I woke up on the couch to my phone ringing.

"'Ello?"

"Emily I heard you called in sick is everything alright?"

"Yeah David just a stomach bug, I'm gonna sleep it off."

"Mom's having one of her dinners tomorrow night, think you'll be better?"

"I think so, I'll let you know tomorrow morning."

"Feel better Emmy."

"Yes'sir Deputy Hale."

No sooner that we hung up there was a loud knock at my door. I peeked through the blinds, it was Tig, of course. I knocked on the window and flipped him off.

"Open this fucking door or I'll kick it down!"

"Hah, I'd like to see you try old man." As if he would actually-BANG. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO?" My door was half off the hinges and Tig was stepping over it into my apartment.

"Told you I'd kick the fucking door down."

"Emily dear are you alright? Should I call the police?" One of my neighbors, a nosy old biddy named Jane Hearthman called from the doorframe.

"NO!" A little over eager maybe… "It's fine, just a misunderstanding, he's gonna fix it in a minute."

"Alright dear, I'm just a door away if you need me." It was obvious she didn't believe me but she left anyway.

"You need to leave. Now."

"Fuck that! What the hell was this morning? What's your problem?"

"She is gonna call the cops and-"

"We control the cops."

"Not the deputy."

Tigs eyes narrowed. "What's Hale got to do with this?"

"Jealous much?"

"Should I be?"

"Of course not." I ran a hand through my hair. He needed to find out sooner or later. Hopefully no one got shot. "Fix my door. I need to make food." I walked to the kitchen leaving a seething Tig jamming the door back into the frame and digging through my closet for a screw driver. He finished putting the door back in place just as I finished the pasta. One thing we both agreed on no matter what; easy mac was crack.

We ate in silence for a while until all you could hear in the apartment was the scraping of forks and the ticking of the clock.

"My maiden name is Hale. If my brothers find out about you and me there's gonna be trouble."

Tig looked up mid chew and leaned back in his chair. "This wasn't something you thought to mention earlier?"

I shrugged. "I liked things the way they were. And the way things HAD been going he never would have found out."

"Now it's just a matter of time."

"I figure if you guys don't talk about it too much I can keep them from seeing the tattoo for at least a few more months. Figure out how to let David down gently."

"What will your family do when they find out?"

I cracked my neck, this wasn't something I liked talking about. "I have a rather generous trust fund coming my way when I turn thirty. So long as I don't piss anyone off too badly."

Tig nodded. "I can tell the guys to keep it down. Gemma's doing a dinner next weekend, she'll expect you there."

I cringed. "That woman scares the bujeezes out of me."

Tig grinned. "You done?" I looked down at my empty bowl.

"Yup."

Tig stood up, took off his shirt and took two steps around the tiny table and brought my face to his navel where my tattoo was. "What the fuck is that shit?"

I darted my tongue out and licked the word 'dick'. He jerked back like it burned. Hell, it probably did this soon after. "How's it feel to be branded?"

"That's not how this works." He bent my head back by my hair so my neck was stretched and exposed.

"That's the only way it's gonna work with me lover boy. Two way street." I stared up at him, his face unreadable. "Regret putting that damn bird on my back yet?"

He pulled me up to my feet and let go of my hair. "Take off your clothes."

I flushed and opened my mouth to tell him to fuck off but he unclipped his knife sheath. "Take them off or I'll cut them off." I scowled, pulled my T shirt over my head and kicked off my shorts.

"Satisfied?"

"Not yet. Turn around and sit in the chair." I did as he said and felt him put something cold on the tattoo.

"Hey! What is that?"

"Helps the tattoo heal. You make sure you don't pick at it or you'll fuck it up." He left a layer of the cold gunk on my back and went and sat on the couch to watch tv. I followed and lay across him so my stomach was on his lap. He ran his hands across my still sore ass and thighs, squeezing every so often and making me shiver.

"I can't have kids." I don't know why I said it, it just came out. "I got this really bad cyst in highschool and because of the scaring I can't have kids."

"Ok."

"That's it? Ok?" I tried to roll over but he kept me down.

"I'm not exactly dad material. No big deal."

I nodded slowly. "That usually freaks guys out when things get serious."

"I don't freak out."

"Bullshit."

"I don't."

"You kicked down my door an hour ago."

"Calmly." I snorted.

"Whatever. You staying tonight?" He shrugged. "I took today off but I have to go to mom's tomorrow around three and Monday I have to get back to work so I won't be free until Tuesday at least and-"

"Damn woman, if you want me to stay just say it."

"I want you to stay."

"I'll stay then."