Inked Armour

6 HAYDEN

It was one in the morning. The TV was on but I wasn’t watching it. I was staring at the series of pictures on my wall. All Tenley. All the time. My phone rang. “What?” I grunted, aggravated by the interruption.

“You need to get your ass over to The Dollhouse and clean up your mess.”

“The fuck? Who is this?” I held out the phone and checked the screen. The number came up as unknown.

“It’s Jay, dipshit. Your girl broke Sienna’s nose.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jay was head of security. We’d known each other for years and we didn’t have any problems.

“Jesus. Don’t you keep tabs on the bitches you’re fucking?”

“Wait. What?”

“For the love of Christ, I thought you quit the blow. Your little china doll came here looking for you and got into it with Sienna. Get your ass in gear and come get your girl before Sienna puts her in a ditch.”

“You mean Tenley?”

“How the fuck should I know?” There was an irritated sigh. “Long black hair, tiny thing. Knows one of Sienna’s girls, Sarah. Ring any bells?”

“That’s not possible. She’s not even in Chicago.”

“I don’t know where she told you she was, but right now she’s in the damn club, and Sienna’s on lockdown. You have ten minutes to get here.”

The line went dead. I grabbed my keys and bolted down the stairs to the parking garage.

There was no way Tenley was back. I would know if she was. Or maybe not. She’d called twenty times today and I hadn’t answered. She didn’t leave a voice mail, and I was too pissed off for calling her early this morning to trust myself to talk to her again. Still, I assumed she would have texted if she was coming back. Even if she didn’t, the news would pass through someone else.

I called Chris as I pulled out of the underground parking. It went straight to voice mail so I tried Sarah and got the same damn thing. It took me less than ten minutes to get to The Dollhouse. I drove right up to the front entrance and parked in the tow zone. I got out and locked the door.

Max said, “Stryker, man, you can’t do that—”

“Jay called and asked me to pick something up. I’ll only be a second.”

“That little spitfire belongs to you?”

I stopped. “Shit. He wasn’t fucking with me? Tenley’s here?”

“Little, dark-haired thing? Sweet face with an ass to match?”

I wanted to grind his face into the side of the building for that comment, but he was twice my size. “I won’t be long.”

The smell of sweat and sex hit me when I walked through the door. What sounded like heavy bass when I was outside became a crap dance beat inside. I surveyed the club, searching for Tenley among the suits and dirtbags. In the back corner, I saw a well-dressed businessman put his hands on a dancer.

Security stepped out of the shadows, prepared to shut the guy down. A wordless conversation took place between the guy on security detail and the dancer, then she stepped down off the couch and reached for the suit’s hand. He followed her into the shadows. While security and the suit exchanged words, the dancer picked at her fingernails, looking bored. When the men were finished dealing, the suit and the dancer disappeared through a hidden door. Business as usual. The possibility that Tenley could have witnessed any of this made me ill.

I headed to the back of the club, where security guarded the hallway leading to Sienna’s office. Jay had been working here longer than I’d frequented the establishment. He’d seen a lot of dancers come and go, and a lot of management, too.

“You called.”

“Sienna’s a little worked up over what your girl did to her face. It took a lot of persuading to keep her from dragging this one out back and tossing her in a Dumpster.”

“Hayden?” Tenley said.

I closed my eyes briefly at the sound of her voice, then turned.

She looked terrified. She was tucked into the corner, sitting on a barstool with her hands in her lap. I didn’t want her exposed to this place, seeing what went on here, coming to obvious conclusions about what I did when I was a regular patron.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, anger replacing my relief at seeing her.

“I needed to find Sarah.”

That Sarah would be the first person she sought out was just another kick in the balls. I bit back a bitter retort when the strobe lights hit her face, illuminating a trio of vicious red lines. I moved closer, lifted her chin, and tilted her head. Scratch marks ran from her temple to her mouth. Even still, the contact was as electric as it had always been.

“What happened?” I asked with more bite than I meant to.

“I had a chat with Sienna.”

