Chasing Dragonflies (13 page)

Maddie's chin dropped, “When was that?”

“Right before your...ah... right before Asha got...”

“Before my Dad took her? Is that what you're trying to say?”

Patrick looked down at the table. Suddenly lost for words, he just nodded his head.

“See my brother is a boof head,” Maddie sighed. “I might never get a boyfriend at this rate.”

“He is just looking out for you, don't be too hard on him.”

“Yeah whatever,” she huffed out. “So I reckon you should take me in to get a tattoo, Trick.”

Patrick stopped cutting the salad he was preparing for dinner and stared at her across the table, where she sat drinking a glass of wine.

“Do you want Xavier to kill me Madd?”

She laughed, “Why?”

“It's not like I'm his best friend now. He would spin a cog if I took you to get a tattoo!”

“Well it's not up to Xavier is it?”

“Yeah, but...”

“But what? I'm an adult. If you don't want to take me, I'll take myself. I just thought that...” she waved her hands in the air, wiggling her fingers up and down, gesturing toward his tattooed arms. “Y'know, you would know where to go and stuff.”

“Yeah I know a guy in town, but...” he scratched his head, looking confused. “What are you wanting anyway?”

“Well, I was thinking of getting Tom's tattoo covered up.”

“Tom's tattoo?”

“You've seen it....when we went to the beach last week.”

Patrick shook his head, so she stood from her chair at the table and unbuttoned her shorts, she thought Patrick's eyes might fall out of his head. Pulling her shorts down a little way she showed him where on her left hip she had Tom 16 tattooed.

He raised his eyebrows at her, “Why 16?”

“It was Tom's football number.”

“Fair enough, so what are you thinking of getting?”

“I think I want something over the top, not sure what yet, maybe dragonflies. I want something that symbolises freedom.”

Patrick nodded, “Okay, I'll see when I can book you in. I will have to ask him, some tattooists are funny about doing cover ups. You know it’s some kind of artist’s code or something.” He huffed under his breath.

“Thanks Trick that would be so awesome if you could do that.”

“Yeah no dramas. I will have to work it in around work.”

“What work? Has Xavier roped you in again?”

“No Aunty Polly...she was short someone to work on the bar at her club.”

She raised her eyebrows at him in question. “Aunty Polly? As in my Aunty Polly?”

Patrick laughed. “The one and only.”

“Have you been to her club? Do you know what kind of ...establishment she runs?”

“So?”

“So? What do you mean so?”

“I'll be working on the bar Maddie.”

“Ok...ay” she said drawing out the word.

“What?”

“Oh nothing,” she smiled. Thinking about Patrick and all those girls. Gosh, he was going to love it.

It was a beautiful evening
. Evenings like this, made her feel so alive. It was warm, there were a few flies buzzing around but even that couldn't dampen Maddie’s spirits right now.

Her and Trick had shared a meal of chicken kebabs with caeser salad and were now sitting on the back deck in fold out chairs. Watching as the sun sink behind the trees. A warm breeze pricked at her bare arms. She extended her legs out and rested her feet on the railing as Patrick handed her a cold beer. This is what it was all about. If anyone had asked her two months ago where she would be now, she would have thought,, and probably even hoped dead.

She never could have allowed herself to imagine, sitting in the night air. Listening to the crickets croak and drinking a cold beer.

“This is amazing isn't Trick?” she let out a long sigh as her gaze wandered the backyard, it needed mowing. She made a mental note of that.

“What's amazing?”

“This,” she extended a hand and waved around the area in front of her, “all of it.”

When he didn't answer, she rolled her head back, then around to the side to look at him. She found him staring hard at her profile. He had warm brown eyes, but in this light they looked almost black.

“What?” It felt like his eyes were boring right into her.

He shook his head and then looked back into the yard. “It's a nice time of the year.”

“It all feels so strange still y'know? It feels like everyone has forgotten and now everything is back to how it was. Like nothing has changed, but at the same time, everything has changed. Nothing is was it used to be.”

