Page 38 of Inked Heart
“That’s dangerous.”
“So I’ve been told.”I add a little sugar to the coffee and stir it slowly.“Skye knew about the tattoos.”
“Everyone here does.”
“Except me.”
“You’re new.”
“That’s your excuse?”
“It’s the truth.”
I take a sip of coffee.Still warm.Still good.
“So,” I say carefully.
“So?”
“Why keep them hidden?”
He shrugs slightly.“Because they’re not for everyone.”
That answer surprises me.“Most people show tattoos off.”
“Most people want attention.”
“And you don’t?”
“Not particularly.”
I study him for a moment.Damien Grey has always been quiet.Observant.The kind of person who watches the room instead of dominating it.And suddenly I realize something.
“You notice everything, don’t you?”
His eyebrow lifts slightly.“What makes you say that?”
“You remember coffee orders.Grocery lists.Conversations from weeks ago.”
“That’s just memory.”
“No,” I say slowly.“That’s attention.”
He doesn’t answer right away.Instead, he leans against the counter beside me.
“You notice things, too,” he says eventually.
“Like what?”
“Like when someone needs help.”
I blink.“That’s different.”
“Not really.”
We stand there quietly for a moment while the noise of the shop hums around us.Tattoo machines, music, and laughter.
“You’re a good guy, Damien,” I say finally.