“She did this to you?” When Tenley nodded, I looked to Jay. “I want to talk to her.”

“I don’t think that’s in your best interest.”

“Tough shit. I want to know why the fuck I’m picking Tenley up with marks on her face.”

“Well, Tenley’s right here. I’m sure she can tell you.”

“I want to hear it from Sienna. Tell her I’m here—I guarantee she’ll want to see me.” I was banking on her anger and her bitch tactics. She’d jump at the chance to try to fuck with my head because that was what she was good at.

“Maybe we should just go,” Tenley said softly, sliding off the barstool.

“Not a chance,” I snapped.

Tenley ignored me and shifted forward, wincing as her left foot hit the floor and then her right. When she took an unsteady step toward me, her knee buckled, and she latched onto the bar.

I grabbed her by the waist. “What the hell?” I shot Jay an irate glare.

Fights happened all the time at The Dollhouse. The girls got territorial over clients, drugs, whatever. But security never let it get far. After a couple of slaps they were hauled off each other. Messed-up faces and ripped-out extensions didn’t make money.

Whatever had gone on between Tenley and Sienna, Jay had let it happen on purpose. Probably until Tenley defended herself. It pissed me off.

“I’m fine,” Tenley said thinly, her fingers digging into my shoulders.

“Bullshit,” I spat, annoyed she was lying.

She could hardly bear her own weight. I drew her closer until her entire body was pressed tight against mine. As angry as I was, I was too fucking needy to give a shit that she was only holding on to me because she’d drop like a stone otherwise. That ratcheted up my frustration even more.

I kept my arm fixed around her waist, feeling her gasps against my stomach as Tenley found her balance. She kept a hand on my forearm as she took a step back and struggled to put weight on her right leg.

“Sit down and don’t move,” I ordered, lifting her back onto the stool. She complied, which was pretty fucking atypical. She looked to be seconds away from tears. Rightfully so. Sienna was not a person Tenley should be messing with, nor were any of the other people who worked at or frequented The Dollhouse. At least here, in the shadows, she was safe from the lecherous stares of the douche bags in the club.

The standoff with Jay ended when Sienna burst through the door, which almost hit the side of his head. “Time’s up, bitch—” Then she saw me.

Of the two women, Sienna was definitely the worse for wear. Her eyes already had shadows underneath and her nose was swollen. Her hands went to her hips and she pushed her chest out. She wore some horrific red pleather getup that was so short it barely covered her ass, and the front was so low her nipples were almost showing.

“Came here to collect your trash?” Sienna asked. It came out all garbled.

I stepped in front of Tenley, blocking her from Sienna’s sight.

Sienna said, “You know, after that bitch fit you threw at Lisa’s, I did what you asked. I backed off because you needed to do that stupid girl for whatever reason. But I sure as hell don’t appreciate your toy coming to my club, talking smack to my face.”

Tenley huffed from behind me but I ignored the commentary on my relationship with her. Sienna wanted to rile me up and it wasn’t going to work. “What kind of smack?”

She gestured to Tenley. “That slut broke my fucking nose!”

I bristled at the pejorative. “Watch your fucking mouth.”

“Your little plaything called me a whore!”

I kept my tone flat to avoid feeding into her dramatics. “So you thought you’d fight her?”

“She came in here and acted like she had you all figured out. She got what she deserved. I should have her arrested for assault.” Sienna swiped under her swollen nose, where a thin trail of blood was making its way down to her lip. I was sure her coke habit didn’t help the problem.

“So you’re telling me Tenley hit you first?”

“You need to muzzle your bitch,” Sienna hissed.

I leaned in and Jay shook his head in warning. I put up a hand in a show of submission. I wasn’t stupid; he’d lay me out with one shot. “Answer the damn question. Did Tenley hit you first?”

“She came into my club!”

I’d heard enough. “You really are a piece of work.” I started to turn away.

Sienna grabbed my arm, her nails digging into the skin as she pressed herself up against me. “Get your head out of your ass, honey,” she said in my ear. “Her purity isn’t going to rub off on you. Once the novelty wears off, you’ll do what you always do. And then what will you have? Nothing.”

