Barber Shop Ink: Always Blue in Memphis

by Penny Blush

  After my little visit from Vex, I contacted Heavy Pete. I already knew there was nothing he could do, but I was still hoping there was some way out of this mess that didn't involve me having to hand over all my money or the shop. The third option was not going to happen.

  Heavy Pete confirmed my gut feeling.

  "Memphis, buddy I'm sorry, but your Grandfather had a deal with Vex, and he knew what would happen. I tried to warn him against taking that fucking loan," he sighed, the frustration and disappointment audible in his voice.

  "I just wish he would have told me," I said into the phone. "If he had said something, anything, I could have helped him out," I kicked at the river rocks in frustration. "Now I have to give this fucker Nicky Vex all my God damn money! If I don't, he's going to burn the shop down, presumably with me in it or his going to kidnap Cassidy and pimp her out to pay down the debt.”

  “Fuck,” Heavy Pete said.

  What else was there to say?

  “Not going to fucking happen, Pete,” I said through clenched teeth.

  “There’s not a lot I can do Memphis, but if you have any trouble with that shit stain, you let me know, yeah? I’ve been looking for a reason to kick his ass, don’t put up with his shit.”

  So once again the universe is laughing its ass off at me. Here I am with Hedge in my arms, our tongues down each other's throats; dry humping against the wall and fucking Vex just has to call me.

  The asshole is early; I'm not due to make a payment for another week. Hell's Bells keeps blaring, and I know that if I don't answer it soon, things could get nasty.

  Using every ounce of self-control, I had, I reluctantly broke the kiss, resting my forehead on hers. "Fucking Hell! I'm so very sorry Baby Girl, I don't want to, but I have to take this fucking phone call."

  Chapter 20 Hedge

  "I'm so very sorry Baby Girl, I don't want to, but I have to take this fucking phone call," Memphis huffed through gritted teeth.

  "Are you fucking kidding me right now?!" I all but screeched at him. "Memphis, you have my boob in your hand, your cock is in mine, and you want to answer your fucking phone!" I pushed against his hand emphasising my point.

  He looked at me with lust and conflict in his eyes. Growling his lips crashed into me again, his tongue fiercely duelling with mine, his large, strong and slightly calloused hand squeezed and massaged my breast, pinching and tugging on my nipple, causing the most delectable sting of pleasure-pain to slice through me, sending lightning bolts of desire straight to my core. I was gasping and moaning like a depraved sex maniac.

  "Do you honestly think that I want to be doing anything else than this right now?" Memphis asked, his rough growling voice deepening with desire as he thrust and ground his hot hard cock against my hand as I continued stroking him.

  "Then prove it. Don't answer the God damn call. Stay here with me or even better, let's go upstairs and break in my new bed."

  I gripped him as hard as I could through his jeans, kissing him roughly, letting every emotion and desire flow through my lips and tongue into his.

  His phone started ringing again, the vibration from his front pocket going straight through me.

  "Just let it ring," I groaned, rubbing against him.

  The phone started vibrating and ringing again. An animalistic growl tore from Memphis as his hand left my breast, retrieving his phone. He angrily swiped his thumb over the screen and stabbed at the answer button.

  "WHAT!" He roared into it.

  I cannot believe he is standing here with his dick in my hand, my ass in his, answering his fucking phone! I mean, COME ON! What does a girl have to do to get laid around here? I did everything I thought I needed to.

  Bathed and shaved – Check.

  Hair and makeup done, looking hot as fuck – Check.

  Outfit cute and flirty, but not overly slutty – Check.

  Get Memphis to take you into the shadows, kiss the living hell out of you and get your hands on his business – Check, check, triple fucking check!

  I can't have got my signals that crossed! I'm confident that I was on to a sure thing!

  Memphis was grunting and growling into his phone, but I was too wound up to give a shit about what they were saying on the God damn phone. I was horny as hell and determined to get my man. I had one hand between us as I continued to stroke him, the movement causing my hand to also rub against my wet, heated pussy.

