Ain't Nobody Like You

Chapter Five

I glance at the tribal tattoo around his wrist. I've been curious about his tattoos since I met him so I point to it and ask, "Does it mean anything?"

"This?" he asks, holding up his wrist, "Hell if I know. I was drunk as fuck when I got it. I woke up and it was there."

I laugh, "I guess thats the only way I'd get a tattoo too."

"What, you ain't got any?" he asks.

"No, never been drunk enough." I joke, "Do you have any tattoo's that you actually remember getting?"

"A few." 

He pulls up his right sleeve showing the name Eminem across his bicep, then his left sleeve with the name Slim Shady on his other bicep. He then pulls up the bottom of his t-shirt, revealing a tattoo of a tombstone with the name Kim on it over his belly button and underneath, the words: Rot In Pieces. Confused, I look at Marshall for an answer.

"My ex." he shrugs, "She's a fuckin' bitch." I laugh in surprise. Thats a story for another time, I think. Finally he turns his right forearm, showing me he has the name Hailie Jade tattooed there.   

"That's your daughter, right?" I ask, remembering the name from his songs.

"Yeah." A smile appears on his face as he reaches into his pocket for his wallet, pulls something out he has tucked in there and hands it to me, "My baby, Hailie Jade. She's my whole world, you know. She's back home in Detroit right now. She'll be turning three this Christmas."

The item in my hand is a photograph of a beautiful little girl with light blonde hair, blue eyes, and a serious expression on her face. The edges of the picture are slightly worn, a corner creased. I can just imagine him looking at this picture a lot, taking it in and out of his wallet to stare at his baby's beautiful face. 

"She's adorable! And she looks just like you!" 

"Oh, so ya think I'm adorable?" he jokes, taking the picture back when I hand it to him and putting it back in his wallet.

I shrug, a smile growing on my face. "Among other things."

Marshall eyes me for a moment, his own smile fading as a flirtatious look covers his face, before leaning towards me again. His head is close to mine and his voice low when he asks, "Did I tell you, you look so damn sexy tonight?"

"No, you didn't...Do I?" I ask, innocently. It's been a long time since someones called me anything like that. Marshall responds with nods, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. "You don't look so bad yourself." 

The alcohol in my system has obviously taken effect. All previous thoughts of not flirting and keeping this strictly friendly is out the door and long gone, along with my nerves. 

Marshall hand finds it's way to my thigh, thumb rubbing slightly. His blue eyes stare at my lips as they part, a small gasp escaping me at his touch. My heart starts to beat faster and I can feel his breath against my face. He's about to respond when he's jostled slightly as someone pats him on the back and I hear, "Got yourself a hunny already Slim?" 

It's the guy Marshall performed with, Royce da 5'9", if I remember what Proof said correctly. Like Marshall, he wears baggy jeans and a shirt. Around his neck, a gold chain with a 5'9" pendant catches my eye. He's wearing eyeglasses, a black durag, and a wide grin on his face.

When he looks at me and sees who I am his smile drops and he's taken aback, "Shit.'"

Marshall rolls his eyes and gestures between me and his friend, "Royce, this is Katie. Katie, Royce."