Honor.I’d thought that was the only thing that mattered for so long, but I’d been wrong.It was people who mattered.Principles were cold company if you had no one in your life to share the good times and the badtimeswith.
Sitting in that hospital waiting room, not knowing whether Ari would make it through surgery, everything had become crystal clear.I would have done anything, given everything, to guarantee she’d come back to me.And maybe there was a certain kind of honor in that—the willingness to do whatever it took to protect the people youloved.
I would lie, cheat, and kill if it meant protecting Ari or any one of the people in this room, and I wouldn’t lose a minute of sleep at night becauseofit.
“So, who wants to playagame?”
The entire room filled with groans at Vanessa’squestion.
“I thought you said no games?”Ariasked.
“Hey, y’all pipe down.This is a good one.The ladies are going to come up with an idea for a tattoo to grace your significant other’s body ...and then Con, Bishop, and Delilah are going to draw them up for you and ink them all this week.”She paused.“But there’s a catch—you’re getting a matching tattoo, except for the girls who are knocked up.You get a rain check.No backing out.No pussy shit.Who’sin?”
Everyone looked at Vanessa and then at their partner before voicing their agreement.Ari’sokayhad beenquiet.
“You don’t have to, Red.You might be the only person in this room without ink, and no one’s going to push youintoit.”
Her gaze swept up to meet mine.“Oh, hell no.I’m doing it.But the pressure’s on.I have to make thisperfect.”
I could practically hear the gears turning in her brain as her focus turnedinward.
Never before would I have thought watching a womanthinkcould be so damn sexy, but that was another way Ari changed everything.She was the exception to every rule, and shewasmine.
A glance around the room revealed gleeful smiles and contemplative looks.This was going to be an interesting week at Voodoo Ink, to say theleast.
Vanessa came around with sketch pads and pencils, and Ari accepted one with another glance at me.She grinned and begantodraw.
Simon
Voodoo Ink,laterthatweek
It had been a while since I’d sat in this chair, and all I could think about was how much my life had changed since the first night I’d walked in.Charlie’s aqua eyes had slayed me then, and now I see them every time I look at our daughter.We’ve had plenty of challenges over the years, but together we’ve grown stronger as we’ve overcomeeachone.
“You going to show me before they do the transfer?”I asked, wondering what my former notorious runaway had thought up to be inked on us both, although hers would be put off a few months because she wasbreastfeeding.
With a smile, Charlie turned around the sketch pad to show me the design she and Delilah had created.The corners of my mouthtuggedup.
It was a red-and-black Mardi Gras mask, and the significance hit me immediately.It was a replica of the one she’d worn the night her true identity had been revealed, the night that had changed everything for us.Charlie faced her past, and together we’d fought for this incredible future.I looked closer at the drawing to find there were two dates along the bottom edge—our wedding day and the day Honor was born.Two of the most important dates ofmylife.
I threaded my fingers through Charlie’s, tugging her close to steal a kiss.“Iloveit.”
She pressed her forehead to mine and trailed her fingertips down my cheek.“I’m so glad.Thank you for never giving uponme.”
I made her a solemn promise.“Never.I willnevergive up on us.I love you,Charlie.”
“I loveyoutoo.”
Con
Afew hourslater
“All right, princess, whatcha gotforme?”
I waited for Vanessa to finally show me the design she and Bishop had worked on.I was already covered, so I was curious to see where this piece would even fit.But since this was Vanessa’s idea, one she didn’t run by me, I might add, I was going through with it.She was too, before we left the shoptoday.
“You sure you’reready?”
“Lay itonme.”