Sawyer’s father had been killed in a car accident, devastating her mother. She had never sought solace in another’s arms. She had held her heart untouched by another until the day a vicious mugger had taken her life for twenty dollars in ones and some change.
Callie’s mother had been by far the worst. Even now, Vida’s mind shied away from thinking about the monster that had given birth to such a beautiful child, both in body and spirit. She had used men to her own advantage and had been a ruthless, money-grabbing whore.
Vida felt tears and had to swallow the lump in her throat at the thought of Callie and the promises the three had made each other. Their bubble gum promises had seemed so simple in their childhood, yet they remained unfulfilled. Sawyer was held at the mercy of an unknown man, Vida found herself in the same job that her mother had been unable to escape and Callie hadn’t even made it out of childhood alive; a victim of the very life that had created her. The wind dried the tears that Vida couldn’t prevent from falling.
Colton drove the bike to the side of the tattoo shop where Vida climbed off as soon as he stopped and then, without waiting for him, she rushed into the shop. The lobby was empty, but Tessa, hearing the bell, came into the room. Her expression showed she wasn’t any happier than she had been the night before.
Ignoring Vida, she turned her anger towards Colton. “You were supposed to be here an hour ago. I rescheduled your client for twelve. Since you’re so late, you can make the time up during your lunch hour.” Vida didn’t think Colton was going to be happy with Tessa’s bossy attitude.
Vida tried to ignore the tense situation as she sat behind the desk. She pulled out her computer and turned it on.
“Let’s not forget who the boss is here, Tessa. I called from the apartment and had already rescheduled the appointment. Call him back and ask which time he prefers.”
Tessa stiffened. “I ran this shop while you were in prison; it’s more mine than yours.”
“Don’t forget who is the one responsible for putting me in prison, Tessa. I bought this shop with my own money. Now that I’m out, I’ve told you that you need to move on. There are other shops in town who would be happy to give you a job.” His deadly calm voice had Vida glancing up from her computer. She had no doubt that Colton could be a mean son of a bitch.
“I’m not leaving!” she yelled.
Colton shrugged. “Then don’t, but you’re not going to boss me around and bitch at me every five seconds. If you stay, you’re just another employee to me.”
“Colton, I’m your wife.”
“Actually, in thirty days you will be my ex-wife,” Colton informed her.
“You filed the papers?” Vida could see the shock on Tessa’s face.
“I signed the papers the day after I was released from prison. I told you to take care of it, you didn’t. I did.” Unremorsefully, he continued, “Now all we have left is a business relationship, one I no longer want, but I will leave that to you. Me and you, in any other way, does not exist. Do you fucking understand me, Tessa?”
Tessa’s pale face stared back at Colton mutely before storming from the room.
“I think you should tell her why I’m staying with you. It will calm her down,” Vida advised. “I really don’t want her blaming me for you wanting a divorce.”
“Tessa knows exactly who is responsible for our divorce,” Colton said grimly.
“Then why is she throwing all these dirty looks at me?” Vida asked in confusion.
“Because she thinks she owns me and doesn’t want to admit our divorce is her fault.” Colton crossed his arms over his chest, his t-shirt stretched, leaving the tats on his forearm visible. Vida’s eyes traced the lines of the various tats.
“And,” he continued, “she thinks I’m fucking you.”
“Her name is on several of your tats; a woman begins to think a man is hers when he brands himself with her name. I would appreciate it if you would tell her I’m not sleeping with you. It will definitely make my day go easier when I have to deal with her clients.” Vida was getting tired of Tessa’s snide remarks.
“It won’t matter; she won’t believe me.”
“Why?” Vida asked, looking down at her computer and refusing to gaze into his eyes.
“Because Tessa knows that I like to fuck. She won’t believe there is the slightest chance that you could live with me and not have me put my cock in your tight little pussy.” Colton’s voice became intimately suggestive.
Shocked, Vida looked up into his face. For the last two weeks he had completely ignored her presence, treating her with cold indifference, now he was talking to her in a way that was sexually explicit. Something didn’t add up and Vida was pretty sure she knew the answer to Colton’s big change.