by Penny Blush
Memphis sat analyzing the design with his artist’s eye and had been so quiet for so long that I wasn’t sure if he was happy, mad or had fallen asleep.
“I, I don’t know what to say,” he said brushing his cheek against mine. “I can’t believe that you would do this for me,” he said kissing me. “On top of everything else that you have already done, where did you find the time? Do you even sleep? Are you a Vampire?”
“Yes, I do. No, I’m not, although…” I laughed gnashing my teeth at him. “You slept a lot. I did all this so it would take my mind off worrying about you,” I said stroking the arm he had wrapped around my waist.
He sighed, nuzzling his nose into my neck, inhaling deeply before running his lips over my skin.
“I love it, not as much as I love you, but I love it. Thank you, Baby Girl.”
“You mean it? You like it? Do you like the design and everything? When do you want to start?” I rapid fired questions at him, relieved that he liked the design.
“How about we start now,” he said placing a line of kisses along my neck as his hand found the exposed skin between my tank top and sleep shorts.
“That is not what I had in mind Memphis,” I giggled as his beard tickled my skin. "I was talking about the shop,” I giggled again.
“Who cares about the shop?” he said kissing along my shoulder, his hand creeping under my tank top, cupping my breast.
“Baby, as much as I want you to continue,” I moaned his fingertips rolling my nipple. “We, we have to be practical, if we have sex now,” I moaned again, rolling my hips, trying to get some much-needed friction. My needy body contradicting my words. “You, you won’t have the energy to get back upstairs, and I don’t want to have to explain to the boys why you are all banged up, exhausted and sleeping naked on the stairs.”
“Fine, I’ll stop,” he grumbled. His actions were opposing his words by not stopping. His hand still playing with my breast.
“Baby, I promise that if you behave, when you’re better and back to being fighting fit, we can come back and finish this,” I sighed, placing a hand on his thick thigh to stop him.
“You promise?” he asked, rolling my nipple between his fingers again.
I pushed his hand away and slid off his lap, one of us had to stop this before we couldn’t help ourselves.
“Yes Baby,” I said taking his hand and walking backwards in the direction of the stairs, keeping my eyes locked on Memphis. “We can come back here, and I can give you a lap dance. A slow striptease until I am standing in front of you naked. Then when I know that you are primed and ready, I am going to take you into my mouth. I am going to suck you long and hard until you can’t take it anymore and you have to have me. Fucking me right here in the shop, in that chair.”
Memphis hadn’t even realised that he had gotten out of the barber chair he had been sitting in and had started up the stairs following me. He was too focused on me and what I was saying, oblivious to the fact that he was moving. My distraction was working, and he wasn’t focusing on his pain, so I continued.
“Then I’m going to lie out on the reception desk while you bury your face between my legs. Licking and sucking me until I’m screaming your name. Then I want you to bend me over your tattoo bed and fuck me from behind, hard. I want you to fuck me so hard that I can’t walk, and you need to carry me to bed, where I’ll sleep for a week.”
“Baby Girl” he growled out.
It was the sexiest sound in the world, a deep rumbling timber that makes me tingle all over. Sometimes I think that I would be happy if he only growled at me, but with the physical reaction that his voice induces in me, I wouldn’t be very productive.
Memphis hadn’t noticed that we were now standing in the doorway to the bedroom. The distraction had gotten him up the stairs, through the apartment and to our bedroom without a lot of effort but he was sweating and pale. He needed to lie down, and he needed more pain meds.
“Baby, get into bed,” I said, and he looked around finally realising that we were in our bedroom.
“You little sneak,” he smirked walking past me, pinching me on the ass. “You tricked me,” he said with false shock, climbing into bed.
“Your eyes and thoughts were elsewhere, weren’t they? You weren’t focusing on your pain, were you?”
“No,” he conceded as I handed him a bottle of water and the pain pills.