“I’m not looking to purify myself. I’ll own the shit I’ve done, but I don’t have to end up like you. You keep falling into the same hole, wondering why, when you’re the one holding the shovel. I hope you enjoy burying yourself.”

“Fuck you!” Sienna shoved my chest. “Get out and take your skank with you!”

“Glass house, Sienna. Watch yourself.”

“You asshole!” she screeched, grabbing for an empty glass on the bar, but Jay snagged her around the waist before she could reach it.

Tenley’s eyes were wide as I hauled her out of the way. When Sienna went on a rampage, it meant lots of broken things, and sometimes that included people. Security swarmed her, keeping her from getting her hands on anything she could throw at me. She lived a sad life, and I was glad not to be part of it anymore.

I half carried Tenley across the club. When I burst through the front door, my car was being towed out of the parking lot.

“Fuck.”

Max just gave me a look that said I should have known better.

“Where’s your car?” I barked at Tenley.

“Over there.” She pointed across the lot.

I headed in that direction, my arm around her waist. She was still having trouble walking without support. Her Prius was nowhere in sight. “Where’s—”

Tenley lifted a remote, a red BMW beeped, and the engine turned over.

“Whose douche mobile is this?”

“It was Connor’s. It was my only way back home,” she replied, looking up at me with sad eyes.

Well, wasn’t I an asshole.

“Thanks for getting me out of there.”

There was an awkward moment when I wanted to kiss her, but I realized she was waiting for me to let her go so she could get in the car. When I did, she dropped her head and started to hobble toward the driver’s side.

I grabbed her hand with the keys in it. “Uh, yeah, you’re not driving.”

She passed the keys over without an argument, which told me how much pain she was in. I helped her around to the passenger side. She had to lift her leg at the knee to get it into the car. I got in the driver’s side, where I practically ate the steering wheel, the seat was pulled up so far.

The air in the car was thick with tension, and Tenley was quiet as I pulled out of the parking lot onto the street. I glanced at her every so often. I had too many questions I wanted answers to— about tonight, about the last three weeks, about the night she left.

Finally, the silence too much, I asked, “What the hell would make you think it was a good idea to come to The Dollhouse?”

“Sarah has the key to my apartment and she wasn’t answering her phone. I figured she was working.”

“I have a key to your apartment. I would have let you in. Then we could have avoided this shit.”

“You weren’t answering my calls. I wasn’t sure you wanted to see me.”

We were right back to the very beginning, when she was all skittish around me. What damage had Trey done while she was in Arden Hills? I had a feeling her time there had been pretty fucking horrific. Which meant I needed to stow the anger brigade and stop snapping at her.

“No matter what’s happened between us, Tenley, you still could have come to me. I wouldn’t have turned you away.”

For whatever reason it was the wrong thing to say because her shoulders sagged and started shaking.

“Kitten?”

That made it worse. She pressed her hand over her mouth, but a sob slipped out. Thankfully, we were almost home. I pulled into the underground parking and cut the engine, flicking on the interior light so I could see her.

She was caved in on herself, the way she’d been after the first tattoo session. I smoothed my hand down her back. Like me, she’d lost weight. I could feel the prominent ridges of her spine through the layers of clothing. It scared me that she was more fragile than when she’d left.

She sucked in a couple of deep breaths, shuddering on the exhale. When she lifted her head, her emotions were under control again, but just barely. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get so upset.”

“It’s okay—dealing with Sienna would make anyone crack. Why don’t you come up to my place? You’ll never be able to handle the stairs to your apartment.” I hoped the excuse would be enough to get her to agree. I had no idea where we stood, but I didn’t want her to go.

“I want to see TK,” she whispered.

“She’s up there. She’ll be happy you’re home.”

“TK’s at your place?”

“I’ve been taking care of her while you were away.”

“Oh.” She sniffed, then swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. “That’s good. Thank you for doing that.”

I shrugged. “I wanted to.”

