by J. M. Dabney
“I didn’t say it, Scary.”
“I’ll just walk around.” He may be slender and a few inches shy of six-feet, but he was a man, being hauled around by the tattooed brute would totally be unmanly.
“Suit yourself, your shots up to date, right?”
“Zerk, knock it off.” Scary muttered without looking up from whatever he was drawing on Mina’s arm.
When he got closer he noticed the colorful lines went from her shoulder to her wrist. He knew they used washable markers and sometimes if time permitted they’d airbrush her some amazing artwork. Each guy kept a set in their stations for Mina or when they freehanded designs. He knew Scary was famous for his freehand, realistic creations. He’d seen the ones Scary drew on Mina before and they were always beautiful. He bet the permanent ones would be breathtaking, but he’d never had an opportunity to see them.
“Do you have pictures of your work?”
Scary clenched his jaw causing the muscles to jump. “Yea, there’s an album on the counter, my name’s on it.” Scary answered without looking up.
He felt like the man dismissed him and he looked down before anyone could see the hurt in his eyes. Why couldn’t the man just like him? The other guys were always welcoming when he came around. Lucky even flirted with him. It was always in fun, but the man made him feel like he was one of the crew—just like the rest.
“Where’s Lucky?”
Trouble answered with a husky laugh, “He took a spill on his board earlier. Priest had to take him to the ER. We doubt he broke anything, but Priest threw a fit when Lucky said he would just wrap it.”
“Isn’t this the fourth time in the last two months he’s headed to the ER? Hasn’t someone taken that skateboard yet?”
“We hid it, but some how he always f—” Scary made a rumbling sound at Zerk “freaking finds it.”
Scary seemed to be profanity police when Mina was around. It was kind of sweet, but he knew Scary wouldn’t appreciate being called sweet. Everyone laughed. Zerk sent Scary a dirty look, but the man didn’t bother looking up. Scary was too busy having a quiet conversation with Mina. He’d never seen his niece sit that still—ever. Mina was in constant movement. It seemed to be another habit she’d picked up from her Papa Trouble. Mina’s energy exhausted him, but in the last year it appeared to explode in an exuberance none of them contained.
It was strange how much the two of them were alike. Brody and Trouble were together less than a year, actually they were three months from their one year anniversary. His brother and Trouble were in no hurry to say vows, but had inked wedding bands. Zerk and his partner Landon were almost two years together and like the other couple had gone with inked bands. It seemed to be a tradition passed down from Gib and Peaches.
Sometimes he watched the two couples and they’d stroke the simple, black inked bands lovingly staring at each other. He glanced down at his unadorned finger and again he felt like an asshole for being jealous. He quickly made his way to the albums and found Scary’s, he flipped open the cover.
“You okay,” Brody asked.
Elijah turned to give Brody reassuring smile, “Yes, I’m fine.”
“You’re lying to me. You raised me, I know when you’re lying to me. Like when you used to tell me you weren’t hungry. Then you gave me an overloaded plate and kept a tiny portion for yourself, even when I heard your stomach growling.”
“I worked at a restaurant. I had a meal provided.” Elijah didn’t want Brody to think about the past. They’d had what they needed, a roof over their heads and Brody always ate. He’d worked hard to make sure Brody always had what he needed. Most of the time he’d succeeded.
“Elijah, I’m not six anymore.”
“I know you’re not six.”
“You gave up everything for me when our parents died and I was a shit growing up. You were better at being a parent than they ever were. They were too selfish to worry about it I ate enough or if I had a normal life.”
“You were an average kid and I wanted you to stay that way.”
“But how much did you miss out on? You didn’t go to prom. You didn’t go to college until you were in your mid-twenties. You never dated or brought anyone home.”
Elijah didn’t want to think about the fact he’d never dated. It wasn’t as if he didn’t try, but dating as a single parent sucked, especially when you’re eighteen.
“I was a father, Brody, and I couldn’t just bring anyone home. That wouldn’t have set a good example.”
“But, Elijah, you still don’t date. When is the last time you just f—”
“That’s none of your business.”
