Page 3 of Sin

“I’m so glad I found you!” she cried, and then she burst into tears.

“Adira?” Livia asked, sounding a little scared. “What’s wrong? Why are you here?”

“I … I … discovered my parents are horrible people and my father encouraged my fiancé to be horrible, too. I just needed to get away and I couldn’t think of where to go, and then you popped into my head. So, I came here but I couldn’t find you and I’ve been going shop to shop hoping someone knew you. I know, that was a dumb plan, but—”

“Breathe,” Livia said with a smile. “I got most of that. I’m glad you thought of me when you needed help. Come on, I’m getting a tattoo and need to get back so Treat can finish.”

A little bell chimed when they stepped inside the shop. A man sat in a chair with his arm stretched out as another man inked a design into his skin. A woman walked from the back, arms covered in bright tattoos, with a ring piercing on her eyebrow and a stud in her nose. Her black hair was styled in a Mohawk.

“Treat, this is my good friend, Adira. Adira, this is Treat.”

Adira smiled at the woman, who gave a little wave of hello.

“You ready to finish, Liv?”

“Yep,” she said and turned to look at her. “Will you be okay for a bit?”

“Of course!”

“Talk to me while Treat works. Tell me everything.”

Livia sat in a chair in front of the window, and Adira realized this was probably how Livia saw her. She rolled her suitcase into a corner before sitting down.

“All right,” Livia said once Treat continued her design. “Spill.”

“I overheard my father talking to Abel, my now ex-fiancé, on how he cheated on my mom and encouraged Abel to do the same. That it was one thing to be married to a decent woman so the congregation is happy, but to have a side piece for sex.”

“What the fuck?” Livia said, sounding shocked.

“Wow,” Treat said. “I thought my family was fucked up.”

“And on top of that, my mother admitted she also cheats! Said all I have to do is pop out a baby and I’ll be fine. As if I’d be happy that my husband would leave me alone so he can sleep around. I always thought my parents were the most pious people on the planet. But everything my father preached was nothing but lies.”

“Aren’t religious people supposed to be all Ten Commandments and shit?” Treat asked.

“Yeah, you would think,” Adira muttered, shaking her head. “I had to get out of there, and you were the only person I could think of, Livia. I hope you don’t mind me crashing. Only until I find a place to live.”

“Of course, you can stay with me!” Livia exclaimed.

“I promise I won’t overstay. The good news is I have a lead on a job.”

“Already? Where?”

“The Pussy Willow.”

Treat removed her tattoo gun from Livia’s arm as she turned to look at her. “You realize that’s a strip club, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s owned by the Death Riders.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

Treat and Livia shot a glance at one another.

“It’s a motorcycle club,” Livia finally replied.

“Oh. Like Hells Angels?”

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