“I told ya, quit apologizin’.” He winked. “Go on.”

I went out into the hall and he followed behind me with a gentle hand on my back. We walked back to the front and I looked around for any sign of Kieran. Someone cleared their throat to the left of me and I met Liam’s glaring blue gaze.

“Really, Shayne?” His jaw jutted out angrily and his nostrils flared as he took in my disheveled appearance—and the bartender’s.

“Why’s Kieran here?” I asked, ignoring his comment.

“I don’t know. Didn’t get a chance ta ask him before he ran out of here. I didn’t even know why he’d run like that until I saw ya two coming out of the back room there.”

“How was I to know he’d be there watching me? The last time I saw him he was leaving Midtown with
his wife
.” I couldn’t help the biting tone in which I said that last part.

“And what if it had been Ian?”

I said nothing at that.
What if it had been Ian?
Guilt stung me despite what he’d done earlier. “We..aren’t together.”

Liam shook his head, giving me a look of disgust. “Right. Ya let him pay fer the trip here, take ya out all the time, but he’s not yer boyfriend. I forgot. How convenient fer ya.”