Chapter 2: This Could Be Love
Bobby looked at the girl, he knew that August Marks wanted something from him that he wouldn't give him. He felt bad for the girl but he would not be a rat; he loved his club too much. He would not betray them for her or himself for that matter. "Smoke?" He held out his pack of cigarettes to her. He was trying to make her more comfortable with him. She sat in her chair and tried to cover herself up, unsuccessfully.
Olivia snorted at him. "No, thank you." She replied wondering if now would be a good time to take up smoking. Her muscles were sore from being tied to a chair for so long. She stood and stretched with her back to Bobby. Bobby shrugged and went back to smoking, the one vice that they allowed him. Olivia turned and looked around the room arms wrapped around herself. "Can I have some of your water?" She looked longingly at the bottle of water that sat unopened on the table where Bobby say.
"Have at it." He held the bottle out to her. She opened it and drank the whole bottle down quickly. "Whoa sweetheart, when is the last time you had anything drink?"
Olivia didn't know how long it had been. She couldn't remember if they had offered her anything when she first arrived or if the last time she had something to drink was with Juan Carlos at his house. She frowned at Bobby. "I don't know."
Bobby felt like he had seen this girl before but he couldn't place it. He knew August and Moses were smart enough to know who she was. There had to be a connection or she wouldn't be there. He wondered if she was a sweet butt or one of the croweaters. No, he would have remembered her tight little body if she was but he didn't think it would hurt to ask. "So you a sweet butt or something?"
Olivia frowned at him. She didn't have a clue what he was talking about. "A what?"
Hit and miss. Bobby thought. "You just look so familiar to me, you haven't fucked any members of the Sons have you? You aren't a sweet butt from one of the other charters are you?"
Olivia felt her face flush red. Did he really just ask her if she fucked some gang members? She was a virgin until she was 20 but she didn't think she needed to share that with this stranger. "Are you kidding me? Let's get this straight, I don't just go around fucking people. I was leaving my boyfriend's house and before I could even get in my car someone hit me over the head. Next thing I know I am in a room with a psycho cutting into my flesh." She touched the cuts under her breast. She shook her head knowing that her skin was now going to be scarred forever, marks to remind her daily, if she made it through the torture. She sat back down in the chair. "My name is Olivia, if it even matters."
Bobby smiled at Olivia. "I'm Bobby but I am sure you know that because those bastards said it. Where abouts are you from?" He asked trying to make Olivia feel more relaxed.
"Charlotteville." Bobby stared at her for a moment because he hadn't the slightest clue where that was. "Washington, a few hours out of Seattle." Were they not in Washington anymore? She wondered to herself, as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. She could feel a headache coming on. Liv still didn't understand why she was there; what made her unique enough to be taken.
"Well fuck, sweetheart, we are in California." Bobby didn't know why August wanted this girl, who was all the way from Washington. There were plenty of women in Charming to take if they wanted to hurt SAMCRO, why her? He figured that the Sons probably had them all in lock down. Maybe she had ties to the Tacoma club that she wasn't telling him about. He pushed his sleeve up on his shirt, he went to try to push up his right sleeve with his stump and couldn't. Olivia saw he was struggling to move his sleeve and walked over to help him. He had shown her kindness, when he could have been less inviting or taken advantage of her. As she rolled up his sleeve she saw a tattoo that she never thought she would see again; the anarchy reaper. She gasped. "What is it sweetheart?" Bobby asked as she backed away. He assumed it was his bloody stump that disgusted Olivia. However, if it was his stump she wouldn't have helped him to begin with. He looked at his arm and saw his reaper. He realized she had seen it before. "You know this tattoo, don't you?" He held out his arm to her.
Olivia nodded, remembering the day Juan Carlos got it covered up.
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Olivia and Juice had been dating for a little over a month when they entered the tattoo shop in Seattle. They were a little too close to Tacoma for him but Liv insisted they go there. Juice had been antsy all day, especially when he heard the sound of a Harley roared up the streets. Olivia caught him looking behind them several times but didn't bring attention to his paranoia, something she had learned when she was young and her mother went on one of her drug binges. A few smacks against the wall when you're four years old teaches one to not ask questions.
Juice had decided it was time to cover the reaper tattoo, he was going to just black it out, like all of the excommunicated members of SAMCRO had done in the past. If Jax found out he still had the tattoo he would be given two choices, fire or knife. He still remembered the smell of Kyle's burning flesh when Tig burned the reaper off his back. He wondered if he would even be lucky enough to live if the found him. Olivia thought that just putting a big black box on his arm was stupid, especially when he could see if he could get it covered with something else. He knew the rules but wasn't going to bring it up with Olivia, he would just leave it and see if there would be something he could cover his reaper up with.
