Jake frowned and put his hand on her hip.
“Jake!” his brother Graham called out. “Get your ass out here. Murphy passed out. You need to get dressed, say goodbye to the chick, and get in the fucking car. Sorry to interrupt and all, but you didn’t answer your phone.”
Jake cursed, his body shaking for a whole new reason. “Damn it.”
Maya looked at him questioningly even as she helped him zip up his pants, tucking his still hard cock, wet from her mouth, away. He saw the questions in her gaze and knew he had to at least tell her something.
“Murphy is our youngest brother,” he said as he tied up her top. “He’s going through chemo now, but we thought he was doing okay.” Fear crawled up his spine and settled in his get. “He was supposed to be okay.” His voice cracked, and he didn’t care that Maya had heard it.
Tears filled her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She kissed him softly and patted his chest. “I’ll call a cab. Go to your brother. Family is important.” She gave him a sad smile. “Find me at Montgomery Ink, the tattoo shop off 16th Street Mall when you’re ready. If you want.” She paused. “I hope your brother is okay.”
And with that, she opened the door and passed a wide-eyed Graham before walking out of Jake’s home and life.
Three months later.
Jake stared up at the sign to Montgomery Ink, his hands in his pockets and his heart a little heavy, wondering if he was about to make another fucking mistake. It had been three months since he’d watched Maya walk away and his life had gone to shit. Now, here he was, his beard unkempt and what felt like another decade of living on his shoulders.
Murphy had almost died that night, and Jake wasn’t sure what he would have done if his baby brother hadn’t made it. As it was, it was still touch and go, but Murphy was stable, and Jake needed to get out of his home and out of the damn hospital. Maya had told him to come to Montgomery Ink when he could, and this was the first time he’d been able to—not only physically, but mentally, as well.
Since the place was called Montgomery, he figured her family owned it—or rather Maya had to. He liked the idea that she had her own shop, and he knew she’d be damn good at running it and everything that came with it. She was good at so many things.
He just hoped he wasn’t too late.
As soon as he entered the building, his senses were assaulted with rock music, laughter, and conversation. A young kid stood at the front desk, tapping her pencil on a notepad as she studied from some textbook. There were at least eight stations around the building with what looked like a door to an office and another to a bathroom in the back.
It was nice.
All hot pink and black with artwork on the walls that spoke of talent. He recognized some of the work as that of the artist who had inked Maya’s skin. He’d only been with her one night, but he knew her ink like the back of his hand. He remembered it vividly. He wouldn’t call it an obsession, but it was damn close.
“Jake?”
His head shot up at the sound of her voice, and he froze. She stood in one of the stations, her smile wide, concern in her eyes, and another man’s arms around her waist. From the possessive way the man held her, Jake knew this guy wasn’t one of her many brothers or countless cousins.
He was too late.
Again.
He pushed that thought from his mind, as well as the achy feeling in his gut, and put on a smile. He just hoped she couldn’t read him. If she could, then she’d see the smile for the fake it was.
“Hey, Maya,” he said, his voice gruff. He cleared his throat and tried to act casual. “Nice place you have here.”
She beamed up at him before patting the guy’s arm. When the man didn’t release her, she glared up at him and moved away. She came up to Jake and punched him on the shoulder.
“Took you long enough to show up,” she said with a smile while studying his face. “Murphy okay?” She said the last part softly, as if afraid of the answer.
Jake nodded. “He’s okay now. It took me a while to get here because…well…just because.”
Maya gave him a sad smile and nodded, as well. “Well, you’re here. Welcome to my shop.”
“Our shop,” a big, bearded dude with eyes like Maya’s said from another station.
“That would be my brother, Austin.” Maya flipped the big man off. “We’re a new shop, but I think we’re doing pretty well. So, what do you think?”
He met her gaze and knew if he walked out today he would never see her again. If he didn’t stay and talk, she’d be out of his life for good, and Jake wasn’t sure he could handle that.
“It’s…fucking amazing, Maya,” he said truthfully.
“Baby, I thought we were getting lunch,” the dude who’d had his arms around her grumbled.