by Marie, Kay
“Two consultations will be in at twelve-thirty. One for Cheshire and the other for Knave.” I look down at my appointment book. I got everything transferred from their old one, and I even color-coded everything. “At one, you have a client coming in for a two-hour session and Rabbit has a three-hour session.”
A smile stretches across Luke’s face. “You’re gonna fit in great around here.”
17
Sketch
After we picked up the cuts for our new members and dropped them off with Bull, Shade invited me to come over and hang out with him and Sienna. I ride my bike to their apartment, so I can leave when I need to. Before I head inside, I text Wren. She texted me earlier and I wasn’t able to respond.
From Little Bird: I decided where I want my tattoo!
To Little Bird: Where? Been a busy day. I’m at Shade and Sienna’s now.
Before I get a chance to put my phone away, she responds. I read it as I walk up to their apartment.
From Little Bird: On my sternum. Is she telling Shade she’s talked to me?
Holy fuck. For me to tattoo her sternum, she’s going to have to be shirtless and braless. The thought of tattooing her topless goes straight to my dick. She’s going to be the fucking death of me.
To Little Bird: Yes, she is. You’re sure that’s where you want your first tattoo?
From Little Bird: Yes, I’m sure. Luke already warned me it’ll be painful. Let me know how it goes!
To Little Bird: I will, Babe. Get back to work. Text me later.
I slide my phone in my pocket as I come to their apartment. They’re expecting me, so I walk in without knocking.
“Sketch! How’s it going?” Sienna greets.
“It’s goin’,” I reply. She walks over and gives me a hug. “Where’s your Ol’ Man?”
“Right here, fucker.” Shade walks into the living room. “You hittin’ on my woman?” he jokes.
I throw my arm around Sienna’s shoulders. “You know it. She finally agreed to leave you and come be with me . . . oomph!”
Sienna backhands my stomach. “Keep dreaming.” She walks into the kitchen, leaving us laughing.
“You want a beer,” Shade asks.
“Sure.” I make myself comfy on the couch while he grabs us each a beer. When he comes back, he has Sienna in tow.
“Dinner should be ready in about twenty or so minutes,” she tells us.
“How was your day,” Shade asks her.
She sits in the recliner with one foot tucked under her. “It was good. I heard from Wren.”
“What? Is she alright? What did she say?”
“She was calling to let us know she’s safe and that we don’t need to worry about her,” Sienna says.
“Did she tell you where she is?” Shade is standing in front of her.
“Yes, but she doesn’t want you to know right now. She doesn’t want you coming for her,” Sienna explains.
Shade sighs, rubbing his hands over his face. “I swear on everything, I won’t go after her.”
Sienna glances at me before answering. “She’s in New Orleans.”
“What the hell is she doin’ there?” I need to play it off like I have no idea so Shade doesn’t get suspicious of anything.
“Sketch, maybe you can reach out to her. Maybe get her to meet up with you while you’re both there,” Shade suggests.
“I mean, I can try, but we haven’t exactly been on speaking terms in a few months.” Which was true up until I saw her last week.
“Babe, give him her number and her cell phone she left here,” he says to Sienna. She gives me Wren’s number, even though I already have it, and promises to get the cell phone after dinner. After we eat, Shade and I bullshit some before I leave.
* * *
Today is officially the day our new brothers get initiated into the MC. The rest of the New Orleans Riders got here yesterday, so tonight we’re having a big party to celebrate. Tomorrow, Clutch and I head back for a month. I’m ready to go back, only because that’s where Wren is. Last night I started drawing up her lotus flower.
One of the best parts of being a tattoo artist is when a client trusts you and gives you full rein of the design they want. I’m adding some designs to the flower when my phone buzzes. Little Bird flashes across the screen.
From Little Bird: Third day at the shop in the books!
From Little Bird: This place is awesome. Thanks again for the hookup.
To Little Bird: I’m glad you’re enjoying.
