So it looks like I have a stalker. On the bright side, he takes good pictures of me.

But that doesn't comfort Julie, as she's been pacing up and down my living room for five minutes talking to herself.

Maybe I shouldn't have said anything to her. But it is too late for that.

"Okay, I know what we're going to do." She stopped in place. "We'll take your phone to the police and they'll find the person who's texting you. They know how to do that now, don't they?" Julie is more out of it than I thought.

"Or...listen to me carefully." I reached for my phone. "I'll send him a nude photo because that's probably what he wants, and he'll leave me alone." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Are you kidding me?" She snorted.

Maybe it's not a good time to joke.

"Julie, it's nothing serious." I stood up from the couch. "Someone..."

"Can you act like an adult for a moment?" She cut me off. "Maya, this is a stalker." She pointed to my phone. "Not another guy who wants to sleep with you. Who knows what's going on in his head. He's obviously following you and what if it won't end there. One day he might..." She stopped when we both heard the front door.

"Not a word to Theo about this." I warned her. I've had enough of Julie acting out, I don't need Theo doing the same.

"Really Maya?" She frowned and shook her head. "I understand that you don't give fuck about world 24/7, but now you should stop and do something about this before it's too late." She picked up her jacket from the couch and walked to the door.

"Julie, come on." I tried to stop her,but she didn't listen. I've never seen her mad like that.

She slipped wordlessly past Theo and Acker who looked really confused.

"Everything okay?" Theo asked.

"Peachy."

*****

I can't believe Julie is ignoring me. On the first day, I still understood it. I even gave her space.

The next day we had a shift together, so there is no way she could avoid me, right? WRONG. She avoided me as much as she could and didn't say a single fucking word to me.

Usually she waits for me and we go together from Eddie's, but no, she left early and didn't say anything. What are we in high school?

On the third day, I called her probably a hundred times. No answer. I also went to her house and I knew she was at home, but she didn't open the door for me. It doesn't matter that I stood there for an eternity and even brought her favorite flowers.

What does she want from me? It's not my fault that some guy thought he was going to stalk me all of a sudden. And it seems pointless to me to go to the police about it. He didn't text me anything during these days anyway, so he probably had enough and is done.

I miss her. It's weird not talking to her. I was used to communicating with her every day and suddenly nothing.

Julie is like an invisible wall between me and my crazy self. She keeps the crazy me in a cage.

This crazy self is unbearable and unpredictable. Maybe that's why neither Theo nor Acker have approached me lately. They see that something is obviously wrong.

I had planned to get drunk and forget about Julie and all the problems. But my legs took me somewhere else.

Maybe alcohol isn't the way to go, but I sure hope this is. I stepped into a smaller business called Black Rose, which is a tattoo parlor.

"Maya." Ellie, the receptionist, smiled at me. "Always this late huh?" She laughed.

"Is Ray still here?" I walked up to her.

"At the back." She nodded her head to where he was working. "I'm leaving now, could you please tell him to turn the lights off and lock?" I nodded. "Thanks." She put on a leather jacket and took her purse. "Good night Maya." She walked past me smiling and out the door.

I walked towards the front desk, behind which Ray had his tattoo station. I knocked on the door frame.

Ray, who was currently wiping a leather seat, looked up at me and smiled. "Maya."

"Hey Ray, do you have a few minutes for me?" I bit my lip.

"For you?" He laughed. "Of course." He stood up and walked over to me. He wrapped his huge arms around me and hugged me tightly. "How were you?" He murmured into my hair.

"Fine." We pulled away from each other and I looked at him.

Ray is one of the biggest guys I've ever met. I'd have to be a head and a half taller to at least look into his eyes because like this I'm going to have a neck injury. He's got a solid, tattooed body that's capable of destroying me if he lays on top of me. He has sharp cheekbones and a slight stubble. Green eyes, brown thick hair, nose and ear piercings and a piece of shaved eyebrows.

I met him in a bar approximately a year later after I started working at Eddie's, and it wasn't until after I slept with him that I found out he was a tattoo artist. He suggested that he give me a tattoo. It went from one to two and suddenly my whole body was tattooed.

"Ellie is telling you to turn off the lights and lock up when you leave." I gave him her message.

"It happened once and she will never forget it." He put his arm around my shoulders. "So you have an idea what you want?" He led me to a chair where I sat down and he sat across from me on a smaller chair.

"I'm your canvas. Do whatever you want." I pointed to my body.

Ray is really talented. He can draw beautifully, so I'm not afraid of what he might put on my body. Most of the time I didn't even know what he was tattooing and only found out when it was finished. I have never been disappointed.

"I don't have any brand new sketches, but I was thinking about tweaking the ones on your ribs." He bounced back on his feet on the chair and picked up the black notebook from the table. He moved back to me and opened it. "What do you think?"

It was a drawing of the tattoos I have on my ribs, under my breasts, but slightly improved in shading and overall it looked even better.

Without a word, I took off my T-shirt over my head and remained sitting in front of him in a black bra. "Should I take it off too?" I said jokingly.

"Don't tempt me Maya." He smiled and started preparing everything he needed on the table.

Meanwhile, I jumped off the chair and went to his desk. I took out the bottle from the cabinet and went back. I sat comfortably and took a sip while watching Ray.

