Nora’s chest rose and fell slowly for long minutes while Lux busied herself cleaning up her tools. Sometimes people needed a moment to take in the tattoo, and what it did to their appearance.
“I—I’m at a loss for words. Like, I already know what I want next.” Nora’s words were low, almost whispered.
Lux went back to where Nora still sat, happy she wasn’t going to have to help her client sit up from her prone position. She still had her black latex gloves on since she needed to apply ointment and then the tattoo film to the tattoo and explain aftercare to Nora. No matter how clean, rich, or whatever someone appeared to be, Lux never took her personal safety for granted.
“What’s that?” Nora nodded toward the roll Lux held.
“This is specialty film that we place over tattoos that help with the healing. It allows oxygen to naturally enter the material of the film, which then allows moisture to leave the film quickly and will prevent infection.” Lux knew people assumed she was stupid, hell, her own family had written her off years ago as nothing but an airhead with a pair of tits and ass. She covered the art with healing ointment, then the film.
“That’s freaking cool. I thought I’d be walking out of her with saranwrap on my arm,” Nora said, laughing shyly.
“Oh, we used to use that. Truth be told, many still do, which isn’t bad. You just have to change that much sooner than this.” She grabbed a printed sheet from behind the counter that gave all the important details for aftercare. Although she went over it with each of her clients, having a hardcopy reminder was always good for newbies.
The sound of screeching tires drew both their eyes toward the front of the shop. Bright lights blinded Lux for a moment, making her lift her arm to cover her eyes.
“Oh shit,” Nora whispered.
“What is it?” Lux asked, backing toward the rear of the shop instinctively. They’d already pulled the gate across the front. She felt secure nobody could get in that way, and the back had a steel door that she was sure Ember had locked up when he left.
Lux grabbed Nora’s hand as she yelled for the stupid automated lights to shut off that she’d grumbled about Link installing. Whoever was outside had an advantage since he could see in, while they couldn’t see out. The big vehicle’s engine roared several times while the driver seemed to be revving it up outside, as if he or she was trying to work up the courage to do something. Or maybe whoever the asshole was already had a plan, but whatever it was, she wanted no part in it.
It took only a second for the shop sensors to do what she’d commanded, going dark instantly.
“Holy shit, it can’t be.” Nora whispered.
When the lights went out, she tugged Nora down to the ground with her. “Is that your ex out there?”
“He’s not supposed to be within five hundred feet of me for five years.”
Nora’s voice shook, fear replacing the confident woman who had entered the shop hours ago.
“He must not have gotten the memo. Let’s get to the office in the back and call the cops. This place is secure. Trust me, he can’t get in unless he plows through the front.” Fuck, she hoped he didn’t have some souped up truck that could ram through the brick and glass or some shit. She sighed as the truck sped off, giving her a little hope he’d left.
“He has friends who are on the force. It took me forever to get the order of protection and a judge who wouldn’t listen to his lies. Of course, they couldn’t hide or deny physical proof.” Nora took a shuddering breath.
She had a feeling the proof was pretty terrible. “Fine, I’ll phone a friend.”
Tymber, Link, Ember and she owned the shop, but the three men were a good fifteen to twenty minutes away if they were at their perspective homes. She led the way back to the office, keeping her eyes toward the front, waiting for the bright lights of the vehicle to appear again. Her heart was racing like she’d been running a marathon. With their arms brushing one another, they moved backward. At the doorway, she slid up the wall, keeping her back against the cold surface. Nora didn’t follow her, keeping on her hands and knees, eyes glued straight ahead.
The snick of the door opening was overly loud in the quiet space, making them both jump. “Come on, Nora.”
They’d outfitted all the inner doors with thick steel doors and locks on the inside that required either a code or key when it was locked. Luckily it hadn’t been locked or she wasn’t sure she’d have been able to get it open with the way she was shaking. Son-of-a-bitch, she hated the loss of control and how a man could do that with one little move like screeching his tires and splashing his headlights.
She bolted the lock before grabbing her cellphone and opening the group text she had with the guys. “Hey, any of you in the neighborhood of the shop?”
Lux tried to be nonchalant as she typed out her question, biting on her thumbnail with its matte black polish. The coffin shaped tips were things she didn’t give two shits about but made sure she went in and did the whole selfcare routine, ensuring that the men in her life thought she was all girlie and shit. Plus, she did like how they looked. Fuck, why was she thinking about her nails?
“What the fuck is wrong?”
“Whassup, girl?”
“Who do I need to kill?”
All three of her best friends and business partners fired off responses almost simultaneously. Of course, Link offered to kill someone. Not unusual, and not a joke. Tymber still called her girl, but he was like a big brother to all of them. She thanked her lucky stars he had kicked not only cancer’s ass, but motherfucking breast cancer’s ass. When she took too long answering, her phone rang.
“Shit,” she muttered, hitting the answer button. “Hey, Ember. You still around?” She didn’t add the please say you are.
“I asked what was up and I can hear your voice shaking. I just checked the security camera, and the lights are out, but you and your client haven’t left. In fact, you’re both in the office shaking like you just saw my anaconda, which is totally a euphemism for my—”
“I will cut your cock off if you finish that, Ember,” she warned him.
“That’s the fighter I know. Now, tell me what’s up and why you’re scared. I got Tymber beeping in and Link texting me like a damn mother hen.” His deep voice was laced with humor, but he was serious.
Lux took a deep breath and explained what she knew about Nora and her ex.
“Sounds like he’s a psychopath, and he could be lying in wait outside. You two did the right thing, and I’m not being a male chauvinistic pig. If he’s got friends on the force, then you don’t know who might or might not be looking the other way. I got a friend nearby. He’s on his way and... yep, he’ll be there in two minutes with a couple friends.”
“Who is it?” Lux looked up at the camera she figured Ember and the others were monitoring.
Silence.
Her phone beeped with another incoming call showing Tymber on the other line. “Hey, it’s T calling.”
“Yeah, I’m on my way to you. He said I needed to get off and concentrate. Daddy is fucking bossy. See you soon and don’t be mean to my friend when he gets there.”
She didn’t have time to ask who his friend was before he hung up, and Tymber’s deep voice filled the line. “Hey. Grab a water for the two of you. I can see you both licking your lips, and after the three-hour tattoo session, you both need to hydrate.”