Barber Shop Ink - Book 2: Between a Hedge and a Hard Place

by Penny Blush

  “No. Hedge can’t know any of this…”

  Black

  Shouting

  Jax standing over me

  “SHE was the one who found you. SHE was the one that kept you from bleeding out. SHE is the one who kept her cool and kept you ALIVE. SHE is the one that spent the last three hours up to her elbows in YOUR BLOOD!”

  I lay there trying to butt in as my best friend ripped my a new one. The anger in his voice, the pain it held, dug its claws into me and tore my heart out of my chest. I felt like a part of me died. I could feel tears running down my face.

  “Tell her, or I will. I’m serious man. Tell her, or I will. It will be a thousand times worse if it comes from me.” We locked eyes with each other, having a silent war of unsaid words. “I told you before, break her trust and you will never get it back. Be smart Memphis, or you will lose her.”

  As if to punctuate his words, the unmistakable sound of Hedge, crying huge, gut-wrenching soul-shattering sobs broke the silence. Jax looked in the direction of the bathroom, tears clouding his eyes.

  “Okay, Jax I’ll talk to her,” I murmured swiping at the tears, the useless tears falling from my eyes.

  Black

  Pain

  Black

  Pain

  “Dude, you’re almost there,” Jax' voice seemed so far away. It sounded like he was speaking to me from the other end of a tunnel.

  Black

  Pain

  Black

  Sitting

  Sitting up made me feel nauseous and dizzy. I sat on the edge of the island bench that they had used as my operating table. I had a vague sensation of pulling from stitches.

  Hedge my beautiful Baby Girl, stood in front of me with my head resting on her shoulder keeping me upright. With my hands on her hips, I was using her as an anchor, to keep my grip on consciousness.

  I placed a soft, delicate kiss on her jaw, hoping that the kiss was transmitting every single apologetic thought going through my head.

  God, I was so thoroughly exhausted. I remembered thinking that maybe if I could go to sleep I would wake up and it would all be just a dream. The throbbing in my face, the agony in my ribs and the pain in my stomach served as an all-too-timely reminder that none of this was a dream.

  “Ready” I whispered, gathering my remaining strength and energy. Hedge and Jaxon wanted to move me again.

  “Come on Baby let’s get you to bed.” There was so much love and caring in her voice, and I didn’t deserve any of it.

  Pain

  Black

  Moving

  Black

  Bed

  Black

  I woke to the sounds of muffled voices arguing. It took a while for my brain to catch up with my eyes, and for me to compute what was happening. I was lying in Hedge’s bed. I could smell her fresh tropical ocean breeze scent all around me. It was home, and it was comforting, and I didn’t deserve it.

  I wasn’t worthy of the love and care she had given me.

  The muffled arguing voices caught my attention again. But this time they were clearer like possibly they had moved closer to the bedroom or maybe the fog that I was feeling was lifting from my brain.

  “Jaxon, I don’t care! I don’t care what you or Memphis say it’s happening whether you like it or not,” Hedge said with determination.

  “He is going to be super pissed. All I’m saying is, you have to run things past him first,” Jax said in warning.

  What the hell were they arguing about?

  “You know he will say no! I am doing this for HIM, to help HIM!” she yelled.

  “I don't think he is going to see it that way. I have known Memphis for forever. You’ve known him for what, a year? I think I know his mind better than you.”

  Me.

  Hedge and Jax were arguing about me, but why?

  I flung the blankets off, wincing in pain and looked down my body. I was black and blue, aggressive bruises spreading across my abdomen, waterproof dressing packs covering what I assumed were stitches.

  Slowly, as if I was moving through thick syrup, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Sitting for a moment getting my equilibrium back waiting for the dizziness to settle. Groaning, I pushed to my feet, grateful that someone had thought to cover my lower half in a pair of loose-fitting boxer shorts.

  “This will help. I’m not one hundred percent sure about what is going on. But I have a pretty good idea,” Hedge said sounding tired.

