Deadly Ink: A Dark Mafia Romance (Omerta Series Book 3) Read online

  I laughed, but I still agreed with her thought. Ever since I moved out of my parents’ house, I felt like I was running to find something better. But, if I thought of the running as flying, it suddenly had a positive spin. I was branching out and starting life on my own, not avoiding the problems I just never really felt like dealing with.

  When we approached the front counter, we pushed Kara to the front, since she could convince the employees that we were sober enough to be tattooed. Her eyes were a bit glazed over, but we didn’t think they’d mind. I’m sure they tattooed anyone who walked in with money.

  There was an artist available right away so the three of us gathered around the chair as he quietly swabbed Felicity’s wrist with alcohol. The tattoo was simple enough that it didn’t take long at all to finish. Then, it was Kara’s turn and I watched as she occasionally winced.

  I was pretty nervous, but I didn’t want to tell the others. Plus, I didn’t want to chicken out at the last second. I would never live that down if they got matching tattoos and I didn’t get mine.

  “Does it hurt?” I asked Kara as the artist filled in the outline.

  “Not terribly. It hurts a little more than an injection, but less than the time we were practicing IV placement and that one guy stuck the needle in my tendon.

  We tried to giggle quietly, but the memory of Kara jumping up and pulling the needle from her own arm was one of the more entertaining parts of our education.

  The knot in my stomach grew as I waited for my turn. I knew that no matter what, I would have to play it cool and be tough, no matter how scared I was. But, as frightened as I was, I was really excited to finally step outside of my comfort zone.

  Eventually, it was my turn to get into the chair. My mind was screaming, but my body language was relaxed and nonchalant. I could do this.

  When the tattoo artist touched my wrist with the cold alcohol, I jumped a little, much to Kara and Felicity’s delight. I wish I had gone first when I was still feeling a little tipsy. I was sobering up now, and it wasn’t going to do anything for my pain tolerance, nor my nerves.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” the man asked, giving me a suspicious glance.

  “Yes, I’m ready,” I said quickly.

  He began his work, carefully tracing the outline on my wrist. It was starting to sting and I could feel my legs start to sweat against the vinyl chair.

  “Want me to distract you?” Felicity asked, sensing my discomfort. She knew that I wasn’t very good with pain.

  “Go ahead,” I said, welcoming her to try.

  “There’s a guy in the chair next to you,” she said softly, leaning in toward me. “He’s really cute.”

  “I’m not going to look now,” I said, probably a little too loudly.

  “I think he’s looking right at you,” she said. They both started giggling again.

  “I really doubt that,” I winced.

  While it didn’t seem possible that any guy would be staring at me, I was curious. I counted to sixty in my head and then slowly turned to see what they were giggling about.

  Sure enough, a very attractive man sat in the seat on the other side of me. Growing up in an Italian household, I instantly knew his heritage too. He looked like all the other guys in my neighborhood, except much hotter. He was tall, muscular, and something about him made him seem a little tougher than the boys on my block growing up.

  “My parents would be pretty pleased if I brought a boy like that home,” I whispered to my friends. “Or pissed, I can’t decide which.”

  I slowly moved my head back toward the man in the adjacent chair. He looked like he was probably close to my age, his face cleanly shaved and unlined. His short, dark hair was pushed back away from his forehead.

  Mostly, I noticed how calm he looked. He was being tattooed in the crook of his elbow, and he almost looked like he was enjoying it. His pink lips curled up at the edges like he wanted to smile. I wasn’t sure what to make of that.

  Meanwhile, I was clenching my opposite fist as I tried to relax the arm that was being worked on. However, I found that when I focused my attention on the boy sitting next to me, I could relax just a little bit.

  “Okay,” the tattoo artist said, wrapping a length of gauze around my arm. “You’re all finished.”

  I looked down at the tiny bird on my wrist and felt a swell of pride. I had gone outside my comfort zone and done something without hours of careful planning. What else was I capable of?

  “Hey,” Felicity whispered as we walked up to the front counter to pay. “Ask that guy out.”

  “What?” I asked, spinning around to face her.

  “You saw that guy looking at you. He’s cute. Ask him to meet us at Golden Dawn in thirty minutes.”

  “I can’t,” I said, handing my credit card to the receptionist.

  “Fine,” Felicity said, shrugging her shoulders. “You already did one daring thing tonight. I suppose it’s too much to ask to see you hook up with a hot guy too.”

  I felt the sudden need to prove her wrong. I was being asked to perform, and I needed to put on a show.

  I raised my eyebrows at her and marched over to the guy in the seat. I tried not to think about what I was doing, or I was sure to panic. I didn’t think he saw me approach him, as his eyes were gently closed. He looked like he was about to fall asleep.

  “Excuse me,” I said nervously. His dark eyes snapped open immediately. It made my breath catch in my throat.

  “Hello,” he said calmly.

  “I—I was wondering if—”

  A smile appeared across his lips. His teeth were perfectly straight and white.

  I steadied myself, feigning confidence. “I’m going to Golden Dawn in a half hour. Meet me there.”

  He raised his eyebrows as if he were either surprised or impressed. “I’ll be there.”

