When I mentioned the way she tossed the guy out of the ring, I could see the flash in Harley's eyes. It was clear she had more to say on the subject, yet surprisingly, she didn't speak up. I wasn't here to argue or make her look bad. I didn't want an apology or expect her to say she'd do better. I just wanted to give my perspective on it, let her know why I acted toward her the way I did. In the end, I didn't want it to be taken as something personal, something that would come between us as pack mates. I didn't think of her as a bad person, no matter what she wanted others to think. She acted touch and impenetrable but I knew first hand that you usually only act that way when you've got something to protect, some part of you that you don't want others to see and judge. I had my own skeletons and I wasn't looking to unearth hers.

In the end, Harley said that we remembered it very differently. I couldn't help but quirk a brow, wishing she would go on, explain her own perspective, but I could see already that she was done with the subject. She probably figured I'd already made my own judgement call on what kind of person she was and my mind couldn't be changed. I didn't want to go into the rest of this interaction with something so trivial between us so I nodded in agreement, letting my eyes soften as I looked away from a minute, letting her know that I was going to drop it. I didn't come here to fight with her, after all. Once I started talking about my tattoo, it was like a whole new Harley was standing before me. She was the tattoo artist now, a professional, confident in her craft and looking to give the best product. I couldn't help the small tug of my lips as I watched her reactions. I could definitely tell she was surprised by how big the tattoo was going to be.

When I was done explaining, Harley told me that it would take a few sittings and agreed that it would look "cool as hell." My lips tugged into a bigger smile. "I'm hoping so." I could see all the questions swimming in her eyes though and I'm glad she was curious enough to ask the meaning. It was the easiest part of this after all, since I had all the confidence in what the tattoo meant to me. When the woman before me softened a bit, I was a little surprised. Some part of me assumed she would just shrug it off as another sob story, surely something she heard on the regular from her other clients. Instead, she really seemed to hear the meaning and I think maybe it related to her on some level. Either that, or she just really wasn't expecting that out of me. I had my own way of hiding my sins, after all. When she spoke, I couldn't stop the short chuckle that fell from my lips before I nodded. "I guess you could say that."

Harley went on to say I was in for it and I smirked a little. "I'm looking forward to it. Does that mean you'll do it?" I couldn't help but want to hear that confirmation. Some part of me was still waiting for her to tell me to get up and leave and quit wasting her time. Her professionalism came by as she once again explained that it would take a few sessions depending on how many pain I could handle. I thought back to the bruises I used to hide under my clothes, the aching ribs and shortness of breath when my father had a bad night thinking of my mother and what I took from him. My jaw set in determination. Yeah, we'd see how much I could handle. I watched in fascination as the woman went to sit down and start on a design. She seemed to go off into her own little world, though I appreciated that she did it with me in the room, as if drawing inspiration. While she worked, I took the moment to glance around the room, taking in the designs and pictures that were hung up on the walls. I tried to see the stories behind them, the people Harley had already gotten to know and helped them to tell those stories. Now she would get to help me tell mine.

When I heard the chair move, I turned my head as Harley came back over with her design. The moment I looked at the paper, my lips parted in a small gasp. I traced a finger over the blackened bark of the tree and the flowing silk that wrapped around it all. It looked like it should feel like silk when you touch it. I looked back up at her with a grin. "It's perfect, Harley. When can we start?"

alexis wilde