Into The Fire - E. L. Todd Page 0,101

totally booked. I’m not yanking your chain.”

He sighed then glanced at her hands on the counter. “Your husband lets you front a place like this? If you were mine, you’d be at home waiting for me every day.”

Did this fucker want to die?

“Flattery isn’t going to get you an appointment. Actually, it might get you killed.”

“That’s not why I said it. There are other shops in the city. But there’s only one you.”

Enough of that. I was used to men hitting on Alessandra left and right. I tried not to let it get to me because I honestly couldn’t blame them. But it pissed me off anyway. I approached the counter beside Alessandra and looked down at him.

“Oh no,” Alessandra whispered under her breath.

“Lay off my wife.” I stared him down with malcontent.

He stiffened like he’d just been stabbed. “Your wife?”

“Unless you want to die, of course.” A tattoo of a wedding ring was on my left finger. Jewelry wasn’t my thing unless it was pierced into my skin.

“Sorry, I didn’t know…” He backed away.

“That she was married?” I asked incredulously. “Yes, you did, motherfucker.”

Alessandra rested her hand on mine. “Keep calm. People are in here.”

The guy headed to the door. “I’m gonna go…”

“He’s lucky I don’t keep my gun here.” My eyes followed him until he was completely out of sight.

Alessandra balanced on her tiptoes and gave me a kiss. “Don’t let him bother you. You have an appointment in room three.”

I released a quiet growl. “I’m going to get you a sandwich board that says you’re mine and make you ring a bell so everyone will see it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Go, Ash.”

I crushed my mouth to hers and gave her a hard kiss before I finally walked away.

***

The shop finally closed and it was time to go home. Alessandra and I were usually there from nine to five during the week. On the weekends, we had the employees take care of it.

After wiping everything down and sanitizing the equipment, everyone else left and I took care of the money and the safe.

“Long day, huh?” Alessandra asked from behind me.

“It really was.” I locked the safe then threw the receipts on the desk. “I’m ready for dinner.”

“Me too. But there’s something I want to do before we leave.”

I eyed the desk. “You want me to bend you over? I’d love to.”

She didn’t bother rolling her eyes. She walked into one of the piercing rooms then undressed herself.

“You want to have sex in the chair?” I asked. “That’s fine by me. Lay on your stomach and I’ll give it to you deep.”

She removed her clothes then lay on her back.

“That’s great too,” I said. “I love watching you come anyway.”

“No,” she said calmly. “I want you to remove my clit piercing.”

“What?” Was she trying to kill me? “Why?”

“Sit down and I’ll tell you.”

I dropped into the stool then rolled toward her. “You love that thing. Why would you want to get rid of it?” Was she crazy? That thing gave her so much pleasure in bed. If I just blew on it, she writhed and screamed.

“Ash.” She grabbed my hand and rubbed her thumb over the knuckles. There was joy in her eyes, not anger or pain. Excitement brewed deep inside, and it seemed like it would explode at a moment’s notice.

What was going on here? Why was she so excited to have her piercing removed? Did she not realize it would be a little painful? Did she want me to pierce something else instead? Or maybe get some ink? “What’s up, baby?”

She took a deep breath before she spoke. “I need you to take it out because…I’m having a baby.”

Of all the things I expected her to say, that wasn’t it. My jaw automatically unhinged and I couldn’t wipe away my surprise. Before we got married, I didn’t want kids. But now that I’d spent two amazing years with her, it didn’t sound so bad. But when she told me she was having my baby, indescribable happiness flushed through me. My eyes even watered. “What?”

“I’m only a month along…” She moved my hand to her stomach. “But he’s in there.”

My hand took up her entire stomach. I tried to feel for kicking or a heartbeat. In a few months, she would be bigger and rounder. My family would begin. I’d be a father.

“Ash?” Her smile faded at the look on my face.

I came back to reality. “Baby, I’m so damn happy.” I leaned down and pressed a kiss