Page 13 of Sugar and Skulls

“Yeah.”

“Well, he lives with me. Well, not me. My aunt. I’m an unfortunate by-stander in the arrangement.”

He leans forward placing his arms on the counter. “You’re shitting me.”

“No, and I’ve been trying to help Raffe, but he doesn’t want it. He thinks I’m too young. So, it’s whatever. I don’t care anymore. If he won’t help me, I’ll help myself.”

“What do you need help with?” he asks, a frown and a bunch of wrinkles form on his forehead.

Shit. I said too much.

“Nothing. I don’t need anyone’s help. It’s good. Life is good.”

“A young man came around looking for you this weekend. Said you hadn’t been home, and he was worried about you.”

I roll my eyes. “I was staying with a friend.”

“Goddammit, Jess. I sense something going on with you and I want to know what the fuck it is.” He grabs my chin and forces me to look at him.

“I’m. Fine,” I state dryly.

And I am for the next year anyhow, life is good. I continue my weekend life as Sugar, selling drugs and giving all the money to those who need it. Renee and Jimmy don’t even notice I’m not living with them anymore. Old man Tom is letting me squat in the trailer out back of his property, letting me shower and stuff in his house. I pay him a little in rent and help him take care of the dog so it’s a win, win.

That is until the suit lady starts butting her damn nose in my business again.

Good news is she doesn’t send me somewhere else.

Bad news is the good news I give you never lasts.

Dirk

???

“What’s Big Dan doing for you now?” I ask Raffe.

He pulls up his pant leg and shows me this sick piece with skulls and roses. “He’s got this girl that’s working for him, it’s her design. Pretty rad, huh?”

“Big Dan has a woman working with him? Why do I not believe a word of this?” I laugh.

“Not a woman. I said girl, fuck face. She is sweet and undeniably talented. He’s been letting her do a few designs on him and damn bro she is a natural. Jess has even been doing designs on herself. How she does it I have no idea. She’s a tough little cookie.”

“Hmm. How old is she?” I swallow back half my beer and give Bill a one finger salute as he pulls up on his bike.

“Turned seventeen a few months ago. That asshole Jimmy is snogging her aunt. I warned her straight up, he’s bad news.”

“I need to get over there to see Dan. Maybe I’ll head over there this weekend.”

“Yeah, you’ll miss the girl though, she doesn’t do weekends. Dan says she goes MIA every weekend. Big fucker worries about the little thing all the time. She’s a fucking knock-out. Don’t say that to his face though. I learned the hard way and now I keep all my wicked thoughts to myself.”

I laugh hard as Bill walks up. He pats Raffe on the back and throws his cigarettes on the table taking a seat with us. “Howdie boys,” he drawls.

“So, good news, the Desert Dipshits haven’t been able to sell shit in Trap. Some bitch, calls herself Sugar has the market locked down tight.”

“Who is she?” Bill asks, with lazy interest. “You know we’re going to have to shut her down. It’s our county you know?”

“Yeah, if you can figure out who she is let me know. Nobody is talking. She dresses in leather and paints her face like a goddammed skeleton.”

I roll my lip ring between my teeth. “Raffe, are you losing your pretty boy touch?”

---