The Harder He Falls: 2 (So Inked) (26 page)

“Is that okay?”

She shrugged. “It’s not like Grandma can tell the difference, I’m just more comfortable with Natalie being around. She’s there the most, ya know?”

“Yeah.”

Kellie glanced over her shoulder. “Damn, I didn’t know she was going to be here.”

“Who?”

“Don’t look.” She elbowed him. “Jacob’s fiancée. I’m not a fan.”

He rubbed his ribs. “Yeah, well neither am I.”

“What has she done?”

“Nothing, but Jacob was talking about her, and now that I’ve met her, I’m not exactly on board with this plan of his to get married because someone wants a daughter-in-law.”

Her lips screwed up on one side. “I can see both sides. It’s cultural but outdated in my opinion. Jacob has to make his own choices.”

An official cut through the crowd headed straight for them. Despite knowing he had all his i’s dotted and t’s crossed, Quin’s muscles still tensed. As the official breached the crowd and the few feet of space between the bleachers, his gaze dropped to Carly in her wheelchair. She’d been positioned next to the end of a row so she sat next to Pandora, directly in front of him.

“Excuse me, but we can’t block the path. It’s a fire hazard,” he said in a gruff voice.

Quin slid off the bleachers, put a hand on Carly’s shoulder and stuck his other hand out. “Hi, I’m Quin. Do you have wheelchair accessible areas?”

The official had the good grace to lose the gruff edge and shifted his weight from foot to foot. “No, but we still can’t block the aisles. It’s a fire hazard.”

“Okay, so what do you suggest we do so my friend here can enjoy the show she paid to see?” Lie. He’d given Kellie free passes, but this guy didn’t need to know that.

The official glanced around, no doubt looking for an easy solution. They couldn’t very well deny Carly a place to watch. “Can you sit in front of the stands? At least while people are coming and going.”

Quin glanced down at Carly. She was tense, her mouth thinned into two lines and her hands gripping the armrests in a white-knuckle grip.

Pandora leaned over and put her hand over Carly’s. “Come on, you’ll still be right next to me, and you’ll have an even better seat.”

She nodded woodenly and groped for the brake. The official melted back in the crowd, undoubtedly relieved to turn tail and get away from them.

Quin turned and slid back into the stands, noting that Jacob and his fiancée were gone. His nerves were starting to jangle. He wanted to do something, but waiting was all he could do. The guys were animated and Kellie’s friends lively, but he couldn’t mesh into the companionable ebb and flow of conversation.

Five minutes ’til the first fight, Kellie slipped her hand into his and gripped him tight. He squeezed back and offered her a poor excuse for a smile.

“I’d tell you to relax but it’s pointless.” She leaned against his shoulder and pitched her voice for his ears alone.

“Yeah.”

She kissed his cheek, an unexpectedly sweet gesture.

Inside the octagon, the officials were doing a round, checking the posts and going to the effort of looking busy. In his peripheral vision, he saw Jacob come to stand next to him, alone. He paused for a moment and turned on his heel. Another day he’d offer the kid some advice, but right now he needed some himself.

What would he do if the fight didn’t go well? What if Mouse got knocked out? What if the rest of the guys left him for another gym, or went home? It was one fight, but it was another big step in the right direction.

Jacob stepped into view again, carrying a metal folding chair. He ducked his head and held out his hand to Carly. Quin watched as they exchanged some words and he spoke to Pandora. The folding chair came out and he set it beside Carly and took a seat, sliding down until he was out of the way and his shoulders canted toward her.

“Damn, if I didn’t already love Jacob like a kid brother I’d kiss his uptight ass,” Kellie muttered.

He slanted a scowl her way. “Watch what you’re saying.”

She rolled her eyes and jostled his shoulder. “Use both your listening skills and hear what I’m saying.”

“Ladies and gentlemen!”

The lights dimmed and his blood pressure shot through the roof.

Snake—In Japanese culture, the snake is a revered animal and often depicted in full body suit tattoos. It is believed that the snake symbolizes wisdom, healing and the regenerative nature of life, as shown by the turning of seasons. It is often paired with cherry blossoms. The Caduceus has root in this tradition.

Kellie pumped a fist into the air as Mouse delivered a wicked roundhouse kick to his opponent’s chest. The man staggered back, but this was round five and Mouse had steadily worn the bigger man down.

Mouse stepped into his blows, a right hook and an uppercut. The other man held his hands up in a defensive position and tried to back away. In a desperate maneuver, the opponent lunged forward and kicked at Mouse’s legs. They grappled, but Mouse took the other man to the mat first, slamming him down on his back and straddling his waist. Mouse lost no time raining blows down on his face and chest. There was already so much blood from the first five rounds that it was anyone’s guess whose blood was staining the octagon floor.

The crowd went wild, cheering and leaping to their feet. She could see Quin up near the cage, hands cupped around his mouth, yelling at Mouse.

Mouse’s opponent had stopped fighting back. His arms were covering his face and he flinched with each blow. The crowd began counting down in chorus.

“Ten! Nine! Eight!”

