Page 174 of Splintered Hearts

“Why are you handing me this?” Looking at the receipt, I’m more confused that there’s no cost on it.

Jamie doesn’t answer, instead he raises his shirt.

“Holy fucking shit.” My first instinct is to reach for him because my fingers know Jamie’s body almost as well as my own. Pulling back, I look up. “I don’t... What the fuck?” Elated, confused, a little shocked, I take in the tattoo. The same drawing I drew on Jamie’s chest.

Jamie had this tattooed. Jamie. Mister only gray and black, save for his cherry blossoms that were colored for a reason—colored because of Luci. “I can’t...” This is a lot, but my point still stands. “You can’t just get a tattoo because you want to get me back, Jamie. You can’t just... this is...” It’s too much. “You can’t do this to get me back.”

“Baby.” The husky name makes me shiver. “Look at the receipt. The date.” Confused, I look at the tiny slip of paperthen focus on the date. Not only the date but the time stamp. Understanding hits me. “You got this when we were there?”

“That’s where I was the morning I was gone for a bit.” Jamie takes a tiny step toward me. “I waited for you to fall asleep and called the shop. I remembered when Maddox had it, they’d always be there early setting up. Cleaning. Marketing before they opened. I was betting on them being there. I went down and he tattooed the drawing you did.” Jamie takes a deep breath. “On the way back Ari saw me while she was jogging. What she said fucked with my mind, and that’s on me. I just... I just felt that she was right and that you were better off. I ended up hurting you because I thought you’d be better off without me. It’s hard to reconcile in my brain how much you love me. I’m working on that, I swear.”

Jamie takes a step and I let him, my eyes focused on that ridiculous tattoo. “You fucked up the flow of your tattoos.”

That makes him laugh, and fuck, I want to bottle the sound. Grabbing my hand, he places it over the tattoo. “It’s my favorite tattoo.”

“Okay, now I know you’re lying.”

Laughing, he brings my hand to his lips and presses a kiss to it. “I’ll tell you right now, I will never lie to you ever again. I love this tattoo more than anything.”

Not wanting to cry, I look away. Fuck, I’m weak. “It is a nice rainbow-glitter cock.” A watery laugh escapes me. “The tattoo’s nice also.” Jamie laughs, pulling me into his arms and squeezing me hard. He lets me break down inside his safety. “You better not hurt me like this again.”

Pressing a kiss to my head, Jamie hugs me harder. “Never. Never again. I will never lie to you or hurt you on purpose.” Pulling back, he cups my face. “I’m still new to this. If I’m acting like an asshole for whatever dumb reason, put me in my place.”

“Oh, I’ll have no problem doing that,” I laugh, wiping my owneyes. “Therapy, huh?”

“I fucking hate it.” Offering me a smile, he shrugs. “But it’s working, a little.”

“I love you.” That takes Jamie by surprise, before his brain catches up and he pulls me into his arms.

“I love you too, little fox.” Heat dances behind his eyes. Fuck, I love this man.

“Baby.”

Jamie presses soft kisses against the side of my face. “What is it?”

“I just have one thing I need you to do.”

“Anything.” He kisses my neck and I shiver.

“I need . . .” Moaning Jamie bites down on the juncture of my neck. “I need you to tell me . . . in great detail . . .”

“Okay,” he murmurs.

“How you groveled to Mark.”

Losing all of his warmth instantly, Jamie glares at me. “Why do you always ruin shit?”

“A talent, my love.”

“Talent, huh?” Jamie gives me a wicked smirk that makes warmth pool in my belly. “I’ll show you talent, smart ass.” Picking me up, he throws me over his shoulder, smacking my ass.

Laughing, I pretend to squirm and try to get down. Jamie swats my ass again, leading me to my bedroom. “What are you doing?!”

“Anything you want me to.”

Forty Five

Two months later

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