He’d tried, so many times to find a man, but he spent his late teens and most of his twenties raising a kid. It was so darn awkward to date and it always turned out to be a miserable experience. He had a healthy sex drive, he wanted sex, but most nights it was just him and his toys.
Elijah’s face flamed at the thought. It never worked out because the man he seemed obsessed with and starred in all of his dirty fantasies couldn’t stand him. How pathetic was that?
“Oh, I know that blush. Come on, we’ll be back,” Brody grabbed his arm and hauled him out the front door. “Now spill.”
“Spill what, there’s nothing to spill.” Elijah suddenly found the cracks in the sidewalk highly interesting.
“Man, you do know I use to sneak into your room and I found your stash.”
“Dang it, Brody.”
“So, come on, who’s the hunky dude acting in those fantasies?”
“It’s nobody.” His face heated.
“I’m an Elijah Lie Detector, tell me, I won’t stop until I get it out of you. I know your weakness,” Brody cackled and held up his hands to flex his fingers.
“You wouldn’t dare,” He squeaked and started to back up.
“I’ll have big, bad Mayor Vaughn pissing himself on the sidewalk. I’m only going to count to three and then it’s on. One—” Brody stepped closer. “Two—” He took another one.
“Scary,” He muttered as quietly and quickly as possible so no one would hear.
“What—I don’t think I heard that right.”
Brody’s eyes overwhelmed his face and Elijah wanted to sink through the sidewalk or at the very least, run away—far away.
“You heard me, but please don’t say anything. I’m begging here.” His eyes stung as he felt tears start to form.
“Oh, don’t do that.” Brody’s arms wrapped tightly around him.
For a moment Elijah sank into the comforting embrace. “Please, Brody, he hates me and he’ll think I’m pathetic.”
“We’ll never talk about it again. I promise, he’ll never hear it from me.”
“You can’t tell Trouble either.”
Brody pulled back with a gasp, “Oh come on, man, I tell Trouble everything. It’s our rule.”
“I’ll move to Antarctica and never come back.” He pointed at Brody with a glare.
“Isn’t that a bit dramatic?”
“Maybe, but I swear I’ll do it.”
“You hate the cold, when it gets in the fifties you dress like you’re trekking across the south fucking pole, but speaking of south poles, been thinking about Scary’s a lot?”
“I hate you and failed at raising you.”
“I’ve seen that man naked. He’d make a pain slut run in horror. Probably feels like being fisted by a giant. One ride and you’re bowlegged for life.” Brody’s eyes turned brighter until they shimmered with tears of mirth.
Elijah gripped Brody’s wrist and dragged him back into the shop, pushed him toward Trouble. Brody fell onto his partner’s lap. “I wipe my hands of him. You’ve ruined the sweet boy I raised. Ruined him.” He wagged his finger at Trouble, “no amount of soap will clean his disgusting mouth.”
Brody dissolved into a fit of laughter which turned quickly to wheezing when he couldn’t catch his breath. Trouble joined him.
“And I gave my blessing to this match. Where did I go wrong?” A mas
sive arm came to rest on his shoulders.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. It was all Trouble. Just remember that, it’s always Trouble’s fault. Besides just look at them, they just ain’t right. Princess needs normal ones like us in her life.”
He turned to thank Zerk only to find pink bows littering his beard and a sparkling pink hoop about the width of a pencil through his septum.
He dropped his face into his hands and shook his head. “I’m in an insane asylum,” His words muffled in his palms.
“Uncle Eli, look!”
He looked up to see Mina running towards him holding her arm out. From wrist to shoulder crimson Chinese dragons danced around her arm surrounded by lotuses and a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds. Every inch of skin covered with ink.
“That’s beautiful, sweetie, Uncle Scary did a fantastic job.” He resisted the urge to look towards the man in question.
“Reamed by a Titan,” Brody’s voice whispered in his ear before he dissolved into breathless giggles.
“Mina, let’s go, say bye to Daddy and Papa.”
