Page 171 of Savage Roses
“I’ll come in with you. I’m not so sure about this two for one special.”
Without further preamble, I step forward and push the shop doors open. The buzz of electric needles meets my ears the moment I set foot inside.
The tattoo artist is bent over a client, finishing up what looks like a colorful, intricately patterned design of a tropical bird. He wipes off some of the ink from the woman’s thigh and then arches a pierced brow at me.
I lose half my nerve. Salvatore’s right—tattoo shops have never been my type of scene. Inhaling a breath, I tell him what I want.
“I’m looking to cover up a mark. It’s about two by three inches on my back shoulder. Do you think you can design me something that’ll disguise it?”
“You ever get a tattoo before?” he asks back. By the incredulous way he’s staring at me, he already knows the answer. In fact, if I didn’t know any better, I’d guess he knows exactly who I am.
I glance at Salvatore, then back at the artist. “No…” I admit. “But… but…”
“We’re both getting one,” Salvatore interjects, slipping his arm around me. He’s clearly much more comfortable in the tattoo shop than I am, peering around at the designs on the wall with his usual casual, composed vibe. “Where’s your design book?”
“Over there.” The guy juts his chin at the bookcase in the corner, where other oddities like a replica of a human skull and a glass jar with a dead scorpion are perched on the shelves.
Salvatore swipes the book off the shelf and plops down in one of the waiting chairs. I slowly sit down next to him, much less relaxed as second thoughts enter my head.
The artist says it’ll be another thirty minutes before he can start on us.
The incessant buzz of the needle returns. The woman lying on his table scrolls through her phone as he works on her, a bored expression on her face.
“You don’t have to get one,” I say. “I’m not even sure I should get one.”
“Too late. We’re doing this.” Salvatore flips through the many pages of the design book like it’s some kind of entertainment magazine. “This guy’s work is decent. He does good illustrative pieces. Look at these.”
“I’m thinking dragons aren’t the direction I want to go in.”
Salvatore arches a brow at me. “I could see you with a giant one across your back.”
I take his teasing in stride, shaking my head. “You’re enjoying this. Me being so out of my element.”
“More like I’m realizing this’ll be good for you.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah, it’ll give you some control back,” he says, his hand scooping up mine, letting it rest in his lap along with the design book. “ You’re right. That mark shouldn’t get to live on your beautiful skin. It’s better you cover it up with some beautiful art.”
I soften, my doubts vanishing. “That’s the perfect way of thinking of it.”
“Anyway, choose wisely. I’m getting what you get.”
“Jon, you don’t have to… that’s crazy. I told you it’s fine if you don’t.”
“There’s a two for one special. I’ve got to. Besides, what kind of husband would I be if I let my wife get her first tat alone? It’s a team effort.”
A light laugh rolls off my tongue. “I’m not so sure that’s how tattoos work. But suddenly your dragons suggestion makes a whole lot more sense.”
“It’d make you look like a badass. That’s all I’m saying.”
“I’m not sure I’ve everwantedto look like a badass. I was an assistant district attorney. I’ll probably get something simple. Maybe like this sun and moon.”
“Sun and moon. I can deal with that.”
“You don’t have to get what I get.”
“Sure, I do. I’ve got sixteen of them, Phi. It doesn’t matter to me. They’re all fucked up anyway after what happened and all the scars I have. I’ll need to get some of them redone. Why not have the same tattoo as you? We were both marked, weren’t we?”