“I promise Baby when you are better we can do all that I described and more, but you need to get better first. You also need to decide what you are going to tell the boys and Cassidy,” I finished.
“What about? Us fucking all over the shop?” He raised a questioning eyebrow. “I don’t think they're going to want to know, but if you're sure I’ll tell them.”
“No smart ass, about what happened to you.”
“You didn’t tell them?”
“No, I figured I would leave it up to you. I told Cassidy and the boys that you had been called away on business.” I said turning off the lights, climbing into bed beside him. “I can be distractingly evasive when I want to be.”
“Oh, I know,” he chuckled.
“So, if you’re happy with everything for the shop I can contact Henry and find out how long everything will take,” I said snuggling into his side.
“Next week has two public holidays, so we can shut the shop for the week if Henry’s free,” he said with a yawn.
I don’t think he realised how much his need to get me off plus the little trip downstairs took out of him.
“I’ll call him tomorrow,” I replied. Kissing his chest over his heart then settling into my favourite spot, with my ear on his chest, his heart singing me a lullaby.
“Don't think I have forgotten all the things you said you wanted to do to me,” he said sleepily kissing my forehead. “All the things that you wanted me, to do, to you.”
I kissed his chest over his heart again.
“When you’re feeling better, Baby. There’s no rush. We have plenty of time.”
“Forever,” he sighed falling asleep.
Chapter 7 Hedge
The exertion of our sex filled afternoon and the little trip down the stairs to the shop had taken a lot out of Memphis, knocking him out for fifteen hours straight. I don't think that he realised just how sick he was - how sick he is still.
After more sleep, painkillers and a huge man chat with Jaxon that involved a lot of ‘Dudes' and backslaps, Memphis conceded. Finally agreeing with Jaxon and me to tell Cassidy and the boys the truth about what had been happening.
We had everyone over for pizza and drinks – lots of drinks.
Memphis had been asleep when everyone had arrived. He tried hard - very hard to convince me to get into bed with him, pull the covers over our heads, lock the bedroom door and hide away from the world. If he was at full strength and was capable of keeping me occupied for a few hours, I may have taken him up on his offer.
“Baby, believe me, all I want to do is stay in bed with you all night and day. Maybe share a shower or snuggle up in the bath together,” I said, giving him a slow, languid kiss as if we had all the time in the world. I kissed him again, turning him in the direction of the bathroom.
“But everyone is already here, and even though I’m not a stranger to a bit of audience participation when it comes to sex, my cousin is out there. Besides you are mine, and I am not prepared to share.”
Memphis kissed me back with all the strength and passion I know he wished his body could deliver.
“We’re going to discuss this audience participation thing,” he said kissing me again, sliding his hand up the back of my shirt.
“Baby, get in the shower, now!” I moaned, smacking him on his very exceptional ass.
“What do I get if I behave?” He grumbled lowering his hands to my hips.
“If you’re a good boy and play nicely with the others,” I said, pushing him from behind in the direction of the bathroom. “Then, later on, I might be a naughty, naughty girl,” I
whispered in his ear.
“Baby Girl, you do not play fair,” he whined walking into the bathroom.
I walked to the bed putting as much distance as possible between us. I wanted to be close so that if Memphis needed me, I could help him. But not so close that I could see him naked, the water and soap bubbles sliding down the ridges of his body. That would be very, very distracting.
With Memphis showered, dressed and ready as he could be, we walked hand in hand to the living room. Everyone was shocked by Memphis’ appearance. His beautiful blue eye still held the shadow of the now yellowing bruise from when his eye was swollen shut. His jaw marred by the blotchy purple bruise from where he took a blow to the face. He has lost a little weight and still moved gingerly from his cracked ribs.
“Memphis what the fuck happened to you?” Bear asked, sitting forward in his chair.
“Memph, you okay?” Cassidy gasped, tears gathering in her eyes.
Memphis didn’t say anything just walked to his favourite armchair, stifling a groan as he slowly lowered himself into the seat.
