Bad Boy Ink (Get Ink'd #5) - Ali Lyda Page 0,80

her friend (who might be more than a friend?) so I knew she wouldn’t be alone.

We’d sold the house and split the money, leaving Aiden and I with some cash to start our life in a new city. I’d miss my grandma and would be making frequent trips home, but damn...I was damn near floating on all the hope I had for my future.

For our future.

Everyone stood and we tossed our caps in the air, surrounded by cheering and laughter and screaming. I was older than many of the graduates around me, but I was every bit as relieved and proud to be finished and walking away with a diploma. I managed to make it over to Aiden, pulling him into a tight hug. He clung to me, pressing tight like we were the only people in the world.

We stayed wrapped up in each other until Dane pulled me free and picked me up, swinging me around like I was a five-year-old. “Put me down, you dope!”

“I’m just so proud of my little buddy,” he said before setting me down. Mateo and Javi clapped my shoulders and Reagan shook my hand vigorously. I swore there were tears in his eyes, a hunch solidified when Channing wrapped an arm around the massive redhead and rubbed comforting circles on his back.

Aiden was trying to make himself smaller, suddenly shy amongst the large personalities of Get Ink’d. He shouldn’t have bothered, because it only caught Dane’s attention. He and Bryan wrapped arms around Aiden’s shoulders and held him tight.

“No running away,” Bryan threatened. “We’re taking you back to the store for a real party.”

“You do know I could ruin all of you with one night at the computer and a two-liter of Mountain Dew,” Aiden grumbled.

“No way, man,” Mateo laughed. “Not if you want to keep that cushy FBI job. Your naughty days are done.”

I waggled my eyebrows. “Oh, I wouldn’t say he’s stopped being naughty.”

Everyone laughed and groaned. Aiden glowered. “I hate you all.”

But there was no missing the way the corners of his mouth were tugged up. Yeah, he was pleased, and I was, too. There was something epically heartwarming about seeing the guys embrace us both—even when the embracing looked like giving us shit—and I couldn’t get enough of it.

We all piled into trucks, cars, and for Mateo and Bryan, a motorcycle to head to the shop. When we arrived, it was decked out for a party...complete with film crew.

It had taken some convincing to get Aiden to agree to appear on camera, but the producer of the show felt combining the graduation celebration with my final goodbye and a happily ever after with my new boyfriend would mean great ratings. A perfectly wrapped up storyline. It helped that I’d told Aiden we could use the money from the episode to buy him a souped-up computer rig in our new apartment. The man adored his tech.

Inside, Eryk and Erykah were waiting to welcome us all. There was confetti, balloons, and a massive cake. The camera crew were tucked into corners to keep as much out of the way as possible. I spotted the different friends and lovers who’d been collected through the years: Gordo and Giulianna and Christian were waiting, Channing going to hug and stand with them as they cheered for us.

There was so much happiness in the shop that it ached to know I’d be leaving it.

I found it difficult to speak, relying on my notorious smile to get me through all the hugs and congratulations. Reagan finally tugged me to the side, pulling me into a tight embrace. He thumped my back, and I knew we were both fighting tears.

“You’ll always have a place at Get Ink’d,” he said.

I shook my head. “Eryk is hot and single—your viewers won’t want me back.”

“Fuck the viewers, Bryce, you’re family,” Reagan said fiercely.

I swallowed hard. “I know. And it’s changed my life. You’ve changed my life.”

He reached into his back pocket and pulled something out. An envelope. Reagan tried to hand it to me, and I shook my head. “No, I can’t—”

“You are completely outnumbered. Open the damn envelope,” Reagan said, trying to sound curt.

My hand shook as I took the envelope and tore it open. It contained two things: the first was a check for five thousand dollars. I wanted to puke. “This is too much.”

“Everyone chipped in, including the film crew. I don’t think you understand how well loved you are, Bryce. Not just liked, not just appreciated