Page 30 of Truths

“You gave up on me. That's on me. I disappeared when I thought I was dying, and you didn't have a say in the matter. But everything since the night I showed up at your house, healed and better, was your choice. You had months to come after me, and when you did, you lied about something so terrible I can't even wrap my mind around it. But even then, you haven't stepped foot back here since. You're only here now because you're alone, not because you love me.”

Jolie straightens against him rather than pull away from him. “Bodie's mine, Evie. You had a chance to be with him, and you lost him. He's not yours anymore.”

“This is what you really want?” Evie asks.

His arm wraps around Jolie's shoulders, and he places a kiss to her temple. “We can never trust each other, and Jolie's my girl. The biggest part of my world.”

“She's not even your type, Bodie.”

He smiles. “No, she's perfect.”

“And she's not a lying whore,” Lex adds, bending forward with her arms still crossed. “Just saying.”

“I've also come to learn that if I get Lex's stamp of approval, I've made a good decision,” Bodie says with a laugh. “Plus, she told me you were lying that night you came and, well, fucking lied. Her instincts are pretty spot on.”

Jolie smirks. “Lex, I think I fucking love you.”

“What is with all this 'think' bullshit?” she exclaims. “Doesn't anyone just, I don't know, fuckingknowwhether they like or love me?”

“Idofucking love you,” she clarifies.

“Better,” Lex says and smiles.

Bodie looks at Jolie. “She's not the only one loved here.”

Her eyes look up at him. “What?”

“I love you, baby. Meeting you on the bridge that night was the single scariest moment of my life, but I'm so glad it happened.”

“You are so getting laid tonight,” she says, pulling his face down to kiss him. “Oh, and I love you, too.”

Evie lets out a disbelieving chuckle and walks to the door. “Have a great life, Bodie.”

“I wish you the best, Evie,” he says and shuts the door hard behind her. “But it ain't never gonna be with me.”

“Thank God!” Lex says. “Go get laid, dude. Somewhere that's not my house. For once.”

Smirking, Jolie sighs. “We really should listen to Lex more often.”

“I'll never say no to getting naked with you,” he says, pulling her towards the spare room. “Bye!”

Chapter Twelve

Summerville

Max

Max holds the tattoo gun in Daphne's apartment. She'd given him the rundown of how to use it, and she asked him to mark her skin. Something about knowing she trusts him enough to permanently mark her makes him happier than he can explain, but he stares at the sea of skin beneath her belly button that currently bares no ink. Sighing, he can't do it.

“Here,” Max says, holding the gun out to her.

“What's wrong?” Daphne asks.

She lies in just her lacy panties and matching bra, looking like a wet dream. “I want you to give me a quick tat first.”

Lifting an eyebrow, she smirks. “What and where are we putting said tattoo?”

His hands slowly strip himself completely naked, giving her a strip tease of sorts, and he lies on the bed. His cock lies limp against his thigh, but he knows as soon as she starts inking him, it'll change. There's something about the pain from getting a tattoo or a piercing that turns him on, especially when his hot-ass girlfriend is the one inflicting the delicious ache.

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