Free Switch Master: 6 (Ink and Kink) by Frances Stockton Page A

are now,” Taran said, seeing that talking about the loss of his parents
kept Luke focused on the conversation.
    “Bet your old man didn’t attempt to blow up a neighborhood
or get rich selling drugs.”
    “Sam told me what your father did and that you need legal
assistance. That’s why I’m here.”
    “I can’t pay you,” Luke admitted.
    “We’ll work something out. I’d need to talk to your Aunt
Glenda, but perhaps you could work for me on weekends or a couple evenings a
week.”
    “I don’t know anything about lawyering,” Luke argued.
    “In addition to being a lawyer, I run a tattoo shop in
Southie.”
    “Tattoos? No freakin’ way,” the kid remarked, taking more
interest.
    Taran rolled a sleeve, revealing the ink on his arm. “My dad
was in the Army, did a couple of tours of duty. When he came back, he opened
Maddox Ink.”
    “Can I learn how to tattoo?”
    “Maybe when you’re older,” Taran said. “What you can do now
is sweep up, sterilize equipment and answer phones. Again, I’d have to discuss
it with your aunt to get her approval.”
    “You’re talking about a job in Boston. Not sure how I’d get
there without a car or a ride.”
    “I’ll pay for your bus fare or Sam and I can bring you into
the city.”
    “I don’t want to be a burden on her. Bus would be okay. Why
do you want to help me?”
    “That’s easy, Sam likes you.”
    “Figured it had something to do with her,” Luke remarked,
clearly hurt by Taran’s answer.
    “To be honest with you, Luke, I’m only getting to know you.
She’s had a significant head start.”
    “Other than my aunt, she’s been the one person I can count
on.”
    “She believes you have potential to be far more than you
believe of yourself. After looking at the first few sketches in your book, I’d
say she’s right.”
    Taran turned to the next page. This one featured Samantha.
She was drawn in far more heroic fashion than any of the Femme Fatales. It
wasn’t the product of a teenage boy’s crush, as had been evident in the sketch
of Bella.
    “Has Sam seen this?” Taran asked, revealing the sketch he
was looking at.
    Luke smiled at the mention of Sam’s name. “Sure. She’s been
pushing me to show my artwork to Emily.”
    “You should. She mentioned you’d been in a fight in the
parking lot. Was Emily the girl you rescued?”
    Luke sneaked a glance over at the counter. “They pick on her
because of her hearing. It’s stupid.”
    “Bullies generally are stupid. What’s wrong with Emily’s
hearing?”
    “Not really sure,” he admitted, glancing over at the counter
where Emily was taking money from another customer. “She wears hearing aids.
They’re barely noticeable.”
    Taran didn’t want to stare at a girl who couldn’t be more
than seventeen. But given the conversation he was having with Luke, he took a
second to observe her. She kept her hair long and a little in her face, perhaps
as a way to hide her hearing aids.
    Emily sent a look their way. Luke looked back, but she got a
little flustered and rushed off to help someone else.
    “Luke, you’re missing the boat with this girl,” Taran
advised.
    “Her dad manages the rink.”
    “Does he know she was being bullied?”
    “Think so. The guys bothering her were given warnings about
coming here.”
    “Is he aware you stood up for her?”
    “He knows. He still got pissed at me after he’d seen the
drawings I’d done of Bella. She’s a total babe.”
    “Nothing wrong with thinking that way,” Taran said, turning
his eyes back to Luke.
    “You’re supposed to be with Sam,” Luke remarked, growling
fiercely.
    Taran looked him in the eye. “Easy, Luke, yes, Bella’s
attractive. Samantha is beautiful. See the difference? Maddox men don’t cheat
on their women, period.”
    “Good to know,” Luke said, calmer now. “Guess Emily’s dad
thinks I’m all wrong for his daughter.”
    “Dads are protective of their daughters. It’s in their
genetic code.”
    “I