Chasing Stars - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Thirty-Seven

I struggled to hide my surprise when we went to an actual tattoo shop. I had been fully prepared to have someone just show up at our house and pull his equipment out of a suitcase from the trunk of his car.

"Great. We're here." I said trying to sound excited.

Alessio had definitely called my bluff on the whole tattoo thing. I had thought about tattoos before, there were a few I had decided I wouldn't mind getting but of course I knew I'd never actually get one. Because truly, I did hate needles and the idea of permanently inking myself sounded insane.

"Here." Alessio handed me two little blue pills. I scrunched my nose up in an immature response. "For your anxiety."

"I don't have anxiety."

"Trust me Katherine. You're going to psyche yourself out. Your anxiety is going to be so much worse than the actual tattoo."

"I-"

"Where did you even get those?" Stacey interrupted from the passenger's seat upfront.

Alessio shot her a look. He hated being interrupted. "Does it matter?"

She shrugged.

"You know this really isn't what I had in mind when I agreed to another double date." I huffed and snatched the pills from Alessio.

"Come on Kate!" Stacey beamed as she threw open her door. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Easy for you to say, you aren't the one getting stabbed ninety-billion-trillion times." I grumbled and followed her lead in getting out of the car.

"I said I might."

"No one is forcing you Katherine." Alessio said at my side already. "Just admit you aren't a tattoo person." He taunted, knowing well enough that that wasn't going to happen.

"No, I'm fine. Can't wait."

"Fabulous." He said and kissed my cheek. He slipped his arm around my waist and led me into the shop. Even more surprising than the fact that we came to an actual tattoo shop was the reaction the man behind the counter had when he saw Alessio.

"Alessio!" He yelled and threw his arms open. He came across the counter and hugged Alessio. When they pulled apart he kept his hand on his shoulder and beamed. "You old son of a bitch, what the hell are you doing here?"

I gave Alessio a concerned look. Was this guy alright? I hadn't seen anyone give Alessio this greeting before. No one. The general greeting was "Mister Genovese sir, what a pleasant surprise how may we service you today?" Others may give him a curt nod, some became instantly terrified when they saw him and began stuttering. "A-Alessio, w-what a pleasant surprise." And then there were those of course who kept their eyes trained to the ground as he passed them.

This guy? Not only was he informal as all hell but he appeared to be genuinely pleased to see Alessio. Odd.

"I called you." Alessio reminded him. "I asked you to work us in today."
"I know, I just love busting your chaps." He patted Alessio hard on the shoulder several times and then stepped away. "So what is it gonna be? Naked mermaid?" He turned to me and hitched his thumb towards Alessio. "I've been trying to convince this guy to let me tattoo a naked mermaid to his arm for like forty years!" He insisted despite Alessio not even being forty years old.

Alessio rolled his eyes. "Katherine, Stacey, this is my very annoying friend Lewis."

He wasn't even Italian. I would be lying if I said that didn't surprise me just a little bit. Lewis wore nearly black jeans and a simply grey v-neck which allowed most of his tattooed arms and neck to be visible. He wore thick black rimmed glasses, white plugs in his ears and his hair was gelled into a way that reminded me of the 60's. He was scrawny but extremely vibrant personality was.