  “What? What do you mean?” Jax asked

  I slowly made my way towards the bedroom door. I didn’t want them to know that I was awake, let alone up. I wanted to know what they were arguing about first, and I had a feeling that if they knew I was standing there, they would clam up quickly.

  “I’m not an idiot Jax. I have a little bit of experience in this kind of thing,” she said sarcastically. “Please just tell me Jax, how deep in this is he?”

  “You need to talk to Memphis,” Jax replied sounding tired and frustrated like he was sick of saying that line.

  “AHHHH!” Hedge bellowed at him. “I know okay!”

  “What?” Jaxon asked voicing my thought.

  What the hell did she know? And how the hell had she found out?

  “I know that he is in trouble, that he is in debt and that he owes money to some pretty bad people.”

  “How?” Jax demanded.

  I inched my way down the hallway towards them, bracing myself on the walls my movements slow. I felt like a ninety-year-old man. I needed to get closer so that I could hear what she was saying without being detected.

  “I had a run in with some…” her voice trailed off like she was searching for a word, “… Interesting guys.”

  “You what!” he hollered at her as I whispered the same question. My voice hoarse, I felt like I had swallowed glass.

  “Jaxon do not use your ‘dad voice’ on me. You know I can look after myself,” she said defiantly.

  “I know you can, but you shouldn't have to,” he said concerned. “What happened?” I could tell by his tone that he was barely hanging on to his frustration.

  “They came by the other night looking for Memphis. I was standing outside down near the river taking a moment for myself when they approached me. They wanted to know where he was.”

  “Shit Cuz, you should have called me,” concern thick in his voice.

  “There was nothing you could have done, and before you say anything, nothing happened.” I could now see them standing in the kitchen. Jax standing by the sink, Hedge standing on the other side of the island bench. “They just said that Memphis was late on a payment and that The Reaper would not be happy.”

  “What did you do?” he asked

  “I told them that Memphis had been called away and made out like I knew what they were talking about. They agreed to come back for the payment when I told them that I would need to make a call to Memphis to confirm the amount.”

  “Hedge, what did you do?”

  “I made the payment.”

  “God, damn it Cuz, how much?”

  “Five grand,” she said quietly.

  “Hedge…” Jax started.

  “No Jaxon, don’t. It’s done, okay. It’s my money, and I would have paid ten times that amount if it meant I never have to see him like that again,” her voice wobbled a little. “That’s why I am doing this Jax, to get him out from under this as quickly as possible.”

  “I have offered to help him out a thousand times, and he’s never accepted,” Jax said in frustration his voice raising.

  “Well, he’ll take help from me. I’ll make sure of it,” Hedge said stubbornly, putting her hands on her hips.

  “Cuz, for fuck’ sake, you have no right to do this. You’re the shop manager. Not his wife!”

  Not yet! I thought fiercely.

  I stopped shuffling down the hall leaning on the wall wearily. I had never had that thought before. Ever. About anyone. But with Hedge, it felt right. I knew I was getting ahead of m
yself. Hell, she may not even want anything to do with me after this. If possible; I wanted to make her my wife and soon. If she’d have me. Fuck at this point even I didn’t want me. I wished I was as far away from me as humanly possible.

  “Get out,” she whispered angrily, her hands slipping from her hips. “Get out of my house right now Jaxon.”

  “No way,” Jaxon argued shaking his head. “We are talking about this. You don’t get to pull that stubborn bullshit with me. It didn’t work when we were kids, and it’s sure as shit not going to work now.”

  “Jaxon,” I said, and although my throat sounded and felt like it was made from gravel, the strength was still there.

  His head snapped up pushing off the sink as Hedge called out, “Baby, what are you doing up?” rushing towards me.

  “I was just coming to see if I needed to break up the dust-up you two are about to have,” I said leaning on the wall.

  “Jax, help me get him to the couch,” Hedge instructed.

  Putting my weight on them both I let them lead me to the couch.

  “What are you two fighting about?” I asked not letting on that I had heard their conversation.

  “Nothing, it’s fine,” Hedge said waving off my question.

