Page 11 of Odin
Willow will get in her car and drive away, off into the night, leaving Hart behind like she did LA. I’m too rational for that to be a punch in the gut, but my stomach starts to burn at the thought, acid crawling painfully slowly up my esophagus.
“Oh my god!” Tarynn rockets out of the chair, as animated as I’ve ever seen her.
I jump in my chair at her sudden movement, anticipating a horde of some horror movie inspired beasts to come rushing through the door, but Crow just keeps on tattooing, calm as ever. It’s his alter-ego, Raven, who would be up with knives out and ready.
Yeah. Crow is cool like that. He rocks two personalities in one body. He told the club a while ago. I’m not sure he ever would have, if he hadn’t met Tarynn. She loves both Crow and Raven in equal measure.
“We have an apartment upstairs, above the shop. I mean, Crow does. Usually someone’s renting it, but it’s empty right now. You could stay there if you wanted to.”
Willow holds perfectly still, but her eyes flick rapidly around the room, dancing from Tarynn’s face, over to me, and quickly down to Crow’s bent head and his hands as he grinds red ink into her skin.
“I- that’s such a kind offer, but—”
“No buts! Even if it’s just for a little bit. You don’t have to sign a lease or anything. We’d be happy to help. The club likes to do that. It would be no problem at all.” Tarynn turns her gaze to me expectantly. “Ask Odin. He’s been with the club for a long time. He can attest to that.”
Great.As annoying as the acid in my gut is, the panic that grips me when it comes to Willow staying, is so much worse.
Without my permission, my line of sight travels straight to her creamy shoulder. She’s on her left hip, her legs folded out along the tattoo chair. Her hair falls over her shoulder, leaving the other bare and smooth, revealing a small constellation of tiny brown beauty marks.
I’d have to be a blind man not to be able to appreciate her loveliness and her allure. She’s pure fire wrapped up in a petite, pretty little package. I know exactly what her slight curves feel like pressed up against me. I’ll never forget that she smells like peaches, bubblegum, mint, and rose.
Spoiler alert? I still have one good eye.
She stirs something deep inside of me that I haven’t felt in a long time. Not just the primal need for fucking.Something far more tender. Something I used to long for, even if I couldn’t admit it to myself because wanting it was so unattainable it felt dangerous. I’m not a kid anymore, looking for affection and warmth, but wanting this woman in any way, even just wanting to hear her laugh, or listen to her speak, or be in her presence, is a whole heaping amount of wrong for a man like me.
“You’re kind of leaving me hanging here,” Tarynn accuses, but only playfully.
“Yeah,” I mutter awkwardly, not really sure what more to offer.
Tarynn takes it anyway and runs with it. “There’s not much furniture up there right now. Normally there is, but Dravin took some when he moved. We could find a bed for there, just not tonight.”
“There are spare rooms at the club,” Crow says in that quiet, sort of naturally menacing tone he always has, even when he’s happy. Tarynn is pure light and sweetness. She was raised extremely conservatively by very religious parents. It’s a wonder that she could fall so hard in love with a man who was exactly her opposite.
The night to her day.
But maybe that’s why it works.
“We could talk to the Prez for you, if you like.” Crow dips the mag back into the little pot of red ink and keeps on grinding out those rose petals.
Willow hasn’t flinched once. Her hip has to be a tender area, but she acts like she doesn’t even notice the fact that she’s turning into ground beef with all that color. I have enough tattoos to know that there’s a point where the burn really sets in.
“I- I don’t know. I don’t want to cause trouble or be a burden,” Willow responds haltingly, her voice so damn sweet by nature. She’s not just being polite. She truly means it.
“You’d be no trouble,” Crow assures her. He hasn’t looked up once. “Tyrant is a great guy. He’s what most people would call super nice, but the rest of us know there aren’t really words to describe a person as kind and wise as he is. Our club has the motto that most crazy cat ladies have. Always room for one more.”
“Ooh, I’d like to get a cat! I’ve wanted one for so long!”
Tarynn laughs. She circles the room, studying the paintings on the walls, the sketches, the flash art, even though she’s seen them all before. She stretches out the muscles in her lower back and neck that have cramped from sitting so long. I’d love to do the same, but I keep my ass parked as though the whole place will crumble if I shift an inch.
“That makes sense, given that you want to be a vet.”
“I love all animals, but there’s something about cats.”
“I think it’s technically the eyes. I read somewhere that it’s the size of their eyes in comparison with the rest of their face that makes them seem so cute to people.”
“I think I’ve read that too.”
“If the club’s too full or something, you could always stay with us.” Tarynn’s invite makes Willow tear up, even though she blinks rapidly to hide it.
