Society Girls: Matisse (22 page)

“We would’ve protected you both if you’d
just told us what was going on,” Matt reminds me.

“I’m sorry. I was so scared for her. I did a
lot of things wrong.”

“Yeah, you did, but so did all of us at one
time or another,” Nate says. “Theo’s going to be the next one of us
we have to help, so just be ready.”

Theo flips him off as we all laugh. I’m
sorry I lied to them, but grateful we can all move past it. Having
friends is pretty damn great. Having my girl will be even better.
When she came in to defend me, it took all the strength I could
muster not to jump out of my chair and pull her into my arms. I
held back then, but I’m going for her now. I know just what I need
to do, and I just have to prepare myself both mentally and
physically to do it.

I check in with Liz, who says everything’s
been quiet while I’ve been gone. I review the files for the
upcoming missions, making notes on the group document so my team
can start getting things ready. I check in with Audrey, making sure
her team is still getting help from my new CEO in my absence, and
finally, I head home to take care of the rest of my checklist for
today.

My hand shakes a little when I pull out my
razor, but this has to be done. After taking care of business, I
shower and change into a t-shirt and basketball shorts. I put on my
Chucks instead of my sandals, because I haven’t ridden my
motorcycle in a long time, and I don’t want to burn my feet.

Once I’m in the garage, I pull the cover off
my bike, looking it over to make sure everything’s okay. I start it
up every few weeks when no one’s around, but I haven’t actually
taken it out in a while. I check for the extra helmet I put in the
storage compartment when I started tutoring Matisse. I knew even
then that I’d let her see this side of me.

Everyone thinks I’m so straight-laced, but
I’m really an adrenaline junkie. I’ve jumped out of airplanes, and
when I was younger, off of cliffs. I hid my motorcycle, because it
didn’t fit with the persona I’d created, but now it’s time to be
myself again. I’ve let Matisse see pieces of me, and now I’m ready
to show her everything.

I pull up outside the tattoo shop, parking
my bike on the sidewalk with the other ones there. Zane sees me
through the window and his eyebrows shoot up. “Nice ride,” he says
as I walk in.

“Thanks.”

“New?”

“Nope. I’ve had it for a few years now.”

“Really?”

“Surprising, I know, but yes.”

“What’s surprising?” Matisse asks from
behind me.

“My bike,” I say, gesturing outside.

“That’s yours? I’ve seen it in the garage,
but I thought it was just another of Matt’s.”

“You saw it? It was covered up.”

“I took a peek, okay?”

“Yes, it is okay.”

“Are you here to see me?”

“I am. It’s time for that tattoo.”

“You’re getting a tattoo?”

“You asked me in D.C. if I’d get one if you
needed me to prove myself to you. I’m here to do just that.”

“I saw the video, Doc. I know you love
me.”

“I do, and I’m ready to prove it.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Yes I do. For both of us. Do you have time
for a walk-in?”

“If you’re sure, then yes. My next
appointment isn’t for a couple of hours.”

“I’m sure,” I tell her, following her back
as she walks to her room.

* * *

Matisse

I’m freaking out a little as I lead Kendrick
into my room. He’s right at my back, and I feel the heat of his
body, and smell the musk of his cologne. Both are turning me
on.

“Do you know what you want, and where?” I
ask, moving to my drafting table so I can put some distance between
us.

He stays where he is, giving me the space I
need. “I want a letter ‘M’ between my pubis and my coccyx. Any font
and color you want to make it.”

He wants me to tattoo my
initial above his dick. My heart starts to race, because I want to
do it. I really want to do it, but I need to make sure
he’s
sure about what he
wants.

“You know tattoos are permanent.”

“You can tattoo your whole name there if you
want. I just thought your initial was kind of cool.”

“We’re not even together right now.”

He frowns then. “After your burst into
Reina’s office to defend me earlier, I thought we had a chance. I
want the tattoo either way, though. My feelings for you aren’t
going to change.”

“We totally have a chance. We need to talk
about a lot of things, and you can’t ever lie to me again, but I
want to be with you.”

