Dee is nodding her head enthusiastically now, “It’s true, and you should see our chocolate stash. We’re good for, at least, a solid year of orgasms. Who needs a boy when you have Hershey’s!”

Greg smiles over at us, laughing right along with Beck now. “You two are fucking nuts, you know that?”

I open my mouth to respond when Dee yells, “Hey, is it true that you guys think about sex seven times a day?” She is looking directly at Beck; I might laugh if I didn’t decide there was a serious need in this knowledge. I stop long enough to ponder that one. I’ve never really given that much thought, case in point, I am not having sex, therefore why do I need to think about it. “Yeah, is it something like, because you have a giant dick bobbing around down there, you are constantly reminded to think about using it? Like you have some sex beacon?” I am completely serious right now.

Beck and Greg look at each other, then back at us, then they throw their heads back and laugh so deep and so loud they draw the attention of almost the whole place.

I don’t think they understand how serious I am right now. “This isn’t funny,” I pout.

Greg stops laughing and starts to answer with humor twinkling in his eyes but his phone interrupts him. Glancing down at the display with a small frown, he excuses himself from the table.

Okay, whatever. I look over at Beck and throw my question back at him, “So? Do you? Do you think about sex that much?”

“Sugar,” he starts, before turning his attention back over to Dee, “I have thought about sex, hard fucking dirty sex, about a hundred times since we sat down to eat.” Looking back over at me, “Does that clear it up for you?”

Oh, my.

“Ah, well…okay. I think we need more beer!” I grab the empty pitcher and take off to find the waitress for more. I glance back at the table on my way to the bar and notice that Dee is still locking eyes with Beck, a look of complete rapture on her face.

I take my time returning, giving those two dirty perverts a second to do whatever it is they seem to be doing, before I make my way back over.

“So, what’s next on the schedule for today, or I guess tonight now?” I ask, trying my hardest not to snicker at my two tablemates. If this gets any more heated, I might feel like I was an unwilling threesome participant.

Dee clears her throat and looks over at me, lust still clouding her brown eyes. “Um. I know, let’s go get some tattoos! You keep talking about how much you want one.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Dee. I think they frown on people being a mile over the legal drinking limit.”

Dee and I continue our debate on the benefits of getting tattoos when you are far from sober, when Greg returns. The laughter and lightness that had taken over his face is gone, and his scowl is back. Looks like grumpy Greg is back.

“G, Dee wants to go get some ink, personally, I think it might not be the best idea…you know, numerous pitchers of beer and all, what do you think?” He seems shocked by my question. Maybe he was expecting me to push him on his mood or it could be the fact that I have suddenly decided branding myself with something permanent might be a good idea.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, baby girl. Not something you do when you aren’t thinking straight and damn sure not something you do when your head isn’t in the right place.” He’s looking right at me when he says that, there is no denying, he is only speaking to me. No joking to be found in his tone now, seriousness is painted heavily all over that reply. No fucking way, I knew he wouldn’t be able to leave it be for long and that comment just pisses me the hell off. My head is fine just where it is and I do not want him psychoanalyzing me.

I look over at Dee, who seems to be just as shocked at his answer as I am. Which just further pisses me off. Damn infuriating man. “Dee, where’s that place you told me about the other day? You know the one your assistant was telling you about?”

She looks at me, trying to judge if I’m serious or not and I practically bug my eyes out of their sockets to communicate that I was very fucking serious.

“Right, you mean Smudge, the new parlor over on Grove. She said the big guy that does her work, is the best, but I couldn’t tell you his name.”

“Perfect, just perfect. Finish up people, places to go.” I clap my hands together and look at Greg with all the seriousness I have in me. He will not stop me. No way in hell, he would have to lock me up now. “Head not in the right place,” fucking asshole. He’s pissed, I know he is. I down another two beers, locking eyes with Dee. She has a look about her that says she’s down for whatever but clearly confused by my agreement to visit Smudge. She brought it up, so she better be ready.

Greg leans over and says something to Beck before getting up and marching out the door again. I watch him throw the door open and storm out, I look over at Beck. “What the hell is his problem now?”

“Don’t know sugar, he just said he needed to do something and he would meet us there.”

Okay, I might have overreacted slightly, but you know what, I am sick of being treated with kid gloves, like some breakable porcelain doll that might shatter with the smallest touch. My path to find the old Izzy starts right now and I’m not going to let Greg and his shit-fit mess this up.

“You two almost ready to go? I’m going to go track down our ticket so we can get out of here. Think about what you want to get, you little bitch, remember this was your idea.” I stand up and walk off, once again, leaving them at the table but I doubt they are drenched in their lust cloud anymore. Beck is probably trying to figure out what brand of fucked up he has stumbled on and Dee is probably back to worrying. At least this time she isn’t worried about my mental stability, or at least I hope she isn’t. She is probably worried about this big-ass boulder that seems to have popped up between Greg and me.

