“If it helps,” Benji says, “I can tick off at least a dozen things we haven’t made our parents privy to.”
Easton remains silent as I begin to fume, face burning in response, unsure of how much has already been revealed. All it took was a trip to the bathroom for him to break my confidence. Benji continues, a smile growing on his face as he pauses his gun. “So, you blackmailed my boy into a story to get dirt, huh?”
“Jesus, really, G?” Easton snaps as Benji’s eyes challenge me for an answer.
“I…I,” I falter as I try to decide whether to flee or attempt damage control.
“It’s okay,” Benji assures, placing two black latex-covered fingers across the outline before running the needle along the pattern on Easton’s side. I can’t even look at him for fear I’ll take Benji’s gun and start working on a different sort of art. “It’s cool, Natalie. East explained it, and believe it or not, I get it. My own parents are a shitshow.”
“Well, apparently, it was poorly explained because mine aren’t,” I snap, standing and glaring down at Easton. He stares back at me, remorse shining in his eyes. “Is this fucking funny to you?” I shake my head, not believing that he sold me out so easily. “I guess I deserve it,” I shoulder my purse, “but I assure you, your secrets are still safe with me. Have a nice fucking life.”
“Fuck, man, sorry,” Benji whispers as I stomp toward the door.
“Natalie, stop,” Easton calls as I push out of the parlor and glance around, having no idea where I am or which direction to go. Choosing right, I lift my phone and start to order a car when it’s ripped from my hands. Keeping my eyes down, I refuse to look at Easton as I go to retrieve it from his hand, his bare, heaving chest in my line of sight as he easily holds it out of reach. “Hey, hey, it’s not like that.”
“It’s exactly like that,” I snap. “You told him everything!”
“I’m sorry, okay, he’s a dumpster fire at subtlety.”
“Well, now it’s obvious where you get it.” I’m so pissed, I still can’t look at him, but I hear the shake in my voice. “If you’re intent on humiliating me as payback, you’ve done an amazing job already, and maybe I do deserve it, but game over, okay? This can’t get back to my dad, Easton, or your mom, not ever.”
“That type of shit is not in my makeup,” he snaps. “I’m not capable of manipulating a situation that way.”
“You mean not like I have? Do you even realize you just insulted me, again?”
“That’s your guilt twisting the words into something other than I intended.” He grips my shoulders. “Look at me.”
I flick up my gaze as Easton stares down at me in earnest, a glint of the panic I felt last night reflecting back at me.
“Benji is as real as they come, and he gets shit like this—people like us—who live a little emotionally further above the surface than most.”
“That’s not me.”
“No? Maybe it wasn’t, but it seems to be now.”
I exhale as he squeezes my shoulders in prompt.
“He’s a brother to me in every sense but blood. I trust him with my life, just like I’m trusting you, fucking blindly, I might add. All I’m asking you for is the same.” He exhales harshly as I trail the goosebumps erupting across his exposed skin. Gripping the sleeve of his jacket, I go to return it, and he stops me, his voice sharp. “Don’t.”
“It’s freezing.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the jacket,” he snaps. I look up at him and see the same soft expression he’s given me glimpses of in our time together. “I’m the one you chose,” he rasps out softly. “Like it or not, for some reason, I’m the one you chose to come to, to work this out with. Benji’s a little older than me, not by much, but he might have some insight that I don’t. That’s why I told him. I’m sorry I didn’t give you the heads-up.”
“Fine. I’ll try, but do you mind telling me why you’re so moody today?”
“Do we need to hash everything out right now while I’m standing half-dressed in the fucking street?”
“No…sorry,” I say, screwing up my lips. “It just seems like you’re out to hurt me today.”
“Then you aren’t reading the situation correctly. Come on,” he says, his jade eyes imploring. When I remain where I am, posture tense with indecision, he cups my cheek with a gentle palm, bending so we’re eye level. “This time, I’m the asshole for blindsiding you. I’m owning it.”
“It’s not just that, but Easton,” I damn near close my eyes at the feel of his thumb whispering along my cheek, “maybe I should just go. I mean, I’m leaving tomorrow anyway.”
“You don’t want to go,” he fires back with conviction, gripping my hand and jingling it within his. “And I don’t want you to go, either.”
His admission stuns me briefly as he looks down at me the way he did last night when we nearly combusted outside the hotel. Judgment clouding and damned near seduced, I don’t argue as he turns abruptly and leads me back to the shop. We glance at each other as he opens the door, the slight lift of his lips fueling my steps inside.
“Cool,” Benji says, seeming unfazed by my outburst. Easton releases my hand and takes his place back on the table, his watchful eyes pinned on me as I sink back into the seat.
“You look like you could use a drink,” Benji says, readying his gun. “Pour yourself a beer. There’s wine in the cooler, too.”
“You’re right. You two want one?”
Benji shakes his head. “He can’t drink as he’s getting inked, and I won’t while I’m inking him. The bar is more for those waiting. We’ll take waters.”
“Got it,” I say, deciding it’s not the worst idea. Tipping the glass into the nozzle, I pour myself a Smoked Porter overhearing a little of their heated exchange, grinning at the “stupid motherfucker,” curse coming from Easton as the music changes. Beer in hand, I grab two bottles of water from the fridge before walking back over and passing them out. Benji thanks me as I place his on the counter of the station next to where he works, and hand Easton his. His eyes probe me as if to ask, ‘we okay?’ and I nod easily. His shoulders visibly relax, and the sight of it warms me further. We hold our connection as I resume my seat and tip my beer. Gun buzzing in short bursts, Benji speaks up after grabbing more ink.
“The reason I admitted my parents’ relationship is a shitshow,” Benji says without looking up, intent on his task, “is because if their history is screwing with your head, I can relate.” Stopping his gun, he scoffs and shakes his head before pressing the needles back into Easton’s skin. “Their relationship has been a thirty-year saga.”
“How so?”
He looks at me pointedly.
“Anything you say is off the record. You have my word.”
He weighs my promise, and I speak up again.
“I have a paper to inherit, and I’m not gambling it or my integrity away for any story, no matter how in demand it is.”
Benji dips his chin. “It’s not like it’s a secret anyway. They’ve been on and off my whole life. To this day, they live separately but are crazy, and I mean fucking craaazzzyyy in love, which, for them, has never really been a good thing.”
“If they’re so in love…why aren’t they together? Is it because of her infidelity?”
“Yeah, after Mom purposefully sabotaged their relationship because of her insecurity, Dad was never able to forgive her, but neither have ever really let each other go.”
“So, they haven’t been together since?”
“Yeah, they have, but not long term and never exclusively. I guess that’s Dad’s fucked up way of punishing her over the years, and Mom’s so stubborn that she’s never fully admitted to him that punishment has worked all too well. Dad went as far as to get engaged, even though he was still clearly in love with her. This is also the reason neither have ever married. I would love to say I came out of their drama unscathed, but it’s not the case. In fact, it’s no secret to those who know me well that I would rather shoot off my cock than get serious with anyone. That’s what I was trying to convey—”