“Then do what you want with me,” he says,
dropping his shorts and briefs to stand naked in front of me.

I run over to close and lock the door before
everyone else here sees his ass and I have to fight them off. “Did
you forget the door was open?”

“No,” he says with a shrug. “It’s just my
body. I don’t care who sees it.”

“What if I care?”

“Then you’ll be the only one to see it.”

“Good answer.” I walk around and look at
him, surprised when I see the smooth patch of skin waiting for me.
“You shaved yourself?”

“I wasn’t sure how much you’d want to touch
me.”

I need to stop swooning, especially if I’m
going to tattoo him. “Get up on my chair.”

He does as I ask, and I lay him flat down,
before walking back over to my desk. I grab some gloves, and a
tattoo marker, walking back over to him with it. He smiles when he
sees it in my hand.

“You’re going to do it in your
handwriting?”

“You said I could do what I want.”

“I did, and I love it.”

“Good, because that’s what you’re
getting.”

“Are you going to tell me what color?”

“Nope. I want it to be a surprise. Now lie
still so I can do this right.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I put on the gloves, and pull his skin tight
so I can write it the way I want. Stepping back, I smirk at him,
and point to where his cock is saluting me. “I think he
approves.”

“You’re a wicked woman.”

“Don’t act surprised.”

“Oh, I’m not. I love it.”

“Enough to give me a ride home on your bike
later?” I ask as I get everything ready.

“I wouldn’t have brought you a helmet if I
didn’t plan on making that happen.”

“This is going to hurt,” I tell him
honestly, “but if you keep saying things like that, I might kiss
around it and make it better.”

“After we talk, you can do whatever you want
to me.”

“You keep saying that.”

“I mean it.”

“I believe you,” I say, putting the gun to
his skin.

He grits his teeth, and utters a few cuss
words as I work, but whenever I stop to look at him, he smiles at
me and nods. It doesn’t take long to finish, even though I make it
two colors. Once I’m done, I bring him a mirror and show him what
it looks like.

“It’s perfect,” he says. “Coral and light
blue for the outfits I bought you?”

“Yes.”

“I want to kiss you so bad, Matisse. Just
one kiss.”

I lean over and kiss him lightly on the
lips. “I need to wrap it up and give you your care
instructions.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

I know he means for the kiss as well as the
tattoo. “You’re welcome.”

Once he’s all set, I lead him back out
front. I hand over the paperwork as he takes out his wallet. Silly
doctor. “How much do I owe?”

“You don’t actually think
I’m going to let you pay when I just tattooed
my
initial on you.”

“You’re certainly not going to pay for
it.”

“I can give away a free one every
month.”

“Oh, well, thanks.”

“You keep thanking me and I’ll start feeling
self-conscious.”

“I happen to be rather thankful for
you.”

“Same, Doc. Same.”

He waits in the lobby while I work on my
last client of the night. I look out once and see him reading,
which is totally adorable. I’m still in awe of him actually letting
me tattoo him, and I can’t wait to show him the tattoo I got from
Zane earlier today. It’s not an initial, but I hope he likes it
just as much as I love that ‘M.’

Matisse

I’m forced to unwrap my arms from around
Kendrick when he pulls into his parking spot. “I loved that,” I
tell him, taking my helmet off. “Can you give me a ride to work
every day?”

“Only when you’re in shorts or pants. I
don’t want you accidentally flashing anyone.”

“I can always bring clothes with me to
change into.”

“Deal.”

We hold hands as we walk to the elevator. It
feels right, and good. “Your place or mine?”

“Mine. If that’s okay.”

“It is.”

I walk with him into the kitchen when we get
inside, grabbing a drink for myself while he pulls a tray of cheese
and fruit out for us to share. “I thought you might be hungry after
work.”

“I might just keep you, Kendrick.”

“That’s the plan.”

