Inked Obsession by Carrie Ann Ryan

Chapter 1

Beckett

My mother once told me the sooner I learned to dance, the sooner I’d be able to whisk a woman around the dance floor. She’d said it with a wink and put her hands down on my shoulders to teach me how to two-step, waltz, and even to swing dance. She’d taught all of my brothers and sisters, and for some reason, that thought made me smile as I looked out onto the small dance floor at Riggs’.

It had been twenty years since Mom had first taught me to dance, and now all of her children were either out on that dance floor or staring at it like I was.

“Beckett Montgomery, what do you think you’re doing over here in the corner all by yourself? You don’t even have a drink in your hand.”

I looked down at the woman in front of me—I had to look down at most who weren’t family—and smiled. “Hey there, Sally.”

She smiled brightly, her long, strawberry-blond hair hanging over one shoulder. She wore a tight dress and leggings that made her look casual—and her usual gorgeous self.

“Hey there, yourself. Now, come out onto the dance floor with me. They’re about to play a new song.”

My brows rose. “It’s a song that’s worth dancing to, then?” I teased, though my heart wasn’t really in it. My heart wasn’t in much these days, but I did my best to mask that—no need to get everybody else down when I was usually a grumpy asshole. I didn’t need to add more grumpiness to that.

“You’re going to be on the floor with me, Beckett. It’ll totally be worth it. After all, you’re going to want to dance with me, aren’t you?” She winked as she said it then fluttered her eyelashes, and I smiled. Sally and I had gone out a few times over the past few years, but mostly just to scratch an itch. She had been married for a while, and then when the divorce hit, she came to me for a fling. I hadn’t minded. I’d needed to relieve some tension, and I hadn’t been in a serious relationship at the time. We liked each other. No strings, just fun, smiles, and scorching sex. Sally was a good person, and her ex had hurt her. My goal in life was not to hurt anyone like she had been hurt.

I held out my hand, and she slid hers into mine. I took her out to the dance floor. Anything to make Sally smile. While we may not love each other or be each other’s forever, I liked her. And that meant I would dance with her. Given the looks she was giving me, I might end up finishing what we’d started about a year prior before I was forced to leave.

I held back a growl at the thought, reminding myself why I’d had to leave. My father had pissed me off so much that night, and though things were better now—so much better than they had been before—it was still stressful. It had been the first time after our blowup at work that he had interfered with anything at the job. He had quickly apologized for it and truly looked remorseful, but it still stung.

I had spent years in my dad’s shadow, watching him try to pick and prod and take over everything we did at Montgomery Builders. It was hard not to be resentful of the choices he had made, and what I’d been forced to do because of him.

He was doing better again, but I’d had to leave Sally’s willing arms and her very soft bed to deal with the situation that my dad had raised. I could have sent my assistant Clay or even one of my brothers, but it was my job. I was the one in charge. After all, I was the lead contractor. It was my name on the line, just like any of the Montgomerys. So, I dealt with it.

“You are scowling, Beckett Montgomery. Why are you scowling while you’re holding me? I mean, you’ve got the moves, but they seem to be rote for you if you can focus on anything else but me while moving your feet around as we are.”

I quickly pushed thoughts of my father and work and anything else out of my mind, squeezed Sally’s hip, and then twirled her. She let out a giggle, and one of the guys whistled next to us. I moved a little quicker, Sally in my arms.

I will have a good time tonight, I reminded myself. I might as well try. Maybe I’d even get laid.

Hell, was this what my life had become? I was nearly thirty now, and it felt like this was all I did: worked, came to Riggs’, had family dinners. That was it. I had friends, good ones, but they did the same things as I did. I felt like we were all in a funk, or maybe that’s just what I saw because I barely slept and felt like I was missing something.

Or maybe someone.

The song ended, and I leaned down and kissed Sally on the cheek. “Have fun?”

“You sure got moves, Beckett.” She tapped my cheek. “However, I am going home alone tonight if that’s okay with you. I’ve had a long day. And it seems you’ve had a longer one. Smile more, Beckett. Or at least find reasons to. You’re a good man. I’ve missed those smiles.”

She rose on tiptoe, kissed me softly, and then walked off to her group of friends. They all eyed me—not unkindly, just curiously. I smiled, although I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. If Sally had noticed, others would, too. My family was far too perceptive for their own good.

