“If I’m as strong as you say, why do I feel so weak?”
“Because we’ve taken the load off you, baby. You’ve got a roof over your head and food to eat. You’re protected and safe. That adrenaline that built up inside you, now has nowhere to go, but your body’s still programmed to fight or flee.”
She flops back on the couch and brushes both hands down her face. “I suppose that makes sense. I still feel responsible for Esme.”
“Where is she now?” I ask, although I already know.
“With Jayden in the kitchen. She’s helping her draw. Or, just watching while she does it. She’s trying to get Esme to say something.”
“She’s such a good kid, Shayla.” Hoping to put a smile on her face, I tell her of my plans. “Esme’s fuckin’ talented. That picture of a stallion she drew? I’m having that airbrushed on my bike.”
“Mace!” The delighted grin shows I’ve startled her, but now in a good way. “She’s going to be so proud of that. When are you doing it?”
“When Ink can get around to it. He’s our airbrushing expert. I’d attempt it myself, but don’t want to fuck it up.”
A critical humph sounds from behind me. Shayla’s eyes rise over my head, and I swing around to see Esme standing there with her hand held out. And fuck me, in a soft, sweet voice with a scolding tone, she takes a breath, then says, “Pay up.”
There’s a gasp from Shayla, and I’m feeling as though I’m on the top of the world as I give an exaggerated huff and reach into my wallet, but I wink as I hand the dollar over. I watch as the kid walks across the bar and drops the bill in with the others in the jar.
Chapter Sixteen
Lizard
As she wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t walked into my shop, I feel some responsibility for Shayla and Esme, so when I return from work and see the woman sitting alone, I at least feel I need to check in with her.
“Hey, Shayla. How’s it going?” Some responsibility, not enough to cater to any of her possible whims, so her nod gives me all the answer I need, and I hardly break step as I continue my walk toward the bar.
Once again, I’ve left Jonah to close up. Tomorrow, being Saturday, will be one of our busiest days, which means I’ll have to go slow at tonight’s party as always on a weekend. No one wants a tattoo artist who’s bleary eyed with a hangover working on them. Of course, I’ll have a few beers, but will resist the urge to overindulge, and concentrate instead on my other method of relaxation, sinking my cock into any available whore.
Tonight, there will also be girls up from Pueblo, wanting to dip their toes into the wild side of life, but I tend to avoid them. I’m not in the market for a woman, and some of these girls want to attract a biker of their own. Club girls know the score and just want a good time.
“Lizard.”
My name makes me turn. Shayla’s followed me to the bar. “Want a drink?” I nod at Beaver and get his attention.
“No, I’m fine. I, er, just wanted to know when Vi could do some more work on my back.”
I grin. I happen to know she’s already been pestering Vi. “Week after next, babe. Sure, we can put the sessions closer together, but it’s best that the outline is properly healed before she continues.” A thought occurs to me. “You are sticking around, aren’t you?”
She shrugs. “I’ve been in Pueblo a month now.”
I take it she’s getting itchy feet. I turn to face her, so she knows I’m being serious here. “No one knows where you are. You might have noticed we keep ourselves to ourselves and don’t go divulging our business to strangers. You’re safest where you are, doll. Where else would you go? You got family or friends you can stay with?”
She huffs. “I do, but back in Vegas, and I’m not going anywhere near there.”
She’s right to steer clear of anyone from her old life, of course. If Major’s looking for her, her known contacts are the first place he’d go. Means she’s totally alone now, though.
“Well, you’ve got us now. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want, and if Vi is going to complete your tat, that’s one more session at least.”
“Lizard.”
I lift my chin to the man who’s just joined us. “Ro.”
“Just who I was looking for.” But he’s not talking to me, he’s addressing the woman by my side. “Mace says you know your way around engines?”
My lips press together. Now that’s something I didn’t know. I raise my eyebrow toward her.
“Big ones, yeah,” she replies.
“What about cars and bikes?”
For the first time I’ve seen, she becomes animated. “They work on combustion?”
“Well we’re not talking electric ones. Not yet.”
She frowns. “Lots of mechanics are going to be out of work when those get more popular.”
Pyro grimaces. “Tell me about it. A completely new set of skills will be required. Mechanics like us will be relegated to swapping out tyres. Might need Cad to replace us with his knowledge of computers as we won’t know how shit works.”
“Can’t you retrain?” I ask, interested.
It’s Shayla who replies, “For electric cars it will be all about the electronics. Some people may be able to learn a new trade, but engines won’t be the same anymore. Mind you, it’s already getting increasingly more computerised. Which is why I like working on farm machinery.”
“But you do know your way around gas engines now?”
“Yeah, I can fix them. Why?”
“Because Mace is a fuckin’ pain in my ass and he wants Ink to paint his tank. Spring’s here and everyone wants their bike serviced now. Don’t like turning work away, so an extra pair of hands would help.”
Shayla’s eyes have more life in them than I’ve seen so far. “Sure, I’ll help. I, er, don’t have access to my qualifications…”
“Don’t give a shit. I’ll tell you what I want doing and supervise, at first at least. The way you work, darlin’, will tell me all I need to know. Get Mace to bring you to the shop on Monday, and I’ll show you around. We’ll talk rates then, dependent on what you’ll be capable of doing.”
“No,” she says fast. “You’re housing and feeding me and Esme. I don’t want anything more than that.”
“You ain’t working for nothing, babe, and that’s final. Mel?” Pyro’s already walking off toward his wife.
As Shayla’s mouth drops open, I laugh. “I wouldn’t argue with him. If he wants to pay you, why turn it down?”
Her reaction to Pyro offering her work that she was trained for seems to have given her back a spark that she’d lost. We’ve been tiptoeing around her, but perhaps this is exactly what she needs, something to occupy her and get her out of her head.
“Lizard? Shayla? Can you come to Demon’s office now?” Cad yells out, and waves frantically toward the room he’d suggested.
“Oh shit,” Shayla breathes. “Is it Major? Has he found us?” Just like that, her pleasure in Pyro’s offer disappears.