Cruz (Dark and Dirty Sinners' MC #5) - Serena Akeroyd Page 0,24

in the past, preferring someone who was on the same level as me, I had to admit, it was a revelation.

The white noise in my head quit some when Cruz was around, and I enjoyed that more than I could say.

A shaky breath escaped me at the thought, and the need that writhed through me was uncomfortable to handle, especially when David was looking at me like I was a walking goddess.

I was no one’s idea of a goddess.

Unless you were into ink, and then, okay, I’d accept the title.

What I could do with a tattoo gun was magic. Sheer, fucking perfection. Worthy of a chef’s kiss, if I did say so myself.

“Thanks,” I grunted at him, slapping my shades over my eyes before I traced over the lines of the design I’d come up with twelve weeks ago.

This particular tattoo was taking a hell of a lot longer than I’d like, but not for monetary reasons. Sure, it was worth a couple of grand, but a tattoo this detailed had to be broken up into hourly slots. The trouble was that every time I worked on Laura, she cringed and tensed up like I was stabbing her with knives instead of a tattoo gun.

It was agony—for both of us.

“Here,” David soothed, and I’d have laughed if I’d have been anyone outside this scenario, looking in.

He wafted a pot of coffee in front of me, literally under my nose. It was like putting a freshly baked pie in front of Yogi bear or something.

But I was me. And I did take David for granted.

“Thanks.” I snatched the mug from him and, kicking my Converse-clad feet up on the desk, I sank back and started slurping.

The pattern wasn’t one I’d have suggested. It was more fitting for a cushion or a set of curtains, in my opinion, nothing really original, but Laura had come to me with it, and that’s what I was giving her. There were massive frond leaves that played peekaboo with tropical creatures, an expanse of greenery from a rainforest that I didn’t have to get to design. What set it above a regular illustration was the detail. There were birds in the design I couldn’t remember the name of, but they looked like they could fly off her tit they were so realistic.

Reacquainting myself with the overlay, and also adding a few details here and there, I switched focus as he told me, “Laura will be here in two hours. Want anything from the bakery next door to set yourself up for the appointment?”

I shook my head, not even bothering to look when he headed out of the tattoo parlor for his lunch. Sure, he cared, and it was nice, and his awareness of how exhausting the session with Laura was was touching, but I couldn’t be too encouraging.

If I wasn’t careful, he’d start breaking into my apartment again. That hadn’t been an issue in the past, but if he did it when Cruz came over? Fuck, he’d shoot David. I didn’t want my PA to die nor my fuck buddy to go to jail, especially when it was unnecessary.

When the bell tinkled over the door, my focus wasn’t disturbed, because I knew it was him heading for the bakery that made the best bao rolls in the area, but when it rang again, I wanted to groan because I hated dealing with pop-ins this early in the morning.

Only, when I raised my head, trying not to glare at the customer who, ya know, paid my bills, I registered this kind of walk-in was one I could tolerate.

“You look like you’re in a mood.”

“I am.” I tipped my head to the side as I peered at Giulia, my brother’s woman, marveling—and not for the first time—that Nyx had settled down.

Nyx was the coolest psychopath you’d ever come across. He was so high-functioning you’d never know he was a serial killer.

Not that I was supposed to know that either. I was just the person who tattooed his trophies onto his back—that was all.

Giulia wasn’t what I’d have picked for him, not exactly, but the bundle of Italian curves seemed to have my brother’s cock in a clamp, so who was I to argue? If she stopped him from heading down the river to Crazytown, then I was grateful.

I’d lost too much family to want Nyx to disappear as well.

Even if he did drive me fucking insane.

“What kind of mood?” Giulia asked, blinking at me as she perched her