Sally waved as she headed out of a bar with her friends in tow. I sighed and made my way to the bar. Riggs was there, his hair pulled back, a smug grin on his face. “Well, want to tell me your troubles?” he asked, flipping a towel over his shoulder.

I barked out a laugh. “No, I don’t want to.” And I wouldn’t. Not that I needed to tell anyone what went through my mind these days.

“Well, what can I get you?” he asked.

I shook my head. “You’re playing up the old-timey bartender role, aren’t you?”

Riggs shrugged. “I’m working on it. It’s not that busy tonight. It is a weeknight, after all.”

“Hey, you have the Montgomerys here. That’s got to help your bottom line, at least somehow.”

“If you’d brought your cousins, I’d have to shut the whole place down because I’d likely max out capacity for the fire inspector.”

“Ha, ha,” I said and ordered a beer.

“You’ve got it. And this one’s on the house, as long as you tell me how your new hire’s doing.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s been my new hire for over a year now. And if you want to ask about Clay, you should talk to him yourself when he comes next time.”

Riggs’ eyes clouded. “Not sure he wants to speak to me. And, frankly, he’s busy these days, isn’t he?”

I nodded, curious. “He’s busier than I am. He’s busier than all of us.”

“Except for maybe your sister,” he said and then handed me the beer as he looked over my shoulder.

I turned to see Annabelle walking towards me, her hand on her stomach. Although her bump wasn’t too big yet, she still had one. I couldn’t help but grin at the thought of what was to come. My little sister was pregnant. And I wasn’t too much of an asshole to be growly that her husband had knocked her up, but I still got a little growly just for him. She was married, pregnant, and happy. Her husband was right behind her, Jacob’s brows rising as I realized that I must be glaring, my smile now gone.

I schooled my expression and tilted my glass towards them in greeting. “Look at you at a bar. I thought pregnant ladies weren’t supposed to drink.”

“I’m having a Shirley Temple,” Annabelle said.

“I can do that for you,” Riggs said. “Plus, I bet I can make a few virgin drinks for you.” He smirked. “Though I guess virgin might be out the window.”

“Watch how you talk to my wife, Riggs,” Jacob said, though we were all teasing. The amount of virgin and sex jokes we all made on a daily basis was borderline ridiculous. We were a little crass and spent way too much time together. That’s how we liked it.

“I know you have a bunch of nonalcoholic drinks on your bar menu for people who don’t want to drink but still want to socialize, and I appreciate it,” Annabelle said. “However, I’m just craving all that grenadine.”

“I’ve got you,” Riggs said.

“Now sit down,” I said and then moved out of the way so Annabelle could have my seat. The place wasn’t busy, but my stool was easier to get into because of the angle.

She rolled her eyes as she looked at all of us. “You guys are ridiculous. I’m not even hugely pregnant yet. What are you going to do when I hit my third trimester?”

“You’ll be in your house with your feet up, of course. And, yes, at that point, we’ll probably be a little overprotective,” I said and looked at my brother-in-law.

Jacob shrugged. “Probably a lot overprotective. It’s what we do.”

She rolled her eyes before she let Jacob help her onto the stool. Not that she needed the help, but my sister was good to her husband and meeting his growly needs. “Fine. Whatever. And thank you, Riggs.”

“You’re welcome. And that’s on the house.”

I looked at Jacob as he narrowed his eyes at the other man. “Stop hitting on my wife.”

“What? It’s just for old times’ sake. It’s practice. You know, for when Clay shows up again.”

This time, Jacob was the one who rolled his eyes. I snorted. “You are ridiculous, you know that?”

Riggs shrugged. “Maybe. And I see the other taken Montgomery woman is on her way here. What’s with you guys? All of the Montgomerys seem to be taken except for the B-twins and y’all won’t give me the time of day.” He winked as he said it, referencing Benjamin and me, but I just shook my head.

I looked over as Paige and her boyfriend Colton made their way over. They had been together longer than Annabelle and Jacob had, but Colton hadn’t popped the question yet. I hoped it would happen sooner or later, though, because I knew my little sister was antsy for marriage. Or at least a commitment. She was ready. While she may be the youngest out of all of us, I felt as if she were ready for that next step. I sure as hell wasn’t. And my twin, Benjamin, wasn’t either.

