Sinful Magic (Book 3 of the Ink series)

Chapter 17

"So let me get this straight," Hutch said, we were sitting in his living room. "Your father was told that if Slade died you wouldn't be this way anymore?"

I nodded.

"You might not be connected to Slade but that wouldn't change the person you are." Hutch rubbed at his chin. "And what do you think about that?"

I didn't understand what he meant. "I know nothing in life is simple. Breaking a connection isn't going to fix anything."

"What if it was that simple? What if killing Slade solved all your problems?"

I wasn't finding Hutch's question amusing. "Are you kidding me right now?"

Hutch chuckled. "It was a joke, doll."

"It's not funny. And you don't know my dad. He doesn't like to let go." I knew him to well. That's why he drank; he couldn't deal with things he couldn't change.

Hutch wasn't worried about my dad. He sat down next to me, closing the space between us with a kiss on my lips. I kissed him back and pulled away.

"Are you trying to change the subject?" I asked him.

He nodded going for my lips again. We connected; I dropped back on the couch.

"Life would be simple if we could just lie around and do this all day long," Hutch said unbuttoning my shirt. "Everything is going to be fine. Give him a little time to adjust and soon he'll see you're the same Hope you always were."

I slipped my fingers into his hair smiling as I kissed him. He could always say the right thing when I was having a hard time.

My heart tattoo caught my eye, I pulled away.

"What?" Hutch asked kissing my neck.

"Does this look different to you?" I asked him, I stared down at the heart. It was different and I couldn't figure out why. But something was not right.

Hutch took me by the wrist. He covered my tattoo with two fingers. "Forget about the tattoo. Close your eyes and kiss me."

But I couldn't take my eyes off it. Hutch sighed. This time he covered the entire thing with his hand. He pulled away. "Shit."

I stared at him confused watching him look out the window. He opened the door. I jumped to my feet stunned to see Slade standing there.

"What are you doing here?" I buttoned my shirt. "I thought you weren't coming back around?"

Slade surveyed the house before he offered me an answer to his surprise visit. "I may be away but that doesn't mean I don't know when you're acting like an idiot."

Hutch stepped in between us. "Don't call her an idiot."

Slade looked him up and down. "She doesn't need your help."

"She needs someone's seeing you left her here to fend for herself against the entire town of Cherry," Hutch said back. "And I've been doing that just fine."

I couldn't believe Hutch. I turned away from Slade and took Hutch by the hand leading him to the couch. "You can't talk to him like that. It's going to piss him off. Let me talk to him, see what he wants."

Hutch toyed with my hair, doing his best to egg Slade on I was sure. "Use my room. I know being out in public isn't his thing right now."

Slade followed me down the hallway. I shut the door behind us and took a seat on Hutch's bed. It was sort of awkward.

"You can't just show up, why are you here, Slade?" I asked.

He tugged his black hat down farther. "I just told you. You're acting like an idiot."

"That's not your business."

"Oh I forgot, you filled that position," he lifted a book on Hutch's nightstand. "This guy can't be serious." He dropped the book with a thud.

"I thought you had more important things to worry about, like running for your life," I said. I couldn't believe he was back because word got around I partied a little too hard.

"I told you I would take care of it," he moved in, his fingers tangling with my hair. "It's taken care of, and so here I am."

I couldn't believe it. "You're back for good?"

"For good," he insisted. "He doesn't seem as appealing anymore does he?"

I swallowed. Slade moved in, I tried to form words. But like every time before I was drawn to him. But something stopped me; I pulled away before we connected.

"I still remember what you said. You told me to forget I ever met you," I said.

Slade bit down on his lip ring. "When I thought things weren't going to change, I was looking out for you."

"You were thinking about yourself. And I see that now," I said. Every time I invested myself in Slade I was crushed. I didn't want to be crushed anymore, I wanted to be smart.

"So you go out and drink, almost kill yourself and your best friend to forget your problems?" Slade asked. "Because that shows how much you would rather forget about me."

"I'm sitting in another guy's house, what does that tell you?" I stared at him. "I think I already forgot about you if you ask me."

Slade nodded. "Harsh. I can see right through you."

I rolled my eyes. "I've changed, I like being reckless, it excites me to know I hold all the power and all these people are beneath me. I don't want to be naïve anymore."

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. I hope your little friend out there is supportive of all the bad decisions your making," Slade told me.

"He hasn't complained yet," I stared up at him daring him to say anything else about it. "You can leave; I did just fine without you."

"I'm not buying it. But I'll leave," he said. I opened the door waiting for him to go out first. "You might want to apologize to your friend. Or doesn't that matter either?"

I huffed and slammed the bedroom door shut so I didn't have to look at him anymore. I dropped down on the bed. I lifted my arm staring at my ink, there stood the word moron. I sat up ready to chase him down and slap him. But it faded away.