Music, Ink, and Love (13 page)

“That’s why I asked you to have dinner later this week. I want you to meet her.” Her parents.
Here come the details.
“You won’t meet her parents though. That’s the complicated part. Unfortunately, her mother cut all ties to her when she found out she was with me. She’s kind of old school and doesn’t agree with me. She refuses to talk to her, even her step-father took her mother’s side. It’s a very sad story, let me tell you. She’s okay now. And her biological father, he is not around.” I lied.

“How did you deal with her mother? Did you try to explain? You’re a good man, son. The tattoos are... well, they are what they are, but it doesn’t make you a criminal or an asshole. You work hard and you have a good living. I would love to have a word with that woman.”

“She tried, but it didn’t work. Maybe with time, she’ll have regrets. I have no idea. I only saw her once. She was hysterical.”

“I’m sorry, Levi. Some people have their own opinion of people and we can’t change that.”

I nodded. It sucked.

“Anyway, I think you’ll like Phoenix or Nix. Actually, we call her Nix.”

“I can tell that you’re in love. It’s a very good thing for you, son. I want grandchildren someday.” He laughed.

“Wow, Dad, slow down. Let us get married first. We need to plan the wedding, find a house. We’ve got a lot of things to do before kids.”

“Sometimes, it goes faster than we think. When and where will the wedding be?”

“We are looking at our options. So far, we decided to do an outside ceremony, by the water. We don’t know if we want to do it here or away, down south.”

“What about Los Cabos? You know I have a small house over there. It depends on how many guests you want.”

“Something very small and intimate. It would be around eight to ten people.”

“Let me see if I can make a few phone calls. I’ll get back to you later this week, if you are interested.”

“Yes, I think it would be great. I’ll tell Nix tonight and we can all talk about it over dinner.”

Colleen's voice came out of the small intercom on his office phone. “Mr. Munroe, your next appointment is here, in the conference room.”

“I'll be with him in five minutes. Thank you, Colleen.”

“I'll let you go. I just wanted to tell you a few things before you meet her.”

“I understand, Levi. Thank you for the coffee and for stopping by. You should do that more often.”

“I will, Dad.”

We shook hands again and I left his office. I felt much better after telling him more about Nix.

When I got to the shop twenty minutes later, Kyle was talking with a client. I waved at him and went to the bathroom to change into comfortable clothes. All I thought about was Los Cabos. I had been there once and it really was beautiful. We could certainly arrange something at his place. Like Nix had mentioned, something simple. Maybe I could ask Tyler to get a license to marry us. Tons of ideas ran into my mind. I imagined Nix in a white beach-style dress with little flowers in her hair. She would be definitely hotter than Brooke Shield in Blue Lagoon, right? And I wouldn't have to wear a black tuxedo which was fucking fabulous. It would be a laid back beach wedding. Hell yes! Now, if she could finish her class sooner, that would be perfect because I'm dying to talk to her.

I picked up my phone and dialed my dad's cell phone number.

“Austin Monroe speaking.”

“Dad, do you have any pictures from the house in Los Cabos, I would really love to show Nix.”

“I'm sorry, it won't take long.” I heard him talking to someone. “I do. In fact, I have a couple of pictures online for my colleagues. They rent it sometimes. I'll send you the link by email.”

“Okay, thanks and sorry for interrupting your meeting.”

“It's okay. I'll be in touch.”

Okay, I need to calm the fuck down.

I returned to my laptop and checked on the few houses I had been looking at. One of them appeared to be sold, but it didn't matter, I was just checking, right?

I got a notification from my mailbox that I had received a new email. My heart beat too fast. Nix had to agree. This could be it. The place where she would become my wife.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? You have some kind of whipped cream drooling out of your mouth.”

I laughed and wiped my mouth automatically. “Remember the place my father owns in Los Cabos?” He nodded. “Well, depending if Nix likes the place or not, we could get married there.”

“And I'm invited, right?”

“Of course, I mean, if Nix agrees. She’s the boss, man. It’s her day.”

He laughed out loud, startling his customer. “Well, then, I’m so going. Nix likes me. I’m like her big brother and I inked her.” He... did. He fucking inked her and I tried to suppress the anger that I suddenly felt. The possessiveness in me. He had crossed a line, fucking hell.