  As Memphis talked on the phone, I fought my hand between us further, while my other was fisted in his hair, tilting his head so that I had better access to his neck and jaw. I kissed and licked my way across his warm salty skin, making my way to his ear. I bit into the corded muscle of his neck, huskily whispering in his ear.

  "Memphis, get off the damn phone and fuck me.”

  His hand gripped my ass tighter as he pushed his cock into my hand and my hand into me. I rolled my head back against the wall, gasping. Memphis shifted his phone into the crook of his neck, freeing up his other hand, which he laced through my hair, pulling my face back down so that I was looking him in the eye, letting me see all the lust and need he had for me.

  He slid his hand around until he cupped my cheek, his thumb stroking my jaw. I nuzzled into his hand, not breaking eye contact, his eyes boring into mine as he listened to his phone. His beautiful eyes intense with desire and lust, shifting his hand, he brushed my kiss swollen lips with his thumb.

  OH, MY GOD! How can he still be on the MOTHERFUCKING PHONE?!

  When his thumb next stroked across my lips, I opened them, catching his thumb with my teeth. I locked eyes with him as I drew his thumb into my mouth. He sucked in a sharp breath; his pupils expanded as I swirled my tongue around, licking, sucking and nipping.

  "Get off the phone," I said taking his thumb back into my mouth, licking and sucking my way down to the base.

  A growl ripped from his throat, desire deepening his voice as he barked, “I’m busy,” into the phone.

  I smiled around his thumb, nodding my agreement, yes you are fucking busy now, hang the fuck up! I thought as I continued to rock against him, seeking relief of my own.

  “No! We had an agreement.” Memphis argued, shifting his hip so that my weight was balanced between him and the wall, freeing his hand from my ass. “It’s not due to be delivered until next week.”

  I tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle my gasping moan as his freed hand captured my desire-swollen breast again. I rocked myself harder against him, gripping the back of his head tightly, releasing his thumb from my mouth, I smashed my lips against his, kissing him with desperate need. I was soaking wet and so close to orgasm that if he just touched my clit, it would set me off like a firecracker.

  "Memphis Baby, get off the phone now. I need you. I'm so damn close."

  His strong, thick fingers pinched and tugged my nipple, bringing me closer to what promised to be an intense orgasm. I kissed him again, demanding attention.

  "Memphis, I need you to fuck me hard and make me cum." I moaned.

  “What the fuck did you say?!” Memphis roared.

  “I said ….” Memphis cut me off, placing his hand over my mouth.

  "Don't you fucking dare, you even think it, and I'll rip your fucking arms off and beat you to death with them." He threatened whoever he was talking to, dispelling some of my lust fog.

  Why was he so angry?

  Who the hell was Memphis talking to at a time like this?

  "Baby…?" I questioned.

  What the hell, is going on? He held his finger to his lips, shushing me.

  "Fine," he snarled through gritted teeth. "I said, fine... Yes…Fuck!” Memphis hung up and looked like he wanted to smash his phone against the wall.

  Memphis let out a long, frustrated growling sigh before resting his head on my shoulder, nuzzling against my neck. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close. I unwrapped myself from around his waist lowering my legs until I was standing. He held me tight in his arms, crushing me against the vast expanse of his ches
t.

  I slipped my hand under his shirt so that I could feel the heat of his skin. “You have to go, don’t you?” I whispered.

  “GRRRRR! Fuck… Yes … Baby Girl, I'm…" he started and stopped frustration evident in his voice.

  “Memphis,” I whined. “Please not again ……” he cut me off, desperately kissing me.

  “Baby Girl, trust me, I do not want to go.”

  "Then don't, Memphis. Don't leave me again, please, this is getting ridiculous." I had the sudden urge to cry. What the hell did we have to do to get some uninterrupted time together? "I can't take it anymore."

  Memphis kissed away a tear that had slipped down my cheek. “Baby Girl, please don’t cry.”

  "Memphis …." I placed my hands on his chest lightly pushing so that he would loosen his hold so that I could look him in the eye. "... Maybe this is a sign that we should... Cut our losses maybe… Maybe we should just be friends, work colleagues and …."