She hopped a little on the bleachers and pumped her fist again. “Seven! Six! Five!”

The metal stands vibrated from people stomping and pounding their feet.

“Four! Three! Two! One!”

Mouse leapt off his opponent, both hands up in the air, and sprinted around the octagon. Quin rushed the side and held his fist up. His other fighters and coaches swarmed off the stands, slapping shoulders and yelling.

She turned and grinned at Mary. The corners of Sam’s mouth were tilted north, a good sign when even a hint of a smile was hard to come by with him these days. It seemed as if everyone was having a great time. It had been ages since they’d all hung out. She turned back toward the octagon, and the muscles in her chest tightened.

Jacob stood to one side of the stands, Carly held in his arms so she could see the ring. She had an arm slung around his neck and her head canted toward him, listening as his lips moved, imparting some bit of information. She glanced at Pandora, who was darting sideways glances at the two but not interfering.

It made sense. When the fight got really exciting, people stood up, blocking her view. Jacob was the kind of guy who would fix that. It was a pity he was engaged to the shrew.

The announcer had both Mouse and his opponent in the center of the ring. They’d had a moment to wipe the worst of the gore from their bodies and now stood with one wrist each clasped by the referee.

“And the winner by unanimous decision is Mike “The Mouse” Wade!” The ref hoisted Mouse’s arm in the air and the crowd cheered.

There was still one more fight of the night, but Mouse had stolen the thunder. If she understood correctly from what she’d overheard and the general feel of the audience, Mouse had been expected to lose this match. That he hadn’t, and that he’d won in style was hard to eclipse.

Kellie turned to Mary and grabbed her elbow. “I’ll be right back.”

She stepped off the stands and wound her way through the crowd to circle the bleachers from behind and wait for Quin. The whole crew from the gym came down the aisle whooping and hollering, back to the partitioned-off ready areas. Bystanders high-fived them and raised beers in acknowledgement of a good fight. She didn’t know if Quin would see her, he had a lot on his plate, but she still wanted to be there. In a way, he was taking her family’s legacy to the next level, something she would never have been able to do.

Quin had one arm slung around Mouse’s shoulders and a huge grin pasted across his face. As if he felt her watching him, his head swung in her direction and their gazes locked. He broke away from the group, pushing through the guys and headed straight for her.

He hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She’d been viewed as many a man’s prize and she’d slammed them on their ass, but this time she would allow Quin to claim her. The grin on his face was infectious and she laughed, caught in the moment. She cupped his face and kissed him, not caring who saw or what they thought.

“That was amazing,” he said when their lips broke apart.

“Why, thank you very much.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Smart-ass.”

“Yup.” She unhooked her legs and dropped to her feet.

“I need to go take care of Mouse. Will you meet us at the after-party?”

“Yeah, where is it?”

“I’m not sure. It’s on those fliers they were handing out.”

“Then I’m sure one of the girls has it. We’ll be there.”

* * * * *

Kellie strolled into the bar hosting the after-party, her gaze on Jacob, who was pushing Carly’s wheelchair. Pandora and Brian hadn’t said anything yet, but Kellie had been watching the interplay between the two couples.

Jacob was engaged, and faithful to a fault. It was a trait she loved, and made her want to strangle him all at the same time. There was only heartache down that path, and she couldn’t stop it from happening.

The bar was located on Denton’s Square in an older building. A stage was at one end, outfitted with instruments for some unknown band that would play later. Jacob wheeled Carly out to the main floor where the pub tables gave way to open space and stopped. Above them were two balconies, but she didn’t see any way to reach them with Carly’s wheelchair.

“I don’t see any normal tables,” Brian said loud enough for her to hear.

“Neither do I,” Kellie replied.

Jacob turned to her and she shrugged. Autumn and Sammi had already peeled off to get drinks, Mary and Sam had gone to the bathrooms and Quin and his crew wouldn’t arrive for a while.

“I got this.” Jacob gestured for Brian to follow him and in five strides they were swallowed by the growing crowd.

Carly pivoted in her chair, displaying that she was mastering some of the skill set to function despite being paralyzed.

“How you holding up, Carls?” Pandora nudged the wheel closest to her.

“Tired, but it feels great to get out.” She glanced in the direction that the guys had gone. “Do you know how old Jacob is?”

Kellie glanced at Pandora. If she could give Carly the world, she would. But Jacob was a tall order. She knelt next to her chair, wishing she could ignore the need to say this.

“Jacob just turned twenty, but he’s engaged.”

Carly’s eyebrows rose and her gaze grew glassy. “Oh.”

“He’s a cool guy, but I don’t want to see you get your hopes up about him.” This sucked. It wasn’t fair that Carly was in a wheelchair. It wasn’t fair that her life’s dreams were gone. It wasn’t fair.

Carly lifted a shoulder and pasted on a smile. Kellie could tell a fake when she saw it, but didn’t call her on it. “I’m not. It’s okay. I was just curious. So is there a band playing tonight?”