“Wow, Levi. Chill out. She called me, remember? To surprise you.”

“Fuck! I know... I know, K.” Something was wrong with me. I knew she called him.

“You looked like you were about to have a seizure.”

I chuckled, embarrassed by my reaction. “Sorry, K. Somehow, you got to me head on.”

Kyle went back to his client, I guessed he was giving her a short break. I sat at my desk and looked at my laptop. I didn’t have an appointment until late in the afternoon. There was nothing else to do but to watch the pictures of Los Cabos and draw some random designs.

I texted Nix because my day was terribly slow and she remained my biggest distraction.

Levi: Star, have you ever heard anything about Los Cabos?

Nix: Isn’t it where the Hollywood stars like to go?

Levi: My dad has a house there and it’s beautiful.

Nix: Okay.

God, she doesn’t sound interested. I had to go straight to the point and tell her what I was dying to say.

Levi: My dad proposed that we get married there.

Nix: WHAT? I’m in the middle of my class. You are killing me.

Levi: We’ll talk about it when we have dinner with him later this week but think about it. I think it could be perfect.

Nix: I think so too. I’m looking at the pictures.

Levi: Back to class, smart girl. I’m at the shop. Call me when you can. Love you.

Nix: Love you, bad boy.

I grinned like a fool. I think we got part of the wedding under control, thanks to my dad.

How come I didn’t think of this?

A
fter discussing our plan for the wedding, Nix decided to take the night off. Since she didn’t have any studying to do, she asked to go to the club. She said she wanted to have some fun and I couldn’t agree more. She hadn’t seen Bekka a lot since her return. I knew they had been texting and they had lunch together, but their lives got in the way. Bekka spent almost all of her time with Tyler and Nix and I, well, we were inseparable.

Looking at Nix getting all dolled up made me laugh. We had been at the club hundreds of times but tonight, she wanted to look pretty, she said.

She wore my favorite pair of tight jeans with a lace see-through top. Nix didn't look pretty, hot with a capital H was more like it.

“Hair up or down, Levi?”

What? “Hmm... down.” I loved how sometimes she just flipped her hair to the side of her face.

“Okay, well then, I'm good to go.”

“Do I look alright? I don't want to look like a douchebag next to you.”

“You would never.” She circled her arms around my waist. “I just wish I could see a little more ink, though.”

“Your wish is my command, Star.”

I pulled back the sleeve of my t-shirt showing off a lot more skin.

“Better.” She approved, reaching for my lips. “You are hot, Munroe.”

I blushed. “So are you, future Munroe.”

“In Los Cabos, babe.” The excitement in her voice was impossible to ignore. Thanks to my dad for that one.

“Come on, let's go.” I pulled her hands into mine and we walked out the door.

The music vibrated through my body. Nix danced all the way to Bekka who waited for her with open arms behind the counter. Tiff joined them and covered Nix’s face with wet kisses. Despite the fact that she couldn't count on her family, she had good friends who cared very much about her. I had the best of both worlds and I was thankful for that.

Bekka put a couple of shots glasses on the counter and started mixing alcohol in her shaker. Was that really a good idea for Nix to drink? I knew and understood that she never had an issue with drinking but to me, they stood so close.

I watched them from afar while stress got the best of me. Should I say something to Nix or should I mind my own business? She knew her limits, right?

“Fuck!” I said to myself.

“Relax, brother. She's doing alright. She's just having fun with her friends. I bet she would have come to you already if she had a doubt.”

“Hey, Tyler. I know, I'm probably over-reacting, but...”

“She had a drug issue, not a drinking issue. Both are different.” He tapped my shoulder trying to comfort me. “Trust me, I know.”

“I don't and it's driving me crazy. It may sound selfish, but I don’t want to lose her again.”

We watched them for a couple of minutes and it almost convinced me the situation was under control. She acted like her true self. The girl I knew before the rehab stint. Nix hadn’t changed one bit toward me but tonight seemed different. For me, anyway.

“What have you been up to?” Tyler asked.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t been around a lot lately.” I knew why, obviously. “The breaking news of the day is that we might have found where we’ll be getting married.”

“Where?”

“You remember, the beach, the pool.” Tyler and I had been there before, partying until the sun rose. Good memories for the most part, the hangovers were pretty bad.

