Beautiful Disaster (The Bet) (18 page)

"Don't worry, Maddie," he cooed against her cheek, "I'll help you get your precious
Nicky
back." He spit out the name as if it were the worst epithet in the English language.

"Really?" H
opeful eyes turned to him and Tony realized the E was wearing off.

He leaned over, capturing kissed bruised lips. "Of course, now sleep, we want that baby of yours to stay in perfect health. It's the only way we’re both going to get what we want.”

Maddie’s hand reached out for Tony's wrist when he
was about
to stand. "You---you won't hurt Ellie, will you?"

The slow smile he bestowed caused Maddie to shudder. "Not more than I have to
,
but it will be for her own good, she'll see."

Maddie released his wrist and watched as Tony walked away, the daunting feeling of having just signed her life over to the devil himself would not cease. She huddled just a little deeper into the covers. When she had called the number on the card Tony had given her, Maddie had been filled with desperation. The thought of whether or not she was doing something stupid hadn't breached her mind until this very moment.

But Tony had promised that everything would be alright, she tried to tell herself. He'd promised that things would be different soon, had promised the impeding separation of Ellie and Nicholas. Tony had promised Maddie Nicholas and she'd believed.
She still
believed him.

Maddie believed him because Tony assured her that no one would get hurt. He'd told her of his history with Ellie
,
and Maddie had sympathized. They'd shared stories. Bonded over a common caus
e. Tony wanted Ellie back;
he was clean, sober and Maddie believed that they should be together. They were a family after all. Ellie, Tony and their daughter. Families were supposed to be together.
Families were supposed to forgive each other.
Tony belonged with his family and Nicholas---Nicholas belonged with her and their baby.

"It's going to be o
kay." She whispered not exactly sure who she was trying to reassure, herself or the child growing inside her.

"Don't peek."

"I'm not peeking."

"How many fingers do I have up?"

Ellie inwardly rolled her eyes and would've done so right at Nicholas had it not been for the blindfold hindering her vision. "How can I possibly tell you that when I just said I can't see a thing?"

Nicholas grinned at Ellie's indignant tone. He opened the door, ushering her inside.

"I like getting you flustered."

"I'm sure that you do," She tripped over something and was i
nstantly captured by Nicholas'
arms the second after. "Th---thanks," she said, thankful that the blindfold obscured her heated cheeks from Nicholas's view.

"Where are we?" she asked while Nicholas moved behind her to untie the blindfold.

"My home away from home." Nicholas said, watching her carefully, more than a little nervous.

Ellie gasped as she took in the scene set out before her. White Christmas lights combined with countless candles strategically placed around the room blanketed everything in a lush ambiance of glimmering gold. On the shiny oak floor
,
a blanket was laid out and on top of the blanket was a picnic basket, two champagne flutes and an assortment of Ellie's favorite flowers. Tulips. 

Speechless
,
Ellie could only utter. "Oh Nicky..."

Pride bubbled in Nicholas's chest at Ellie's reaction to the place that truly was his home away from home. He was only too happy to finally be sharing a slice of his paradise with her. A little embarrassed at the glance she tossed his way, he shook his head and tugged her to the blanket.

"This is my tattoo shop," he extended his arms in show and grinned down at Ellie's curious face.

"It's amazing, Nicky...I don't know what to say."

"I don't think that's a bad thing." He chuckled as Ellie punched his shoulder. He sat down across from her
,
pulling the chilled bottle of sparkling cider from the small icebox.

"I thought we'd cap off our end of term celebration with some sparkling cider." He handed Ellie the first flute, pouring himself some in the second.

"This is to getting our college applications over and done with."

"Cheers!"

The cider tasted marvelous
ly
on Ellie's tongue as it fizzled, popped and slid down her throat. She held her flute out for more, which Nicholas filled with a smile.

"Don't fill up on that
.
I want us to eat something first." Taking her flute from her, he held a cheese topped cracker out or her. "Open." He ordered and when she hesitated
,
he said. "Trust me it tastes better when someone feeds it to you." He seemed so serious that Ellie couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, Grayson, this had better be the best damn tasting cheese and cracker I've ever had."

"You won't know until you try it, Holbrook, now open up."

Leaning forward, Ellie parted her lips allowing Nicholas to gently slide the cracker in her mouth. His fingers coasted over her lips as he did so. "Crumbs." He muttered, watching her chew when all he wanted to do was plunder those ripened lips. "Good?"

"Don't look so cocky and yes
,
it was good."

"Want another one?"

She grinned. "I'll get it myself, thanks."

"Suit yourself." He said breezily.

"Won't you get in trouble for this?" she asked a few seconds later, munching on a cracker.

"Not if Liam wants me to switch business partners."

Ellie's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that this place is half mine..." He rubbed the back of his neck modestly.

"How is that possible? You're only seventeen---"

"Eighteen."

"Ok eighteen, but still, how does a barely legal teen own a tattoo shop?"

Nicholas shrugged. "I pilfered half my trust fund money over a year ago, was introduced to Liam by ways of a friend of my father's and the rest
,
as they say
,
is history. He handles the business part of it, while my area of expertise is slapping my artwork on people."

"Tell me more about it."