I hate you, he mouthed behind Mina’s back and it only made the snickers louder. After Mina had made her rounds of good-bye hugs he ushered her quickly out the door. Behind him he heard everyone asking what was so funny, but his idiot brother only laughed louder.
“You’re out of my will,” He yelled as the door closed behind him.
3 THE WRATH OF SCARY
Boredom for him was worse than anything else. The afternoon lull stretched into early evening and Scary already finished all his custom sketching for the next few weeks. The welcomed sound of the door chime had him jerking his head up and he scowled as Elijah walked in with a sobbing Mina in his arms. Her face hidden against the side of Elijah’s neck.
“Scary,” It was the first time Elijah used his name without being corrected. “Is Trouble or Brody around, I don’t know what to do.”
“No, they said they’d be taking off to some cabin overnight to get some alone time to maul each other.”
He swore the man was on the verge of tears as Elijah tried to rub soothing circles on Princess’s back. She wore a black t-shirt, matching tutu, striped black and hot pink tights and her little biker boots he’d bought her.
“What happened?”
“We went to dinner. I let her dress herself, she was proud and so cute. When we walked in people just stared at her and most looked disapproving. They were whispering and some bit—woman made comments about her ink and then others joined. They told me what a bad dad—” A single tear broke free to slide down Elijah’s cheek as Princess started sobbing louder.
“They said I was weird and Uncle Elijah should be shamed of himself.” Mina’s words were muffled and broken by hiccupping sobs.
“Give her to me.” He circled her tiny waist with his huge hands and pulled her from Elijah’s arms, he turned her to look at him. “Hey, eyes on me.” Watery blue eyes very much like Elijah’s had fat tears on her lower lashes and her sadness pissed him off. Someone hurt Princess for no reason. “You’re beautiful, and normal is for boring people. Do you think we’re weird? Huh, are your Dads?”
“No.”
“That’s right. You dress however you want and when you’re old enough and you still want me to draw on you, I’ll cover you in tattoos and you’ll still be beautiful. You know what, I’m kinda hungry. Do we need a reservation for that snooty club?”
“Yes.”
“Make one for ten people.” Scary ordered as he pulled out his phone. He hit speed dial and waited, when he heard the ringing stop and a soft grunt. “Tank, I need you and six other guys to meet me.”
“Hi, Uncle Tank,” Princess got close to the phone and squealed. Tank laughed.
The Brawler Crew loved Princess as much as the Twirled one.
He gave Tank the address and there was another grunt. “We need ties. Bring the ones from that bachelor party.” A rough chuckle ended the call.
“I don’t think—”
“Don’t, no one hurts her feelings.”
“Okay.” Elijah made the call and made a reservation.
He didn’t plan for them to stay long, just enough for them to make the snobs piss themselves.
“I’ll follow you on my bike, the crew will be waiting at the entrance for us. You got a problem with this? Being an upstanding member of society and all that.”
“No, but you know the cops aren’t exactly fond of you.”
“Never have been and I don’t give a—”
“What about the shop?”
“I’ll close down, text Zerk to come in and he’ll reopen when he gets here. Let’s go.”
He kissed Princess’s temple and handed her back to Elijah. The man and girl disappeared out the front door, he locked it behind them and exited through the back texting Zerk on his way. He didn’t wait for a response and mounted his bike to catch up with Elijah.
The deep rumble of his bike didn’t come close to soothing him as it normally did. Rage burned through his veins. No one hurt a member of his family especially an innocent girl for something as stupid as a tutu and marker tattoos.
Elijah was too nice for his own good, which meant Scary and his Crew would need to take care of shit. He followed behind Elijah’s sensible, beige sedan. It was a car that screamed responsible.
The ride didn’t take long. The fancy Country Club was just outside the town limits. His boys were relaxing on their bikes, Tank in the lead. He’d known the man his whole life. They’d escaped the dangerous streets and neighborhoods where they grew up, but both hadn’t made it out without countless scars.
The most obvious was the thick line of scar tissue that went from ear to ear but Tank’s long beard hid it. One scar bisected the left side of Tank’s face. Tank got both on the same night. His friend hadn’t said a word since.
