Inked (Going All the Way #1) - Jenika Snow Page 0,7

him like she was dying of thirst and he was the last glass of cold water in the world, but it was more than that.

Sure, his physical appearance was what initially attracted her, but she heard the way he joked with the guys, how hard he worked, and how talented he was. He was a mega-package all rolled into one; he was smart, badass, and the type of guy she had always seen herself with was one that was strong mentally just as much as he was physically. “Dad, I’m not trying to date anyone. I am just going there for a tattoo. You need to lighten up a bit.” She smiled up at him, because even though he was sometimes overly protective, she reminded herself that she was his child, and no age would ever change that. “But I don’t need anyone coming with me, okay?”

It took him a minute to respond, and she could tell he wanted to argue. Scars was not the type of man who people said no to. When he gave an order, they obeyed. It was the way it worked and always had been.

“Yeah, I do need to give you space. But I look at you and see my little girl.” He handed her the picture back and wrapped his arms around her. “I just worry about you. I worry that I’m going to lose you like I lost your mother, and that breaks my fucking heart.” This was not the conversation or frame of mind she wanted to have right before seeing Cadeon.

Stella wrapped her arms around her dad and rested her head on his chest. “I know, Dad, but I’ll be okay.” She leaned back and looked up into his face. “I’ll call you after it’s done, okay?”

He sighed dramatically. “Okay, baby girl.”

She grinned at the way he said that, like it was some big pain in his ass to let her walk away and be an adult. She turned and left the clubhouse, and as soon as she was outside, everything else faded away until all she felt once more was that anticipation of what she was about to do and who was going to do it.

4

Stella pulled her car into one of the empty spots in front of Ipseity and cut the engine. The front windows were the kind that people passing by couldn’t see inside, but the ones inside could see outside. There were some of those block-style windows high above the main ones, and although they were frosted, she could see the lights were on.

The OPEN neon sign was off, and the only vehicle in the parking lot was Cadeon’s Harley. Swallowing her nervousness about getting her first ever tattoo, and the fact that she would be alone with the man she lusted after, she climbed out of the car and headed toward the front. First, she tried opening the door, but it was locked, so she knocked on the thick glass.

A minute passed, and then right when she was about to knock again, she heard heavy footsteps. Taking a step back when she heard a lock disengaging, Stella swore her heart was about to burst through her chest. The door opened, and standing right inside was Cadeon wearing a T-shirt that looked like it was tailored to form along his hard, wide chest. The jeans he wore were distressed, but it wasn’t because he’d bought them that way, but because he had worn the hell out of them.

And then there was the silver chain that hung against the side of his leg and was attached to his wallet. God, the whole sight of him had a flush spreading along her body at an astounding rate.

“Hey.” He grinned and held the door open for her.

She smiled and stepped inside, and the sound of The Beatles playing overhead could be heard even though the volume was low. Looking behind her, she watched as he shut the door and locked it.

“So, you know what you want?” He turned to face her.

Once again, she was struck by how big he was compared to her. He had to work out all the time in order to achieve that kind of physique.

“Stella?”

She felt her face heat and realized she had been checking him out and hadn’t answered his question.

“You okay?” There was this rough, gravelly quality to his voice. It almost sounded as if he was trying to force the words out.

She swallowed and nodded. “Yeah, I, uh….” She reached in her purse