I pressed on her shoulders, guiding her to the floor. Her breath hitched as I settled my weight on her back. Enough to keep her from escaping, but not the whole. No, I wouldn’t crush her. I splayed her left hand on the ground, pinning it in place.
The whirr of the gun made her jolt. “Enzo!”
“Relax, it will all be over soon.”
“Vincenzo Luca Messina, I swear to—” The threat turned into a cry as the needle bit into her skin. “What the hell?!”
I flexed my grip, keeping her still by sheer force of will. It was harder to guide the gun than I anticipated. It wasn’t the first time I’d used one, but my guard was up. I didn’t want to screw up her virgin skin. My mark needed to be precise.
“Relax,” I urged.
“Enzo, it hurts,” she protested, and I hated the note of pain in her voice.
“Sshhh, sweet girl, just a minute more.” I guided the needle in another pass, making the shape bolder.
Amanda whimpered, jerking against my hold. But her body was tiny compared to mine.
I lifted the gun, tipping my head to examine the mark.
Right there, on her ring finger, my brand was inked in her skin.
“Beautiful,” I murmured, flicking the gun off. “You did so well, fiore mio.”
I moved back. Amanda lost no time ripping the cloth from her eyes. She glared at the mark.
“You tattooed me!” she raged.
I rose and placed the gun back in the bag.
“This isn’t funny—” She shook her hand. “It’s a—a—why an E?”
She glared at the digit, then lifted her eyes to pin me with her wrath.
“I’ll buy you a ring, Mandy, but this is something that can never be taken from you.” I crouched to cup her chin again, but she scrambled back. Her chest heaved as conflicting emotions warred on her face.
“An E?” she spat. “What’s that mean?”
A flicker of hurt thrummed in my chest. “Isn’t it…obvious?”
“No!” she wailed.
My shoulders slumped. My mark. My woman. It made sense in my mind.
“Vincenzo, I can’t believe you did this.” Her lip trembled. “I hate needles.”
As she spoke, my left hand stretched out to her, but I stopped before I touched her. I flipped my palm over, letting her see the matching mark on my finger.
An M.
An M to match her E.
But she was too mad to care.
Porca miseria….I messed up.
Chapter 55 – Amanda
Atattoo. A freaking tattoo! Here I thought we were going to have a wicked, sinfully pleasurable reunion, and he had to go and ruin it with this—this—
