Page 88 of Torch
I shook my head, and remained standing.
“I won’t be here long, Elise, but thanks, darlin’.”
“So what’s going on?”
I sat down after all, because I realised this might not be a two minute chat, like I’d hoped.
“Rocket cornered me downstairs, and he’s concerned we’ve all got a beef with him, or our old ladies don’t like him.”
Has glanced over at Elise, and sat down across from me.
“Because of the tattoos? I can’t let him tattoo her, she’s my fucking everything. It has to be my ink on her.”
The guy wasn’t being unreasonable, because in his position, I’d feel exactly the same way. The trouble was what this was doing to another brother, because in his position, I’d feel like a fucking leper too.
“He feels like he’s never allowed to tat the women, because we all think he’s a psycho like Micro or something.”
“Jesus, fuckingMicro. Will that fucker ever not be screwing up our club? He’s done them before though, right? I’m sure he has.”
“Yeah, twice, he says. I can’t really remember, because they weren’t my old ladies, so my focus wasn’t really on who did what.”
Has scrubbed a hand over his buzzed hair again.
“Jesus, yeah, I can see why he’d think that, but he’s not doing Elise, man. Anyone but her.”
“So he has to do Grace? Jesus, bad enough you putting your fucking hands on her, but him instead? I don’t not trust him, but I’d rather none of you fuckers were doing it.”
Has rolled his eyes, taking a coffee from Elise as she sat beside him, and tucked her legs under her.
“Thanks, darlin’. We’re just talking about Rocket.” She nodded.
“I heard, and I can see why he feels like he’s not trusted. Is Grace set on Has doing hers? She doesn’t really know either of them that well yet. Maybe she’d be comfy with whoever it is, because both are trustworthy, right?” She was right about that, and also, I could see it was my job to make sure she knew that Rocket was a good guy, so I guess that was a conversation I was about to have.
“Right now he’s saying you can do all of them, including your own, man.”
Has snorted, pointing at his chest. “I’m supposed to see my own chest to do it? Fuck that. I’ll talk to him, man, but if Grace is okay with him doing hers, it’ll go a long way towards helping him feel like less of a monster.”
I guess I’d have to suck it up and give her the option, even though I’d wanted to take the high handed route, and just fucking declare it. She was afraid enough of having a tattoo, so would this just add more pressure for her?
Grace
Iwashavingsuchfun with the other old ladies, who were all the sweetest people, but I had a sense that they’d be just as ruthless as their men if they had to. The first good piece of news was that Ally was being released from hospital, probably tomorrow, and the girls were planning a welcome home celebration for her.
The second piece of news being talked about, and I couldn’t avoid it even though it was freaking me out, was the old lady ceremony for myself and Elise.
“I can’t wait. It’s been too long, and I just really need his name on me,” she said almost dreamily, having only stopped by for a little while before she was going back to wait with her man.
“There’s so much about that statement that should bother us,” Cammy said, “but I totally get it. Having Stitch’s name tattooed on me was like being married all over again.”
“You were married first? I thought this old lady thing was the marriage really, and it came before?” I asked, because I was still learning, and this seemed like the best place to learn.
“Oh… it’s a long story, but we were doing bucket list stuff, and we spontaneously got married, and then went on honeymoon, and did the old lady thing after.”
“Seth… I mean Stitch, it’s still so weird calling my brother that, well, he was waiting for some important test results, and got it in his head that his days were numbered, so they did all kinds of weird shit.”
“Accidental dogging, you mean,” Lissa said with a giggle, then ducked as Cammy swatted at her shoulder.
Elise groaned and headed for the door, to meet up with her man.