  “How are you feeling man?” Jax asked, taking her lead with dropping the argument.

  “I feel like I’ve been mowed down by a truck. Actually, I think being hit by a truck would have hurt less.” I said with a humorless laugh shifting and winced trying to get into a more comfortable position, “I ache all over.”

  “Poor Baby,” Hedge kissed my forehead making me sigh at the feel of her soft lips on my skin. “I’ll be right back,” she said getting up heading down the hallway. A few moments later the sound of the washer-dryer filling up, wafted down the hall.

  “Dude, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you HAVE to talk to her.”

  “I know,” I said dropping my head on the back of the couch feeling tired.

  “Honestly, though, while she’s occupied,” Jax said looking towards the hallway. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I have been kicked, punched, stabbed and hit with a baseball bat,” I answered, closing my eyes again.

  “Jesus Memphis.”

  “Yup.”

  The day slipped by, and I stayed on the couch, letting Jaxon and Hedge fuss over me. Sometime in what I guessed was late afternoon, after making sure that I had managed to keep some clear homemade chicken soup and water down, Hedge disappeared to remake the bed with freshly laundered sheets. Jax was keeping me company. The sound of the bathtub filling and the smell of minty muscle relaxing bath salts floated down the hall.

  “Jax, can you help me?” Hedge asked.

  I lay on the couch with my eyes closed, trying to breathe deeply but slowly as not to stir up my aching ribs. I felt Hedge’s soft lips against mine, and I let out an audible sigh.

  “Hi, Baby Girl,” I mumbled.

  “Hey, Baby,” she said her lips smiling against mine. “I know you’re going to hate me, but I need to you get up. I have a nice warm bath ran for you. It will help with all your aches.”

  I grumbled but acquiesced to her request and let Jax give me a hand down the hall, to the bathroom and stayed with me until I got my sea legs and the dizziness stopped.

  “He’s all yours.” Jax said turning to his cousin he hugged her kissing the top of her head, “I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”

  “Thanks, Jax,” she said as he left. “You okay, Baby?” She asked running a hand through my beard covered cheek. “Can you get in by yourself or do you need help?”

  If I didn't feel like my legs were going to give out, my head was going to explode, and that I was going to throw up, I would have made some tacky sexual innuendo-filled joke, but all I managed was a smirk.

  “I think I can handle it.”

  “Okay. Call me if you need me,” Hedge said giving my lips a delicate lingering kiss before leaving me to my own devices.

  I knew that I should have let her stay and help me, but she’d done enough.

  I didn’t want her to see how weak I was, and I think part of it was that I was punishing myself. I was hurt and in pain and it was my fault. I managed to get out of my boxers with as little bending over as I could achieve. I stepped into the tub lowering myself slowly, carefully.

  “Holy-fucking-fuck-balls,” I moaned submerging my aching body into the water.

  I lay there letting the warm water soothe my exhausted and beaten body. The minty scent of the bath salts relaxing my tired mind along with my muscles. I don’t know if I fell asleep or if I just zoned out. I didn’t even hear her come back into the bathroom.

  “Baby, sit forward,” Hedge whispered.

  I opened my eyes to find my beautiful goddess standing gloriously naked in front of me.

  “Hedge?” I said her name like a question, as I took my time drinking in the sight of her spectacular naked form.

  I gripped the side of the tub slowly pulling myself up. Hedge placed a steadying hand on my shoulder as she slipped herself in behind me. She slid her soft toned legs, either side of hips until they rested gently on top of mine. Her arms circled my chest, pulling me gently back against her, guiding my head to rest on her shoulder.

  We lay in silence, the warm minty water washing away the tension as our breathing and heartbeats synced. Hedge didn’t say a word for the longest time, she just held me, gliding her delicate fingers, lazily up and down my arm.

  “What’s on your mind Baby Girl?” I asked sighing into the comfort of her body.

  “What makes you think there’s something on my mind?”

  “Because, you’re thinking super loud right now,” I replied.