Benjamin was over playing pool with a few of our friends, Lee being one of them. Lee was another who sure as hell wasn’t ready to get married anytime soon. I wasn’t even sure he was dating anyone. He was like me and tended to flit around, but not much else. Lee worked long hours and rarely had time for nights like this. When he did, he hung out with us and our other close friend, Brenna.

I had no idea what Benjamin did when it came to his relationships. He might be my twin, but we couldn’t read each other’s thoughts. If anything, it seemed as if his thoughts were as shrouded as mine. As if he knew I was thinking about him, he looked up and quirked a brow. I shrugged and then looked over at Paige and Colton as they reached us.

“I saw you dancing with Sally,” Paige said in lieu of a greeting, and I sighed. Colton just shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. I liked the guy. He was uncomplicated, a little goofy, and loved my sister. If he ever hurt her, he knew I’d rend him limb from limb.

“Sally went home like she’d been planning. You know Sally’s just my friend, right?”

Paige shrugged. “True, but you guys seem nice together.”

I needed to nip this in the bud. Paige liked matchmaking, though she wasn’t always good at it. “She’s a good person, but she’s not my forever. And she sure as hell doesn’t see me as dating material beyond the night.”

“That’s always something a younger sister wants to hear,” Annabelle said dryly.

I sighed and looked around at my family. We came here once a week and did our best to remain close. The only person we were missing tonight was Archer—Annabelle’s twin and my younger brother. Archer was out with his boyfriend tonight. They had been going strong for over a year now, and Archer spent a lot of time with Marc and his friends. They seemed to mesh, and they were happy, but I was still that overprotective asshole brother. And much like I would glare at Jacob and Colton, I would do the same with Marc when I got the chance. Just for propriety’s sake. After all, I was the eldest brother, even if it was only by a few minutes.

“Are you ready for the meeting tomorrow?” Paige asked.

Jacob sighed, though I saw the humor in his gaze. “No, we are not discussing Montgomery work. You promised me when we came tonight.”

“Sorry.” Annabelle winced.

Paige shook her head. “Oh, no. I like that promise. Forget I even said anything.”

I snorted. “I can do that.” I didn’t want to talk about work, especially since this was a project my dad had gotten on my case about in the past. He might be better now, but I was still jumpy. I tilted my glass towards Jacob in thanks. He winked. I was starting to like my brother-in-law more and more.

“Oh, good, they came,” Annabelle said as she looked over my shoulder. I turned around to see her two best friends walking in. They were my friends, too. Brenna and Eliza walked towards us as they smiled and waved. Well, Brenna waved, though it was a little awkward, the one she did when she felt out of sorts. I had known Brenna longer than even Annabelle had. I was the one who’d introduced them. Lee, Brenna, Benjamin, and I were a unit. We just fit together. I wouldn’t call Brenna one of the guys because she wasn’t, but I liked having her around. She wasn’t my sister, but she was a friend that knew nearly everything about me.

Not everything, I reminded myself.

And then there was Eliza Wilder-Strong. I had no idea how to feel about Eliza—and it had nothing to do with what she’d been through, and everything to do with what I shouldn’t be feeling or wanting.

It had been a year since her husband hadn’t come home from his tour overseas, and I knew the anniversary was coming up. And all of us were doing an excellent job of not talking about it when we were in a big group. I knew she talked with Annabelle and Brenna because she had mentioned it, but that wasn’t something we talked about.

I was friends with Brenna, but not so much Eliza. However, Eliza was always on the periphery. She had been married when I met her, and I hadn’t really known her for long. We were friends, and I did my best not to think of her in any way but as my married friend. Fuck, she was sexy as hell and had the best smile.

Her eyes were still sad but maybe I was just seeing things. She was so damn strong, and I liked her—I just didn’t know what to do around her. And I knew she hated that, so I tried to be my normal, gruff self. Probably not the best way to go about things, but I couldn’t change that without wanting more, and there was no way I would cross that line.

Ever.

“I’m glad you guys made it,” Annabelle said as she tried to scoot off the barstool to hug the girls.

Brenna waved her hand. “No, you stay right there, pregnant lady.”

“Oh my God, it’s going to be all of you, isn’t it?” Annabelle asked. “You’re all going to force me to sit and rest and eat well and take care of myself…and why am I even complaining?” She laughed as Brenna leaned over and kissed her cheek.

