“Yes,” I answer. “At least… he says he is. And I want him to be.”
I glance at Nik, searching his face for judgment, but I find none. He just holds my hands and listens.
“Sean’s been there,” I go on quietly. “Through all of it. He’s loyal. Safe. He sees me in ways no one else does. And I… I want him to feel seen, too. He deserves that.”
The silence stretches too long. I hate the quiet.
“I think I love him,” I whisper. “Is that… okay?”
The question is sharp-edged with fear.What if this is the thing that tips it all out of balance?What if I just undid everything?
Nik doesn’t hesitate. He squeezes my hand.
Axel smooths a warm palm down my back. “Yeah, Princess. It’s okay.”
Something eases in me. I breathe deeper.
Axel resumes the tattoo, and the buzzing fills the space again. The three of us start talking about everything and nothing. Movies. Old memories. Weird tattoo stories. The kind of conversation that fills in the cracks instead of breaking them open. It feels so much like old times, it makes my heart hurt a little. Like it’s too good to be real. Like it can’t possibly last.
Because girls like me don’t get happy endings. We don’t end up with everything we want. Life’s never been that kind. But for now, I let myself enjoy this.
Eventually, Axel switches off the machine. The buzz fades into quiet.
“All done,” he says, tugging off his gloves. “Wanna see?”
I nod and slowly sit up. He helps me to my feet and guides me over to a mirror.
I glance over my shoulder. A single stem with multiple blooms runs down the line of my spine, delicate and fine, shaded with intricate leaves and petals. Woven into the stem, so subtle it takes a moment to notice, are four names written in flowing cursive:
Axel. Nik. Johnny. Sean.
I gasp. “Axel! What if we break up?”
“We won’t,” he says simply.
“What if I do something unforgivable?”
“You won’t.”
“What ifyoudo something unforgivable?”
“Then we’ll grovel till the end of time,” Nik answers, standing beside me in the mirror.
His voice is calm. Certain.
“This. You. Us. It’s real, Carolina,” he says. “Get on board.”
I stare at the reflection, swallowing the lump in my throat. They’ve marked me. Claimed me.Permanently. And somehow, instead of fear or panic… all I feel is warmth. Peace. Like my skin finally fits.
Axel fucking branded me. And fuck me, I love it.
“I’m committed,” Axel says. “He’s committed,” he nods at Nik. “Sean isdefinitelycommitted. You should see the way he looks at you,” he adds.
“Now, we just have to get Johnny to pull his head out of his ass and call off this sham of a wedding.”
My heart lurches. There it is. The lingering fear and doubt that I foolishly pushed aside.
“Wedding?” I say so calmly, I almost scare myself.