  I froze. I never thought about what I would do after I asked him. “See you then,” I said, turning abruptly and walking straight for the door. I forgot that Felicity and Kara were waiting for me until I saw them running after me.

  “What did he say?” they laughed, trying to catch up.

  I stopped. “He said he’d be there.”

  They squealed with delight, but I wasn’t nearly as excited. Would he even show up? If some guy approached me in a shop and told me to meet him somewhere, I’d probably humor him.

  “Let’s find a good place to sit, then,” Kara said. “This night has suddenly become much more interesting.”

  “What if he doesn’t show up?” I asked, feeling nervous.

  “Then we’ll find you another,” Felicity said. “There’s no shortage of men in this city. We’re not going to leave until you get some.”

  I groaned, but I didn’t think they could hear me. I didn’t want to disappoint them, but I was mostly concerned about disappointing myself.

  He Knows What She Wants

  Apollo

  I was typically in a state of Zen when I got tattooed, but there was something distracting me this time. Shortly after I came in, these girls stumbled in off the street, clearly having a good time. The two skinny blondes weren’t really my type, but the third girl was pretty hot.

  She was short and cute, but damn, did she have an ass on her! Her tight skirt rode up high around her thick thighs. Her tan lines around the strappy top of her dress made me think of how good she would look in a bikini, her best assets jiggling for the whole world to see.

  I imagined taking her right in this very tattoo parlor. We’d find a private corner of the room and just go at each other like a couple of animals. I’d hike up her skirt and just let her ride me as I sat back in one of the chairs. She looked like a good girl, but I was sure she had a dirty side to her. I bet I could make it come out.

  The images were too clear in my mind. I closed my eyes, hoping that I could get her out of my mind. She definitely wasn’t the hottest chick I’d ever been with, but I wanted her all the same. I tried to think of the most unappealing thou
ghts I could to get the feeling out of my body. If anyone saw me getting aroused in a tattoo parlor at one in the morning, they’d probably think I was some sick freak.

  It was hard to suppress my sexual desire, though. I had been in prison for five years and there was no outlet for my urges except for my own hand when I could find the privacy. That was jail, though, so there was very little privacy.

  Now I could add one other thing I desperately missed while I was locked up—women. I wasn’t a big player before I got to prison, but I got enough action that my needs were met. I could go on a date with a woman without worrying about whether or not she would sleep with me at the end of the night. Now, I just wanted to stick it to any woman who showed the slightest interest in me.

  For that reason, Vegas wasn’t a bad place to be. If the legions of easy women outside my door didn’t want a quick roll around in the hay with me, I could always find an alternative. Although, I hoped I would never be so desperate that I would pay for sex. I didn’t have that kind of money quite yet.

  I opened my eyes to find the object of my desires looking straight at me. She looked away immediately, her eyes snapping back to center focus. I suppressed a chuckle. I could tell that she was embarrassed to get caught checking me out. I didn’t mind, though, and it was only fair because I was checking her out too.

  Unfortunately, she looked like she was pretty tied to her clique. Even if I met up with them again and tried to get her alone, I’m sure they’d rush to her defense, telling me that I’m intruding on their girls’ night. Or, she’d tell me that she had a boyfriend. Whether it was true or not, I knew that was code for “fuck off”.

  So, I was pretty shocked when she approached me before they left. I felt like it was the universe paying me back for the shit hand it dealt me earlier. Things were finally going my way.

  She seemed pretty shy, so I know that asking me to go out with her really meant something. Otherwise, she could just approach anyone on the street. I was sure her friends had something to do with it too. They were giggling and whispering too much to not draw attention to their little game.

  I agreed to meet this girl at a club, despite the fact that I didn’t know her name, nor did I know anything about her. Well, except for the fact that she has a new tattoo and I want to have sex with her. That was very clear in my mind.

  Once I was done at the parlor, I went to a bar and got a quick drink. I didn’t want to go back to my apartment, so I grabbed the cheapest beer I could find and sat for a moment.

  I checked my phone. It had been thirty-five minutes since I saw the girl and promised to show up in a half hour. I wasn’t about to show up exactly when she told me to. That would look extremely desperate and though I was desperate, I didn’t want to look needy. There was nothing sexy about that.

  I leisurely finished my beer and made my way toward the club. I was only about twenty minutes late, which still seemed too early. I was just too eager to get with a chick, that I couldn’t help myself.

  Once I got into the place, I spotted her immediately. She was sitting at the bar, talking with her friends. Of course, she had chosen a spot where she could watch the door for me. I ducked around the corner. I would make her wait just a little longer.

  I surveyed the scene to see what kind of women showed up to a place like this. It was classier than the bars I usually frequented, so I guessed she had a lot of money.

  The girls here weren’t really doing it for me. A lot of tall, scrawny, bleach blondes with too much money to spend strutted around so everyone could get a look at their expensive new noses. They just weren’t for me.

  If I didn’t already have a sure thing waiting for me at the bar, I’d probably still try, though.

  Enough was enough. I needed to get this taken care of so I could sleep well. I would chat her up, get her to hook up with me, and then we would part ways, both satisfied. There was nothing to it.

