“Can you tell me about your other tattoos?”
“Only if you come take a shower with me.”
She nods, and I slap her ass as she climbs off of me. I’m nowhere near done with her tonight.
The power is still out, but I have a couple of candles that I light and bring into the bathroom, somehow making everything more perfect. It’s like the outside world doesn’t even exist.
“What about this one?” She points to the snake on my arm.
“Snakes are deadly, but they’re protectors.” She nods, not asking for any clarification.
“This one?” She drags her finger over the dagger on the lateral part of my bicep.
“An act of sacrifice.” Her finger lingers there for a moment before she leans down to kiss my wet skin.
“The compass?”
“My moral compass.”
She smiles and traces it with her fingers. “Very deep.”
“I spent a lot of time wanting to kill myself. I needed something deep to believe in.” Her fingers still, and I cover them with my own. “I only attempted once when I was in prison, but it was a long road to stop hating myself.”
She doesn’t speak as she guides her hand over the scar above my wrist. The one hidden by the claw marks.
“Lochlan got to me in time. He slowed the bleeding down until the medical staff could save me. Then he kept saving me. Gave me a home once I got out of prison, and purpose. He saved my life in a lot of ways, but keeping me alive and out of trouble so I could find my way back to you is the highest on my list.”
“So I should thank him?” She looks at me sadly, filled with grief over the decisions I made.
“I mean, you can… But he’d probably just grunt in response.”
She grins as I wipe her rogue tears with my thumb.
“I guess I see what Jo sees in him then.”
That makes me laugh, and she leans into me as the shower streams down on us.
Her hand follows the path of water down my stomach, her fingers graze my thighs as she traces the tattoos there.
“First ones I did to myself,” I tell her, as her nails dig into my muscles.
“Doves?”
I nod, and she brings her hands back to my chest, looking at me, thoughtfully, waiting for an explanation.
“I did them in my cell once I figured out how to get a hold of tattoo equipment. They don’t look great. But each one is a little better than the last.”
I have two on one thigh and the best one on my other thigh.
“What other tattoos am I missing?”
“My back is empty. Saving it for a big piece.”
“Have any ideas?”
“Yes.” Her eyes narrow at my short response. “Another Liv tattoo.”
Her mouth pops open. “Like what? You already have so many.”
