She’s beaming as she talks animatedly to Riley, but it’s not flirtatious.
Not that I’m checking.
Seriously, Collins? Again with the lies?
Okay, maybe I am…but it’s not from insecurity.
It’s…
“Are you growling like a little hellcat?” Creed whispers in my ear, before he hums. “My territorial girl, Stardust.” He hides his laughter with a cough when my head snaps to him with a glare for outing me like that.
“Like you’re not? You growl at people all the time for even looking at me.”
He picks up my hand and kisses each of my knuckles while the artist goes over aftercare instructions with Riley. “Oh, I am, and definitely don’t deny that I do. It’s just cute but sexy as hell to see you embracing it, too. Especially in public.” He waggles his eyebrows at me and leans in conspiratorially before whispering, “You get like that for me, too?”
I narrow my eyes, but the thought of other people getting their grubby hands anywhere near Creed has my blood pressure rising. “I will fucking cut somebody if they so much astryanything with you.”
“Noted.” But this time, the teasing tone comes from the tattoo artist. Mara, I think. My face grows impossibly hot when I realize my words came out entirely too loud, and the whole tattoo studio must have heard my crazy declaration. Creed chuckles next to me, and I elbow him in his side, which only makes him fight his laughter harder.
Mara, thankfully, doesn’t look the least bit offended by my words as she directs her blinding smile right at me.
“Your boy sat so fucking well.” Her words remind me of what his first physical therapist had said backhandedly, but with the way she’s bright-eyed and literally exploding with excitement, I know she means them sincerely.
Riley finally turns around, his sweet, beautiful face filled to the brim with pride and something else I can’t quite place. His dark eyes bounce back and forth between Creed and me.
“Can we see?” Creed asks, then pushes to stand, and offers me his hand.
I take it and stride across the room until we’re gathered around Riley. I don’t even know where he got tattooed, let alone what, so I scan him over, looking for the ink.
Mara slips away and disappears down the hallway, leaving the three of us alone in the front of the shop.
Down his body and back again, I peruse his skin, wishing I could kiss every freckle along the way. He shifts his arms, and that’s when I see it.
“Oh my fucking God!” Creed’s lips part in shock, and I suck in a surprised breath before they seize in my lungs completely.
His hands.
Riley tattooed…his hands.
“I’ll give you guys a moment to look them over. I’ll be back in a few to go over aftercare,” Mara murmurs, then disappears around the corner.
Your boy sat so fucking well.
It makes total sense now. I will my tears to stay hidden long enough for me to take in the ink that now so beautifully adorns his skin.
On the left hand, in pretty script, are the wordsPer Aspera Ad Astra.The most delicate swirl of stars surrounds the phrase. They travel from his wrist to the very tip of his ring finger.
Through hardships to the stars.
I cover my mouth with my hand to stifle the sob threatening to burst free.
Creed lifts Riley’s right hand and holds it delicately between us.
There’s another Latin phrase, the angle of the words mirroring his left hand. On this hand, it says,Amor Vincit Omnia.Love conquers all. Intricate, fine-lined vines weave around the words, all the way up until they encircle his right ring finger, stopping at the three tiniest tattooed hearts I’ve ever seen. Each one perfectly spaced, the last one poised under his last knuckle, just above the nail.
“Riley…” I squeak out, feeling completely speechless.
“Do—do you like them?” he asks, his throat bobbing as he stares at his hands and shifts from foot to foot. Clearing his throat, he stammers, “I just…you know I—I’ve struggled with these assholes from the moment I woke up in that hospital.” His head bobs, like he’s debating how much he wants to share. He chuckles, but the sound is wobbly. “They still don’t hold steady at times, but you two pushed me through it.”
