Page 51 of Grace of Spades
I hear Grace chatting with the tattoo artist about how tacos are superior to quesadillas.
"I don't know what you're on Grace, but I want some. Quesadillas are better. Izza fact. You get zem all warm and gooey." He argues in a French accent.
"Bullshit good sir, and I'll tell you why! Because of the mother fucking crunch. You don't get that satisfying crunch with a stupid quesadilla." She snarks. God, she has a mouth on her. I hear a snort from behind me.
"Grace? Can we come in?" Alek asks pushing forward.
"Sure. Is it all of you?" She asks as we walk in and stop dead in our tracks. Her creamy scarred skin is on display and I can't concentrate on anything else.
There is a gorgeous tattoo forming on her hip of colourful magnolias with a black line work snake winding through them.
"Yeah, it's all of them. They're too busy staring at your ass." Alek laughs. "By the way, I think we got everything all figured out for now. You may want to talk about some other things, though." He hints.
"Yeah, that might be for the best." She nods. I agree. It might be the only thing to keep her safe. "I'll deal with it after this."
"The tattoo looks good," I say moving around to her face.
"Thanks. As I said, Gabe is the best." She smiles.
"That I am, babe. So, which one are you fucking?" He asks.
"Who are you fucking?" She counters before any of us volunteer for that position. Any position.
"No one." He pouts.
"Then keep focused on your own vagina and get your nose outta mine." She snipes with a laugh. We all burst out laughing and Gabe has to stop tattooing he's laughing so hard.
"Where is this Ray guy?" Kennedy asks after we all recover.
"He had to work so he's missing the party right now." She says clearly put out by it.
"That's okay. Another time." Kennedy smiles reassuringly.
"Yeah..." she sighs.
"You need a break, babe?" Gabe asks.
"No. I'm good." She smiles. "So what kind of snake am I getting?"
"I figured I would leave it just a hard black outline. Contrast it with the pretty delicate flowers. Just like you." He smiles. It's clear he likes her. Not romantically but just a genuine fondness. Kindred spirits which makes me think I need to watch him.
She lets out a laugh.
"Sappy bastard."
Jai
Grace knows who I am. No wonder she's been ghosting me. I can't even blame her. But now there are four of us interested in her. That would make her four times the target. I can't do that to her. She deserves a good life even more so after I saw all her scars in the light of day. She has been through hell. I know it.
Chekhov's second seems to know her well and he said she would be able to handle it. She shouldn't have to though. She shouldbe able to just enjoy her life without having to look over her shoulder all the time.
Even with the potential target, she would have our protection too. At least mine and my family's. I don't know about the others.
I'm not sure if I can protect her from three other mafias. Not without starting a war. As much as I want Grace, I won't start a war over her. She'd be safer that way anyway.
So I watch her beautiful scarred body and take what I can get.
After a few hours we leave the tattoo shop and I watch her grow cold. One second she's smiling and laughing with Gabe and sending her pink-haired friend away with her date and then she is hard and cold as she turns to us. This version of Grace is familiar. There's a niggling at the back of my brain that says I've seen her before but I know I haven't. Grace has always been tough but she has so much raw heart and emotions. She’s like an exposed nerve, feeling it all, and now it’s just off. Nothing.
