Secrets and Ink by Lou Harper Read Free Book Online Page B

head. “Doesn’t matter. The other night when I saw your spider tattoo, it came back rushing back, and all I could see was that sixteen-year-old boy.”
    “Seventeen.”
    Nick said nothing.
    Was he for real? I blinked away my preconceptions and studied him inch by inch. I took in the serious eyes under the serious brows, the serious set of his jaws… Hell, even his ears were as serious a three-alarm fire. No, make it five-alarm. “You don’t give yourself a break, do you?”
    “Not in the job description. Knowing you were that kid keeps messing with my head. I can’t help it. I’d like to get to know you better, though.”
    I shook my head. “As a friend, can I tell you when I think you’re a knucklehead?”
    “Sure,” he said, and the tension melted from his expression.
    We clinked our glasses on it. The sun slipped below the horizon. We watched as the purple turned into gray and then indigo. Neither of us said a word, but it didn’t feel awkward or weird. We had a connection, I was certain. I was willing to settle for friendship, but I doubted I could stop wishing for more.
    When Nick shifted and turned his head, I could mostly make out the whites of his eyes. “Did Riley send the photo?” he asked.
    “How did you know?”
    “Lucky guess. What do you think he wants?”
    “Probably just attention. The last time we met, we argued. I told him I wanted him out of my life. He didn’t take it well, but I haven’t heard from him in a while. Till now.”
    “Don’t let him manipulate you.”
    “Is that friendly advice?”
    “Of course.”
    “So what other things do friends do?” I asked.
    “I dunno, keep in touch, tell each other when they have problems?”
    “Right. I’ll be waiting for the midnight phone call. Do you want to—” I hesitated, unsure if should finish the sentence.
    “What?”
    “Charly and I are going to see Lethal Assignment in the movies this weekend. Her boyfriend is going out of town, some work stuff. She has the hots for Clay Carson. If you’re interested, you could join us.” I saw his hesitation. “It was a bad idea. Forget it.”
    “I can do it on Saturday.”
    A surge of happy spirits splashed over me. “Coolio. I’ll get the tickets; you buy the popcorn.”
    I walked him out, and we had an awkward moment at the door but resolved it with restrained hug.
    Nick stepped outside but then turned back. “What happened to the cat?”
    “Oh, she was fine. My body shielded her from damage. I adopted her and named her Pancake in memory of getting flattened. Well, technically, my sister and parents took care of her for the first year, but she loved me the most, anyway.”
    “So where is Pancake?”
    “She ran away last summer. Jumped off the balcony when I wasn’t looking.” Story of my life.

Chapter Four
    The second red envelope arrived on Saturday. I didn’t know when exactly. It was early afternoon when I first poked my head out the door, and then only to check the mail. A stone materialized in the pit of my stomach as the damn envelope fluttered onto the doormat. I stared at it, wishing it would turn into a burning bag of dog turd. No luck.
    This photo was similar to the previous one, but not the same. Same room, same naked boy, but he’d risen up on his knees. Thinking about the figure in the third person helped only so much. There was another person in the picture now. Mostly naked, jeans pooled around his ankles while he fucked the boy’s face. He had the body of an adult, but I couldn’t guess his exact age and had no idea who he was. His bowed head and downcast eyes made identification difficult.
    I didn’t know what pissed me off more—the rough way the man grabbed the boy’s head or that Riley wanted me to have this reminder. One thing was sure—my temper burst into flames before I lost it completely and ripped up the picture. I tossed the pieces into the trash, but after a couple of minutes of pacing around, I dug them up again. If Riley wanted my