Marks on My Skin (Love & Ink #1) (3 page)

He pulled the door open and sure enough several men hung around the bar in riding leathers with various patches sewn to the back of their vests. One with wind-burnt skin, a long grey braid, and a Harley bandana on his head looked toward me and let out a grunt, sizing me up.

“They better at least have something decent ta drink.” I grumbled, sliding into a booth across from Liam.

“Hey, the feck kind of guy ya think I am?”

“Well, obviously we’ve established I’m a bad judge of character.”

“Right.” His lips pulled into a frown, no doubt recalling the last time I’d seen him and horribly misjudged the situation between him and Kendall.

“Listen, I’m really—”

“It’s fine.” He waved me off and nodded to a waitress. “A couple whiskeys?”

She came back a few minutes later with tumblers of whiskey and I grabbed mine up, taking a gulp. “Christ, slow down, arsehole.”

“Sorry.” I slammed the glass down and squeezed it in my fist. “Feck! Feckin’ bitch!”

A smirk pulled at Liam’s lips, but Niall was right. He wasn’t the type to gloat when he was right about something. “So, ya goin’ ta tell me what the hell happened?”

I took another gulp, letting the heat of the liquid work down through my chest, mentally replaying the events from two months ago.

“I’d been out, looking fer a job ta supplement my royalties and trying ta finish my current project. Anyway, I told her I wouldn’t be back until six, but then I decided ta surprise her at lunch time.”

I took another sip of whiskey and closed my eyes for a moment.

“So, I got home and the front door was unlocked. I thought it odd, but pushed the door open and immediately heard Kendall crying out upstairs. Thinking the worst, I ran up ta our bedroom.”

“Oh jayhsus..right in yer bedroom?” Liam cringed and took a sip himself.

“Yeah. They were on her, all at the same time. One in every…” I drained my glass, unable to finish my sentence. “Not realizing what was really goin’ down, I ran in swingin’ and knocked one of them out with a lamp before it dawned on me what was really goin’ on. One of the bloody arseholes had even been in the kitchen makin’ himself a damn sandwich and just sauntered in completely naked. Still not sure how I missed him when I first got home.”

“Holy feckin’ hell.” Liam motioned the waitress to bring us more whiskey. “I’m sorry, Kier. That’s fecked up. So ya kicked her arse out, I’m assumin’?”

I glowered, embarrassment coloring my cheeks. “No, she feckin’ left me. Told me she didn’t love me anymore. I’m not sure she ever did.”

“I’m sorry ya had ta realize it that way.” Liam sighed and leaned back against the seat.

“Look. I should have talked ta ya sooner after it all happened. Ta tell ya what an idjit I am fer listenin’ ta her. I’m feckin’ sorry.” I took another drink. Anger tried to boil up again, but my senses were dulled from the liquor.

Liam waved off my apology, probably assuming I’d suffered enough for my mistake. His phone buzzed and he pulled it out, messaging someone. “Shayne should be here shortly.”

I nodded, not really in the mood to hang out with some other tattooed dude that was a fan of biker bars, but Liam was right about the drinks. They at least had decent whiskey. I finished off my second glass and Liam had the waitress bring around a couple pints. I brought the dark lager to my lips as the front door of the bar swung open. A gorgeous woman with straight black hair and bangs walked in wearing a red mini skirt molded to her curvy figure, a leather jacket, and black Doc Marten’s. Her eyes searched the bar and a moment later she smiled in my direction. I gasped, accidentally sucking in foam and coughing on it.

“The feck’s wrong with ya?” My brother shook his head at me and I wiped the dribbled beer from my chin. He stood and I realized then that the girl hadn’t been smiling at me. She’d been smiling at Liam. I cringed, realizing I’d just ogled my brother’s girlfriend. She hugged him around the middle and he put a large arm around her shoulder as they both turned to me.

“Kieran, this is Shayne, my friend and co-owner of The Knotted Needle. Shayne, this is Kieran, my arsehole little brother.”

I ignored his little brother comment and blinked up at her warm, caramel-colored eyes.

“This is Shayne?”

“Yeah, why?” Liam tilted his head and sank back down onto the other side of the booth.

“I just...” I looked over her a bit too leisurely. “I was expectin’ a big tatted up guy. Not ya.”

She grinned at me. “Yeah, I get that a lot. Um, you have some beer on your chin.” I scooted over, wiping at my face again and she settled down next to me. “How much have you two had? I’ve got some catching up to do, don’t I?”