From Little Bird: Me too. Any word on when you’re coming back yet?
To Little Bird: Sometime this weekend. You miss me or something?
From Little Bird: Or something. ;)
I close up my book, sticking it in my duffle bag. It’s almost time for the new brothers to receive their cuts. I head out to the main room, which is currently packed. Even the Nomads rode in to be here for this. Tink and Lolita are both working at the bar tonight since there are so many brothers here.
“Look who came out of hiding,” Rascal jabs.
I flip him off. “I was drawing something up for a client I have this weekend.”
“Speaking of, we need to set something up for when you get back,” he tells me. “I need some new ink.”
“You got it. I’ll be out there for at least a month, though,” I remind him.
“That’s cool. Gives me time to decide which one I’m getting next. Are you gonna do all the ink for the new brothers?”
“I’m gonna talk to my brother about it. Maybe have them all come into the shop one day and the five of us can do them,” I say. The loud shrill of a whistle rings throughout the clubhouse. Everyone turns their attention to the middle of the room where Bull and Ranger stand.
“Listen up, fuckers. There has been talk of the Savage Menaces MC expanding into other states. Today, we make it a reality. We have eight brothers joining us as our New Orleans chapter. Four will be Riders and four Menaces. First up, he will be Prez of the New Orleans chapter, Gator!” Bull holds his cut up as Gator walks over to him. The clubhouse erupts in cheers. Bull holds it while Gator slips his arms into it before turning and shaking his hand. Gator moves to the left of Bull.
“Next, we have our VP of our New Orleans chapter, Chaos!” He continues, announcing each brother, one at a time. Vegas will be their Sergeant at Arms while Biggie will be the Enforcer. Since there will only be a total of eight starting out, Chaos will act as the Treasurer and Vegas will act as Road Captain on top of their other titles. Once they recruit some more brothers, they can assign someone else those titles.
Once Bull has handed out everyone’s cuts, the party starts. Cut bunnies are everywhere. I do my best to avoid them. I only want one woman who happens to be eight hours away and I don’t even know if she wants me.
18
Wren
I’m finishing up a phone call with a potential client when Elena walks into the shop. Cheshire is standing next to me, doodling on a post-it note. He lifts his head, his eyes roaming over Elena. It’s the first time in twenty minutes he’s looked away from his drawing. Elena quickly glances at him before bringing her eyes to me. I hold up a finger, telling her it’ll be a minute.
“I have an opening Thursday with Knave at two-thirty and one with Rabbit at five,” I tell the client.
“I’ll take the one with Rabbit at five,” the guy replies.
“Alright, I’ll add you to the schedule. We’ll see you then.” I hang up with the client. “Hey, E. What’s up?”
“I, uh, was hoping you might be able to go to lunch with me,” she says. Her eyes shift between Cheshire and me. I turn to Ches, who’s eyes haven’t left Elena since she walked in.
“Ches, you think y’all will be okay without me for an hour?”
My words snap him out of his daze and he turns to face me. “Yeah, go ahead. I’ll cover the desk.”
“Thanks!” I turn back to Elena. “Let me go grab my purse.”
“I’ll meet you outside,” s
he says. I shrug and head to Luke’s office for my purse. When I walk past Luke’s station, back toward the front, he stops me.
“Where are you off to?” His eyes are on his notebook. He’s adding some finishing touches to a client’s piece. I could watch any of these guys draw all day. They’re amazing artists.
“Lunch with Elena. Cheshire is watching the front for me,” I tell him.
“Sounds good. Have fun.” He still doesn’t look at me. I smile, shaking my head. Luke has been protective over me all week. It makes me wonder if Sketch said something to him. I walk out the door with a wave to Cheshire. Elena is leaning against her car when I walk up the stairs.
“Why didn’t you want to wait inside?”
“That guy wouldn’t stop staring. He’s really hot, but it was a little awkward,” she tells me. I giggle.
