Page 14 of Stevie
“Yeah, she’s usually the quiet people pleaser.” Derek says, and I nod in agreement. This video is bad. No, the original video was bad, but this one? This one is dangerous. She’s calling her abuser by name. She is purposefully antagonizing the viewers, and she is showing a complete disregard for her safety. It’s giving me the worst case of heartburn and anxiety. All I can think is where is she? What if something is happening to her? And I’m not there. I’m not there, again. I can’t save someone I care about,again.
“I thought I made it clear to her that she needed to take the last video seriously. I know Janie told her not to make a follow up video.” I grumble, while squeezing my hands together through my bouncing knees.
“Stevie is like thirty years old,” Atlas says while patting my shoulder. “She can make her own decisions.”
“You don’t say?” I grunt out sarcastically and stand just as Nix walks in. Phoenix, or Nix, is their newest addition to Hel’s. He’s going to be helping out when Fox and Janie leave soon for another round of IVF treatment in Florida. He’s some hotshot cover up artist from the UK with an annoying attitude and an even more annoying accent that the girls here seem to fawn over… Stevie included.
“Alright.” Nix says, setting his bag down and patting Atlas on the back.
“Yeah, I’m good, why?” He asks and Nix gives him a confused stare.
“No, ‘alright’, like hello?” Atlas shakes his head slowly.
“Nix, you need to learn English.” Nix looks up to Fox and me, and shakes his head.
“Brooks!” He smiles, spotting me. “Mate, when are you going to go out with me? These wankers are tied down.” I shift uncomfortably, unable to say the line here that I say everywhere else. The last thing I want is to play wingman to this fuck.
I’m about to come up with an excuse when Atlas snorts. “Aren’t you like seventy? The early bird special at the pancake house doesn’t really constitute ‘going out’.” I look away, trying not to laugh. Nix is older than all of us, forty-eight or forty-nine, but it’s not like he’s an old man. The girls like him, though, so Atlas especially has taken it upon himself to fuck with Nix at every turn. The only problem is that Nix fucks back and the sweet, lovable Atlas has a surprisingly short temper.
Nix raises his brow while running his hand through his salt and pepper hair. “Funny, your wife doesn’t seem to mind the age.” Atlas slams his hand on his metal station before standing up and getting in Nix’s face.
“Listen here, Crumpet.” He spits and Derek snorts a laugh behind me. “Take cracks at us all you want. You bring our girls in it, and I’ll break your stupid tea-swilling face. Don’t test me.”
“Did I miss something?” Stevie’s voice says and I whip around to look at her. Oh, fuck, she’s pretty. She’s in a green tank top and ripped black jeans that cling to her thick thighs in a way that makes me want to hide her from every man in the world. Her soft, naked arms are literal perfection with the tattoos that cover them. Her right is sporadic tattoos here and there but her left is a full sleeve of halloween themed tattoos ending with a jack-o’-lantern on her hand. It’s so fucking sexy, and with those cheek piercings, fuck. It’s almost enough to make me forget I’m irritated with her.Almost.Though… angry sex doesn’t sound too–
“Stevie, love!” Nix’s attention towards Stevie snaps me out of my fantasy of taking Stevie into her piercing room and bending her over a table. “I saw your response video last night. Fucking brilliant babe.” He smirks and… why is she blushing? He shouldn’t be making her blush. She shouldn’t be…whyis she blushing?
“Yeah,” I huff out, pulling her attention to me.That’s right Peaches, eyes on me. I’ll treat you way better than that prick, if you would fucking stop staring at me like I’m nothing but a fucking sex machine.“You and I really need to have a discussion about your social media privileges from now on.” Okay, I could’ve said that better. Her cheeks redden and she balls up fists, and I know I am about to get it.
“Now, you listen here, you overgrown neanderthal. You think just because you have a couple inches swinging between your legs, you’re going to tell me how to run my life?” Fox, Atlas, Derek, and Nix all start snickering at her comment. Theperfectway to show support.
“Peaches,” I say calmly, “I am not trying to run your life. I’m trying to protect it.”
“Yeah? Well, no one asked you to!” She snaps and god damn it, my hand is twitching to grab her and take her in the back. A couple inches, ha. We’ll see if she’s still singing that tune when I ram thesecouple inchesdown her–
“Are you two about to kiss?” Atlas asks, and it’s then I realize I’ve crossed the room to her, and Stevie and I are pressed up against each other. Both of us glaring at the other. Stevie turns red before backing away.
“I hate all of you.” She snaps before walking into the piercing room. Well, today is off to a fantastic start.
* * *
“So my thoughts were a purple accent wall to put all the special trinkets from our travels, but Derek is refusing to let me paint one of the walls purple, and I am like… Is it a trait of older men to enjoy just beige?” Indy has not stopped talking for two hours. And I don’t mean casual chit chat that dies down and picks back up. I mean full on chatterbox. She has been the only one talking this entire time. I’ve been updated on the nonprofit that Indy started where people dress up like princesses, giants, whatever and go hang out with the kids at children’s hospital. It’s really sweet and I’ve volunteered with the Crown Project a couple of times. She’s incessantly talked about that; I know about every place that she and Derek have gone, about her decorating their bedroom and how she wants a purple wall. How Derek suggested purple bedding and she said how about both.
Indy is a sweetheart so I won’t stop her talking, but anyone else and I would’ve screamed obscenities at an hour and fifty-five minutes ago. Plus, I think Stevie sent her to sit with me to try and run me off. It’s a good try but… I ain’t losing this battle.
“Indy!” Ash, her brother and another tattoo artist, calls from up front. “Nuts has our order ready. Are you going with Sadie?” Indy stands up, and pats my shoulder.
“Now, I’m going to leave you alone with her. Just remember she can’t see you if you don’t move.” And with that oddly terrifying advice, Indy grabs her cane and leaves the shop. I’m about to text Greyson when a crash in the private piercing room grabs my attention.
Running back there, I nearly trip over myself while trying to come to a stop. “Holy shit,” I breathe out as I see Stevie on the ground. I run over to help her up, but she swats me away.
“I’m fine, I just tripped,” she winces, as pink stains her cheeks.
“Hey,” I kneel down in front of her, noticing the blood on her arm. “I think you cut yourself when you fell. How’s about you let me help you?” Ithinkshe’s attempting a glare, she’s not delivering on it though. Standing up, I reach my hand down, thankful she takes it this time. Once she’s standing, I watch her knees go weak. “Alright Peaches,” I sigh, trying to stay calm. I lean down, placing my arm behind her knees.
“You will blow your back o–Oh my god!” I snort at her remark while chuckling as I lift her up and she puts my neck in a death grip.
“Stevie, look at me. Do you really think lifting you is going to faze me even the slightest?” I ask as I lay her on the piercing table. “I mean, I’ve thrown you around plenty.”
