S.Y.L.O. (Brantley Gilbert)

Part 14

Shelby's POV

"You gonna tell me about these" I ask Brantley, poking at the big tattoo on his chest. I mean we've been sleeping together for probably a month and I kinda want to know. "Well what do ya wanna know sugar tits". I snicker at his nickname for me and stare down at his arm, tracing the gray lip print on his right forearm. "How'd you end up with so many? I mean I know they can get kinda addictive but your whole torso is kind of overkill for addiction" I say, laughing a little as I study the tattoos covering from his chest to his waist, going all the way around his torso and spanning down both arms to his knuckles. He is truly covered. He sighs and stares at the ceiling as he starts "Well you know I was in prison and the tattoo business in there is insane-" "Wait, really?" I interrupt him at the shock. How the heck is there a tattoo thing in prison?? He chuckles and explain "People want tattoos in prison, if they earn them, they get them. If they don't they most likely won't be able to get them and if they do there's a chance they won't have them for long". "Bu-" Brantley cuts me off before I'm even able to get out a words and says "I know, tattoos are permanent, But skin isn't". My mouth drops opened and he laughs. "You're telling me people.... How does that even work. As far as I know peoples skin doesn't just fall off". "Shelby, your a little innocent for this, are you sure you want to know?" he asks, cupping my cheek in his big hand and I just nod. "Well I'll just tell you the story of a dude I knew. He was obsessed with this gang, tried to join it multiple times, tried to become friend with members, they wouldn't let him in. He wanted to be in this gang so bad that that he got the initiation tattoo knowing damn good and well that he didn't earn the thing. They found out he got it and a couple of it's members came at him with a razor blade, telling him if he didn't cut it off they'd do it for him. Long story short; that tattoo wasn't there the next day" as he tells the story it shocks me more and more. He actually knew this person, was actually around when this happened. He reaches up and with a chuckle and closes my mouth for me before saying "I know, cruel world in there". After finally finding my voice again I ask him, still shocked "were you involved with any of that stuff and like that's how you know this?". Sighing, he sits up in the bed, letting me slide off his chest and down in front of him before he pulls me up to sit me between his outstretched legs. "Sweetheart I've never been involved with any gangs unless you count what I do now. And if you meant the tattoo world in there... yeah". "You did tattoos???" I ask loudly, my mouth fallen open again and he barks out a laugh. "No, I did not. I'm not near talented enough for that, I just made the machines" he explains, resting his hands on my thighs and chuckling at me as I change the subject. "Okay, that's surprising but now for the big question. I can't remember at all what you said you went to prison for and I'm seriously wondering what it is, so could you maybe refresh my memory" I ask giggling a little because I feel awkward as crap. He looks reluctant before he simply says "Arson". Okay, that's bad. "But it's justified.... depending on who you are" he mumbles, looking down at his hands. I find some courage and grab his beard, making him look at me and tell him with a grin "Try me".

Brantley's POV

Looking down at Shelby in her cocky, grinning form I sigh, shaking my head. She really wants to know this.... But I don't know if I'm ready to tell her. I've been keeping this in for a while because it hurts to tell. To know I hurt my family. I remember that night in vivid detail... too vivid. I was drunk at the clubhouse, as per usual and Kolby called me. He was panicking, crying, yelling, saying it was all my fault and that he couldn't lose her. I didn't know who 'her' was at the time but after a minute I got what he was saying. I got to the hospital and momma was in emergency surgery, Kolby wouldn't talk to me and I was about ready to shoot myself with the guilt of what my actions had caused. I apologized to my 18 year old brother more times than I can count to this day and I could barely stand to see momma, figured she wouldn't want to see me anyway. Hell, she nearly lost her life because I had beef with someone. I remember her telling me it was okay, that she was just glad all of us were fine, even if she did have 200 stitches and was in ICU. She told me not to do anything stupid and that she loved me and when she fell sleep I left..... I went to give the son of a bitch that shot my mother what he deserved. I knew he would rot in hell and I probably would too for what I was about to do, so I set his house up in flames. Watched it burn, waiting to hear a scream, but I never did. Figured he was passed out high and left to drink myself into oblivion. Saw on the news the next day that the house burned but no one was in it. Truthfully I wanted to go back and finish the job but for some god forsaken reason I turned myself in that day. Went by the hospital and told Kolby and momma I loved them both more than they could ever know and apologized again, then went to the Sheriff's station and Darren was already waiting on me with cuffs. "Is something wrong" I get snapped out of reliving that point in my life by Shelby's soft voice. I look at her and shake my head, trying to get my thoughts straight before speaking. "So you really wanna know the story, huh?".