Liam laughed and waved the waitress over again and she placed two glasses of whiskey in front of Shayne. She flashed me a conspiratorial grin and picked one up, downing it. I sat there gawking at her in amazement. No wonder she and Liam were friends. She could probably drink him under the table.

“Yow!” She squealed and slammed the glass back down on the table. “So, what are we celebrating? Big family reunion?”

Liam’s gaze shifted to me and I shrugged, taking a long draw from my beer.

“My wife threw a gangbang and forgot ta invite me.”

Shayne’s eyes widened and she sputtered, spraying droplets of whiskey in Liam’s face. He shot me a dirty look and grabbed a napkin, wiping off his face.

“Wow.” Shayne wiped at her chin and sipped the remainder of her whiskey. “So what’s your lovely wife’s name?”

“Kendall.”

Shayne beamed at me. “Mmm, I see. Well she sounds like a very inconsiderate bitch. The least she could have done was invite you.”

Liam made a strangled noise between a snort and a choke on the other side of the table and my eyes darted to him.

“What? That was little funny.” He admitted.

“Sorry,” Shayne blushed and dipped her head down so her thick bangs fell in her eyes. I wanted to be upset, but her eyes held a mischievous gleam that I couldn’t help but smile at.

“It’s fine.” I said and put a hand on my knee, rubbing it in agitation at the thought of Kendall. No. I wasn’t going to think about her right now. Shayne watched me with curiosity and her eyebrow ticked up. My thigh tensed under my hand and I realized then that it wasn’t my thigh. I was sitting there absentmindedly rubbing Shayne’s. My hand froze but she flashed me a sly grin then turned her attention back to Liam as if I hadn’t just been feeling her up like a drunken idjit. A small tingle of arousal ran through me. Whether from the effects of whiskey, or Shayne’s raw attractiveness, I kept my hand there. I would have felt bad that she wasn’t my wife, but with everything considered, I didn’t really care. She was nothing like Kendall, and I found that overwhelmingly attractive.

“So, how long are you staying?” Shayne asked, pulling my attention back to the conversation.

“I’m not sure yet. I didn’t really make much of a plan.”

I finished my pint and the waitress came by with another. I drank it, feeling sufficiently numbed. My finger’s traced the hem of her skirt and she spread her legs so her thigh was pressing against mine. My face flushed and I took another drink, trying to hide it. Did she have any idea what she was doing?

“Well we’ll have to show you some of the local points of interest then.” She cast me a sideways glance and licked whiskey off her lips. Yeah, she knew what she was doing. My cock stiffened and I drained my pint, now pleasantly drunk and quite aroused.

“I’d like that.” My voice came out a little hoarse. Before I could stop myself, I gave her thigh a suggestive squeeze. Shayne grinned, and Liam frowned at us both.

“Ya ready ta head back ta my place? I’m sure yer tired from yer flight.” He said.

“Yea, sure. Let me take a piss first—oh sorry, Shayne. Um…I’ve got ta use the restroom.”

She slid out of the booth, giving me a nice view of her rear as she did. I climbed out, casually brushing against it. Well, if my wife could get all the cock she wanted, what was stopping me from admiring Shayne’s perfectly round arse?

Shayne bit her lip, gave me a knowing look, and nodded toward the hallway. “Bathroom’s that way.”

“Thanks.” I winked and strode toward the bathroom. After some difficulty given my aroused state, I managed to drain my bladder. I’d drank more than I thought and I swayed a little as I zipped myself back up. After washing my hands I came back out and ran right into Shayne leaned against the wall.

“Oh, sorry! Nearly knocked ya down.”

Shayne dragged her teeth over her bottom lip and stepped closer to me. “So do you always go around groping random women at bars?”

“What? No! That was an accident!”

Leave it to me to misread signals.
Shayne giggled and put a hand on my chest.

“Relax, I’m just fucking with you.”

“Oh…Jahysus, ya nearly gave me a heart attack.” I let out a nervous laugh and leaned back against the wall, the minor spike in adrenaline leaving me lightheaded and only emphasizing my drunkeness.

“Had too much to drink?” She touched my cheek and I sucked in a deep breath.

“Feck. I think I have.”

Her grin widened and she took my hand, pulling me toward a small alcove that held a ledge and a pay phone.

