Page 22 of Saint
It wasn’t a secret I was a Sinner, and it wasn’t a secret I was an ex-con. Most of my clients knew that part of my history. I understood why Drew needed to make sure his mother knew, but that let me know he didn’t think too much of me if he thought I’d keep that from her.
“She knows, I’m a Sinner.” He glared at me, and I ignored it. “She also knows I was in prison, and she knows why. No one else does. So, whatever you think you know about me, let that shitgo, Drew. I’m your tattoo artist. We aren’t friends but we’re not strangers either. You don’t know my personal life just like I don’t know yours.”
He looked at his mother. “Does Dad, know?”
Oya rolled her eyes. “Of course, he does. He showed up here unannounced one morning.”
“Morning?” he sneered.
“Yes, Andrew.” She shook her head. “One morning your father showed up and pushed his way into the house. Gavin was here.”
The disgust on his face made me chuckle and Oya glared at me causing it to die immediately. I’d be just as disgusted thinking about my mother fucking someone but from the outside looking in it was funny as hell.
“You know he’s not going to deal with this in a good way, Ma. Are you ready for the fallout?”
“I can’t live my life around your father, Andrew.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “At this point, I don’t care what he thinks. I want to be happy. I’ve moved on and so should he.”
“She’ll be protected,” I said, interjecting. “Your father knows who the Sinners are, and we know who he is.”
I wasn’t sugarcoating shit for him. His father was just as much of a criminal as me—as the Sinners. His father was no better despite the stuffy designer three-piece suits he wore. If he wanted to use my past as a reason for not getting behind this relationship, then I’d spill all his father’s dirty secrets to prove my point. I wasn’t going anywhere unless Oya made that decision.
“I want you to be happy for me, son.” She looked at me, squeezed my hand, then looked back at Drew. “For the first time in a long time, I’m happy and it’s because of Gavin. I know it’s going to take some time to get used to.”
“Understatement of the year,” he mumbled.
“But I want your blessing for me to move on with my life,” she said, ignoring his comment, “with Gavin.”
“I’m not going to hurt your mother, Drew. I’ve been completely upfront about who I am and about my past. I’m not trying to pull the wool over her eyes about the man that I am and will always be. I just want the chance to be with the one person who has made me look at life differently. And I want the chance to make her happy. She deserves it and so do I.”
He leaned back on the loveseat and looked at me. He was making his decision whether he’d be onboard. We’d spent hours talking about politics, everyday shit, and family at Forbidden Ink. Deep down despite my past, Drew knew I wouldn’t hurt his mother. Or at least I thought he knew that I wouldn’t.
“You hurt her, and you’ll have to deal with me,” he said.
“I’d expect nothing less.”
8
CLUBHOUSE
“Alana, what the hell is going on!”
Oya stood beside me with her eyes as big as fucking saucers. What a way to make a first impression of the clubhouse, with what was going on, it wasn’t pretty. I’d hoped to ease her into it, but I guess that wasn’t going to happen.
Alana had just burst through the office door like a bull in a China shop cursing like a damn sailor. She was fucking furious. I knew King would eventually fuck up. He was a control freak and Alana was far from someone who could be controlled. Like I told him when he first saw her, she was going to be trouble, and this was what I meant. He’d met his match. She wasn’t going to put upwith his shit and let him walk all over her because he couldn’t control what she did.
“Your fucking brother is what’s going on.”
I sighed. “Anything I can do to help?”
“I’m sure he’s been this way his entire fucking life.” She rubbed her temples. “There’s probably no changing him now. Fucking control freak,” she muttered.
I chuckled. “This is Oya, my girlfriend,” I said, trying to change the subject. Maybe that would calm her down, so she didn’t kill my brother. “Can she hang out with you while I talk to King?”
Alana’s eyes widen. “Oh, my god. I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you standing there. That man has me so fucking angry.”
Oya laughed. “It’s all right.” She stuck out her hand to Alana and she grasped it. “I’m Oya Williams.”
“Alana Robinson.” Alana faced me. “Tell him to get a fucking grip, Gavin. Before I shove his balls down his throat.”