Elijah pulled to the shoulder of the road just passed Tank’s motorcycle. A flurry of black and hot pink flew from the back seat.
“Mina,” Elijah hollered for her, but Princess was already on the move.
Princess launched herself at Tank and the man caught her in mid-air. Tank set her astride his bike. Tank’s hands quickly moved as he signed to her and she giggled. The other boys laughed at the huge, ugly biker losing his shit over Princess.
He turned to see Elijah warily watching Tank and Princess. “Elijah, this is Tank Davis, he’s my head of security.”
“Hi,” Elijah said with a small smile.
He watched Tank do a double take and then stare openly at Elijah. Okay, this could end up being a fucking issue. He noticed the other guys laughed louder at Tank’s reaction. Not many gave Tank the time of day. Tank was born ruthless and it only grew in intensity over the years, especially after his attack. Scary knew there was more to his friend than the man let others see, yet personal shit stayed between him and Tank.
“Tank, Tank,” Princess was patting Tank’s massive chest and Tank instantly gave her his undivided attention.
He grunted in answer.
“I love my tutu. Thank you.”
She signed as she spoke even though she knew he could hear her. They’d explained to her Tank had an accident.
Tank signed she was welcome and she looked beautiful; it earned the usually grumpy man a tight hug. Princess picked up the sign language quickly. He sometimes found the two of them having silent conversations when the crews got together for barbecues or whatever.
“Did you bring the ties?” He asked and Tank reached back into his saddlebags and pulled out a mass of tangled fabric. “Who knows how to work these f—these things?” He groaned as the guys chuckled at him censoring himself. Scary didn’t always catch himself, but they had a kid in the crew now, he had to at least try.
“Line up,” Elijah ordered and stepped forward to take the ties, his face turned bright red as he noticed the bikini clad women.
Hell, tiny triangles of fabric barely constituted coverage, but they would prove a fucking point. Scary watched the guys
line up, but Tank remained on his bike just as he did.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“You just might have fun, pretty man,” Crave rumbled and he noticed Elijah pursing his lips to hide what Scary thought may be an actual smile.
Each man stepped up to have the tie efficiently knotted and tightened to hang over their grungy tees. Then it came to Tank and him, Elijah’s steps almost faltered as he approached Tank first.
“Turn a bit, please,” Elijah’s voice was soft and he kept his head slightly down almost like he was avoiding looking at Tank.
He’d known Tank forever, knew him better than anyone and the emotion in the other man’s eyes almost looked like hurt. Tank suddenly stiffened and Scary saw Elijah’s fingertips had quickly stroked over the long, ragged scar on Tank’s throat.
“You have to hold your head up.”
Tank only grunted again and tipped his chin up.
“Thank you.”
Tank’s hands fisted on his thighs. If Scary thought he was too rough for Elijah than his fucking friend was even less suited. He wasn’t going to try anything with the cute man, but seeing his friend watch Elijah with hunger in his eyes should have made him at least a bit jealous, but it wasn’t there.
“Looking very distinguished, Mr. Davis.”
Princess giggled and kicked her feet where she straddled Tank’s big bike and leaned back against the big man’s chest.
Tank’s rough chuckle took him by surprise and Elijah smiled. A sweet, innocent tilt of his plump lips.
Elijah turned to him with the last tie slung over his shoulder and approached him.
“You gonna strangle me with that tie?”
Shocked eyes flew up to his and then they rolled. “I haven’t done it yet, have I?”
“Do your worst.” He lifted his head as Elijah looped the polyester fabric around his neck and began twisting and sliding the end of the tie through a loop. “You’re good at this.”
Every so often soft fingers stroked his skin and brushed his chest through the cotton of his black t-shirt. Now was not the time for a fucking hard on. It was already a problem ninety percent of the time he was in Elijah’s presence. He wanted to bend the man over every time he saw him. This was the first time Elijah was ever this close to him, he could smell the scent of soap, shampoo, but no cologne.