Things had been going well between the two of them. Liv had helped Juice get a job with one of the local stores that fixed computers, since he seemed to be a pro when it came to them. It was a job even if he didn't like it much. To Juice's dismay they still hadn't had sex but not for lack of trying on his part. He found out from Natalie that Olivia had only been with one guy, the asshole from the first night he was in town. He back down after that knowing that it would happen when Liv was ready; for the time being he just rubbed one out and also take very cold showers. He was extremely aware of how sexy Liv was; Juice and his hand had become best of friends especially after his dates with her. She always stopped things just short of sex. He didn't understand what she was afraid of.
"What can I help you with?" A tattoo artist came up and asked Juice and Olivia. He had a colorful array of tattoos creeping up his neck.
"I need to get this covered up." Juice held out his arm and showed the artist his reaper tattoo. He didn't want to cover the tattoo, it meant too much to him. It gave him a link to his life in Charming and a hope that one day he could return. Getting it covered up was making things final. It marked his departure with his SAMCRO family. Liv watched the artist as he studied the tattoo. She knew by his frown there was no way he would be able to cover it with another tattoo it. She looked over at Juice, his face was sad and distant. It was the same look he got on his face when he saw motorcycles drive through town. It was like he was remembering another life, a life he wouldn't tell her about.
"Sorry man, I can't cover it." The tattoo artist looked back up at them.
Juice looked at him, "It needs to be covered, just do a giant black box. I don't care just cover it." He was so insistent about getting it covered, it sort of scared Liv. She never asked him questions about it though. They were just getting to know each other, she didn't want to push him too hard for information. Juice appreciated that about Liv, never asked him too many questions; she would have made a good old lady. Maybe if they had met before she would have kept him grounded and he wouldn't be in his current position.
The tattoo artist shrugged his shoulders, "Alright man. Give me a few minutes to set up." He turned and walked towards his station leaving Juice and Liv up front waiting.
Olivia turned to Juice, "Juan, are you sure that you want to do this?"
He nodded solemnly, "I have to." Was the only answer he could give her; he knew she deserved a better answer but he didn't have one for her.
Liv shook her head, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Why is it so important that you cover the tattoo?" She pushed him to give her an answer. She glared at him when he didn't answer her; she annoyed that he wasn't answering her. He clenched his jaw tightly, waiting for her to give up. Juice wasn't going to tell her, it was too early in their relationship to dump all his shit on her. Olivia got pissed off, more with him not answering her than anything. She stood up quickly, "You know what? You do this on your own. If you can't tell me why this is important to you then, fuck you." Liv turned to walk out of the shop. She needed to blow off some steam because she wasn't really mad at Juan Carlos for not telling her things. She was more upset that he didn't seem to trust her with his secrets. She would have told him anything if he asked her. He kept all his demons locked up tightly and she saw he struggled with them. She wanted to at least know who he was; even if he didn't lead that life anymore, it was a part of him.
Juice knew he screwed things up but he didn't really care at that moment, he was dealing with his own shit and he didn't need to deal with hers too. He also didn't need to bear his burdens with her. She wasn't his old lady, she was his girlfriend and to him those were two different things. Old ladies were a part of the club family, not only did they love their men, they loved the club. As much as all the guys hated to say it, old ladies really were the back bone of the club. They held things together when everything was going to shit. It didn't matter anyway because Liv would never be his old lady; he would never go back to Charming.
While Juice was getting his tattoo covered he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out, there was a text from Liv.
At the bar down the street, when you're done. I'm sorry.
A small smile crossed his lips.
Liv sat at the bar and stared at her second dirty martini. It was the drink she reserved for when she wanted to forget her woes, even though she tended to hate herself the next day. She really wasn't paying attention to what was going on around her; she was deep inside of her own head. So when a hand touched the small of her back she turned with a smile thinking it was Juan Carlos. Her smile was quickly wiped off of her face, realizing it was not him.
"Hey toots. You look lonely." The man gave her a smile that creeped her out as he sat down next to her. Olivia looked over at him but did not smile back. He had his brown hair slicked back and he was wearing a cheap black suit that was somewhat wrinkled.
"I'm enough company for myself, thanks." Liv turned back to her drink.
"Ah now." The guy put his arm around Liv's shoulder. She shrugged his arm off of her shoulder. "Why don't you let me buy you a drink sweetheart?" He raised his finger for to get the bartender's attention.
"No, that is fine. I am actually waiting for someone." She looked towards the door, hoping that Juan Carlos would be walking through. How long did it take to tattoo a black box? "Plus I still have a lot left in my drink." She held it up towards the man.
The man studied her for a moment. "It's pretty shitty that some guy is making you wait. I wouldn't make you wait." He was close to her and he touched a lock of her hair and smelled it while muttering. "You're too pretty for that."
Liv tensed up as he touched her hair. She really wished that Juan Carlos would hurry up. "Please don't touch me." She said as politely as possible.