“You mean Ches? I’m not sure why he was staring at you like that. I’ll have to talk to him later,” I say. We climb into her car.
“What are you hungry for?”
“Let’s get Panera,” I suggest. The drive over is short but quiet. Elena doesn’t say much of anything until after we’ve ordered our food and found a table.
“Do you know when Sketch is coming back,” she asks.
“Soon, maybe sometime this weekend,” I explain. “He’s going to give me my first tattoo hopefully next week.”
“Does that mean you decided on a spot for you lotus flower?”
“Sure did. I’m getting it on my sternum.” I grin, pointing to the spot under my boob.
She gasps. “That’s going to look sexy as hell.” Her eyes go wide. “Won’t you have to be completely topless for a tattoo there?”
“Yeah and I thought about that. If it was anyone other than Sketch, I wouldn’t be comfortable getting it there. I trust Sketch one-hundred percent. Also, I’ll be wearing pasties so I won’t feel so naked.” I let out a light laugh.
Elena smirks at me. “Something’s going to happen between the two of you. I know it.”
I roll my eyes. “Stop it. You do not.”
“Well, something should happen. Everyone can see there’s something there,” she tells me.
“What about you? Are you ready to date again,” I ask. She clams up, not wanting to answer.
“If I had someone who looked at me the way Sketch looks at you, then yeah. I would be,” she admits. We talk for another twenty minutes before she takes me back to the shop.
“I might be late coming home tonight. Tonight is pretty busy for the guys, so I offered to stay,” I tell Elena.
“Keep me updated. I’ll be home all night.” We say goodbye and I head back inside.
“Oh, good, you’re back. I was starting to miss you.” Cheshire smirks at me.
“Don’t lie. You were getting bored not having anyone to torture,” I tease.
“Sweetheart, you wouldn’t survive if I tortured you.” He winks, walking back to his station. His words stun me. I wonder what he meant by that.
A few hours go by. I decide to start organizing the shelves on the desk. I’m kneeling on the ground, looking through some tattoo magazines I found when the bell above the front door rings.
“Welcome to the Mad Tatter, where we’re all mad.” My eyes are still on the magazines as I stand. When I lift my head, I nearly drop the magazines. “You’re back!”
Sketch laughs. “Does Luke really make you say that to customers?”
I shrug one shoulder, smiling. “He really doesn’t have to make me.”
“That doesn’t shock me in the slightest.”
“How long did you know you’d be back in town today,” I ask him.
“Since yesterday. I wanted to surprise you.” He smiles his sexy half-smirk. “What do you say you let me steal you away from here for the rest of the evening?” He leans his elbows on the desk.
I lean toward him until I’m a couple inches from his face and whisper. “You’ll have to take it up with my boss.”
“He can deal with me later,” Sketch says softly. My eyes flutter along with the butterflies in my stomach as I stand.
“What are you doin’ to my employee,” Luke says from behind me.
“Kidnapping her,” Sketch tells him.
I turn to Luke in time to see him shrug. “Okay.”
“Are you sure y’all won’t need me tonight,” I ask Luke.
“It won’t be our first busy night without you,” he reminds me with a smile. “Take her, please.”
I glare at Luke, while Sketch laughs. Luke shrugs and walks away. When I turn around, Sketch is already looking at me.
“Ready,” he asks.
“Let me go grab my purse.” I walk into the break room to get to the office. Cheshire is sitting on the couch.
“So, you and Sketch, huh?”
“He’s a friend,” I tell him. “Want to tell me about the way you were looking at my friend, Elena earlier?”
He stands from the couch and stalks toward me, walking toward his station. “Nothing to tell, Sweetheart.”
He always has such a mischievous tone to his voice. It makes me wonder what he’s up to. I grab my purse out of the office and walk back to Sketch.
19
Sketch
We walk up the stairs toward the parking lot. I have my hand near the small of her back, nearly touching her. The scent of jasmine and orange invades my nose. Even after working in the tattoo shop all day with the different incenses the guys use, Wren still smells like Wren. I smirk to myself. She pauses when she sees my bike.
