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I feel the smile lift my face. This is what I’ve wanted for so long. My own clients, my own work. It’s been a long time coming.
“I don’t know what to say…” I look back at him.
“Well, you can start by quitting being a pussy and wrapping this up for me.” Tac shakes his head as he slides off his stool. “Seriously kid, what’s gotten into ya? You’ve been wetter than a whore’s cunt last few weeks, you got summit on your mind?” he asks, stubbing out his cigarette.
“Nah, nothing,” I shake it off.
“You’ve even eased up on the attitude, I hardly recognize ya,” he calls out while I go out back for a new roll of cling film. “And whatever it is seems to be workin'.” He turns his back on the girl and steps closer to me. “Prez is callin’ a vote next week,” he drops his voice, “Looks like you’re getting your patch, kid.”
“I got to get the vote first,” I remind him. Tac has no idea about the arrangement I got with Prez, and I don’t know how he’ll work it if I don’t get the unanimousvote I need from the others.
“You got mine, Jessie, and Troj’s for sure. The only one who might have fucked it up for ya was Chop, and the only one he shafted was himself… I’m proud of ya, kid.” Tac slaps me hard on the arm. The feeling of pride only lasts a few seconds before dread overrides it. I’ve wanted this for so long. It’s everything I’ve been working towards since the days I was getting spat at and being forced to sniff shit.
The problem is, I want Ella just as much… I want her fuckin’ more.
Jessie turns up about half an hour after Tac leaves for the club. He straddles the chair and I set to work on shading the final touches into the portrait of Hayley that's being added to his back piece.
“So how’s it goin’ with the girl?” he asks me, knowing we’re alone.
“As well as it can go. She hates her Pa, I’m certain of that now. I’m still tryin’ to figure if there’s anything to it though, maybe she just hates him the same way every other teenager hates their parents.”
Jessie nods in agreement. “You know, it was massive for Prez to trust you with this,” he reminds me, doing nothing to make me feel any better about betraying him for it.
“Yeah, and I don’t wanna let him down. I wanna prove to everyone that all that stuff Chop used to say about me was shit. I don’t know what he ever had against me.” I wipe over Hayley’s face before dipping back my gun back in the ink. It’s crazy to think Ella had a sister, one she may never know about. Now that Hayley’s gone I regret not giving her more of my time. I was rude to her a lot, always saw running her around as an inconvenience that took me away from doing real club stuff. Now, in a weird kinda way, I miss her. Life at the compound’s not quite the same without her sarcastic comments.
“Speaking of shit, has anyone actually got information on Tommy?” I distract myself from the thoughts in my head, Jesus Christ, Tac’s right, I’m turning into a fuckin’ pussy.
“Mads is workin’ night and day trying to find something. One thing we do know is that whoever buried Chop’s file for him originally, buried a lot of shit, way more than Skid or Prez ever knew about. Chop told Prez he was wanted on suspicion of murder when he first came to the club. He never mentioned that it was for the murder of his wife. There are other cases too, all of them brutal.
We ain’t got no one on the inside anymore. Prez used to have someone working for the gov, but he disappeared three years ago. I’m starting to wonder if that had something to do with Chop too.
I just hope Maddy burying it all again is enough to buy us time to find him before the feds do. There’s not much we can do about thepaper trail, not without someone on the inside.”
I chuckle to myself, and Jessie looks over his shoulder at me suspiciously.
“Ella’s Dad’s a fed judge,” I remind him. “The person we need is right under our nose, and there ain’t nothin’ we can do about it.”
“Mads thought the same thing. But there ain’t no way Prez is gonna get into bed with Judge Jackson. Justice will catch up with Chop soon enough. In the meantime, keep ya head on and focus on what you’re doing. It won’t be for long. Just ‘till we know she’s safe. Prez just wants reassurance that the judge ain’t treating her bad.”
“I’m on it, Jess,” I assure him, getting back to inking him and letting the focus of work take over any thoughts of Ella and the deep shit I’m getting into.
Jessie leaves the studio as soon as I finish. He invites me to eat with him and Maddy tonight and I decide to pass on the offer. I’ve checked my phone a few times and Ella hasn’t messaged so I’m gonna ride out and check she’s okay.
I’m out the back putting the last of my kit in the sterilizer when I hear the shop door open. “We’re closed,” I call out. Tac is always reminding me to lock the shop door if I’m working outback. I stub out my smoke and walk out into the studio.
My body freezes when I look to the other side of the desk and I’m greeted with a shy smile. The same one that’s etched in my thoughts 24 fuckin’ 7. And one that doesn’t belong here.
After a silent journey home with my father, I’d gone straight to my room. Mom had come up a few hours later, her face fully covered with makeup, dressed like she’s about to walk the runway.
“Your father and I have been invited to the senator’s for dinner,” she tells me. I manage to hide my excitement, this is perfect, it means I can see Nyx again tonight.
“Penelope will be here if you need anything,” she chimes as she leaves my room, already applying the fake act she’ll have to keep up all evening.
“Have a good time,” I call out, burying my head back inside my textbook. The sooner they leave, the sooner I can message Nyx and tell him to come over.
I pick up my phone, but instead of typing a message to Nyx I open the internet app and search local tattoo studios. I’m a little shocked that there’s just one that's remotely close. It’s over in Manitou springs. A town my father seems to have a real issue with. I went to a party there once and when he found out, he drove over and dragged me out in front of everyone. It was so embarrassing. All he’s ever told me is that the town is bad and that the people who live there are bad too.
I write down the zip code of the studio, and change into a pair of jeans and the hooded jumper, that I still haven’t returned to Nyx. Then putting on a confident face, I head down the stairs and prepare myselfto lie to Penelope.