Patrick handed her a joint, and as she sucked in a puff it caught in her chest making her cough. Her cough had almost dwindled to nothing, this was not going to help. She let out a giggle as the effects went straight to her head.

“I miss my dad,” she said when the giggles subsided. Looking to Patrick and waiting for his reaction. She didn't have to wait long. He took a long sip of his beer before turning to face her.

“I can't say I understand that... I mean the man was a monster.”

She had expected such a response. 'Monster' was the term coined by the media. She had tried to avoid it as much as she could, but sometimes it was hard to miss. Every time she turned on the TV or the internet, there were photos of her dad. The main photo they used was one of when he was working as a detective all those years ago. He was a handsome man in his uniform. Looked a lot like Xavier in fact.

“He was my dad,” she huffed. “I know the world sees—saw something different to me. But I loved him and he loved me. Even though it was a bit twisted and wrong. I know what he did to Asha was wrong,” she shook her head. “All the world sees is this horrible man who bashed his wife and abducted a poor innocent nurse—they don't see what I saw. A dad who loved his wife and kids.”

She felt a hand on her knee and looked to where Patrick's hand was resting on her. Letting her head drop back, she looked up to the sky. Not really focusing on anything, lost in her own thoughts.

“Do you think it's wrong of me to be angry at my mum? I can't really say anything to Xavier about it because I know he doesn't understand. I know I probably shouldn't... but I can't help but be so damned angry at her.” She ground her teeth, just the thought of her mum made her blood pump faster. “She took my dad away from me...he was the only person in the world who loved me.”

“No Maddie, that's not true,” Patrick pleaded.

“It is true, he should still be alive damn it!”

“He would have gone to prison Maddie. He would have spent the rest of his life in prison, is that what you would have wanted?”

She let out a harsh, bitter laugh. “I guess that would have been some kind of justice wouldn't it?”

“I never met your parents Maddie, I only know what Asha has told me. I don't think your mum would have coped with your dad being locked away. She was dying Madd.”

“I know she was, but why did she have to take him as well? She was a selfish asshole.” A lone tear trickled down her face. “I loved him Trick. I fuckin' loved him, he was my dad and now he's gone.”

Dex

Dex knew it was for
the best, telling Maddie he was not interested in pursuing something with her, so why did it feel so wrong? Truth was, he was interested in Maddie. She was the first woman who he had really been interested in since he lost his wife. What was there not to be interested in? She was gorgeous, funny, cheeky, sexy, complicated, damaged.

That was where the problem lie, complicated and damaged. Part of him felt he wanted to be the hero and swoop in and help her with her problems. The reality was though, that he was so damaged himself, that he did not know if he would even be able to help her with her issues. The last thing she needed in her life was someone with issues of their own.

He blamed himself for what had happened to Issy. If he had not been drunk that night, she would still be here. They would be raising Shyla together, happily, as it should be. But he had been an idiot and now he was bound to suffer for the rest of his life. It was his lot. It was what he deserved.

The day he had told Maddie he couldn't see her was the day he had finished up with her car. He had been to chicken to even knock on her door with the bill and had posted it into her mailbox. He had given her a massive discount too. It did not seem right to charge her at all, but he needed to live, he had bills to pay, just like everyone else.

The hurt in her eyes would haunt him and he had to put it out of his mind. It had been several days since he had seen her and yet, he saw her every time he closed his eyes. Damn he needed to think of something else, someone else maybe to take his mind off her. It would get easier, he knew it would. He just had to move past her, move on. It was just a moment of weakness.

When Tony had called and told him to come into the tattoo shop because he had a quiet afternoon, he thought it might be just the thing to get his mind of her. Tony had been
his
mate since high-school. Lucky for Dex, as he had never had to pay for a tattoo. Also lucky for him that Tony had definitely improved over the years and covered over the original backyard tattoos he had first put on his body.

What he had not anticipated was seeing the very woman he was desperately trying to forget. Tony liked to be able to watch the comings and goings in his shop at all times, even though he had a girl working on reception. He was always paranoid, keeping half an eye on his work, the other on the door. All the other tattooists had private areas. Not Tony. His customers had to be happy to be on display or see someone else. It never bothered Dex.