Eliza slid between Annabelle and me, and I inhaled her soft scent. That was odd. I’d never noticed the way Eliza smelled before—or at least I tried to hold back so I wouldn’t accidentally want more. What the hell was wrong with me? Maybe it was because I’d been thinking about what I might be doing later with Sally and then that hadn’t panned out. My mind had gone to the only other available woman. Because Brenna was not in that box for me, and I was related to everyone else. Hell, Eliza wasn’t exactly available either. At least, I didn’t think so. Jesus, I needed to stop thinking about her in that way. I was usually better about putting her in the friend box because she needed to be off-limits.

And she was off-limits, damn it.

“We made it,” Eliza said with a small smile, her voice soft. “I always find it weird that you guys come on weeknights instead of weekends.” She’d pulled her long, dark hair back from her face in a messy bun that seemed almost chic. She wore tight jeans, and a flowy top with sparkles that made me glance at her chest. I did my best not to look down, but hell, her breasts were fucking amazing.

And, once again, I was going to hell. Maybe I needed to go home and get some sleep. Not that I liked sleeping these days. The nightmares always came. Once again, I wasn’t going to let my thoughts go down that path.

I cleared my throat, doing my best to not think about Eliza or her curves. “We like to come on weeknights because we plan a late morning on Fridays. That way, we can meet with clients on the weekend that can’t meet with us during the week because of their schedules. And we’re not here when it’s disturbingly packed. We’re not young anymore.”

Eliza grinned. “Thank you for calling me old, Beckett. It makes me feel special.”

I winced. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Ouch, bro,” Lee said as he and Benjamin came over. We were a huge crowd at the end of the bar now, but Riggs kept filling everybody’s drinks, most of us having switched to water or soda at this point.

We laughed and talked about anything but work. Eventually, I went over to the jukebox to see what to play next. I didn’t feel like going home. Didn’t feel like going to sleep. I caught Lee’s gaze and knew he knew why I was still here, but I ignored the look. I ignored him. I did my best to ignore everything.

I keyed up the next song and then noticed Eliza frowning at a man I didn’t recognize out of the corner of my eye. The guy loomed over her, one palm on the wall behind her. And while she didn’t back down, didn’t look scared, she had no way to get out, either.

She met my gaze, and I saw the pleading look there.

Well, hell. I moved over and tilted my head at her, the movement catching the stranger’s attention. “Hey, babe, I thought we were dancing,” I said.

She blushed and rolled her eyes, but I didn’t think the other man noticed.

“Babe?” the guy asked.

“I’m going to take my girl out on the dance floor. You mind getting out of her space?” The guy frowned, and I took Eliza’s hand. “Ready to dance, babe?”

She smiled up at me, and my dick went hard. What the fuck? Jesus, I needed to get laid or get some sleep. I didn’t have those kinds of feelings about Eliza. Ever. Or I didn’t let myself. I was only helping her out of a sticky situation because we were friends. That was it. I wouldn’t think about her pressing against me as I touched her. What it would be like to taste her.

Nope.

Not going there.

Damn it.

“I thought you’d never ask.” I took her out to the dance floor, a slow song starting to play over the speakers.

The guy looked at us, shrugged, grabbed his beer, and went over to his friends. I didn’t recognize him. He looked to be an out-of-towner. We were in Fort Collins, so it wasn’t like I recognized everybody in the damn city, but on a weeknight in our small bar? I usually knew people.

“Thanks,” Eliza said, and I squeezed her hip. “You don’t have to save me, Beckett.”

“I don’t mind dancing with you, Eliza.” And I meant it, even if I was tired, and my back had started to ache something fierce. Or that every time I was near her these days, I wanted to lean down and sniff her. I’d developed an addiction to something I shouldn’t have, and I needed to quell that need damn quick.

She sighed. “Well, thanks for saving me—like everyone seems to be doing these days.”

The way she said it made me frown, but then a sliver of memory slammed into me. I pushed it away. “I don’t always save people,” I bit out, my voice cool.

She stared at me, questions in her gaze, but she didn’t ask them. Good, because I didn’t have answers for her. “Okay, Beckett. Okay.”

I didn’t save everybody. And I knew that.

The dance was slow, but I wasn’t paying attention. Didn’t see anything. Didn’t even see him. Didn’t catch that soft scent again. I just swayed as the others gave us odd looks as they danced around us. I ignored it all.

Because I didn’t save everybody. Not even myself.