Page 10 of Marked By The Grouchy Grizzly

I’ve marked her alright. But it’s not going to end well.

“What. The. Fuck?!”

Oh shit.

It’s her friend. Himari, I think?

She came over to look at the progress and is standing behind me with her face all pale and her eyes opened wide.

“What the fuck did you do?!” she screams.

CHAPTER FOUR

Julian

“You tattooedyour nameon her shoulder?” Himari screeches so loud my ears ring. “What the fuck?!”

“No way, really?” Curt says, looking over.

I grab a sticky bandage, rip it open, and cover the tattoo with it as everyone comes rushing over. And I meaneveryone.

Magnus is staring at me in disbelief. Lainey’s two friends are screeching like banshees, and Curt is grinning from ear to ear for the unexpected show.

Meanwhile, Victoria is in full damage control mode. “Whatever happened, I can fix it,” she says with her voice racing. “I’ll take over and blend it into a flower. You’ll never see it!”

“Show us what you did,” Carly demands as she stands there with her arms crossed, evil eyes trying to burn me alive.

“He wrote his name on her,” Himari says. “We’re suing.”

“You’re going so viral for this,” Carly says as she reaches forward and yanks the bandage off my girl. “Oh my god!”

“Totally fixable!” Victoria says in a high-pitched tone. “Not a problem at all.”

“This is epic,” Curt says, grinning as he pulls out his phone to take a picture.

A growl rips out of my throat as I lunge forward and snatch the phone out of his hand. There’s no way I’m going to let that dickhead take a picture of my girl, especially when she’s showing this much skin.

“Give me the phone,” Magnus says as I’m about to snap it in half. I’m in enough trouble, so I hand it over.

“No pictures,” I warn.

“You’re in no position to tell us what we can and cannot do,” Carly says, huffing angrily. “You’re so fucked, I hope you know that. My dad is a lawyer.”

I have five frantic people in my face, but I haven’t seen the reaction of the only person who matters. While I’m distracted with Lainey’s friends, she slips out of the chair and walks over to the full-length mirror.

My heart pounds as I watch her looking over her shoulder into the mirror, gazing at the reflection of her new tattoo.

She doesn’t look angry or upset. I can’t really tell what she’s thinking.

“I’ll be happy to fix it,” Victoria says, trying to calm the situation down. “I can blend it into the petals easily. No one will ever know that it’s even there.”

“We’llknow,” Carly snaps. “She’ll still have this lunatic’s signature on her.Forever. What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

I inhale sharply as she sticks her finger in my face.

“Yeah, this is seriously fucked up,” Himari says, adding her finger too.

“There’s no charge for today,” Magnus says even though Carly’s tattoo is half done. “So, don’t even worry about it.”

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