He reclined on the couch, his chest bare as Tony worked away at the shading of his latest tattoo, the Southern Cross on the side of his torso, just above his hip. The door swung open and it was Trick he noticed first, although his brain did not make the connection immediately. Right behind him, even more stunning that she was in his memory, was the woman he had seen every night in his dreams for the past few weeks. Her pretty blonde hair hanging down loose, a tight little pink top on with her shoulders exposed, showing off her beautiful milky white skin, with just a hint of freckles. Impossibly tiny little shorts covering her perfect little butt cheeks.

He was suddenly uncomfortable and tried to shift himself, so as not to cause embarrassment. Tony looked over to Maddie, then back to him, letting out a low chuckle. If only he knew.

Maddie caught his eye and smiled. Her smile faded quickly as sadness swamped her features. Raising his hand he gave her a wave and Trick a nod. She checked in with reception and was led into the back of the shop. Tony's gaze followed her, as she walked he let out a low whistle and Dex had to resist the urge to punch him.

“You know that little hottie?” he asked when she was out of sight.

“Yeah, we've met,” he grunted at his friend.

“Well?”

“None of your fuckin' business.”

End of conversation. Tony knew him well enough to know when not to push him for further information. It was also the end of his relaxation. So much for not thinking about Maddie.

He could hear her chatting and giggling in the next cubicle. Just thinking about someone with their hands on her was making him crazy. Making her giggle? Seriously Maddie? This woman was going to be the end of him.

Maddie

Walking into the club, Maddie immediately noticed Dex. He was sitting at a table with two other men, one she recognised from the tattoo shop, the other an older man who she had not seen before. Be damned if she was going to let him beat her, she lifted her head high, straightened her shoulders and set out straight toward him. He had not appeared to see her yet.

As she got closer, he looked up and smiled, a devastatingly beautiful smile, he was happy to see her. That warmed her heart, but then a woman stepped between them. She looked like a stripper or something, a teeny little skirt and thigh-high boots, boobs hanging out everywhere and what the hell was she doing. Her eyes bugged out of her head as Dex stood to meet this woman, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her into the table by his side.

What on earth was going on? Maddie had a good mind to run over there and rip the little whore's eyes from their sockets.

“Hey, come on, don't worry about him.” She heard a voice and felt a hand on her arm. She had been so caught up in her own thoughts she had forgotten Asha was even there with her. Spinning on her heel, she turned and glared at her friend.

“Did you see what just happened? Did you see that skank?” Maddie waved her hands in the air pointing toward where Dex sat. Still far enough away to not notice her, or hear her over the thumping base of the band.

Asha's face moved in closer to hers to be heard. “Yes, come now, don't worry about him. We came here to have a good time and we aren't going to let Dex or anyone else ruin it for us are we?”

“But I want to fu...”

“Maddie!” Asha interrupted her before she could finish what she wanted to say. “Come now, there are heaps of good looking guys here, you can have a good night without him.”

Maddie looked around the room. Asha was kind of right, there were plenty of men around her age in the club. None of them were as good looking as Dex.

“Come on, let’s go get our drink on yeah?” Asha said tugging at her arm and pulling her toward the bar.

At least being at her brothers club got free drinks. Asha went ahead of her, turning back to make sure she was following. It was busy in the club tonight. Xavier had told her Friday night was often the busiest night. She had not been here at night before. It had been many years since she had been in this kind of situation so she had expected to feel uncomfortable. Asha had promised to look after her. By the time she reached the bar, Asha had already ordered and had several shooters lined up for them both.

Maddie wasted no time downing her drinks, enjoying the feel of the burn as the silky liquid slid down her throat. Drowning her sorrows, she would show Dex how much of a good time she could have, she did not need him in her life anyway.

“Hey ease up there little sis,” she heard her brothers voice from across the bar and turned to see him smiling back at her.