Memphis wound with his arm around my waist anchoring me to him while he told his story. I sat on the arm of his chair, my hand tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck, slowly massaging out the tension and offering what comfort I could.
“Memphis, you should have come to us, we could have helped you deal with this dickhead,” Davis said. “You should have refused to pay.”
“I did at first,” Memphis replied his eyes darting to Cassidy, “but there were threats made, I wasn’t prepared to call his bluff.”
Anger and disbelief radiated off everyone in the room as he went through how much money he gave over. I wasn’t sure if he knew the exact figure or he reduced the sum of money so that it didn’t sound as bad. I had a feeling that it was more money than he realized.
I closed my eyes, gripping his hand tight as he described the beating that he had received. I was there for the aftermath and didn’t want to relive it.
The subsequent few weeks were the worst weeks of my life. Even after everything that I had been through with losing my parents and the nightmare I experienced at the hands of my Uncle Charlie - to me, this was worse. It still made my blood run cold and sent shivers down my spine at the thought that I could have lost him.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Memphis,” Bishop muttered.
“Memphis, you should have talked to us, we could have helped. You wouldn’t even have had to ask, we’re your family” Cassidy added.
“Dude, like Cass said we’re family you should have come to us,” Davis said sounding a little pissed.
“Between you and your Pops, I bet you would have paid his debt off three times over,” Bear stated, his deep voice rumbling. “That sonofabitch is fleecing you for more than the debt is worth.”
“I know, but there’s not a lot I can do about it,” Memphis muttered.
All this talking and dealing with everyone else’s reactions was taking all his strength, and I could feel him fading. I wanted this conversation to be over.
I shot a quick look at Jaxon, raising my eyebrow at him. He gave me a short but very determined shake of the head. If a head shake could talk, it would have said: “Oh hell no, don’t even think about it and if you’re thinking about it, then the answer is Fuck NO!”
I shot him a quick glare. There was something that I could do about this. One quick phone call, one little visit, a brief conversation and this could end. The murderous look in Jaxon’s eyes had me putting those thoughts on the back-burner, for now.
“Memphis, how are you, you know, not dead?” Cassidy asked. She seemed to be the only one focusing on the beating and his injuries and not just the money.
“Hedge saved me, patched me up,” Memphis said matter-of-factly, his fingers tightening against my hip.
“How did you know what to do?” Bishop asked doubtingly. “You’re, you’re just a hairdresser” condescension heavy in his tone.
“Just a hairdresser?” I raised an eyebrow at him.
“You know what I mean. You’re not a doctor, so how did you know how to stitch him up and all the medical stuff?”
I know that he is upset, he loves Memphis like a brother, they all do. But there was no way I was going to let him get away with talking to me like I was something that he just stepped in.
Bishop and I had always gotten on well enough, not as close as the others maybe but there had never been this feeling of animosity. I didn’t have the time or patience to figure it out now, it would have to wait.
“That’s not up for discussion,” Memphis replied giving no room for argument.
“Bullshit it’s not. You were, stabbed Memphis, what four times?” Bishop countered.
“Six,” I corrected.
“Six! Six times,” Bishop said agitated getting to his feet. “You were stabbed six times. You needed blood and IV antibiotics. That’s not just something that you can get at the local pharmacy. You should have been in a hospital!” He raked his eyes over me. “Not getting patched up by some hairdresser playing doctor in her kitchen,” he spat.
“Bishop,” Jaxon warned.
“Careful,” Memphis added.
“What the hell were you thinking,” he glared at me.
He was so angry. I just didn’t understand it. We had always gotten along, he anger made no sense.
“She could have killed you!” Bishop yelled at Memphis, ignoring their warning tones. “She’s not qualified! She operated on you in her fucking kitchen, Memphis you could have died!”
“Bishop,” Jaxon said with more force, “enough.”