“No, Cabos? Damn, that’ll be great.”

I told him everything and I just couldn’t stop talking. Who would have known that getting married would be so fun?

“Hey, Angel.” Nix’s sweet little voice came up behind me. “Want to dance?”

“With you, yes.”

The club had known busier nights, but it gave us more space, more liberty. Bekka danced with us for a bit before returning back to her station. Nix had a big beautiful smile on her face, I couldn’t ask for anything better.

The music had a smooth rhythm, a sexy summer vibe that reminded me how much I missed that season. Winter wasn’t all that bad here in Seattle, but summer meant Beauty and sexy tops. Nix had a ton of them.

“Stop thinking, Levi, dance with me.” She ordered me, placing her hands over the belt of my jeans and pulling me closer to her. When Nix had something in mind, she knew what to do to get it. Her hips rubbed against me every time she moved them from left to right. Nix’s main goal: tease the fuck out of me. She looked at me through her dark and long eyelashes, giving me a seductive stare. She giggled halfway through her attempt to provoke me and that was freaking beautiful. Both of my hands cupped her cheeks, her stunning eyes watching me, curious, as I pushed my fingers through her long sleek hair and leaned toward her until our lips met. I wanted to kiss her so fucking badly, feel our tongue dancing together. Her small fists holding onto my clothes like I was her savior. I would be anything, everything she needed me to be.

Dancing never appealed to me until I met my Star. I didn't have to think so much, it came naturally or at least it felt like it.

We danced to a few songs without a care in the world. The music kept us to the beat and we had a really good time.

From the corner of my eye I saw that Tyler wanted to speak with me. I had no idea what he wanted from me.

“Babe, Tyler wants to talk to me. I’ll be back, okay?”

She nodded. “I love you, Levi.”

“I love you too, Nix.”

I wondered what was so important that he couldn’t wait until later to tell me. I hurried to his office, because that’s where he was at now.

“Tyler, what’s...?” Brian and Alexander... “What the fuck are you two doing here? Was I not clear when I told you to stay away? Do you even understand what you put her through?” I looked at Alexander ready to break his jaw. I despised him, both of them. “I want you both out of here, out of the city, out of our lives. Do you get it or do I need to get a fucking restraining order?”

They both stared at me, ready to shit their pants.

“I just want to see her.”

“You lost that right when you gave her drugs and pushed her on stage. She just got back from rehab, I’m not taking her back there anytime soon, ever.”

“Babe... Levi?” They could hear Nix calling from outside of the office.

“Shit, you fucked up, both of you.” I barked.

Nix walked into the office, holding a bottle of Tequila and another one of water. “What... No...”

“They’re leaving, babe. Don’t let them ruin your night.”

She almost dropped the tequila, but Tyler grabbed it before it happened. “I thought you’d told them to stay away.”

“I fucking did, but they didn’t listen.” I mentally kicked them out without pity.

“I want to go home.”

She turned around and left, ignoring both of them, not even addressing them. They caused the pain that almost broke her. She never expected them to be there, and neither did I.

I looked at them, furious. “Out of Seattle, out of Washington. Out of our lives. Get the fuck out of here.”

“Do I have to kick you out or are you going to fucking move?” Tyler added with a look on his face that even I wouldn’t mess with. Ty had a cool attitude until the line was crossed and they had crossed it over and over again.

Brian’s eyes met with mine again, his were lost in tears while mine were cold as ice. “I’m talking to you man to man, Brian, for the last time. When you left her mother, you had twenty-two years after that to find her, but you never did, you never tried enough. You found each other by chance. A gift from god, a once in a lifetime opportunity to fix things. A chance for you to explain why you were absent all of her life. Instead, you surrounded her with that idiot and a bag full of pills. Do you think that was smart? I always had a doubt in my mind that maybe, just maybe, you didn’t know about the drugs. That you were clean in that story, but you brought the fucker here with you. I don’t even want him to lay his eyes on her. She doesn’t deserve this, she’s worth so fucking much more than both of you. Instead of helping her heal her wounds of a life without her father, you gave her more. You stabbed her yourself. I want you out of here or trust me, I will have legal procedures done.” I said, standing an inch away from his face. He stepped back, completely lost and broken, but I didn’t care. I was done with him.