"Maya, stop it." He said with a smile.

"With what?" I asked innocently.

"With that look. Did you come here for a tattoo or something else?" He looked at me.

"Both?" I was hoping that was also a possibility.

Ray's breathing quickened and his chest heaved faster. His gaze slid down my body until it stopped on my face. "Screw it." He stood up and lunged at me. He connected our lips in a fierce kiss that nearly took my breath away.

This is exactly what I need. Distraction.

I ran my hands into his hair and pulled it by the roots. His lips slid to my neck and his hands to my waist. He lifted me into the air and spun me around so that I was sitting on top of him. He put his hand on my back and unbuttoned my bra. I threw it away somewhere and grabbed the hem of his t-shirt. I put it over his head and kissed him again.

I moved my pelvis towards him and felt his erection. We both moaned and Ray's grip on my hips tightened giving me a little pain that could get me over the edge.

I slid my hands down his bare chest to his jeans. I unbuttoned them and slid my hand under them, touching his erection through his boxers. He moaned into my mouth and bit my bottom lip.

I giggled as Ray picked me up and stood with me. He put me on the ground, on my feet and turned me so that my back was turned to him.

He pressed himself on my back and I felt his erection again. He grabbed my neck and directed my face to look ahead.

You're kidding me.

"It's been here for a week. Good place for a mirror, don't you think?" I saw his playful smile in the reflection.

The mirror on the wall is at the exact height to see what is happening in the chair.

I felt Ray's hands on my stomach where he slid down to my jeans and unzipped them. He pulled them down and I got out of them. He kicked them away somewhere and ran his fingers along my hips.

"Gorgeous." He whispered in my ear and grabbed my neck from behind. He pushed me onto the chair so that my breasts hit the leather fabric and I grabbed the edge with my hands.

In the mirror, I saw how he took off his pants and pulled out a condom.

A moan escaped my mouth as he pressed against my ass. He slowly removed my panties and ran a gentle circular motion over my clitoris. "Ray." I moaned.

"Yes?" I felt his lips on my back.

"Please." I said almost out of breath.

"What are you asking for?"

"You. In me." I arched my back and tried to find him with my butt. "Hard, please."

His mouth found itself near my ear, which he gently bit and pulled. "You're beautiful when you beg."

His hand slid down my body until he grabbed his dick in his hand and placed it against my opening. With one thrust he entered me and spread me wide.

I moaned and cursed as he entered me fully and slowly pulled out before thrusting again.

"Look at yourself, Maya." Ray straightened up, ran his hands through my hair and made me look at us in the mirror. "Look how good you look when you're falling apart." He slammed into me hard. "While I'm balls deep inside you."

I really need to get a better mirror for my room. Maybe on the ceiling.

The sound of our naked bodies echoed through the room. Every movement and moan. My wetness dripping onto the chair.

"Ray." I moaned as I was close.

"I know, baby." He moaned and it wasn't long before I fell apart completely and Ray pulled out of me. He tore off the condom and I felt his release on my back.

I watched his hand in the mirror and his face full of pleasure. Leaning back, he let out deep moans that sent shivers down my body.

I don't think guys realize what seeing their climax can do to a woman. With some, it's like watching fireworks explode.

He admired his work for a moment. I don't mean tattoos of course. But eventually he pulled away and cleaned up the mess on my back so I could stand up.

I jumped back on the seat and watched his movements.

After throwing the condom and wipes in the trash, he put on his boxers, came back to me and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "I missed this."

"Mr. Raymond Morgan, you should be careful." I smiled into the kiss. "You're getting addicted to me."

"Some addictions aren't that bad." He laughed. "Don't you think Miss Maya Carter?" He pulled back a little and ran his hand down my cheek before skipping between my eyes. "But this will never be anything more, will it?"

I breathed out hard. "Ray..."

"I'm not angry, Maya. You know I'm not. I'm just trying to understand you. You come here when you try to escape. And believe me, I'm happy to be the person you run to."

"But?" I have a feeling this is going to hurt.

"But I can't wait for you forever. You're young, you have time for casual sex, but I don't. I want more, Maya. And I know you won't give that to me."

"Please don't do this, Ray." I let out a disappointed breath.

"I'm your distraction from the world and I'm grateful to be one."

"But it's over." I said for him. "You know you don't have to walk around the hot mess with me, but just say it." I jumped off the chair and started picking up things from the floor.

"Maya..."

"Don't bother." I interrupted him. "It's pretty clear." I started to get dressed.

"You know I care about you Maya. More than you care about me."

"And how would you know?" I snorted. "You don't know a shit about how I feel."

"I didn't mean to hurt you, please believe me."

"Hurt me?" I laughed desperately. "I'd have to care about you for you to hurt me, right? And you said I don't, so I see no reason why you should be sorry."

"Don't do this. Don't twist my words."

"Then don't put words in my mouth." I walked up to him. "I never said I didn't care about you."

"We both know this is just sex for you." Ouch.

"Screw you, Raymond." I said to his face and turned to leave.

"Maya, that's not what I meant. Shit, Maya..."

"Go fuck yourself!" I screamed. "Guys like you are exactly why I don't have relationships. You're only good until you open your mouth." I left him in his tattoo station.

Men are guaranteed to give you one thing in life. Disappointment.



Another chapter today because why not, right?