“Her parents have fixed my girl up with another man, on a date for this Friday,” Trey said. He’d never opened up to a customer like this.
The biker looked at him. “She told you?”
“No one knows about us, but we’re exclusive,” Trey said.
“That’s good she told you. It means she’s not trying to have the best of both worlds. What are you going to do about it?”
“What can I do? She’s going to be on a date, and there’s nothing I can do but wait until she gets home.”
Paul laughed. “Yeah, you could be a pussy and wait for this man to prove he’s the better option than you, or…”
“Or what?”
“Or you can fight for your woman. If you’re serious about this and you don’t want any other guy to have her, then prove it to her. Be the man she wants and needs without anyone else getting in the way.”
“Is that what you’d do?”
“It’s what I did.” Paul looked through the glass. The blonde looked at him, and Trey saw the love shining in her eyes. The love and the lust were glowing back for Paul.
Trey had witnessed the lust and the contempt along with a mixture of hatred but never love from June.
“She hated my biker lifestyle. She hated the women fucking all the bikers and never knowing if I was fucking them or not. I wasn’t but she didn’t know that, and one morning she left for the bus. I got on my bike and hunted her down. She was stood waiting for the fucking bus. She wouldn’t get on my bike or listen to me.” Trey listened to the guy’s words. “I climbed off my bike, picked her up in my arms, and kissed her. I promised her the moment she got on the back of my bike I was hers. No other woman would touch or taste me. She’d be my woman, by my side without any problems.”
“Why don’t the other guys know about her?” Trey asked.
“You’re a good kid, Trey. I’m in my forties, and I travel from place to place doing what I want when I want to do it. Over the years I’ve made enemies. You know this is not a good lifestyle, but she makes me good. She’s my weakness, and to my enemies, it’s the key to getting to me. She’s the love of my life, and I’m not going to let anyone hurt her.”
Trey nodded. “I understand, but I doubt the folks around Winters Fall will agree with the good kid part.”
Paul burst out laughing. “Tell me, good kid, who’s the girl?”
Sitting back, Trey looked at his client, debating on what to say.
“I’m not going to spill the beans to anyone. You can tell me the truth and not worry about anyone finding out.”
Going back to the tattoo, Trey let out a sigh. “The girl who owns the bakery across the street, the girl with black hair, she’s the one.”
“You’re fucking June Armstrong? Kid, you’re fucked. Her father is a wrecking bomb when it comes to that girl.”
Trey grimaced. “I know, but we’re sort of together.”
“I know June. She’s a good girl. If you’re going to make a play for her and get her away from the other man then you need to be serious about it.”
“I’m serious about her.”
“Then fight for her.”
Trey listened to Paul talk some more. He continued to work on the tattoo. Every once in a while his friends would bang on the glass window separating them. Paul would yell and throw in some curses.
“Fucking assholes don’t know when to stop it.”
“I’m almost done. Are you staying around Winters Fall for a while?” Trey asked.
“Yep, I’m going to make sure you’re taking care of my aftercare.”
“Sure. I’ll go and write everything up. I’ll meet you in the front of the shop.” Trey did the aftercare and put all the needles away, washed his hands and headed out the front of the shop. He noticed Paul had his arms wrapped around the blonde. No one else noticed the moment the couple shared because they were too busy being rowdy with each other.
Paul paid cash for the tattoo, giving him a pointed look. “When’s your next client?” Paul asked.
“I’ve not got another until after lunch.”
“Then go over there and show her what she’s missing.” Paul gave him a wink. “If it was me, I wouldn’t give her a chance to forget about me.”
He left without another word. Rounding the counter, Trey checked through the window. The shop was getting busy, but he was getting desperate for a look at her.
Trey didn’t give himself time to doubt his actions.
Closing the shop he headed over to the bakery.
Molly was serving up the front, and June was nowhere to be seen. Going up to the main counter he asked where June was.