“You brought your bike this time?”
“Yeah, I’m gonna be here for at least a month,” I tell her.
She gapes at me. “I get you for a whole month?”
I grin at her.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” she says quickly.
“I didn’t say anything.” I hold my hands up, showing my innocence and chuckle.
She rolls her eyes at me and continues walking.
“I have a car here, too. One of the new guys drove it out here for me. You can drive it instead of this piece of shit.” I gesture to her car as we come closer. It’s a lemon Sienna bought to hideaway as a runaway vehicle. I get the feeling it’s going to break down on Wren any day now.
“I might take you up on that. The AC is about to give out on this thing and it’s too hot to be driving without AC.” She scrunches up her nose and it’s the cutest fucking thing I’ve seen.
“I’ll take care of you, don’t worry.” Wren looks at me like she’s trying to digest what I said. I smirk at her. “Would you like to go get dinner?”
“Sure, I’ll follow you,” she tells me. She winks, climbing in her car. I hop on my bike and bring it to life with a roar. I lead her to my favorite steak house in New Orleans. It’s a quiet, little restaurant. It’ll be a good place for us to talk. It takes twenty minutes to get there.
“This is a cute little place,” Wren says.
“I thought you’d like this place. Wait until you try the food,” I tell her. We walk inside and get seated right away. The waiter takes our drink order and walks away.
“I brought something to show you.” I pull out my book of drawings and open it to the latest piece I’ve been working on. Wren’s lotus flower. I hand it to her. Her eyes widen and a smile stretches across her face.
“Sketch, it’s beautiful. It’s perfect.”
“It’s you,” I say. Her eyes come to mine.
“It’s me.” She holds my stare for a beat. Her smile is breathtaking. “Thank you.”
“It was my honor. I can’t wait to tattoo it on you.”
She blushes at my words. I’ve never known her to blush easily. At this moment, I wish I knew what was going on in her mind. I’m sure she’s thought about having to be topless for this tattoo. I sure as fuck hope she doesn’t think that’s why I’m so excited about this. Shit. Maybe that’s why she blushed.
“Did you have a day in mind to do the tattoo,” she asks, still blushing.
“I thought we could do it Sunday. It’ll take four or five hours, plus the shop is closed, so no one else would be there.”
She nods her head. “That works for me.”
We spend the rest of dinner talking about how everyone back home is. By the sorrow etched on her face, I can tell she misses everyone. I’ll give her some time, but my goal is to take her back to Texas with me when it comes time for me to go back.
* * *
Yesterday was the fourth. Gator had everyone over to the temporary clubhouse for a BBQ before a group of us went down to the river to watch fireworks. Watching Wren’s eyes light up with joy from the fireworks display made my night. For her, it’s all about enjoying the little things in life.
Wren will be at the shop any minute now. I’ve been here for twenty minutes getting my station set up so we can get started as soon as she gets here. I’m scrolling through my phone, searching for some music to play when I receive a text from Wren telling me she’s here. I unlock the front door to let her in, locking it again once she’s inside.
“Hey,” she says softly.
“Hey.” I grin. “Ready to get started?”
“Let’s do this.” She smiles her megawatt smile, making my heart skip a beat. Leading her back to my station, I turn on my rock playlist on my phone. I have the Bluetooth connected to the speakers hooked up throughout the shop. Under Your Scars by Godsmack is the first song to play.
“You can sit here.” I gesture to the table she’ll be laying on when I start her tattoo. “You didn’t wear a bra, did you?”
“Nope, I put pasties on before I left the house,” she tells me.
“Ah, right. Good thinking.” I fidget with my notebook. “You can take your shirt off and lay back.” Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her slip her shirt over her head. Once she’s lying on the table, I put on a pair of black nitrile gloves, then grab a couple paper towels and spray some green soap on them.
