Chapter 1: Tattoo Therapy
I love my shop. Looking over everything in it and all the people makes me happier than anything in life ever could. Seeing that happy look on a customer's face when they see their ink for the first time fills me with pride. It's my sanctuary, my space, my life. The one thing I have in this world that keeps me sane.
"Yo, Thorn, you got a customer!" my front desk guy Jimmie calls out to me. I make my way out of my cluttered office and poke my head out, confused, I had already finished out my last customer of the night. Instead, however, I see the stoic face of my good friend.
"Liam!" I grant him a smile as I move closer, looking him over. God Damn Liam Masters was a fine slab of hunky man meat if I ever saw one. Short blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a full beard. His face wasn't the one you would see gracing one of those magazines where you find the pretty boys, no, Liam was all man. He was tall, probably six foot five, built like a mac truck and covered in ink, a lot of it I put on him.
He flashes me a panty melting grin. It makes me swoon a little inwardly, but sadly the hunk of meat in front of me was very much married, and happily so. I adore his wife, too, she's a sweetheart and they are perfect for each other. I would still be lying if I said my lady bits weren't jealous but in my heart of hearts, I was happy as hell the grumpy biker has someone so perfect for him.
"Didn't I just finish one for you, darlin? You haven't even healed up, yet." I told him, leaning against the counter.
"Yeah, you did, it's healing up fucking beautifully though, as always." He told me his grin getting wider "I'm not here for me though. I need to see if you got some time to do some work for my brother."
"One of the club guys?"
Liam runs the local MC, The Reapers, which is another reason why we are friends. His crew watches over my shop for me, which also includes my apartment over the shop, and he does it in exchange for tattoos, free for him but at a discount for his club members. I didn't have to, but I offered it up as payment, it seemed only fair considering.
"Nope, my blood brother, Darrin."
My brows furrow in confusion. I look at him for a moment. "I didn't know you had one. I mean, shit, okay, I'd be honored." I can't lie and say I am not a bit hurt by his confession, but I cover it quickly with a joke. "Hell, honey, if he is as fine as you, I wouldn't mind that at all." I flash him a grin.
"Shit, T, you know there is no one on this planet as hot as me." He replies and then he looks back towards my office. "Can we go chat for a bit, he won't be here for a few minutes, and I need to talk to you first." He tells me, his voice dropping a bit to keep others from overhearing. I nod.
"Sure, darlin, come on back." I turn and walk back to my office, letting him in and then shutting the door behind him. "What's up?"
He moves some of my papers out of the chair and then he plops down in it, the wood protesting a little with his weight. He seems to be considering what he is about to say, which could mean it's a big deal.
"He needs some scars covered. That's one of the reasons I am bringing him to you. You're one of the best there is at covering scars, and you know not to ask. His…well…they are pretty bad, but I figured you of all people would be able to work with it and figure out a design."
I nod a bit at his words, yep, I know all about covering scars, what can and can't be covered. My body is covered at this point, but there are some that even I can't get rid of, and I have been to people even better than me. I also know that sometimes you just can't ask. It's a big deal in the community, a lot of artists ask so they can have the story behind it.
"Just need to know what kind they are and where" I raise my hand and cut off his reply "It's better if he tells me. It's a bonding process. Sometimes they want to tell me, sometimes they don't, but it establishes things. You know how I work, it's important to my process but if you don't think he will tell me or show me on his own then you should give me a heads up." I tell him simply. I mean sure people must bear the scar one way or another if they want the ink, but I know sometimes it's hard, those wounds might be healed but sometimes it goes much deeper.
"He won't tell you the how, but he will show you. He doesn't think this will help him, but I know you and I know how you work, if anyone can help get that process started, it's you."
I nod a little not fully committed. "Shit, Liam, even I still wake up screaming most nights, but yeah I can function through the day now. I can get up and keep my shit together. I can get him there if he wants…but he has to want it, babe."
He's nodding too, a look of anger across his face but whether he's thinking of my tormentor or his brothers I am not totally sure. Liam had met me when I was at my worst and had seen the worst of the emotional damage. If it hadn't been for him and his wife, I might not be around anymore.
Tattoo Therapy wasn't just the name of my shop, for some people it really is a healing tool. Covering scars, telling a story, sometimes they are more than just pretty pieces to cover our bodies. Liam's phone went off and he checked it telling me his brother was here, he was gonna go get him.
"I'll be in my room, setting up, might just be a consult for the night, but we'll see once I see what I'm working with." With a nod, he left, and I sighed. I wasn't dressed to meet with more customers tonight so I pulled my hair back, braided it so it hung over my shoulder and secured it so it wouldn't be in my way if I worked on him tonight. I walked to my space and started setting up. I usually wore a t-shirt or a jacket to cover my back but tonight I had on a halter top that showed off the entire length of my back, which was not a good thing. I had to fight to ignore the sudden intake of air I heard behind me, Liam had seen my scars, the ones I couldn't cover up, but I still kept my back covered around him anyway. I had a piece that ran from shoulder to shoulder across the top, but under it is where the worst burn scar was. It went from my hip to my shoulder blade, but every area around it was covered in ink. It shouldn't bother me but sometimes it still did, sometimes it felt like having it out in the open like that made it burn like it was still healing.
"Checking out my ass again, Liam? Don't make me tell the wifey, she'll ground you to the couch." I asked him, jokingly, seeing him standing there in the mirror over the sink, though it wasn't my ass he was looking at with pure rage burning in his eyes and a tic in his jaw. He recovered well and laughed it off.
"Totally worth it sweetheart and you know it." It was always a joke, but we both knew it was never going to be a thing. He and his wife were solid, he loved her like nothing else I had ever seen, and I would never destroy something so beautiful and pure. "Thorn, I'd like you to meet my brother Darrin, Darrin this is the beautiful and talented Thorn. She owns the place." I grin and shake my head, finally turning around to see the mysterious brother he had never mentioned before.
He extended a hand to me and I must admit it took me a second to reach my own out to take his. God damn, what where these Master's boys made of. If I thought Liam was hot his brother was like a fucking god standing in front of me. He was of similar height to his brother, but he had long beautiful blond hair that hung well past his shoulders, his eyes were a shade darker than Liam's. He was built too, like not an ounce of fat to be seen on this guy and my breath hitched a bit as I reached out to take his hand to shake it.
"Pleasure." He said, his voice deep like liquid honey and whiskey. "I've heard a lot about you." He told me and I grinned.
"all good things I hope." I released his hand and stepped back to lean against the counter.
"Yeah." He smirked "all good things."
"Good, cause otherwise the next time your brother might be waking up to a pretty pink hello kitty tattoo on his ass, and you know damn well Sierra wouldn't try to stop me, she'd probably tie you down for me." She said the last part to Liam, referring to his wife. That made them both laugh, and Liam was nodding.
"damn right she would." I couldn't help the little dark chuckle that rose from me as I imagined the whole scenario, because she damn well would, and it would be fucking funny. I shook my head and turned to Darrin with a grin.
"Alright then, darlin, let's get started. Show me some skin."
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