I had no idea where all this hostility was coming from, I thought we were friends, that we were family. But now he was coming at me like I was the one who stabbed Memphis and beat the crap out of him.
“I may not have qualifications on paper, but I can assure you that I am qualified and have had more experience dealing with these types of injuries than any E.R. doctor,” I said emphatically. “I would never do anything to hurt Memphis, I love him. If anything had happened that I thought I couldn’t handle, I wouldn’t have hesitated to get him the appropriate help.”
“But you did,” Bishop stabbed his finger on the kitchen bench. “You hesitated, and you didn’t get him the appropriate help. You called Jaxon instead of an ambulance. You performed surgery in your fucking kitchen instead of getting him to a hospital with actual qualified doctors! You say you love him,” he scoffed, “if you truly did, you wouldn’t have let him suffer.”
“Like I said, Bishop, I have experience with these types of injuries, extensive experience. At no stage was Memphis in any danger,” I said, with certainty.
“Who the fuck, are you?” Bishop asked giving me a questioning look.
“Bishop, enough,” Memphis growled.
If he could have moved, Memphis would have been across the room by now hauling him up against a wall. While the knowledge that Memphis wanted to protect me, made me feel all tingly, there was most definitely no need. I can protect myself.
“No Memphis. Do you know who she really is? Do any of us? All we know is that she’s Jaxon’s cousin, who he says is like a sister to him but none of us had met her until a few months ago,” he cut a filthy look at Jaxon. “She won’t even tell us her real name. We have a right to know who you let into our home. Into our family and I for one am not letting this go until I get some answers. Tell us Hedge who you really are.”
Bishop demanded standing up from the barstool he was sitting on stalking towards me.
“Bishop,” Jaxon barked. “You need to step back,” he said with a forceful calm, stepping between Bishop and me.
“Bishop, backup,” Memphis growled.
“Boys please,” I said calmly standing up, placing a hand on Jaxon’s shoulder.
This situation was escalating quickly and needed to be defused just as fast. Memphis grabbed my hand pulling me back against his chest. I hadn’t even realised that he had stood up.
“Baby Gi
rl,” I could feel the rumbling growl in his chest as he spoke.
“No Memphis, he’s right he has the right to know, they all do.”
“Cuz,” Jax started.
“Baby Girl, you don’t have to tell them anything,” Memphis said again trying to protect me. “You don’t owe them an explanation, you saved my life. You love me. I love you. I know who you are and that’s all the matters.”
“I know Memphis, but Bishop is right they do have the right to know,” Memphis growled his disagreement. “Not everything. But enough so that they can understand.” I made sure I looked at each one of them in turn. “You guys are going to get the cliff notes explanation, and that is all. I am not going to answer any questions so don’t ask,” I put enough intensity in my voice so that they knew that I was not joking. “Jaxon and Memphis know the full story, and they are the only people who need to know.” Bishop scoffed at me again.
I took a deep breath and looked over my shoulder at Memphis as his large hands started massaging the tension knots in my shoulder blades.
“Only if you’re sure,” he said.
I nodded and continued.
“There is a part of my life that I wish never happened, that I wish I could forget. When I was seventeen, I spent time with my uncle in the UK. In time, he manipulated my love for him and my trust in him. He taught me things.”
“What kind of things?” Cassidy asked concern in her voice.
“Let’s just say that I wouldn’t have a hard time becoming a board-certified doctor. I have seen more stab wounds and gunshots than any E.R. doctor. I have set breaks, closed wounds, saved countless lives. Hell, I’ve even delivered twins once,” I said.
I smiled remembering the time when one of the boys from the pub came rushing in screaming that his girlfriend had gone into labor in the car. Those babies were ready to be born and were not planning on waiting for a hospital or even an ambulance. Pink, screaming and ready to take on the world those boys were welcomed into the world in the back of their parent’s car, in the car park of a pub. Shaking myself out of a rare happy moment from that time in my life I continued.