“Nothing,” Memphis says with a slight growl while looking down at Ace’s hand resting on my legs. “I’m ready.”

I wait for the boys to walk away before questioning Ace. Although I’m so anxious, I can barely breathe.

“Talk. You guys are friends with Memphis?” I move my legs from Ace’s lap and sit straight up, curious to get any information I can about my mysterious neighbor. I’m lucky to even get a few words out of him at a time. There’s no way I’m going to find out anything from him.

“Not really. That guy doesn’t get close to many people besides his brother and Trevor.”

“Why?” I scoot in closer to be sure we can’t be heard from Ryan’s room. “Where has he been this whole time? What . . . six years?”

Ace stands up and shakes his head. “It’s not my place to say and so I won’t. You need to find that out from him, but good luck on getting him to open up.”

He tries walking away, but I grab his arm to stop him. “Well tell me something at least.”

Ace lets out a frustrated breath before sucking in his lip ring. “He’s had a fucked up life and I’m guessing he’s living a pretty lonely one right now.” He looks me in the eye while walking backwards. “I need to get ready for Luke. He’s finally coming in to get his back finished. That pussy,” he says with a small laugh. “Good luck, angel.”

“Thanks for nothing,” I whisper.

I sit here, lost in thought for a moment before deciding to wander down the hall to Ryan’s door. I probably shouldn’t bother, but I can’t help it.

It’s slightly cracked, so I push it open and stand in the doorway, watching silently so I don’t distract anything and mess Ryan up.

Memphis is lying flat on his back, shirtless, staring up at the ceiling. The site of his profile gives me a small rush and a knot forms in my stomach. He looks so damn sexy when he’s concentrating.

I swallow as his eyes slowly meet mine. “Mind if I come in?”

“Would it stop you if I said no?”

“Probably not,” I admit.

“Then no, and you never answered my question.”

Ryan looks up from dipping his needle in one of the inkwells in front of him. “Please keep talking guys. This weird conversation is actually slightly entertaining.”

I step inside the room and walk over to sit in the extra stool on the other side of the table. “I work here. I pierce dicks if you’re interested,” I say to get a reaction out of him. “It doesn’t hurt too much. I’ll be gentle.”

He turns over on his side to face me as Ryan starts tattooing on his left ribcage. “What if I don’t want you to be gentle?”

My heart speeds up, unwillingly. I was not expecting that response and I hate to admit that it slightly turned me on. “So you like pain?” I am trying to keep from turning red.

“I like it more than you know,” he replies in a raspy tone. “I’ll meet you in your room when I’m done.”

Wait. What?

“For what? A Prince Albert?” My voice is showing my nervousness.

“For my jacket,” he says with a smirk. “But I’m happy to know you’re ready for me to whip my cock out. We’ll talk about piercings another day when I have more time.”

“Whoa.” Ryan looks up from his artwork. “No one is getting a dick piercing until you do my second bar. It’s my dick or none.”

Memphis’ nostrils flare as he looks to me, but he doesn’t say a word.

“Lyric!” Styles calls out my name from down the hall, causing us all to look toward the door.

I stand up, giving Memphis one last look before trying to get a glance at his tattoo. Not much luck. “Gotta go, boys, and take your penis somewhere else, Ry.”

“Seriously,” Ryan mumbles. “You see how I get treated around here? Bullshit.”

As soon as I step out of the room Styles grabs my arm and starts pulling me down the hall. “Damn, girl. You have someone waiting in your room. “Hurry up or you’re fired.”

“We both know you’re bullshitting, Styles, so stop stressing your pretty little curls big guy,” I tease while backing up toward my door. “I’m too good to get rid of.”

I earn a grin out of him right before I turn around and enter my room, closing the door 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.”