I got out of the car and came around to Tenley’s side, where she was already hoisting herself out. If she was still having this much trouble tomorrow, I was taking her to the doctor for X-rays or something. Her lips were set in a thin line, which I took to mean she was in pain and wanted to hide it.

“You need anything from the trunk?” I asked.

She shook her head, so I locked up the douche mobile and we headed for the elevator. She kept looking over at the staircase. No way could she hike three flights to my condo with the way she was limping. I told her so.

“I don’t like elevators,” she said as the doors opened.

I wasn’t partial either, but carrying her wasn’t an option. “It’s a quick ride.”

She hesitated, but when I put my foot over the sensor to prevent the doors from closing, she went inside. Tenley tucked herself into the corner, gripping the handrails that circled the mirrored steel box. I hit the button for the second floor, then put my arm around her. When we started to move, she latched onto me, burying her face in my chest with an apology. She had no reason to be sorry; the motion of the elevator probably mimicked the sensations of the plane when it dropped. And the windowless, confined space would worsen the vertigo.

I held on to her, stroking her hair, watching our entwined reflection in the mirrors surrounding us. When the elevator stopped and the doors slid open, Tenley practically pitched herself into the hall.

She’d only been to my place once, but she remembered where it was and started down the hall. I wouldn’t make her wait until I’d checked all the rooms tonight, as I normally would; she needed to sit down immediately.

Inside, Tenley braced herself on the wall as she gingerly removed her shoes. I put them in the closet beside mine.

TK bounded down the hall and came to me, winding around my legs, peeking out at Tenley.

“Come here, baby girl,” Tenley cooed as she melted into the floor.

TK cocked her little head to the side uncertainly and stayed close to me.

Tenley clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and snapped her fingers. The expression on her face was heartbreaking, as if she expected the snub.

I crouched down and scratched TK’s head. “It’s okay, little buddy, that’s your mom. She went on a trip, but she’s back now.” TK mewed and peeked out from between my ankles. “That’s right, go say hi. She missed you, just like we missed her.”

TK trotted over and sniffed at Tenley’s outstretched hand. It took TK a minute, but eventually she got close enough for Tenley to pick her up. The real crying started then. Silent sobs shook Tenley’s body as she folded around the kitten.

I tried not to be jealous of a stupid cat, but it was difficult to not feel slighted that she got a more heartfelt greeting than I did. The only reason Tenley had touched me so far was because she needed my help, and the elevator freaked her out.

“I missed you so much. I’m sorry I was gone so long. I won’t do it again, I promise.” Her eyes lifted to meet mine, teary and bleak.

Maybe her words weren’t just for TK, maybe they were meant for me, too. I wanted to believe that, but her disappearance and refusal to call made it impossible to trust her. Actions spoke louder than words. As glad as I was to have her home, I was still angry with her for leaving in the first place. Conflicted didn’t begin to describe it.

I was also exhausted. It was almost three in the morning, and I hadn’t slept much the past week, let alone the last three.

“Why don’t you come to the living room? My couch is more comfortable than the floor. Besides, I want to take a look at the scratches on your face.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Yes. I do. Now come.” I put my hands under her arms and helped her to her feet while she cuddled TK to her chest.

She took in the surroundings as though she were seeing them for the first time. When we reached the living room, she sucked in a breath, her eyes on the new art adorning the walls.

I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated that my feelings for her were so apparent in the designs. “You want something to drink?”

“Please.” She sank down into the corner of the couch and pulled her legs up, turning so she could see the pictures hanging above it.

“You want beer or wine? Or something stronger?”

“Stronger might be good.”

I poured two glasses of scotch, resisting the urge to shoot mine and refill it immediately. I was pretty wound up and I had a lot of questions, but overwhelming her two minutes after she walked in the door—particularly after a showdown with Sienna—wouldn’t be in either of our best interests.

I handed her a glass and Tenley took a tentative sip. Her nose scrunched up in disgust.

“You don’t like it?” I asked, holding back a grin.

“It’s fine.” She took another sip, but her lips puckered as she swallowed.

“Don’t be a martyr. I’d rather you not force it down to be polite.”

