Free Get Off on the Pain by Victoria Ashley Page A

behind me.

    I STAY BUSY FOR THE next hour with clients back to back. In between each appointment I step out of my room and chat with Ace and Styles, but Ryan’s door stays shut. He must be working on a pretty big project and I’m curious to see what.
    When Ace gets some trashy girl come in for him I kindly step back into my room, sit down at my desk, and work on a drawing I started a while back.
    I’m not the best artist, but I’ve found that it passes the time when I’m stuck here and bored out of my mind. Piercings don’t take up as much space in the day as tattoos do.
    Lost in concentration, I don’t even notice anyone enter my room until I feel warm breath against the back of my neck. I don’t even have to look to know that it’s Memphis. I can smell him.
    “I see you’ve got more than just one talent,” Memphis whispers, close to my ear. “Not only can you take my photo . . . naked, but you could probably draw it just as good. I like that.”
    My cheeks flush and my whole body heats up from his words. A nervous smile appears on my lips, but I force it away before turning behind me to face Memphis.
    He’s still shirtless, but his side is now covered in plastic wrap. I can’t make out exactly what it is, but it looks like the side of a woman’s face with her hair blowing back in the wind.
    “Now who’s the one invading someone’s privacy?” He catches me looking down at his new tattoo so he throws his black tee on and reaches for my drawing.
    “This is a pretty badass tree. It looks like there’s a face in the branches. How long did it take you to draw this?”
    I let out a small breath and blow my hair out of my eyes. “About two months. I only work on it when I’m bored at work. It’s nothing.”
    He sets my drawing back down in front of me and gives me an aggravated look. “It’s not nothing. You should be proud of the talent you have. My brother . . .” He turns away and flares his nostrils, stopping his words. “Never mind.” His eyes lock on his jacket, which is hanging in the back of the room. “Just bring me my jacket later. It’s getting chilly outside so you should wear it home.”
    I stand up and get ready to walk to his jacket, but he grabs my arm to stop me. His thumb brushes over my bare skin, causing my heart to speed up before he quickly lets go. “Just wear it home and meet me at my house later tonight. I have to go.”
    Before I can say anything he’s out the door, saying goodbye to the guys in passing as he rushes outside in a hurry.
    What is this guy doing to me . . .

SINCE LANDEN AND THE BOYS have to work late Bailey and I have spent the last three hours drinking wine and looking through old pictures from when I first moved here. I still can’t get over half the shit we have done. I guess that is part of being nineteen and immature.
    Memphis wasn’t home when I got back from work, so I figured I wouldn’t worry about bringing his jacket to him unless I happen to hear him return, but so far—no sign of him. So this is what my night has become. Awesome!
    “Oh . . . what the . . . this was hilarious.” Bailey holds a picture about two inches above my face as she curls up in hysterical laughter, spilling wine all over my foot. “I still remember when we gave Landen that ridiculous haircut. I swear I peed my pants a little.”
    I snatch the picture from out of her reach and hold it away from my face so I can actually see it instead of taste it. I choke on my wine a little at the sight of him. One side of Landen’s hair is buzzed off in patches to his scalp and on the other side, it’s got chunks missing from where I took the scissors and in my drunken state, said that I knew what to do with them and started hacking away at his hair. I totally lied my ass off and he ended up having to get his hair shaved off completely.
    Attempting to catch my breath, I grab onto Bailey’s shirt and pull on it. “Holy shit! I can’t breathe. Oh shit,” I mutter between