Page 27 of Retribution
Cobra grunted, his fingers gripping the handlebars, his gaze staring straight ahead.
“See you.” She crossed the street and heard the screech of cams as he sped away. A queasy feeling churned in her stomach and she didn’t think it was because of the donuts.
I’m so fucked up.
Dakota opened the door to the shop and walked in.
Nervous energy kept her adrenaline high as she worked on a slew of customers. As far as tattoo parlors went, Bucky’s place was all right. Of course every shop had quirks and ways of doing things, scheduling customers, and cliques. Dakota managed it all while also navigating the unspoken misogyny that rippled through the shop when she noticed she was the only woman working there. Although it wasn’t unusual, she was hoping for more progressiveness in this town. Bucky was cool with her, but Kai—one of the artists, seemed to resent her because she had already started getting referrals. Most of the time she was so busy working that she forgot he was even there, but sometimes Kai could really get under her skin. For the most part, Dakota ignored his envious ass.
Hours later, Dakota waved goodbye to her last customer. Stretching her arms high above her head, she reached for the ceiling.
“That feels so good,” she said to no one in particular. She glanced at the reception desk.
“You’re eyeing the phone like it’s going to walk up and bite you. Do you need to use it?” Paul, the shop’s manager asked.
She nodded and he shoved it in her direction.
“You don’t have to ask, so long as I’m not on it, you can use it any time.”
“Thanks,” Dakota let go of a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding and picked up the cradle. “I forgot to charge my cell, and I don’t have a car yet.”
“Got it.” Paul nodded then turned his back to give her some privacy.
So far, he and Bucky were the only two who didn’t seem to act like tight-lipped dicks whenever a girl was around them. The rest of the artists gabbed among themselves like little old ladies at bingo any time there was a free second, and Dakota had become the official errand girl when she wasn’t with a clients. Even though it irked her, she was the new artist on the block, so she did a lot of the grunt work. At least she had a job.
The phone rang and she waited for Cobra’s delicious, low timbre to come over the line and make her knees go slightly weak. Just in case he answered, she rested her elbows against the counter.
The phone picked up.
“Hey, I’m ready,” she said softly.
“I’m outside,” he replied.
Dakota hung up the phone and looked out the front window and saw him sitting astride his purple Harley. She wondered how long he’d been waiting. Dakota hadn’t told him when her shift would finish, so Cobra could’ve been out there for a while. When she came walking up to him, he lifted his chin at her and switched on the engine.
“When did you get here?” Dakota screamed in his ear as they roared off toward the motel.
“I haven’t been waiting too long,” His voice rumbled up into her arms. “I’ve got a thing I gotta go to tonight. You’ll be okay on your own?”
“I’ll be fine.”
He nodded and that was the end of it until they were back in the room.
“You sure?”
“About what?” Dakota used the mirror next to the TV to apply a pinkish nude lipstick that had been hanging around in her backpack since she’d left Idaho Falls. “Are you talking about tonight while you do your thing?”
“Yeah.”
She spun around and saw him leaning against the closed door as if he couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
“I don’t plan on doing anything crazy, so rest assured, bodyguard.” Dakota smiled and stared up into his eyes noticing the hesitation in them. “After the day I had at work, I just want a quiet, easy night. No worries.”
“If you say so.”
“Oh, did you check on my SUV?” Cobra had arranged to have a guy he knew from work tow it to his brother-in-law’s shop.
He tapped the side of his head as if trying to jog his memory. “Yeah, I did. The guy said it’ll cost $1,250 to fix.”