“Sorry.” She passed me the drink, and I poured the contents into my glass.

“It’s an acquired taste. I’ll get you something else.” I stood up. “And I want to take care of those scratches.”

“Okay.”

She was so timid sitting there on my couch, curled up in a little ball, all the fire stolen out of her. I wanted the old Tenley back, the one who was frisky and snide. I poured her a glass of red and left her with TK sprawled over her lap.

I retrieved the first-aid kit from my bathroom, then wetted a facecloth with scalding water and wrung it out. By the time I got back to the living room, it would be cool enough to wipe her scratches.

“Let’s check the damage.” I sat beside her, getting in close so I could have a good look at what was done to her face.

“It doesn’t feel bad,” Tenley said softly, setting her wine on the coffee table.

The sleeve of her hoodie shifted with the movement, exposing part of her forearm. There were marks there, too. I took her hand and pushed the sleeve back. She flinched, even with the gentle contact. The bruises were old, faded to greenish yellow, wrapping all the way around her wrist. Like a manacle.

“Where did these come from?”

“They’re nothing.” She kept her eyes down as she pulled her sleeve over her wrist.

“Don’t bullshit me.”

She recoiled, and when she looked up, I could see her trepidation. She swallowed and clasped her hands. “Trey got a little aggressive.”

“Aggressive how?” My imagination threw out all sorts of scenarios, and all of them made me want to run him over with my car. Repeatedly.

“He grabbed my wrist harder than he should have. It wasn’t intentional, and I bruise easily.”

“Are you making excuses for that cocksucker?” I asked, incredulous.

“No. You asked what happened, and I’m telling you.”

She was still too timid. I didn’t like it, and her explanation had a lot of holes. “Did he leave any more marks?”

She shook her head. “Just the ones on my wrist. Do you want to look at my cheek now?”

I let it go. For now. While I inspected the scratches, she sat perfectly still, the model patient. It reminded of when I put that little cupcake tattoo on her, an inch to the left of her kitty.

I tilted her chin up and angled her head. She shifted closer, and her shin pressed against the outside of my thigh. Her hand came to rest on my knee. I jerked at the contact, and she pulled away. I wanted to reach over and put her hand back, but didn’t.

“Sienna has sharp nails,” I said. She’d raked them over my skin more than once.

In a couple of places, blood had welled and dried. The paranoid side of me wanted a doctor to check for tetanus and worse, but no bodily fluids had been passed—so Tenley was probably safe.

I hated that my past was the cause of this; Tenley had already dealt with enough. We both had. This wasn’t how I’d envisioned her return. I ran my fingers gently along her cheek, and she jumped.

“Does that hurt?” I asked, worried.

“No.” It came out a little breathless.

I dabbed at the scratches with the facecloth, wiping the blood away. Then I sprayed them with disinfectant and used a Q-tip to apply antibiotic ointment.

When I was done, Tenley shifted to the side, hissing at the movement.

“You need to get your hip checked out—it’s a mess.”

“It’s just achy.”

“Don’t lie to me. It pisses me the fuck off.”

She shied away, which was understandable. I was irritated and taking it out on her. So much for sidelining the anger.

I slid my arms around her, pulling her against me. Her back hit my chest and I dropped my forehead on her shoulder. “You don’t have to front if you’re in pain. It doesn’t help either of us. Just let me take care of you.”

The stiffness in her body eased, and I closed my eyes as her fingers drifted along the back of my hand to my forearm. God, I missed the way it felt to be close to her; to touch her, to be touched by her. Up, up, up her hand went; over my biceps, my shoulder, my neck, until it reached my hair, sliding through the strands. I lifted my head, my nose skimming her collarbone. I barely resisted the urge to follow with my mouth. We had too much to talk about to go there yet.

She turned into me. “I missed you.”

Her palm rested against my cheek and she urged my head up higher. Her mouth was right there.

She was the one who leaned in.

She was the one who drew me closer.

Her lips pressed against mine. She tasted just as I remembered . . . but it wasn’t the same.