Grim Magic (Book 4 of the Ink Series)

Makeup or breakup

I straightened up rubbing my back as I stared at the wall. I hated painting and the fact I was made me angry. But I couldn't leave Dad's wall covered with some mystery man's name for the entire town to see—or Nona.

I dropped the paintbrush on the tray and sighed. "This is never ending. And Evil Kings are having their first gig tonight." I blew a strand of hair out of my face. "And odds are I will be covered in paint at the show."

Karsen nodded from the ladder. She so kindly agreed to help me. I wasn't sure why because she wasn't one for physical labor but she did and I was grateful for it. The two of us together managed to hack off at least an hour or two of the time it would have taken me alone.

"What did you tell Elliot and Easton?" She looked at me, rolling white paint across another dozen Marcus'scrawled across the walls. I ignored the white paint smeared under her eye and across her nose and answered her.

"Easton was out with friends. It was only Elliot." I lifted the paintbrush. "And I told him he was overwhelmed and I would take care of it."

"And he believed you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, what else is there to believe?"

Karsen scoffed. "That his father is no longer the same guy he was a couple weeks ago. Hope, he sleeps more than he's awake."

I shook my head refusing to believe it. "He's dealing with a lot. I'm sure his body is trying to recover from all the trauma. It will be fine."

Karsen shrugged not giving in. "Where is he now?"

I winced at the thought of him at work. "He went to work. He said he would be fine."

"Let's hope so," Slade said coming in the room with a bag of food from the taco shack for Karsen and I. Kidd was with him. And I welcomed the break and the food because I was tired and hungry.

I wiped my hands on my sweats and headed to the food. Slade handed me the bag. "You know this would go a lot faster if you used magic."

I rolled my eyes biting into a taco. "It's not that simple." I chewed. "What does that fix me repairing our problems with magic?"

Slade plucked a fleck of paint from my forehead. "You having to scrape paint off of you before my show."

I wasn't smiling. "Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the ones we love." I went back to my taco because I didn't want to go there anymore.

Karsen and Kidd chatted on the other side of dad's room while Slade stared me down. I knew he was looking to make a point. I just didn't want to hear it.

"Did you ever think maybe drinking an entire bottle of jack daniels might have been more to do with this than Jersey?" he asked.

I scoffed angrily. "This has never happened before."

Slade shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "Don't you see it? Or are you just too stubborn to admit it?"

Karsen looked at both of us. "Don't even go there, Slade."

Slade raised an eyebrow. "What? Don't say what everyone in this room already knows?"

I dropped my taco and tossed it back in the bag. "Just because we know doesn't mean anything."

Slade sighed. "Your dad is an alcoholic. And whether you like it or not he's probably been one for a long time, longer than when your mother cheated on him."

Karsen stood up. "Do not go there. Who the hell do you think you are?" She went after Slade, Kidd grabbed her around the waist ending her attempt at clawing his eyes out.

"Let's take a walk. Let them work out their issues," Kidd said, leading Karsen to the door. I watched them leave before I even tried looking at Slade.

"I can't believe you would even say that." I crossed my arms.

"Someone has to." Slade crossed his own arms. "I'm not trying to be mean to you. I just want you to be honest with yourself."

"Why?" I bit my lip. "Because you think that will make any of this easier?" It wouldn't. I'd been hiding my inner resentment towards my dad for as long as I could remember. Sometimes I even forgot how bad things got when I was younger.

And if I remembered that meant I gave my mother an excuse for what she did and I didn't want to give her any excuse for cheating on my father and breaking up our entire family and my life.

"I don't know what it will do." He touched me, pulling me to him. He lifted my chin forcing me to look at him. "I went through the same thing with both of my parents. They weren't just musicians they were also big into partying. Maybe you should talk to him about getting some kind of help."

I shook my head. "It's not that easy. You know it's not that easy."

"It could be a lot easier," Slade kissed the side of my head.

"I need to finish painting." I pulled away. "Thanks for lunch."

He lingered, probably debating on adding anymore salt to the wound I was sure. Who was I kidding he was only trying to help. But it didn't help, it made me feel like shit.

"I'll see you tonight?" he asked from the doorway. "I need my biggest fan front and center. My first gig wouldn't be the same without you."

I lifted the paintbrush and pushed some loose hair behind my ear. "See you tonight."