Page 15 of Midnight Ink

My eyes lift and I watch Julian close out his station and walk out with Elijah. The door jingles behind them and my hackles rise as I put away my supplies and set up for the next client. “Stop staring at me, Anna, I’m not interested.”

“Oh, baby.” Anna bounces over to my station. “I am a ride you would not survive.”

“Anna, you are ride that would malfunction halfway through and most likely sever one if not all of my limbs.”

She hops into my chair as I clean up. I try to ignore her, but it’s hard. Like trying to ignore a poltergeist so you don’t give it more power. “What are you doing tonight besides not getting railed by Julian⁠—”

“Anna—”

She pops her face into my line of sight. “That’s Elijah’s night.”

“Shut up,” I snap, harsher than I mean. “Sorry.” I shake my head. “Almost done today. Then just going to catch up on sleep. I have a tattoo I need to draw for tomorrow anyway.” I’ll check in with Jamie before the shop opens tomorrow. A tattoo that large is draining for the healthiest person so he’s going to be a mess. I wonder if Maddox would have done it. I’m confident I can finish it. The scars are thick, but they’re not even close to as bad as the ones on his chest.

Jamie told me metal from the jeep had pierced his skin. Just inches in the wrong direction and he would have been gone too. It’s a miracle he’s still here.

“Ian—”

“No.” I blink at her. “Just stop.” I take a breath. “I’ll close up if you want to go home.”

“Who’s going to answer the phone?”

“Is there really a difference between you being here or not?”

“True.” Anna stares at me for a moment before she thankfully concedes. “Fine. I’ll see you Monday.” I feel silence stretch between us. I look up and she’s standing there. “Ian.” It’s very rare that I see Anna serious. In fact, I’ve only seen her serious two other times in my life—the day Maddox died and his funeral. Which is why my chest squeezes.

“What, Grems?”

“It’s okay if you like him.”

Not this again. “Stop⁠—”

“He would’ve wanted you to move on.”

“Anna—”

“Just remember. I knew him better than you did⁠—”

“Not right now.” My teeth clench.

“Ian—”

“Please, just stop.” My throat grows tight. “Stop. I’ll see you Monday.”

She stares at me a moment before she packs her things and leaves without saying another word. Tomorrow we’re usually closed, but the last few months I’ve stayed open to make a dent in our waitlist. It has to let up soon. At first I’d needed the work and distraction, but it’s getting heavier now.

While I wait for my next appointment, all I do is think about what Anna said.

The thing is, I know Maddox would understand if I moved on.

It’s not like I haven’t tried. I have, a few times. But every single time I do I panic. When I try with other people my mind always goes to him. My mind is always on him.

His memory never fades, it only gets sharper.

FOUR

JULIAN

“I’m sorry.”