BlackHeart

Chapter 29

         My heart skipped a beat when I saw Dom walk into the shop. I haven't seen him in a week, and the last time I did see him a lot went on between us. Cam came out of the back room, walking over to greet him before Dom could even address me. He was in a suit, so I wondered what he would be getting tattooed. "I had a meeting downtown. I didn't have time to change," he told Cam, whose short height was cute beside him. She seemed familiar with him, giving him a hug when he walked in. It made my gut sour a little bit. 

The man just nodded at me before passing to get to one of the private rooms. Nodded!! That was rude. I stayed at the register and made change for a customer who was paying. Eventually I heard Cam call out for me, asking if I could grab her something. 

When I entered the room I almost passed out. On the tattooing chair Dom was leaning back shirtless. It's the first time I've seen him without a shirt on. His whole upper body was bare to me, and I couldn't help but stare. Wow. I knew he was fit, but this was beyond that. He was defined in every sense of the word. 

Thick shaped arms, a taut chest, and a slate of abs. His happy trail was prominent with the cut V he had. I couldn't look away.

        On top of being carved out of fine stone I could also finally see where his tattoos were. He had one full arm sleeve made up of black ink. On his left arm he had a tattoo on his inner forearm, and right now he was getting words tattooed across a portion of his ribs. His arm flexed with the way he had it behind his head, propping it up. "You can leave that right there" Cam couldn't hide the amusement on her face when she noticed me openly staring at her client. That smooth Italian flesh was so touchable. Every inch of him is so dang touchable. 

I swallowed hard and had to actively try and turn away from him, so I could give Cam what she asked for. I would've walked out. I should've. But instead I came beside him and asked, "What are you getting done?" 

Cam's hands were in the way as she worked, so I couldn't immediately see it. First Dom removed his arm from behind his head and extended that right arm out to show me what was on it.

        "The theme of this full sleeve is about Homer's Iliad and Odyssey novels. Do you know what that is?" He asked me. I nodded yes and took his arm in my hand to view all the intertwining images. It was sort of like the book illustrations with fighting trojans and all that ancient Grecian stuff. It was super cool looking. It finished off at the start of his shoulder. Men with spears and shields, and even the bust of Homer's head himself. A few words were written through the illustration. It read: For a friend with an understanding heart is worth no less than a brother. 

        "Your brother and our whole platoon got those words tattooed on us overseas," he told me when my finger brushed over it. Cam kept glancing up at us, but she was also still working. He showed his other arm and this amazing illustration of the angel of death was tattooed there. It was hauntingly beautiful. "And the words?" I finally got a glimpse of his ribs, and he was getting a few lines done. "It'll read: 'The gods envy us. They envy us because we're mortal, because any moment may be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we are doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again'."

"It's from the movie Troy, but it isn't in the books. I liked it though. It's got its own meaning for me," he shrugged. His voice could always sound serious and disinterested somehow. "Why those books?" I continued the inquiry. "They had them on base. When I was bored as all hell, I ended up picking them up. It sort of marked a certain point in my life." I found that fascinating, but I couldn't pry without pissing him off right now. I really liked it though. 

"Need a break?" Cam looked at him. He shook his head no and took it like a champ. "Isn't it painful?" I scrunch my nose at the sight of the needles continuously poking through the skin. "Define painful," he shrugged.