Chapter 9

Dee is pretty silent when we first get in the cab after leaving Heavy’s. She is probably still playing back my refusal to ride with the boys. We left her car at Heavy’s and jumped in the first cab I saw, leaving a fuming Greg and a confused Beck standing at his truck. Greg was waiting outside of Heavy’s when we walked out. So much for him having something to take care of. I knew if we let Greg drive he would control the destination and I was seeing this through.

For the first five minutes, she sits silently, gazing out her window, soft country music plays through the speakers, not loud but enough that the silence isn’t awkward. She finally has enough and turns to me.

“Alright, tell me what’s this really about, Iz. This is more than a few drinks and sex jokes. What’s really going on up there?” She reaches over and taps my head.

“Nothing is going on up there, Dee. I’m sick of everyone looking at me like I am some unfixable toy. Some toy that no matter how many times you slather Elmer’s on keeps falling apart. I’m sick of being that girl, Dee. Greg just pushed my buttons when he said I wasn’t right in the head. I’m fine, just because I don’t want to talk about…Axel, that does not mean I’m not right in the head. It doesn’t.”

“Who exactly are you trying to convince, Izzy?” she says softly.

“I don’t need to convince anyone. I just need you to have my back and trust me to handle this on my own terms.” I let out a frustrated huff and turn my head to watch the city zoom past. I’m so tired from this week of dodging Greg and running from Axel, I just want it to be over. This bad dream that I am beyond ready to wake up from.

“Okay, Iz. I understand, or at least I’m trying to. I just don’t like seeing you hurting, and I don’t like seeing you and Greg fight. You know he’s got to be hurting too, He would do anything to take your pain away. You know that. Don’t think he is being pushy to be a dick, he really does care.”

I don’t reply. What’s the point? I don’t know what to think about Greg. I know he cares but now that his loyalty is torn, I can honestly say I don’t know which way he is going with his need to chat with me. He wants me happy, I know that much, but at what cost?

We pull up in front of Smudge a few minutes later; the cabby lets us out right at the front door. I quickly pay him and rush for the door. I see Greg’s truck roaring up the street when I take off for the inside of the building. He won’t cause a scene, not in a public place like this. He might look at me with his displeasure and judgment but he won’t say anything. No, I will get that later.

We walk into the brightly lit building, the walls are painted a deep red, the ceiling and the tile is black. They have the room set up with little cubicles against the sidewalls, each one with a wall about four feet tall. There are some rooms against the back wall, but all three have blacked out windows. Not sure I want to know what happens back there. I walk over to the huge ‘U’ shaped display case set up in the middle of the room. There is a young, heavily tattooed woman standing behind it. Her short pixie hair is sticking out in random directions and dyed electric blue. Her face is classically beautiful and would look odd against her body art and hair of choice but she has the most elaborate makeup on. Her eye shadow is as bright and as blue as her hair, thick black lines outline her almost violet eyes and her lips are painted red.

“What’s up ladies? I’m Trix. Welcome to Smudge. We’ve got a few clients ahead of you but I think we can fit you in. Which one of you plan on getting some ink tonight?” She asks with a cheerful smile.

Dee looks over at me, clearly starting to second guess opening her big mouth back at Heavy’s, but no way am I letting her off the hook. “Both of us.” I shoot over at Trix, giving her a smirk of my own. I hear the bell over the door clank; I don’t need to turn around to know who just came in the door. Even if I didn’t know it was Greg, the look Trix is shooting over my shoulder says it all. Greg might be like a brother to me, but even I can admit how hot he is. Next to Beck, I’m sure the boys are quite an eye full.

“Right, so where do we need to wait?” She can lust after them when she gets this show on the road.

She looks back at me, a slight blush spotting her white cheeks, “Sorry, okay, I just need a copy of your license and for you both to fill out these forms. Have a seat over on those couches and have a look at the photo books on the table if you need to get an idea of what you want. I’ll go see who is almost finished and can pick y’all up next.” She turns to look over at Greg and Beck one more time before walking down the rows of cubicles. I have just enough time to register her hot pink tutu as she disappears into one of the back rooms. Hmm, maybe next time I need to ask her to take me shopping, tutus look pretty freaking awesome.

I grab Dee’s arm and pull her over to the couch, thrusting the clipboard with the forms on them in her arms. “Fill them out, and then look.” I say, pointing over to the binders. I make quick work of filling out the sheets, pull my license out of my wallet and walk back over to Trix. Handing everything over for her to do her thing with, I walk back over and sit down next to Dee. She is slow enough with her papers that I know she is trying to find a way to back out, no fucking way.