His jaw was clenched as his eyes shone with longing. He flicked over my form until his evade rested on my face. The defined jaw remained ticking as his expression presented his devastating hurt.

Guilt swarmed the pit of my stomach. It was so overwhelming and confusing. I had no idea what I had to feel guilty about. Neither did I know why he was so angered.

It was like he was in a trance. He was so deep in thought as his facial expression contorted to one that looked determined.

Possessiveness radiated off him and his actions as he took a gentle hold of my hips and brought me closer to his side.

He kept his large hands on my waist as he caressed the skin while asking "Are you sure you are going to be, okay?"

"Of course, I am." I assure him before I smiled up and teased "I am starting to think you really do want me to hold your hand while you get inked."

His tense demeanours fell apart as he noticed my smiling.

"It is the opposite." He grumbled "Do you want me to come in with you and hold your hand?"

I waved him off "No. I will be fine."

"Are you sure?" He said, his fingers curling in and out of fist like he had a nervous twitch.

"I am sure." I said for definite before throwing another taunt at him "You just want to see my underwear."

Silence filled the room.

Then he bellowed "What?"

Raising an eyebrow, I started picking a piece of loose thread on my jeans and tried not to look offended as I spoke "It was a joke."

He shook his head as his eyes darkened “Why are you taking your clothes off?"

"I’m not taking my clothes off." I replied.

His shoulders visibly relaxed.

"Just my jeans." I added.

Stone stiffened again and then he growled.

Reed coughed but it sounded a lot like laughter "The dragon is quite big, and it curls so the perfect place is the thigh to the hip. Ella is right."

His words do not settle Stone. Instead, Reed became the victim of the terrifying scowl.

I walked over to the design of the dragon and took it off the wall as Reed instructed me to do so.

When I had my back to them, I heard Stone grumbling something and his rough tone could have been interpreted as tyrannical.

His irises went back to a softer shade of black as I walked back over to them and gave him in an encouraging smile.

"Whipped." Reed spluttered between pretending to cough.

The tyrant behaviour of Stone was back as he commanded "Take care of her."

Reed nodded "Yes boss."

There was no hint of humour in his reply or his use of the word boss.

I was too busy gaping at Stone's public show of concern for me to question it.