music blaring through the speakers. Tank had just started working on Justin’s new tattoo because they had gone out for a beer with the guys after leaving Chloe’s house and had stayed for a while. The shop was closed, but two other tattoo artists, Gia and Aria, were talking in the workstation across from Tank’s while Aria cleaned up from her last client.
Tank was a talented tattooist, but he wasn’t the best conversationalist, and once he got into the zone, he tended to stay there. Justin didn’t mind. It gave him a chance to think about Chloe and their date tomorrow night. He’d been waiting for a chance to take her out for so long, he should have a list of a dozen out-of-this-world dates at the ready. But out-of-this-world didn’t feel right, despite the fact that Chloe was the classiest woman he knew. After their talk on the beach, he knew there was a lot more down-home girl to her than anyone thought. Maybe even more than she realized. He wanted to impress her, of course, but not by going all out. He’d rather plan something that would show her he saw who she really was. He’d love to get her on the back of his bike, but he planned to take his truck tomorrow night in case she freaked out about riding on the back of a motorcycle. Baby steps…
Tank turned off the tattoo gun and said, “You riding Sunday?” as he wiped Justin’s back.
Summer traffic could be a nightmare on the Cape, so they tried to get together with their brothers and friends on Sundays for long rides off the Cape.
“Absolutely. You?” As he said it, he had visions of Chloe joining them on one of their rides.
Tank nodded and began tattooing again. His cousin looked tired but fierce. He’d looked that way ever since Ashley had died. Between the tattoo shop and the firehouse, Tank worked long hours. Justin had a feeling he was trying to outrun the memories of the night he’d found Ashley. But Tank was locked down tighter than Alcatraz. Justin could never be sure what was going on in his cousin’s mind.
“How are things at the firehouse?”
Tank lifted the needle from Justin’s back and shrugged. He wiped the area he was tattooing and went back to work.
“Ask him if he’s getting any sleep these days,” Gia said as she and Aria walked across the aisle.
Gia had worked for Tank for several years. She was all legs, with skin the color of cocoa, colorful tattoos on her arms and legs, and enough sass for an army of women. She towered over petite and shy Aria, who had worked there for about two years and who was also a billboard for body art. Like Tank, she had her nostril pierced.
“You giving Aria a lift home?” Tank asked.
“Actually, I convinced her to go to Undercover with me,” Gia said. “It is Friday night, you know. You should head over and hang out with us later.”
Tank lifted his needle, eyeing Aria. He was protective of all of the people who worked with him, male and female, but Aria had issues with anxiety and social situations, which made him even more protective of her. Zeke had tutored Aria when she was in high school, and when she’d started working with Tank, Zeke had schooled him and their brothers and cousins on ways to help her feel more comfortable.
“You good with that, Aria?” Tank asked.
Aria tucked her long blond hair behind her ear and nodded. “Yeah.”
“Is Cait going to be there?” Tank asked.
Cait was another employee of his. She was a sharp, guarded tattooist and body piercer who, though quiet, was acutely aware of everything going on around her. Justin knew exactly what Tank was thinking. If Cait was going to meet them there, she would keep an eye on the girls and make sure nothing bad went down.
“No. She had something going on tonight.” Gia put her arm around Aria and said, “I’ve got her, Tank. I’d never let anything happen to our girl.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I’m done,” Tank said.
“How about you, Maverick? You game for a few drinks?” Gia asked.
The only woman Justin wanted to hang with tonight was Chloe, and since she was busy with the girls, he planned on heading to his studio to try to nail down a design for the piece he promised to make for the suicide-awareness rally. “Not tonight, thanks.”
“Okay. Well, you boys have fun.” Gia peered