Nothing Good Gets Away

Chapter 33

ROWAN BASS

The Shamrock Social Club looks different at night. I've only been here during the day, and you almost don't even know that it's a tattoo shop if you're just passing by. But at night, the neon green four-leaf clover with the stark red "TATTOO" sign is glowing and making it quite obvious what the place is for. As I pass a few people smoking to get inside, I feel like an absolute poser and imposter.

"Rowan!" Kenzie beams as soon as she makes eye contact with me. "How are you? You look so cute!"

"Oh, thank you," I glance down at myself. Harry told me ahead of time that it would be best not to wear a bra because of where I wanted the tattoo, so I chose to wear a black T-shirt with my jeans. "How are you doing?"

"I'm great!" She answers with more energy than I think I would ever be able to muster up in this lifetime. "Are you so excited about your first tattoo?"

"A little," I chuckle. "Mostly nervous, but I'm excited, too."

"Well, Harry will take very good care of you, I'm sure," she glances over her shoulder for us to see him finishing up with another client. "If you can just fill out this paperwork, then he'll be right with you, babe."

"Okay," I clear my throat and take the clipboard and pen from her to sit in the entrance. I feel a bit like I'm in a doctor's office, except there's rock music playing instead of jazz or radio pop, but the sterile scent is the same.

On the paperwork, I have to fill out my age, and address, and answer various questions like if I'm allergic to substances such as alcohol or soaps, prone to heavy bleeding, or if I'm pregnant. I know for a fact that I can check "No" for the latter, but I wouldn't know if I'm prone to heavy bleeding or not. The most I've ever bled is nicking my finger with a knife in the kitchen. I say that I'm not anyway, and hope for the best before I give the paperwork back with my ID for Kenzie to scan.

That's when Harry walks up with the guy he was just working on, and I move out of the way so he can pay for his appointment after shaking Harry's hand and thanking him. I'm already giving him a pained face, which makes him laugh as he holds his arm out for me to fit against his side.

"I'll show you the whole process, c'mon," he takes me away from the desk, and I wave to Kenzie like I'm heading straight for the gallows. "How's your day been?"

"Good," I nod and hang my purse on the hook he shows me by his station. "I went to the bakery for a bit, and spent most of the day doing research on getting your first tattoo."

"Oh, perfect," he mumbles sarcastically, smirking to himself as he starts disinfecting the black leather bed that I'm going to be laying on. It looks like a massage table to me. "Alright, I already have the stencil of the version you chose ready to go, so do you want to just lift your shirt up to show me the spot?"

"Okay," I turn to show him my side and bunch my shirt up under my bust. He points out the area for me to confirm, then wets my skin there in order for the purple stencil to stick. His expression is so concentrated while he does it, and that's not even the permanent part.

"K, just look in the mirror here," he points behind me, so I pivot to see the cursive script in the exact spot I envisioned when I planned for the tattoo in the first place. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," I smile genuinely. "That's perfect."

"You're sure? Because it's kind of a forever thing."

My smile drops. "Why would you say that?"

"Because it's the truth!" He laughs. "It's not like that's news, is it?"

"Well no, but–" I shift closer to really make sure that it's perfect, and even Harry does a double-check to assure me that the word falls in a straight line. "Okay, I guess I'm ready then."