Page 57 of Acid

“Go and get some sleep. Good night, beautiful,” he rasps.

“Good night,” I say with a smile. I disconnect and give him a little wave before closing the curtains.

The restof the week flew by. I wasn’t impressed, and neither was Star with any of the applicants from the other day. So, she re-did the advert and uploaded it to another site. We couldn’t open without a tattooist. The Black Hearts MC kept watch every day and night, just like Ghost said they would. I felt bad, as I didn’t want them to do it just to calm my own fears, but when I spoke to Maggie the other day, it’s not just me they are doing it with. Beast won’t leave Belle on her own at all. If he’s got to work, she’s either got to be at the club or at someone’s house.

I had started a sketchbook to offer premade tattoos. I was sat drawing when the studio door opened, and Star walked in with what looked like the entire mall in bags hanging off her arm.

“Did you leave anything behind?” I laugh.

“I had to make sure you had enough choice. Lock the door and come upstairs,” she orders as she heaves the bags up to the apartment. When it’s just me here, I usually leave the door open. After doing as she said, I follow her up, watching as she dumps the bags on the couch.

“Star, you didn’t need to go shopping for me,” I sigh.

She looks at me and gives me a look. “I didn’t have to, but I wanted to, and it’s nice for you to be treated for once. Go out and enjoy yourself,” she states. She reaches inside the bag and pulls out a dress. “Now, go try this on. You’ve only got 5 hours,” she orders.

I laugh and take the dress, walking off into the bedroom.

Ghost arrived an hour later with Enzo, and him and Star both offered to collect Oliver from school while I kept trying on outfits. Well, I say offered. Star pretty much ordered me. I did try to remind her that it was only a date, but she just waved me off.

When they returned, Oliver was full of questions, and they were ones I wasn’t too keen on answering. “Are you going on a date with Acid?” he asked while sitting on my bed, watching me try to style my hair.

“No,” I answer.

“Then, if you aren’t going on a date, why are you getting dressed up? My friend Simon said that his mom goes on dates all the time and he’s had 4 new stepdads,” he says in between shovelling chips in his mouth.

“Well, I’m not Simon’s mom,” I state.

“Simon also said you should never sleep with the guy on the first date, or they won’t stick around,” he says casually.

At that point, Star walks in. “Hey kid, Ghost wants a game on your console,” she tells him, smiling.

“Cool!” he shouts, jumping off my bed and running out of the room.

Star sits on the edge of my bed, holding Enzo in her arms. “He’s learning a lot at school, isn’t he?” Star smirks.

I sigh. “Maybe this isn’t the right thing to do. Maybe it’s giving him the wrong idea?” I question.

“Don’t you dare chicken out. He knows you and Acid are friends and tonight, you are just friends going out for dinner. Now just because you are going to look smoking hot doesn’t mean it’s a date, and just because there may be a little fun after does not mean this is a date,” she says, winking. I go to protest, but Star stops me. “Honestly, I don’t know how thick you all seem to think we are. When I came here the other day, when Scar was here, I honestly thought I was at a sex club. The smell of sex was so strong,” she says, scrunching up her face.

My mouth drops open. “You knew?!”

She rolls her eyes. “Please, you are the worst liar I think I’ve ever met. Scar knows that I knew, too. Why else do you think he kissed you on the head and grabbed your ass on the way out?” she mocks.

“I’m going to kill him,” I fume.

Star laughs. “If you do, don’t do it yet. Do it when I can watch.” She laughs. “I think it’s great that you’re having fun, but just be honest with your feelings. Because great sex often leads to...” She pauses for dramatic effect. “Trouble.”

I look at her through the reflection in the mirror, meeting her gaze. I know what she’s saying. I have that feeling lying dormant within me. “That’s exactly what I’m scared of. They’ve done this before, I...” I pause. “I’m new to this, all of it, even if it was just one of them. I’ve only ever been with assholes. I don’t want my heart getting involved. I’m thinking with my head and my libido. Nothing more,” I tell her honestly.

She squeezes my shoulder. “Just remember it isn’t just your heart that could get involved.”

I swallow harshly. She’s right. “I should cancel,” I sigh.

“No,” she says sharply.

I blanch. “You literally just said that this could bring trouble. Surely, it’s better to stop it now before anyone gets hurt,” I argue.

She gives me a soft smile. “Oh, that’s going to happen, regardless of if you stop it now or in a month. I’m not saying you should stop it. I’m just saying open your eyes.” She picks up the blood red lipstick and hands it to me. “When you feel a change for you or them, then you confront it and end it. Right now, this is good for you, and for them. I mean, I’ve never seen Acid or Scar be attentive to a woman before. So, when this ends and they’ve learnt something, it will maybe show them what they want, rather than just always having mindless fucking. Or, especially in Acid’s case, to relax and open up to someone other than Spider,” she says as she looks through various pieces of make-up. She gets a glint in her eye. “Go enjoy tonight, and enjoy any time you have with them, not that I need to tell you that. Ride them, fuck them, suck them. Just be mindful and make sure you tell me all the details.” She winks and we both laugh, easing the situation as I finish getting ready.

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