“What is it? Ya need change?” I started to search my pockets, but she tugged my wrists, pulling me flush against her. Our lips connected and a low groan escaped my throat. Warmth surged through me, no longer from the whiskey. Maybe it was wrong, kissing a woman I barely knew, but I didn’t care anymore. I didn’t care about Kendall, and I didn’t care about my marriage after what she’d done. Right now, all I cared about was tangling my fingers into Shayne’s hair, tasting her full lips, and letting her feel exactly what she was doing to me.

“You okay?” She asked, pulling back from me. Her honey brown eyes studied mine, want and concern twisting together. I grabbed her waist, backed her against the opposite wall, and crushed my body against hers.

“More than okay.” I grinned, flicking my tongue across her bottom lip. Her eyes widened in surprise, but still held a lustful haze. I kissed her hard, exploring her lips, her mouth, her tongue. Shayne wrapped one leg around my hip and my crotch was flush against the thin fabric of her knickers. I growled, thrusting against her, nipping at her neck. My cock pulsed and I groaned against her lips. Christ, her body felt so nice pressed against me. I palmed her breasts, perfect handfuls, and her nipples hardened under my touch. I squeezed her lovely round arse and was rewarded with a trembling whimper.

“Kieran...” Shayne whispered.

“Mmm, yeah?” I ground my hips against hers and my lips found their way to her collarbone.

“Kieran!”

No, not Shayne
. She untangled herself from me and I glared at Liam standing on the opposite end of the small hallway.

“What?” I panted, staring back at him, more than a little frustrated. He had the shittiest timing in the feckin’ world.

“We should get goin’.”

I started to object but Shayne nodded for me to go with him. “I’ll see you later,” she winked. I adjusted myself and grinned at her then turned to my scowling brother. He looked like he’d swallowed a glass of piss.

“Fine, let’s be goin’ then. Nice ta meet ya, Shayne.”

“Likewise.” She grinned.

CHAPTER FOUR

Ribbed For Her Pleasure

“Shayne, we need ta talk about last night.”

I grimaced at the sound of Liam’s voice and glanced over my shoulder at him.

“What about last night?”

He frowned at me and leaned back against the doorframe. “Ya know damn well what. My little brother.”

I tried to hide the smirk that crossed my lips at the mention of Kieran.

“We were just having a bit of fun. He seemed like he could use it. Besides, he was the one groping my thigh under the table.”

“He was off his feckin’ face because he caught his wife of five years feckin’ other men in their bed.”

“Even more reason to relieve stress.”

“Feck! I don’t want ta hear that, Shayne.” Liam fumed and scrubbed a hand over his face in exasperation. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea. He’s still married and even if ya think it’s just a bit of fun, I know my brother. He won’t see it like that.”

“So you think I’m just going to mess with his head? You know I’m not like that. I don’t play games.” I frowned at him and busied myself with prepping my station for my first appointment.

Liam lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. “I didn’t mean it like that. His wife’s a manipulative bitch and she did a feckin’ number on him. I just don’t think he’s in a good place right now.”

“Fine. Whatever. I’ll leave him be, okay? I thought you two hated each other before yesterday. Now you’re the protective older brother?”

Liam let out a sigh. “Feckin’ Kendall. She was the reason we weren’t talkin’.”

I started to ask him what happened but Kieran appeared in the doorway. I bit my lip, remembering the way he’d shoved me against the wall last night. His pale blue eyes flickered to mine momentarily before he turned to Liam.

“Hey, sorry fer interruptin’. Ya said I could set up my laptop in the office?”

Liam nodded. “Yeah that’s fine.”

“Thanks, man.” Kieran’s gaze flickered to me again and he gave me a shy smile then disappeared into the back of the shop.

“So, what else did that bitch do?” I whispered once I was sure he was out of earshot.

Liam was hesitant and glanced toward the office once more before coming into my room. “She accused me of tryin’ ta force myself on her the night before their wedding.”

“Obviously you didn’t do that, I presume?”

Liam let out an indignant grunt, turning up his nose. “Feck no. Up until then, I thought she was alright, sure a little controlling but harmless, nonetheless. I was outside, layin’ on one of the lounge chairs by the pool. I’d needed some fresh air. I’d drank way too much. She came outside and sat on the corner of the chair, makin’ small talk, then before I knew what was what she threw herself on top of me and started kissin’ me. Kieran came outside right then, and when he saw us, she screamed that I had tried ta take advantage of her.”