gave me a small smile of reassurance. "I think I'd know if you were my sister, babe. Don't stress; Zed's just being a prick."
Still, my stomach twisted uncomfortably. "Thanks for killing the mood, asshole," I muttered to Zed. "I'm grabbing drinks. You guys want something?"
They gave me their preferences, and I made my way into the kitchen to grab them. My mind was a million miles away, though, ticking over a plan for how I might get a DNA sample from Chase. My flimsy long-term plan for dealing with him depended on getting a bit closer anyway, but... how close could I handle without totally losing myself?
For the next few hours while Cass continued Lucas's tattoo, Zed and I hung out in the living room playing some Call of Duty and then starting a movie that we'd both seen enough times to recite the dialogue word for word.
"Done," Cass announced eventually, sitting back and stretching his neck.
Lucas looked down at his inked chest and grinned wide. "Holy shit, Cass. That is incredible."
I hopped up from the couch where Zed and I were trading off on Keanu's lines and went to see the finished product. Cass had almost perfectly replicated the sketch I'd found, turning the Darling brand on Lucas's chest into a star constellation over a stormy sea. A highly detailed lighthouse cast light over the waves, and on the rocks there was a small, silhouetted woman looking up at the lighthouse. Her shadow cast across the ground in the shape of a wolf, but the best part of the whole thing—in my opinion—were the rocks.
The rocks at the base of the lighthouse, where the ocean crashed with startling realism. The rocks that looked a whole lot like gumdrops dusted with sugar.
"You said you didn't wanna get rid of the brand," Cass muttered with a shrug as he applied antibacterial cream and a plastic film over the new tattoo. "Figured you needed some ink to look a bit more badass. Keep it covered till morning, then just keep it clean while it heals."
Lucas was still smiling so hard I thought he might try and hug Cass, but he contained himself to a bro fist-bump instead. "Thank you, man. This means a lot."
Cass just grunted, then jerked his chin at me. "Get on the table, Red."
Lucas slid off, heading over to show Zed his new design, and I arched a brow at Cass in question.
He just gave me a flat look in response. "Come on, it's not your first. Don't you trust me? Take your shirt off."
Rolling my eyes, I tugged my shirt over my head and sat my ass up on the tattoo table. Cass gave my flesh a critical look, then swiped a hand over his face.
"Bra too," he murmured, his voice deep and rough, "and lie back."
I flicked a quick glance over at Zed, who was watching us closely, then flicked my bra clasp open and tossed it aside. Lying back on the table, I draped my arm over my breasts, and Cass released a long breath.
"I'll be quick," he told me, moving my arm slightly so he could access the area he wanted, right below my left breast, where he stroked his thumb across my skin and made me shiver. The buzz of his tattoo gun started a moment later, and I forced myself to stay dead still.
He was done in just a couple of minutes, looking a bit fucking smug as he wiped the excess ink away and applied a swipe of ointment to the lines. Then he placed a feather light kiss against the side of my breast, right above my new ink, and I almost died. At the very least, I drenched my panties. Fucking hell, Cass was going to kill me with those tender moments.
Wordless, he handed me a little mirror out of his kit and let me inspect the finished design. When I saw what it was, I couldn't wipe the smile away.
"Is it okay?" he muttered after a minute, and my gaze jerked up to his.
I blinked a couple of times, then sat up and looped my arms around his neck. My lips met his, and I kissed him with all the overwhelming emotion he was causing inside me. The tattoo was small and simple, but it was perfect: a little skull with cat ears and a scowl. He'd given me a dead grumpy cat.
"I fucking love it," I told him, my arms still locked around his neck and my breasts