"Tattooing?" At Ellie's slight nod, Nicholas continued. "My parents weren't around much
of the time when I was a kid." H
is resentment of the fact, Nicholas suddenly realized had ebbed considerably since meeting Ellie. "So I started to draw to distract myself. I spent hours on hundreds of sketch pads. Landscapes, portraits, anything I thought interesting
,
I sketched in my pad. It wasn't until I was abroad that I got into tattooing. A school friend of mine took me along to one of his sittings one night and I was instantly hooked. I got my first tattoo that night." Nicholas fondly smiled at the memory.

"Can I see it?" Curiosity would ultimately be the death of her, Ellie was sure.

Nicholas
however
obliged her. He rose
to his knees
while
he tugged
up
his shirt. Running lengthwise down his ribcage was an image of a black gun. Ellie raised a hand, fascination urging her to touch. Her fingers skimmed the protruding image as she silently wondered what provoked him to get a tattoo of such a dangerous weapon.

"I was angry at the world when I got it done.” He confessed, answering her unspoken question.

Sweeping a lock of hair behind her ear, Ellie peered at Nicholas through a sooty veil of his lashes. "Did it hurt?"

"Like hell. But it was cathartic."

Compassion lit her eyes, feeling his pain as if it were her own. Impulse compelled her close and without thought, she pressed her lips to the barrel of the gun. “Let me share your pain, Nicky.” She said looking up at him. “I want you to give me a tattoo.”

Their gazes locked and the significance of what she asked
,
resonated.

"You trust me enough to let me brand you?" His surprise shown on his face.

"Yes. What’s a little tattoo between friends?” she quipped, smiling when he reached over to tug on one her pigtails.

Nicholas stood, walked away, returning seconds later with a book in hand. "Here, this is my portfolio. Take a look."

Ell
ie took the book from Nicholas'
hands and settled it on her lap. Wordlessly
,
she flipped through the pages in awe at the artwork. Each style showcased his talent, from the traditionally classic, to beautiful tribal designs and even still
,
to
the
Asians
astounding use o
f colors in the Koi fishes and d
ragons.

Ellie turned
to the next
page, the image there instantly catching her attention
.
She reverently ran her fingers across the image.
"Nicky..." Ellie breathed as she took in the replica of Sophie's laughing face from a picture they had taken during their day at the park weeks ago. The dimples, the innocent gleam of childish mirth, the tawny curls---Nicholas had captured the essence of Ellie's daughter in nostalgic sepia tones and it was breathtaking.

"Nicholas..." Ellie whispered again, tearing her gaze away from the image she glanced at Nicholas, who was trying to vanquish the ruddiness from his cheeks. "This is---you’re amazing!" it was all she could say.

"Thanks," he said abashed.

Ellie set the portfolio aside and tentatively reached for him, praying she didn’t swallow her tongue, she brushed his fringe back. Within kissing distance now, Ellie licked her lips. "Kiss me?"

Had this question been asked weeks ago, Nicholas would not have hesitated
with
jumping on her request. But he did so now because he knew she wasn’t ready. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and smiled. “When you’re ready, Ellie, you won’t need to ask.”

She was falling hard with such velocity that she knew the impact would leave a crater sized hole. Her mind warned her to take caution all the while berating her on her naivety. But her heart squealed with glee, enthused at the prospect of being with this man.

"Thank you." Her heart was the fool and Ellie knew it too
,
but the optimist in her wanted what she’d denied herself for so long. Her heart wanted Nicholas and she wasn’t too sure she could deny it for much longer.

Nicholas only nodded as he popped a grape in his mouth.

"So, will you give me a tattoo?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"How about now?"

"Now?"

"Yeah, now; I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Ellie smiled just to show Nicholas her enthusiasm.

"Okay.” He helped her to her feet, led her to his station and waited as she got comfortable on the bed before he prepped his instruments.

"Have an idea of what you want?" Nicholas asked taking a seat across from Ellie.

Ellie caught his gaze. "Surprise me...I trust you." It wasn't lost on Nicholas that they had just stepped over another obstacle. Gaining Ellie's trust was
a
major step into something more---something profound.

He nodded at Ellie's words, an image already formulating in his mind as he gripped the silver gun. Unbuttoning the first three buttons on her sweater, Ellie pulled the sleeve down her left shoulder. Nicholas took a moment to admire flawless skin. "I'm just going to freehand the image with the marker first before I start." He said gruffly.

"Okay."

Nicholas'
concentration was obsolete as he silently worked out the sketch right above her shoulder blade. "Ok, now comes the hard part," Ellie clenched her bottom lip between her teeth and mutely nodded. "I'll start with just a line and see how that feels for you, Ok?"

"Yeah." She breathed.

The minute the buzzing needle touched her skin
, Ellie jumped. "Stay calm, babe
and trust me to not hurt you?"

She looked at him and her nerves deflated. "I trust you."

It hurt like hell, and Ellie kept her hands and eyes clenched shut the entire time, but the end result was sheer perfection.

The small image of a green and black dragonfly seemed to pop from Ellie's flesh it looked so real. There was the distinct mixture of white overtones he'd applied that made it see
m as if the dragonfly's wings w
ere translucent and could flap right off of Ellie's shoulder.

As Ellie admired her tattoo, Nicholas came to stand behind him, their eyes locked in the mirror. "Do you like it?"

Ellie turned around. "I love it." She didn't know what prompted her to do what she did, simply that she couldn’t imagine herself doing anything else.