The buzz of the needle and Saige’s hand in mine lull me into a relaxed state. We’re going to be here for a few hours.

“Are you hungry?” I ask. I hope she ate beforehand. I don’t want her passing out.

“No, I’m fine. I had lunch before I came.” Good girl.

“Well, I’ll take you home when we’re done and you can lay on the couch and I’ll feed you,” I say. She squeezes my hand.

“You take such good care of me.”

“You’re easy to take care of,” I say back.

By the time Crash finishes the outline and the black shading, Saige is definitely done. She’s taken it like a champ, but everyone gets fatigued after a while.

“It’s looking really nice,” Crash says, cleaning the skin and then slathering it with clear goo before wrapping her up and taping the plastic to her skin. He gives her instructions on what to do and what not to do as she stands and winces.

“Wow, that felt like it took years,” she says as she puts her shirt down and re-hooks her bra.

“It always seems like forever until it’s over with,” Crash says, snapping off his gloves. “You can go ahead and schedule your next appointment with Ruby and she’ll give you printed out instructions if you forget anything I’ve just said because you’re in tattoo haze.” He smiles and pats her on the shoulder before turning to give my hand a shake.

“Nice to meet you and I wish I could see more of your work, but I totally understand if you want to keep it private.” Given other circumstances, I might whip off my shirt and show him, but not with Saige here. I don’t want this guy to remember me any more than he already will. I wish Saige would have told me and I wouldn’t have come. Too late now.

Saige pays and sets up the next appointment for three weeks from now. Just after my deadline. It’s a shame I won’t get to see the finished piece, but there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s my boys or her and I’m going to choose them. Every time.

I escort her out of the shop.

“Are you sure you can drive, or do you want me to take you and then I can come back for my car?” I ask.

“That would be wonderful, Quinn. Thank you.” She slumps against me and I hold her, being careful not to touch her back where I know the skin is raw.

I decide to drive my car, since the guys would go ballistic if I left it here. With the threat of the stalker, I know it’s not a good idea to leave this thing out in the open.

“If you want, I can take a cab here and bring your car back in an hour or something. If you’re worried about it getting jacked.” This isn’t exactly the best neighborhood and her ride is pretty sweet.

“You’re the best,” she says as I help her into the passenger seat. She leans forward so the seat isn’t pressing against her back and sighs.

“Remind me again why I thought this would be a good idea?” she says as I get in and start the car.

“I didn’t tell you it would be a good idea. You surprised me. But I can’t say it was a bad surprise.” A complete lie.

“I thought you’d like it. And there isn’t anyone else I’d rather have with me.” Even though we’ve been holding hands for hours, she reaches out for me again. We stay linked all the way to her place.

I get her some painkillers and situate her on her stomach on the couch.

“Did all your tattoos hurt?” she asks. “That’s a stupid question, of course they did. You seem young to have so many. Did you get them done all at once, or gradually?” She seems obsessed with tattoos and there’s really no way I can avoid her questions. So I’m going to give her a little bit of truth and hope she’s happy with it.

“Yes, they all hurt, but to different extents. I started getting them when I was seventeen, so I’ve had a few years of accumulating them.” That’s all she’s getting.

“Do you want some water or something?” I ask. I’d been so eager to hang out with her, but now I just want to leave.

“That would be great,” she says and I go to her kitchen to get it for her.

When I come back she’s got the remote in her hand and is flipping through the channels. I put the glass of water on the coffee table and wonder what I should do. She’s draped across the whole couch, so I’ll have to move her if I want to sit.

“Sorry I’m being a couch hog. You can move me, if you want.”

“No, it’s fine. I, ah, I think I’m going to go catch a cab and bring your car back.” She props herself up and I know I can’t escape the scrutiny of those green eyes.

“I’m sorry I asked so many questions. I know you don’t like it and I didn’t respect that. I should have told you that’s where we were going. I just… I wasn’t thinking. I was excited about the tattoo and I wanted you to be there. I should have asked you.” She reaches out for me again.

I sigh. I can’t fuck this up. I smile at her.

“It’s okay. I’m just stuck in my head. Don’t even worry about it. I’ll be back in a few.” I grab her keys from where she left them on the table by the door and head out to the street. My chest is tight and I don’t know where my head is at. I haven’t felt like this for a long time and I don’t like it.

I call a cab with my phone and see Baz down the street, watching me.

I’d get him to give me a ride if I didn’t think that someone was watching every single move I’m making. They probably followed me to the tattoo shop and took pictures while I was there. Doesn’t matter. I’m not going to hide and I’m not going to be threatened by anyone.

For a moment, I think about Saige, alone in her apartment, but whoever is following me is going after me, not her.

I get to the tattoo shop and Crash is outside smoking. He gives me a wave as I hop in Saige’s little red sports car. I don’t want to, but I give him a nod back and drive away as quick as I can.

Twenty-Four

I take the next day off work and go to see Lizzy. It’s a very, very stupid idea, but I do it anyway. Cash is following me today and it takes a while to shake him off. Of course, I end up getting a pissy text and send one back that I just need a few hours. He’s easier to convince than Row and he tells me that as long as I get my ass back by five, he’ll cover for me. Of course, he adds that if I get killed, it’s my own damn fault.

Lizzy in the activity room when I get there, making a picture collage. Her hands are carefully cutting pictures out of magazines.

“It’s nice to see you, Quinn,” Margo, one of the nurses, says to me when I check in. “You’re good to come and see her as much as you do. I know it can’t be easy to get away from your job.”

I smile at her and make my way over to Lizzy. I tap her on the shoulder and she jumps up to hug me. I sit down with her and she shows me what she’s been working on.

She’s cutting out flowers from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It reminds me of being with Saige yesterday and her tattoo.

“That’s very pretty. What are you going to do with it?” She shrugs.

“Don’t know.”

She goes back to work and hums to herself.

“Have you been reading without me?” I ask and she looks up at me, her baby blue eyes wide.

“No way,” she says, shaking her head, but biting back a smile.

“Have you been reading without me?” I say, narrowing my eyes and she giggles and tries to get away from me, but I grab her and tickle her ribs until she laughs so hard she can’t breathe.

The room we’re in is bright and all the residents seem happy and busy. I made sure when I put her here that it was a good facility. There are a lot of bad ones out there and there’s no way I could leave her in a place that I didn’t trust.

When she’s cutting I see a bracelet on her wrist. I don’t recognize it and ask her where she got it.