Page 125 of So Wild

Sam nudged her twin. “Stop being mean. Noah, what are you talking about?”

Noah glowered into the camera before looking at her. “I’ve found someone who wants to be tattooed. He’s already here and he’s headed over to the table right now.”

Sam’s mouth fell open. “Are you fucking serious? Who is he? Is he your mate?”

“Nah, but he seems like a decent guy and he wants to help out.”

“Where did you find him?”

“I just texted him, it’s all good. He should be here soon.” Noah scanned the crowd and Sam did the same, forgetting that she didn’t know who she was looking for. “Does this guy have any tats? Any idea of what he wants?”

“No idea. Why don’t you ask him?” Noah pointed to a tall man heading toward them. “There he is.”

Sam spotted the tall, sandy-haired stranger and saw that it wasn’t a stranger at all.

“No,” she said, and she dropped her ass into her chair because her knees were threatening to give way.

“Oh my god, it’s Scott!”

Half of Nicole’s fingers were crammed into her mouth, but Edith heard her anyway. “Who’s Scott?”

“Our old neighbor, Scott Sanderson. He’s Sam’s…Noah, what did you do?”

Noah shrugged. “What I had to do. He was already here, anyway. Now he knows the score.”

“But that’s…”

Sam didn’t hear what Nicole said in response. Scott’s bright black eyes had found hers and the way he smiled made her want to sing and puke.

“No,” she whispered. “Youcan’t.”

She knew he understood, but his smile just got wider. He continued making his way toward her table, Toby at his heels. Scott was dressed completely inappropriately for the event; his navy suit and white shirt making him look like someone’s unrealistically sexy movie boss. Sam’s chest tightened and her heart pounded against her ribs. Adrenaline was flooding her system at a near suicidal rate and yet she was so, so happy to see him.

I’m in love.I’m in love with Scott.

Dazed, she watched him come closer, surprised by how unsurprising the realisation was and how she felt both calm and disturbed. She wondered what her dad would say if he was here, and then she saw it—her next tattoo. It would sit on the inside of her shoulder, in the patch she’d been saving for years and years. It would be plain—just three lines written in her own handwriting;

It was wonderful.

And painful.

It was like life.

Scott approached the table, Toby at his heels, and beamed around at everyone. “Hello all, I’m here to get a tattoo. Are there any forms I need to sign?”

Edith gave a squeak of excitement but before she could extend her microphone toward him, Sam stood. “I’m not tattooing you.”

Scott beamed at her, the skin around his dark eyes crinkling. “Hello, Samantha. I missed you.”

“I missed you, too, but I’m not tattooing you for Fadeout.”

“For Fadeout? Or ever?”

Sam knew he meant her pact to never tattoo anyone she was romantically involved with. She smiled, because he was such a shitlord. Because he already knew he was the exception. “For Fadeout. I’m not letting you make a spectacle of yourself in front of everyone for me.”

“Bollocks.” Scott unbuttoned his jacket and pulled it off. “Where can I put this? And are the consent forms about? Noah said something about consent forms.”

“Ooh, they’re here.” Nicole pulled a stack of papers out of nowhere and held them up to Scott’s face. “Want my pen?”

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