Cursed Love: Cursed Love (Cursed, #1) (15 page)

“Answer or pass, pal.”

He lets out a heavy sigh and brings his beer to his mouth. I reach my arm out to stop him and give him a cocky smirk.

“First you have to answer,
then
you take a drink.

“Well, shit, who the hell made up these stupid rules?”

I start to laugh and remove my hand from his arm.

“Fine. Her name is Jo. She told me she loved me. I didn’t say it back. She left town without saying goodbye. No wait, she said goodbye in a fucking letter. There…you happy?”

An uneasy feeling hits my heart and I instantly feel bad for him. I turn in my chair to face him. He’s staring out at the street as he takes a long swig of his beer.

“I’m so sorry, Linc. Do you love her? Do you miss her?”

“So I take it the game’s over; you just completely broke the rules, Etty.”

“I know, but this game is way better.”

“To be honest, I don’t know
how
to love. She meant a lot to me, more than I thought at first. Now that she’s gone, I miss her like crazy.”

“Then why don’t you tell her to come back?”

“I would if could, she left without telling me where she was going.”

Standing from the rocking chair, I move to face him.

“You have to find her, go get her.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. I broke her heart and she needs time to think things through.”

“But if you love her you have to tell her.”

“Etty, like I just told you, I don’t know how to love. I’m broken from years of shit that I’ve dealt with. She’s better off finding someone else that will love her, support her, and make her happy.”

The tone of Linc’s voice is sincere. He’s hurting and I don’t know how to help him.

“If she were to come back, hypothetically, what would you say to her?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ahh, Linc, I’m sorry things didn’t work out for you. Maybe she’ll find her way back and the two of you will talk things through. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Okay, now it’s your turn. Ask me a question.”

“Well, since you just killed my fucking buzz, I’m going to hit you with a hard one.”

“Go ahead, I deserve it.”

He takes his cap off of his head and runs his fingers through his dark hair. Looking up at me with his dark eyes, he starts to say something and then stops. I can’t imagine what he’s about to ask me, but I know it will be a tough question for me to answer.

Chapter 18

One Week Later

The buzz of customers at the shop has kept us all busy this week. I’m exhausted and still have another client coming within the next hour.

The rest of the guys are wrapping up their last sessions for the day and should be heading out soon.

Lucky for me, it’s my night to close up.

I see Etty walk past my room and grab her attention with a whistle. She takes a few steps back and swings her cute little blue-haired head into the room.

“Did you just whistle at me?” she asks, leaning up against the door frame and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

I laugh at her and shake my head.

“No, Etty, I wasn’t whistling
at
you. I was just trying to get your attention.”

She rolls her eyes at me and smiles.

“Well, the last time a guy whistled at me he wanted more than to just grab my attention.”

“You have issues, Etty.”

“Yes, this we already know. What’s up?”

“How long are you planning to stick around?” I ask while pulling out the ink for Tommy’s tattoo.

She bites down on her bottom lip and the look on her face tells me she’s thinking hard.

“I don’t know. As soon as Tommy is in your chair we’re done for the night.”

“Okay cool, why don’t you catch a ride home with Dault tonight? We’ve all had a long week and you deserve an early night.”

“Aww, thanks, Linc. You’re the best landlord-boss-friend that I’ve ever had.”

“Yeah, now get out before I change my mind.”

“Thanks, babe, I’ll see you when you get home later. I was thinking of Chinese and a movie tonight.”

“Sounds good. I’ll text you when I’m on my way.”

“See ya,” she says as she walks away from the room.

I reach into my drawer and start pulling out the equipment I’ll need for Tommy’s session. His appointment shouldn’t last too long—it’s just some final touches on a piece I did on his right leg.

Glancing down at my watch, I see that I still have ten minutes before he gets here.

I decide to head out back for a quick smoke and a breath of fresh air. I’ve been so busy today that I haven’t had a chance to step out of my room for more than five minutes.  

Before turning the corner, I look down the hall and see that the guys have already left for the night.

Fuckers could’ve at least said ‘deuces’ before heading out of the shop.

I shake my head as I make my way out the back door. The sun is about to set and it’s been a long-ass day. Resting myself against the brick wall, I lean my head back and close my eyes.

A lot has happened this past Week—Jo walked out on me, Etty moved in, and Daulton has amped up his game with the ladies.

I know that Etty is drawn to him and it scares the hell out of me. The last thing I want is for her to get hurt. I know Dault better than anyone and he sure as hell does
not
deal with the chicks he bangs after one night.

If it’s up to me, I’ll keep Etty as far away from him and his roaming hands as possible. Too much could go wrong for all of us if those two decide to hook up. It’s just not going to happen if I have anything to say about it.

Etty has become such a big part of my life in a really short amount of time. We’ve spent every day together since she’s moved in. There have even been nights where she’s fallen asleep next to me on the couch. Our bond has grown more every day, and to be real, I don’t know what I’d do without her.

The best part about being with Etty is that we don’t have to worry about where this is going. Right now we need one another to get over the shit we’ve just been through. That’s it—no more and no less. She’s the little sister I never had and the best friend I never knew was missing until she fell into me on my porch.

I’ve gotten to know the pain she’s been through and the suffering she’s had to deal with for three long years.

That night on the porch, we revealed a lot to one another—more than I’ve ever shared with anyone.

Fucking hell.

