Page 8 of Sugar and Skulls

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“Yeah, man everything’s quiet for now. Word on the street is the Desert Devil’s VP hitched up with this bitch in Trap county and he’s pushing their shit there. It’s junk.” I’m giving Bill his monthly run down. This shit is getting old, but the fucker is hopefully getting paroled soon. His hearing is in a month. We’ve had Raffe fucking a few of the board members so we’re fairly confident it will happen this time around.

“Yeah, that shit needs shut down. Trap is in our jurisdiction. The Desert Devils might need reminded of that. Isn’t your cousin’s shop set up in Trap?” Bill asks.

“Yep, Raffe’s been going to him once a week. Dan’s been doing a sick piece on his back. Maybe I’ll tag along next time and see if I can find anything out.” The chick sleeping next to me wakes up and grabs my dick. I shove her hand away, pushing her off my bed onto her ass. I motion with the snap of my fingers to get the fuck out of my room. I’m in the middle of business, she knows better.

“Eh, just have Raffe ask him about it. You need to be working on finding Jess.”

I roll my eyes and light up a cigarette as the bitch slams my bedroom door. That was the final strike, that will be the last time she gets my dick. “The fucking worker closed up shop on her coochie. No one’s getting in, not even Raffe. She told him Jess is set up good and she isn’t having a bunch of bikers ruining it for her.”

“That fucking bitch. You think she knows I’m Jesse’s dad and that’s why she won’t spill?”

“Don’t know, man. She says the girls had enough shit for a lifetime and doesn’t need anything else bad happening to her. Not sure what that means but I don’t know what else you want me to do, Bill.”

“I’ll be out soon enough and then I’ll find her.” He hesitates and sighs loudly over the phone. “Maybe the worker is right, and I should just leave her the fuck alone.”

“Every girl needs a father,” I tell him.

“Yeah, maybe. I’ll see where she’s at. If it’s better than with me, I’ll leave it be.”

“You want my honest opinion?”

“You’re my right-hand man, Dirk, of course I want your opinion.”

“You find her, and you never let her go.”

He grunts and hangs up the phone. Wish I could help a brother out but I’m not sure what we can do until he gets out and puts the squeeze on the worker himself.

Chapter Six

Jesse

Itap my fingers on the counter while Big Dan looks through my drawings. “These are good, Jess, but, I only asked for one.”

“I know but once I started I couldn’t stop. It keeps me busy. You can have them all.”

He pops open his cash register and hands me a crisp hundred-dollar bill. “Don’t cheapen yourself, doll. You’re a good artist. I’ll buy these from you.”

“Are you going to tattoo them on someone?” I bounce on the stool, excited that one, he likes my drawings and two, the thought of them being put on someone for the rest of their life is super cool.

“I’ll add them to my book. If someone picks one of yours I’ll make sure to take a picture and show you.”

I nod my head like crazy. “I want to learn how to tattoo.”

“You got to be eighteen to apprentice but if you want to come around and watch I won’t stop you. You just keep working on your art, okay?”

“I can do other stuff, like clean or whatever you need. I’m your girl,” I tell him with great enthusiasm. He just gave me another place to hang my hat and now that Jimmy is staying at Renee’s I plan on avoiding home like the plague.

“Let’s just play it by ear. Okay?”

“Deal.” I place my hand out to shake on it. He chuckles and engulfs my tiny hand in his big bear paw one.

Becoming friends with Big Dan is one of the best things to ever happen to me. This is where I feel the most at home. Here and with William.

I spend the next few weeks watching Big Dan work his magic with the tattoo gun. He is an amazing artist. He may be built like a tank, but he is as smooth as butter when it comes to his art.

I’m sitting up at the counter drawing when Raffe comes in for his weekly appointment with Dan. I like Raffe, he makes my heart flutter like there’s a little butterfly in it every time he comes in. He’s beautiful. I don’t know how to describe him. He’s a cross between a Disney movie and grunge film. He gives me a peck on the cheek as he passes by, causing me to almost fall off the stool.

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