  He cut off my tear-filled rambling by kissing me again. This kiss was an urgent, needy, promise-filled kiss.

  “Don’t say that, Hedge. Please, Baby Girl, don't talk like that. You and I know there's more here than just being friends," he silenced any reply with his lips, tongue, his hands.

  “Memphis!” I groaned. “Please don’t start something you can’t finish.”

  "FUCK!" His mouth was on me again. "This is fucking bullshit. I can't believe I have to fucking go, again."

  "Baby, please just stay..." I pleaded as my eyes searching his "...here with me. The world can wait. Don't go, please." I started to get angry at the number of times that this shit had happened. “We both want this, we both need this.”

  “I’ll be as quick as I can, I promise. And then we can get right back to this.”

  Get back to this? Get back to this!

  "No," I said, shoving at his chest. "NO!" I shoved him again, "No, you cannot get back to ‘this'." I hissed, making air quotes. "I'm not a fucking lasagne. You can't stop halfway through, stick me in the fridge and then reheat me whenever you're ready! NO!" I slammed my hands against his chest. "Fuck this; I'm out of here." I turned, only to be stopped mid-storm off by Memphis’ large hand catching me by the forearm.

  “Don’t you walk away from me,” his voice was so quiet, but held such Alpha strength I stopped in my tracks.

  “Why not? You’ve done it enough. I thought you’d appreciate the gesture,” I shot back.

  “Hedge ….” He growled at me.

  "Memphis, do you know the effect you have on me? Do you?" I asked, searching his eyes for some sign that he knew, that he felt what I did. He wrapped his arms around me; his hands were sliding inside my jeans, his calloused fingers gripping my ass.

  "You have the same effect on me," he replied, his voice thick with need and frustration.

  “If I have such an effect on you, then don’t do this. Please don’t do this again.” Desperate times and a desperate Hedge call for desperate measures. "You get me so turned on and then leave."

  I popped the button on my jeans and grabbed his hand from my ass, shoving it down the front of my pants so that he could feel the effect he had on me. So, that Memphis could feel just how wet, he was making me.

  "Oh, God Memphis, fuck," I whimpered as his fingers slid through my wet heat. "This is what you do to me; this is all for you."

  Memphis took me in a demanding kiss as I slid my hand into his jeans, taking his hot, velvety hard cock in my hand.

  "Hedge …" He warned against my mouth.

  Memphis continued to slide his fingers against my pussy lips, teasing me with his feather-light touch, not applying any more pressure, not moving his fingers where I wanted them. I gripped his cock harder, circling the tip with my thumb. He moved his other hand from my ass, taking my breast in his palm, his fingers pinching my nipple.

  His stupid fucking phone started ringing in his pocket again. No, no, no, no, noooooo not again, he was just getting distracted enough that he forgot about the God damn phone!

  “FUCK!” Once again, he broke the kiss, resting his forehead on mine. "Baby Girl, if it weren't a matter of life and death, I would stay right here with you."

  "What do you mean life and death? Memphis, are you in some kind of trouble?" I asked concerned.

  "No, it's nothing like that," he said evasively. "It's just this thing I have to deal with that can't wait."

  "Memphis," I whined. "You have your hand in my pants, the other on my boob. Your dick is in my hand. You're hard as fuck; I'm soaking wet, and you’re planning on walking away right now!”

  Memphis slapped a hand against the wall near my head, growling, "Hedge, Sweetness, you think I want to leave?" His finger continued to slide against the outside of my pussy, increasing my need, my desire and frustration. "You think I want to walk around with a raging hard-on until I can get back to you?”

  "I'm done, Memphis," I said, letting go of his cock and shoving against his chest. "You go and do whatever is so fucking important, ‘cos I'm done here."

  Memphis slid his hand from my pants, making sure that a finger lightly grazed my clit, making me gasp.

  "Hedge," he said, looking me in the eye as he stuck the finger that he had been teasing me with into his mouth sucking it clean, growling once more as he licked his lips. "You're not done. We are most definitely, not done. I've had a taste of you now, and I am not letting you go," he stated, winking at me.

  “No,” I huffed, buttoning up my jeans. “You’re just walking away. Again.”

