Locking eyes with her, I say, “You’ll see. You just sit and think about what you want.”
Drawing up her eyebrows, “Yes, sir,” comes out snarky. And I can’t help but laugh.
Jax hits a button, and music blares around the studio before he shows me the stencil he made. “Yep, that’s it.”
I see Rowan trying to stretch her neck, wanting to see it, but with how we’re positioned, she can’t get a good eye on it.
“Fucker,” she mutters, but I hear her and blow her a kiss.
The sound of the gun is meditation. I close my eyes and enjoy the sticks the needles make with my skin. My body is overcome with goosebumps. Jax is heavy-handed, so I feel each line he tattoos on me.
Turning my head, I watch Rowan. With long black hair hanging over her shoulders, jean-clad legs crossed, and her feet adorned with her boots, she looks at her phone, in her own world of trying to find what she wants. I know it’s not on the phone; it’s already in her mind.
I’m lost in her, and before I know it, the tattoo gun is quiet. “All done,” Jax announces before slapping the fuck out of my angry skin.
The slap reverberates. “You motherfucker.” I knew it was coming, but fuck. “I hate you,” I tell him as he cleans it off.
He laughs as he rolls away, cleaning up his tray and getting it ready for Rowan.
Leaning up, I smile down at my fresh addition. Hearing her boots cross the linoleum floor, I watch her as she takes in the tattoo that now resides over my heart. Her hand flies to her mouth. “Luca,” she mutters behind it. Her eyes become glassy while reading it repeatedly.
A heart made of barbed wire encircles her name in crimson red, forever staining my skin.
Her hand reaches out to touch it, but yanks it back. “Baby, that’s beautiful.” Leaning down, she kisses me, her tongue gently opening my lips, caressing mine, before breaking apart and kissing right above the tattoo. A tear rolling down her cheek.
“You’re forever mine, Rowan.”
“Forever,” she repeats.
Sitting up, I throw my legs over and pull her in between them. She just stares at her name.
“This is permanent now,” she informs me, like I don’t know.
“This,” I say, motioning between her and me, "It has always been permanent." My hand clasps her face as my thumb rubs over her bottom lip. Hoping she sees this is me, going all in. There is nothing more out there that I want; it’s standing in front of me.
Kissing the pad of my thumb, she says, “I love you.”
“Ready?” booms from behind us, and Rowan’s eyes get big. “I guess so.” She pats my leg to motion for me to get off the table.
I can see trepidation running through her, and I already know why. “I’ll be right here.” I pull her chair she was just occupying to the table. Jax removes the wrap and re-wraps the table so she can lie on it.
Her hands shake as she reaches for the button on her pants.
“Lay down.” I motion to the table, grabbing her on each hip, picking her up, and sitting her on it.
“What do you have in mind, Rowan?” Jax asks her as she lays back.
She shows him a picture on her phone. “This. And I want it big enough to cover…” She trails off, fumbling for her pants.
Moving her hands, I do it for her, unfastening her button, pulling down her zipper. “Lean up just a bit, baby.”
Lifting, I pull down the jeans from her hips, as her body trembles. “It’s okay,” I tell her, as I push up her shirt, revealing her scar. My eyes immediately shoot at Jax, and I see when he sees it. But he doesn’t say anything. Good man. I don’t feel like killing the only person I trust to tattoo me.
He leans over, taking the scar in, his artist's mind in overdrive, before he looks to her. “Do you mind if I touch it? I need to feel the texture and make sure it’s safe to tattoo on.”
Rowan's throat bobs up and down from swallowing. “Yes.”
My eyes follow every move his glove-clad fingers make. Feeling my ears turn red, anger at watching another man touch her.Calm down, Luca. He’s doing his job. You fucking brought her here.I remind myself.