Pandora knelt on her other side. “Yeah, I have the flier in here somewhere.” She rummaged in her purse for a moment before producing a square of yellow paper. They put their heads together and started chatting about music. In a way, Pandora was the best person to take up a mother hen role for Carly. They shared the same passions—music, art, tattoos, Brian and more music. They’d met when Carly came into the shop to get an album cover from Brian’s former band tattooed on her shoulder, and the relationship had grown.

Above, metal clanged on metal so loud there was a momentary lull in the barroom din.

“Sorry,” a male voice called out. A male voice that sounded an awful lot like Brian.

Kellie stood and craned her head to locate him. He wasn’t hard to find. Brian had chairs under either arm and was making his way down the stairs. Jacob followed him, carrying a standard four-top. She shook her head and smiled. Pandora was lucky to have someone like Brian who thought the world of her. After everything that had happened with her ex-boss/boyfriend, Robert, she deserved to find some happiness. Only a month before the nut job had terrorized Pandora and torched the original So Inked shop. So much had changed since then and, amazingly, it was for the better.

Brian, Jacob and a waiter brought down enough chairs for their group and one table. The staff arranged them on the edge of the floor just as Mary and Sam found them. They were rattling off their orders to the waiter when a chorus of, “Heeeeeeeeey,” brought all attention on the front of the bar.

Mouse strolled through the double doors, arms spread wide and sporting a grin. Dark bruises marred his face, the trophies of the night. Behind him the rest of the guys training under Quin entered, slapping hands of bystanders and making a general ruckus. She was happy to sit back while they made the rounds. She caught a glimpse here and there of Quin, but he was basking in the glory of the night.

While they waited on their drinks, Kellie tapped out a quick message to the new home health care worker to check on Grandma. The reply was immediate.

She’s out cold. Not a peep from her at all.

Kellie breathed a sigh of relief and pushed to her feet. She wanted to find Quin and congratulate him in her own way.

She stepped into the orbit of the bar and glanced around. Her gaze slid right over the group of buxom barflies before snapping back to what had captured their interest. Or better yet, who.

Quin leaned against the bar, a beer in one hand and a smile aimed at a petite brunette poured into a too tight dress.

Something angry and predatory unfurled inside her. Her eyes narrowed and she began slowly pacing toward her man. That she even thought of him like that was a minor blip in her mind.

He must have sensed he was in the crosshairs of something dangerous. Quin glanced up and the smile faltered for a second. She had to give it to him, he really amped up the wattage, but she was immune to that kind of persuasion.

“Kellie, doll, come here.” He leaned between two of the girls and snagged her wrist, pulling her into the midst of hairspray and fabulosity. “This is my girlfriend, Kellie. She did the tattoo you asked about. Do you have a card or something, babe?”

She slanted a look his way. Girlfriend? When had he become her man and she his girlfriend? And why didn’t she have the suffocating feeling of yet more weight on her shoulders? It didn’t matter how she felt about it, there wasn’t enough of her to go around, and yet the idea of leaving Quin to these pretty princesses got her ready to whoop some ass.

“You did that?” The brunette put her grubby hands on his arm and twisted it this way and that, admiring the partially finished tattoo.

“Yup, all by myself,” she drawled. Great. Bimbos. Just what her night needed.

“Wow, your tattoos are so cool.” An unfamiliar hand slid up and down over the foo dog standing sentinel on her right upper arm.

“Excuse me.” She pulled her arm close to her side.

Another brunette leaned precariously close to her, breath smelling of liquor and eyes liberally shot through with red. “Sorry, that’s just so cool. Where did you say you worked?”

Quin squeezed her hip, wrapping his arm tighter around her. “Tell them, doll.”

“My friend and I own So Inked, the tattoo parlor off Greenville Ave.”

“Oh, the one that burned down?” yet another one of the nearly identical fashionistas asked.

“Yeah, we moved down the street.”

“What would you charge to cover this up?” the first brunette asked and held her arm out. A pair of initials were intertwined on the tender skin of her inner wrist.

Kellie weighed her options. She didn’t necessarily want to mess with the chick, but money was money. She put aside her desire to claw the bitch’s eyes out and reached for her hand. “What were you thinking about putting over it?”

“I don’t know.” She pouted.

“Well, the letters are pretty small and the flourishes are more gray than black so it shouldn’t be hard. You just have to give me an idea of what you want.”

“Can you do something that symbolizes new beginnings?”

She chewed her lip. It was going to be one of those kinds of consultations. “Lots of things can symbolize new beginnings. Sunrises, flowers, baby animals, rain. You can get pretty creative with it.”

“I like flowers.”

Of course, all girls liked flowers.

“Kellie has a sick cherry blossom tree on her leg,” Quin said, his hand sliding farther down.

She pushed him away, but the damage had already been done.

“You do?”

“Can we see?”

“That’s so cool!”

She couldn’t tell which one was talking, all of their voices came in at the same shrill, booze-induced pitch. She held up her hands to stave off the inevitable groping. As Pandora liked to put it, the two groups of people who had no personal space rights were the pregnant and tattooed. “Sorry, I’m not into giving a strip show. Do you have a favorite flower? Roses and lotuses are pretty popular.”