The man did not head her request and moved his hand to her thigh. "Oh now come on I am just trying to get to know you." Liv could feel herself panic slightly, she didn't know what to do.
"Maybe you should listen to the lady." A voice came from behind them. Liv's heart did a flip. She turned slowly on her stool to see Juan Carlos' brown eyes staring forcefully at the man.
The man turned to face the person who told him to take his hands off of his evening's fun. "I'm just talking to my lady friend here, so back off buddy." The man turned back to the bar as if there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.
Olivia stayed facing Juice, she couldn't take her eyes off of him. She didn't see the man who she was falling for standing in front of her, he was someone else. Someone who looked like he could be brutal and ruthless. "I will not be backing off anytime soon since she is my girlfriend. Keep your fucking hands off of her." Juice growled at the man and he hauled Olivia off of the stool to his side. He was forceful with her and he pulled her close to him. "Let's go." He said to her as he made her follow him out of the bar.
"I need to pay my bill." Olivia stopped him as she pull a twenty out of her bag and ran up to the bar and left it sitting there next to her full martini. She thought it was such a pity to leave a full martini as she walked back up to Juan Carlos.
As they walked outside and down the road, Juice didn't say anything to Liv. He was still reeling from the bar. He walked in just as that asshole was touching Liv. Juice wanted nothing more than to kick his ass for touching her but knew it would only bring him trouble. He looked over at Olivia while they were walking her fingers were tangled in knots in front of her. She looked nervous, her blue eyes were darting everywhere but towards him. He wanted nothing more than to ease her mind. "Hey." He put his arm out in front of her to stop her from walking further.
Olivia stop, she looked up at Juan Carlos who stared down at her. She searched his eyes for the stranger she had seen there when they were at the bar; there was no sign of him. There was a lot she didn't know about this man who she knew she was falling in love with. Liv didn't know what to say to him, so she stood there and waited for him to say what he was going to say. Juan Carlos didn't say anything though, instead he took her into his arms and his lips took possession of hers. Liv moaned against his mouth; he took advantage of her slightly opened lips and teased her mouth with his tongue. Their tongues danced against one another as she grasped Juice tighter to her. When they finally parted she was panting and left wanting more. At that moment she knew she wasn't just falling in love with Juan Carlos, she was in love with him.
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Liv was brought back to the reality of her situation when Bobby cleared his throat. The last time she saw the reaper tattoo was five months prior to her current situation.
"Sorry." She turned to Bobby, "I was just thinking."
Bobby shook his head at her, he had been tried several times to talk to her but she didn't respond, she had a lost, glazed over look on her face. "Do you always think so deep?" He asked.
She let out a small laugh, "It's one of my many faults. I shut the world out when I am in my head." She started doing that when her real mom had started taking drugs, it was a lot for a preschooler to take in. It was something she did to escape reality or if she was thinking really deeply. "Did you ask me something?"
"Asked where you saw the tattoo before." Bobby stated as he lit another cigarette. If this was going to be his last day he was going to smoke the whole bloody pack before Moses and his lackeys came back. Otherwise they could just go and get him another one.
Liv didn't know if she said anything if it would get Juan Carlos in trouble. He said he had left a club and needed to cover up that tattoo as penance for leaving. He shared that much about his reasons for covering up his tattoo. She took a deep breath knowing that Bobby was as much of a prisoner as she was. "My boyfriend had one."
Bobby sat up straight, here was the connection to the club that was needed. "What do you mean, had?" As he watched her she looked like she was telling him something she shouldn't. "It's okay sweetheart." He encouraged her.
She turned to him placing her hands on the table, folding them neatly in front of her. "He had one but he got it covered about a month after we started dating. Now it is a lovely black box." The black box she often caught Juan Carlos staring at.
"Excommunicated." Bobby said quietly, trying to think about some of the members of other charters that had left on their own terms or were excommunicated recently. The only two he could think of were Juice and a guy from Tacoma but he had moved back to Iowa. Could she really be Juice's old lady?Bobby thought to himself. "What's your man's name? Maybe I know him, if we get out of here we can get you back to him." If it was Juice, he would have to come and pay for his sins against his club. Liv shook her head. "Come on sweetheart. It's not like I have a cell phone to call anyone." Bobby tried to calm her and get her to give him an answer. By the way she was acting he knew she knew something.
"Juan Carlos." She whispered quietly as she gave away his name.
A/N: Thanks for all your recommendations, sorry if the first chapter was a little overwhelming…most of those characters don't even play a huge part in the story. Hopefully I slowed it down a bit and that you guys liked it. Pretty soon there will not be as many flash backs but more of Liv in the present time.
BTW: Anyone catch Tuesdays SOA? Are you all haunted by the Tully Juice scenes as much as I am? I seriously think Kurt Sutter is an evil genius!