“Fuck, now Lil’s going to middle name me all the damn time. Did I know that you know my middle name?” I grab Ariana, turnher around, and toss her over my shoulder. Her laugh turns into a squeal when I lightly pinch the underside of her asscheek. I put her down once we’re at the hot tub and follow her in.
“It’s the same as Dad’s, you goof.”
“Goof? No one has ever called me that before.”
“It’s not going to stick. I prefer Beefcake and Hot Stuff.”
Lil storms up behind me, wringing her long blonde hair out onto my head.
“Dick.” I splash her as she makes her way down the hot tub steps.
“Asshole.”
“Jerk face.”
Ariana cuddles up next to me as Lil and I continue insulting each other.
Chapter 55
Yes, I Googled it
Luca
Iwalk out of my bathroom in my boxers, drying my hair with a towel, and find Ariana standing in the middle of my room.
“What’s wrong, baby?” It’s late and I thought she was settled into bed for the night. I was about to put on some shorts and climb in next to her. I honestly don’t mind that she needs to sleep in Lil’s bed and will gladly keep holding her there every night for the rest of our lives, but I’m not doing it in just boxers again.
She steps in close and puts her arms around my waist. I toss the towel away, wrap my arms around her, and kiss the top of her head. Her hair is in a wet, messy bun and smells like her fruity shampoo. She’s wearing one of my shirts again. I love when she wears my fucking shirts, even though it means I run out of cleanlaundry faster. The feel of her, the smell of her, knowing she’s wearing my shirt… I can’t help the way my cock starts to harden when I hold her like this.
After a few minutes, she takes a couple of steps back, breathes in a deep breath, and turns around. “Baby—” I start, but my throat freezes when she lifts the shirt up over her head and drops it to the floor, leaving her completely naked. Bare skin covered in ink and scars.
I think my heart falls right out of my chest and shatters at her feet. Hearing that the woman you love was tortured is one thing, but seeing the proof? That’s a different level of pain.
The scars are everywhere, from her shoulder blades to just past the curve of her hips. Thin, thick, long, short… a few wrap around her sides. Some are slices, while others are clearly stab wounds. Tears run down my face, leaving hot trails behind before I even realize they’ve filled my eyes.
How in the hell does someone do this to a thirteen-year-old girl? How does someone do this to their own daughter? I close the distance between us with one step. Her breath hitches as I gently press my lips against one of the marks. I kiss every scar, dropping to my knees to get them all. Then I rest my hands on her hips and my forehead on her back.
She tenses slightly and takes a few deep breaths, working up her courage again. Slowly, she turns to face me, her eyes closed, her cheeks stained with tears.
A curved bar with pink jewels is nestled in her belly button. Six pieces of dandelion fluff wrap around the front of her left hip, and what I think is a heart sits on her bra-line on her right side, but those aren’t what she’s showing me right now. There aren’t as many scars on her front as there are on her back, but there’s still several scattered across her belly and chest, including a large mark across her left breast.
When I’ve softly kissed each one, I wrap my arms around her waist, pressing my cheek against her for a moment. Then I stand up and take her face in my hands. The trust she has in me is humbling. She finally opens her eyes, and more tears fall. I wipe them away with my thumbs.
“From that very first moment, you’ve been taking my breath away. Your beauty. Your strength and bravery. Your wild fuckingsoul. It’s like you’re made of sunshine and fireworks and goddamn fairy dust.”
The corners of her lips twitch. “It’s probably glitter,” she teases.
“Whatever it is, I want it.”
“You can never get rid of glitter, Luca,” she warns as a grin spreads across her face.
I hold her gaze, needing her to know how serious I am. “Good. I want you to sprinkle that shit everywhere.”
Her smile is bright like a shooting star.
“You are my everything, Ariana. My every fucking thing.”
“Kiss me, Luca,” she whispers.