  “I don’t think you told me your name,” I said, touching her bare shoulder.

  Her head spun around, long hair whipping behind.

  “You came,” she said, surprised.

  “I said I would,” I smiled. “I’m Apollo.”

  “Apollo?” she asked. “That’s an interesting name.”

  “It’s a family name. What’s your name?”

  “Sierra.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Sierra. Can I buy you a drink?”

  She nodded and I ordered her a Long Island Iced Tea and a beer for me. I needed all the help I could get.

  “Do you want to dance?” she shouted over the music.

  I hesitated. I didn’t really come to the club to dance and talk. I came for one specific purpose. But, if it would help my chances, I’d give it a try.

  “Sure,” I said, leading her out onto the floor.

  She pressed her magnificent behind against my pelvis and ground on me. I put my hands on her hips and swayed to the beat. I wondered if she could feel my pulsating package begging for a little attention. Having her body on mine was such a tease. My hands were on her, but there was a pesky layer of clothing between us. That needed to change.

  I turned her around so she was facing me. She draped her arms over my shoulders and started kissing me. When we broke away, I leaned in to speak into her ear.

  “I think I know what you want. What if I told you that I wanted the same thing?”

  She looked at me, a little surprised. “What do you mean?” she asked cautiously.

  “I’m saying that the back of the club is dark. We could easily go into one of those little private booths and screw.”

  Her eyes widened. “But won’t someone see us?” she slurred.

  “Not if we’re discreet. What do you say?” I asked, letting my fingers wander around to her ass, giving her a quick squeeze. “I want you, and I get the feeling you want me too.”

  She nodded, a wide smile appearing on her face. “Yes.”

  Good Two Shoes No More

  Sierra

  Everything was happening so quickly. It seemed like it was only a short while ago that I was checking out the hot stranger at the tattoo parlor, and now he was leading me to the back of the club to hook up.

  First of all, I was so shocked that he actually turned up. I spotted him just when Felicity and Kara were comforting me about the fact that he didn’t show. They were probably about five minutes away from playing matchmaker when Apollo approached me.

  Being a well-behaved person, I was pretty hesitant about doing anything with a strange guy, especially in a public place. But, between the drinks and the spirit of the night, I felt like I could do anything.

  “Are you sure we’re not going to get caught?” I asked.

  “No,” he smiled and led me to the back. “That’s what makes it so exciting.”

  He was right about that. I was so desperate for his touch that I would probably jump on top of him in the middle of the dance floor if it came to it. I had never felt desire this strongly before. It probably had to do something about the fact that he was absolutely gorgeous and he chose me, out of all the hot girls in Las Vegas.

  “When I walked in, I noticed these booths in the back,” he said. “I think they’re for private parties. But, since they’re empty, I don’t think anyone would notice if we used them for a few moments.”

  I looked around the club. Sure enough, everyone seemed caught up in their own world. The music was so loud that I could hardly hear him, and it was so dark that I doubted anyone could see what we were getting up to.

  “How—” I stuttered. “How are we going to do this?” I awkwardly gestured between our bodies, hoping he’d understand what I was hinting at.

  “However you want it, baby,” he said, showing his dazzling white teeth.

  I wasn’t an expert on the matter by any means. In fact, I had only done a few different positions in my whole life. I certainly wasn’t equipped with the knowledge of how to have sex in a public place without getting put on a sex predator list.

  Apol
lo leaned up against me, my back on the wall. “Are you nervous?” he asked.

  I shook my head defiantly, trying to prove to myself that I could let loose and enjoy myself.

  He kissed my neck and my knees almost gave out from under me.

  “I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want me to do,” he continued, his fingers finding their way up my skirt. I let out a small gasp when he reached me.

  “I want it,” I gushed. “I want it now.”

  At this, he grabbed my face with both hands and kissed me hard. A fire started inside me. I didn’t care that my friends were somewhere in this bar. I needed to do whatever was necessary to have him.

  Once we stopped to catch our breath, he slid into the corner of the booth and patted his thighs. “Sit on my lap and face the club. If anyone walks by, our lower half will be covered by the table. It’ll just look like we’re having a conversation.”

  I obliged immediately and joined him in the booth, sliding on top of his jeans. Facing out toward the crowd of people on the dance floor, I closed my eyes as Apollo’s hands slid up my thighs, taking my dress with them. He quickly moved my body around and gently inserted himself inside me.

  My hands gripped the table once I felt his size and I moaned. I knew I needed to play it cool, but I completely forgot where I was. I allowed Apollo to bounce me up and down while my weight allowed me to go deeper and deeper.

  “Turn around,” he said breathlessly into my ear. “I want to see your face when I make you come.”

  I obeyed his orders, swiveling around to straddle his legs. He had a light layer of sweat on his face, giving his golden skin an extra glow.

  Now in a more intimate position, we kissed again, his tongue swirling around my mouth.

  We hadn’t been going at it for long, but his intensity was making it hard to hold on for much longer. Luckily for me, the club was so noisy that no one could hear my loud moans of pleasure except for Apollo, who joined along.