Etty knows my fears, the terrors that haunt me. She hasn’t run from me, instead she’s stayed right by my side.

She’s been brought into my life for a reason and now I know exactly what it is. Etty isn’t here to help me get over Jo; she’s here to help me conquer the pain from my past.

Just as she’s here for me, I’m fighting the battle that rages in her.

I can’t imagine what it was like being held prisoner of her own free will—the fears that she dealt with—shit, he threatened to kill her if she left him. What man…what
monster
would ever do that to another human being?

If I ever see him near her, it will be the last moment of his life. I’ve sworn to be there for her, and no matter what, I’m staying by her side.

Focusing on Etty this week has drawn my attention away from missing Jo. As much as I still want her back, it’s getting easier every day to think less about her. I’ll never forget her; there’s no way I can do that.

At times when I’m alone and lost in thought, I
do
find myself wishing she was here next to me.

I can still picture her wearing that red dress, walking through the bar and sitting down next to me. Her long, dark hair falling past her shoulders, and those bright green eyes that looked at me like I was the last man on the planet. Her soft touch and sweet tongue that kissed me like no one else ever has.

I wish I knew where she was, what she was doing, and if she was okay. There’s been no communication between us since the night she fell asleep in my arms. It kills me not to know anything about what she’s doing. I can only hope that she’s found happiness and moved on to create a better life for herself.

The bell on the front door of the shop makes a ringing sound and I’m snapped out of my trance. I toss my cigarette butt into the ashtray and walk inside, shutting the door behind me.

As I walk up toward the front of the shop, I see Tommy looking through the
Totally Ink
magazine on the couch.

“Hey, man,” I say, catching his attention.

“Linc, brotha, how have you been?” he asks, setting the magazine on the table and getting up from the couch.

“I’m good, really good. How about you?”

He extends his hand to me and I reach for it while being pulled into him. He pats me on the back with his other arm as we begin to separate.

“You ready to get that leg finished tonight?” I ask, starting to walk back to my room.

“Hell yeah I am. I have a few others I’ve been thinking about, too. Just have to wait for some more cash and I’ll set up an appointment.”

“Sounds good to me. Just be sure to call in and book a time with Etty.”

“Etty?” he asks with a questionable smirk. “What happened to your girl Jo?”

I sit down in my chair and look up at him, shaking my head.

“Well, first of all, Jo wasn’t my girl. Secondly, Etty is our new go to girl here at the shop.”

“Sweet, is she still here?” he asks, peeking his head out of my room and into the hallway.

“Nah, man. You’re our last client for the night so I sent her and the guys home early.”

“You’re a good boss, Linc.”

“I try,” I say, motioning for him to lie down on the table.

“So this Etty chick, is she hot?”

I begin to stare a laser beam through the back of Tommy’s head. There’s no way in hell I’d let him near my Etty.

“She’s pretty cool, Tommy, but don’t stress it. Etty is way out of your league.”

He starts to laugh and turns his head back toward me.

“You’re a cockblocker, man, are you already calling dibs on her?”

“No, it’s not like that between us. She’s more like a little sister to me. Etty’s new in town, so I’m just trying to watch out for her.”

“Keep telling yourself that, man.
No
guy is willing to keep a girl safe without wanting something in return.”

“Good thing I’m not just any guy.”

He lets out a laugh and makes himself comfortable on the table.

I start to prep the back of his leg for his session. As I shave and clean the area I think about what Tommy just said.

No matter how much I wonder what life would be like without Etty, there’s still no sexual attraction between us. In fact, she’s managed to fit right into the mix of my life like one of the guys, except for the fact she has tits and not a dick.

She’s taught me a lot over the past few days, and for that I’ll be forever grateful. My nightmares have somewhat subsided, especially when she cuddles into me and falls asleep next to me on the couch.

Without knowing it, she’s become my security blanket.

Hell, she knows more about me than Jo ever did. In a way, the idea that I never trusted Jo enough to share my past sends an uneasy burst of anxiety through me.

Did I really never trust Jo?

Was I scared to find out what she’d think of me?

Did I screw up something that could have been great because of my fears and insecurities?

Is it possible that I fell in love with her and never knew it?

These questions are starting to give me a headache. I need to refocus and get to work so I can get the hell out of here.

I bring the tattoo gun to Tommy’s leg and get to work. The colors he’s decided to use for this tat are bright and vibrant. He’s a Marine and wanted something to honor his service. This is one of my best creations and I couldn’t be more proud.

After about twenty minutes of work, I clean up the area and wrap it in clear saran wrap.

Tommy is happy with the finished piece and leaves a huge tip.

Right on!

Walking him to the door, I lock up and head for my car. I’m completely spent and just want to get home and veg on the couch with Etty and a movie.

As I get in the car, I send her a quick text and make my way down the block. After a few minutes I check my phone and see that she hasn’t responded. It’s not like her to not reply to a message, even if there’s no need to reply.

Worry and a sick feeling sink in the pit of my stomach and I punch the gas to get home as fast as I can.

Pulling up along the curb, I hop out of the car and run toward the house. I reach for the door, but it’s locked.

What the fuck?

I dig my keys back out of my pocket and stick the key into the lock. Turning the knob, I open the door and walk into the house. The lights are out and I hear movement in the living room.

Flipping the switch, I see Etty pulling her shirt back on and Dault sitting on the couch with a smug look spread across his face.

Stupid motherfucker!