  "Damn it Hedge!" he roared, crowding me against the wall again. "I can't explain it to you, okay? I want to, but I can't. I have to go. I'll be as quick as I can, then I'm coming back, and we are finishing this."

  A thought occurred to me, could it be, could that be the reason he was always walking away?

  "Memphis. Tell me, is there someone else?" I asked quietly, tears falling again. "Is … Is that why... Is that why you're always …."

  He cut me off by kissing me again.

  “Baby Girl, there is no one else,” he kissed me again fiercely. “Only you,” and with one last kiss, he walked away, leaving me alone in the shadows.

  I don’t know how long I stood there, attempting to get my shit back together. I didn’t feel like re-joining the party, all I wanted to do was go upstairs, crawl into bed, bury myself under the covers, cry and never come out again. I was razzed up, frustrated and confused, it was emotionally draining, and the last thing I wanted to do was to be around people.

  I snuck upstairs and into my bathroom, hoping to calm myself down and regather my composure. I stood in my bathroom, leaning against the basin counter with a damp washcloth held to my face, letting the cold cloth calm me down, hoping that the tears that were threatening to fall wouldn't.

  “Hey Cuz,”

  “Hey Jax,” I said, muffled through the cloth.

  "You okay?"

  “Yes … No … I don’t know.” I replied, tossing the washcloth into the basin, making a wet, splat sound.

  “He’s a good guy, Cuz,” Jax replied softly, “just give it some time.”

  “I think I’m done, Jax,” I said, looking up, I could feel the tears welling in my eyes.

  “Ah c’mon Kid, don’t cry,” Jax said, bringing me into a hug.

  "Jax, I'm just so confused," I said sniffling, letting the tears flow and all my pent-up feelings out in one heaving sob.

  "What are you confused about the guy likes you. He follows your every move. The guy is obviously interested."

  “Yep, sure,” I replied through my tears, “if he’s so interested, then why does he keep walking away from me.”

  "Trust me Cuz; he wouldn't be walking away unless it was necessary and saying this in a non-creepy way, any man would need his head read to walk away from you. You’re smart, funny, beautiful and a complete badass.”

  Jax’ statement making me laugh-cry harder, “Thank you Jax, but it keeps happening, this wasn't the first time. I feel like I'm being pushed and pu
lled in twelve different directions, I don't know which way is up anymore. I don't like feeling like I'm being left twisting in the wind."

  "Stick with it Cuz; it will be worth it. If I didn't know that he's a great guy and would treat you right, I would have kicked his ass by now." Wiping the tears from my eyes, he added, "I may still have to kick his ass for making you cry. Nobody gets away with making my little sis cry. You want me to kick his ass for you?"

  His question had the desired effect of making me laugh again.

  “Thanks, Jax. No, I don’t need you to kick his ass for me. You know I can do that myself.”

  "Well, we may still have words." He said, kissing my forehead. "When you're ready, come back down to the party, okay?"

  "Okay, sure thing Jax. Just give me a minute."

  After I pulled myself together and fixed my tear-stained makeup, I re-joined the party. Once I had something to eat and had one too many drinks, I started to relax and have some fun.

  Jax ever my protector made sure that I was happy and laughing, having fun and keeping my mind off things. The boys, my new brothers, just kept bring me drinks, sensing that I needed to drown my sorrows. Every time my drink was refreshed, one of the boys would tell me not to give up on Memphis and that he was a good guy.

  I must have fallen asleep because one minute I was listening to Jax and Bishop was telling some crazy story involving a female volleyball team and body shots, then the next thing; I was being cradled in big strong arms. Half-opening my eyes as Memphis took my seat, settling me on his lap.

  “Hey Baby Girl, go back to sleep,” he whispered, his whiskers tickling my cheek.

  “You came back,” I replied sleepily, snuggling into his chest.

  "Yeah, I did. I told you I would. Rest now Sweetness."

  I don't know how long I slept there; cuddled up in Memphis' strong, safe arms, comforted by his clean, woodsy warmth that was his natural scent, but feeling safe I slept.