We sit down, facing one another on his
biggest couch, the tray in between us. He takes my hand in his as
he looks me in the eye. “You know what your heard, and what Waverly
told you, but that’s not the whole story. What I’m about to tell
you is everything. Every single thing I never wanted to say out
loud before.”

He spends the next hour telling me his whole
story, and how it intertwined with Waverly’s. Hearing it from his
point of view gives me even more insight on what he went through,
and what he’s been running from for so long. I see his pain when he
tells me about how his parents combined their hotels with what Klas
was doing, and his shame at taking the money he needed to save
Waverly. He feels guilty for not saving more people, and when I see
it overwhelming him, I reach out to kiss his hand.

“Thank you,” I tell him when he’s finished.
Now it’s my turn.

I let him know about how I knew I had to
mobilize the women in the container to fight, or I was never going
to be seen again. I also tell him about being scared and how my
therapist, and Nate have been helping me. Ellie’s reached out as
well, but she’s had her hands full with the women and children from
the container. I explain how hearing Waverly tell us about what
happened made me so proud of him, and so in awe of her.

“I knew after hearing her talk that I
forgave you for what you did. Just being in that container for a
couple of hours was scary, so I can’t imagine her doing it for so
many years. Waverly said you were definitely coming back from
Africa, and I was hoping you’d still want me.”

“You don’t ever have to worry about
that.”

“The video showed me you loved me.”

“I do. I was going to do whatever I had to
in order to find you, and keep you safe. I know it’s going to take
some time for you to feel that way again, and I’m glad you’re
getting help dealing with your feelings. I’ll be here for whatever
you need from me.”

“I know you understand because you went
through it with Waverly.”

He nods. “It was many years ago, but I’ll
never forget waking up to her crying at night, scared that someone
would come and take her away.”

“Did you stay with her at night?”

“No. If I was found in her room, it would’ve
been worse for her. She’d have been punished for allowing me near
her.”

“And you?”

“I would’ve been scolded with a smile.”

“That’s so horrible.”

“It is,” he agrees.

“Can I stay here with you tonight?”

“You don’t ever have to ask that, Matisse.
My home is yours, as is everything I have. In fact, I hope you can
come back to Africa with me in a few months.”

“I’d love that.”

“Good. In the meantime, I have some things
for you.”

He goes into his bedroom and comes back with
a wheeled suitcase, laying it across the steamer trunk he uses as a
coffee table. Once he opens it, I see that it’s filled with fabric,
jewelry, handmade dolls, and little figurines.

“What’s mine?”

“All of it,” he says, looking sheepish. “I
kept seeing things I thought you’d like everywhere I went.”

“You need to stop spoiling me, Doc.”

“I can assure you that’s never going to
happen.”

I reach out to grab one of the cloth dolls,
holding it close to my chest. “I want to stay up and talk to you
more, but this has been an emotionally trying day.”

“We can go to bed now. Would you like
something to sleep in?”

“I could just sleep naked.”

“We won’t be doing any more talking if you
do that.”

“Where is Motorcycle Doctor when I need him?
He’d be happy to tie me up, and fuck me.”

“There’s only one of us, Tees. Just
different sides to the same guy, and trust me, all of us would love
to do that.”

“I know you’re trying to show me you respect
me, but I know that already.”

“Good, then you’ll understand why I want to
just hold you tonight. I’ll grab you a shirt, and you can get ready
for bed. Please let me do this for you—for us—tonight.”

“Fine.” I do love him doing this for me, but
it’s all making me want him even more. Tomorrow, it’s going
down.

“Thank you.”

* * *

Kendrick

Matisse and I talked over breakfast in bed
this morning, and I know we’re in a good place. We rode into work
on my bike, but went our separate ways once we got inside. I’ve
been busy with all-day meetings for the upcoming missions, so I
missed out on having lunch with her. I’m on-call tonight, so I’m
ready to go home. I just need to stop by my office and find my
girl.

When I walk inside, I see that Matisse has
found me instead. She’s on my desk, wearing only one of my lab
coats and the shoes I bought her. I close and lock the door, and
start to call out commands to turn everything off when she stops
me.