  “You are going to start talking,” she paused, rubbing her cheek against my beard, gently kissing the corner of my mouth. “You are going to tell me everything Memphis, I am done living in the dark, do you understand me,” she murmured.

  There was so much determination and resolution in her voice I knew that she was not pulling any punches and her words were gospel.

  “If you don’t tell me everything,” she kissed me again. “If you lie to me Memphis if you even utter a half-truth…” she shifted somewhat so that she could look me in the eye, “… we are done. This is over, and I am gone.”

  Chapter 4 Hedge

  I had plenty of time to think about what I was going to say to him when I finally confronted him and made him talk.

  I rubbed my cheek against his beard; it was longer than he usually kept it, but despite its unruliness, it was still soft. I placed a small, sweet kiss at the corner of his mouth. If these were going to be our last moments together I wanted to touch him, kiss him, and feel him as much as possible so I kissed him again.

  I took a deep, steadying breath to strengthen myself to be able to finish and say the words that I didn’t want to say but knew that I had to. Memphis needed to know how serious I was.

  I shifted so that I could look him in the eye, “… We are done, this is over, and I am gone.”

  I kept my eyes locked on his, hoping that my eyes portrayed what I was thinking and feeling.

  Please, Memphis, please talk to me and tell me everything. Please don’t make me walk away because I will.

  It will break me, I’ll become a ghost, a shell of myself, but I would walk. I can’t live with lies, my past is full of them, and they weigh heavy on my soul.

  I settled back with his head on my shoulder, running my hand up and down his toned muscular arm, tracing the designs cast in ink on his skin.

  I portrayed a calm exterior as my insides boiled and writhed with anxiety as I waited to see which way the dominoes of my life were going to fall. The silence stretched on for eternity. My emotions were all over the place. I felt like I was going to burst into tears, punch something and puke, all at the same time. That’s it. It’s over. My heart bled, shredded by a thousand tiny cuts.

  Memphis turned his arm around capturing my hand interloc
king his fingers with mine. “Okay Baby Girl, I’ll tell you.”

  “Oh God!” I whispered on a sob.

  “Oh, Sweetness, hey,” he said, tightening his grip on my hand, turning his head as best he could to kiss me. “Hey now, don’t cry,” he pleaded, but I couldn’t help it.

  “I… I thought you were going to refuse to tell me. I thought… I thought…” My tears flowed and wouldn’t stop. I had been through the emotional wringer, and I was bone wearily tired.

  The water level of the bath shifted as Memphis sat forward, groaning.

  “Memphis, what are you doing?” I asked panicked, through my tears.

  “I’m… I’m getting out,” he heaved and shifted but couldn’t get leverage to pull himself out. Sighing, he looked at me over his shoulder.

  “Honey, you’re going to have to get out. First, this may be a two-person tub, but I’m going to need a bit more room. I’m not moving really well.”

  I wiped the tears away, jumping out of the bath and quickly wrapped a towel around myself so that I could help him out. Getting up and out of the tub took a lot of energy, and I covered him with a towel as he leant against the basin until he was ready to move.

  Memphis reached out, pulling me against his chest, kissing away my tears that seemed never-ending.

  “Baby Girl, please don’t cry.”

  “I can’t stop,” I sobbed tightening my hold on him.

  “Hedge Sweetness, as much as I love having you in my arms, do you think we could move this to the bed?” I looked up into his lovely eyes, which radiated his feelings for me. “I don’t think my legs can hold me up much longer,” he winked at me tiredly.

  “Oh God, Baby yes, why didn’t you say anything earlier?” I asked, pulling out of his arms and leading him towards the bed.

  “Cos’, you needed me, and I like holding you.”

  He sat on the side of the bed wrapped in a towel, catching his breath. I ran into the kitchen to get him a cold bottle of water. He was pulling on a clean pair of loose boxers when I came back into the room.

  “I didn’t think the conversation we’re about to have is one that we should have naked,” he said with a chuckle, sliding himself up on the bed, lying against a stack of pillows.