Page 54 of A Hurt So Good

“It’s so good. Oh my God, War. I love it,” she beams at him.

“This is Jake. He’s our tattoo artist.”

“Hey, Jake,” she says, never looking up at him. Her eyes stay glued to what he’s doing to War.

“You don’t have tattoos,” I say, catching her attention.

“I wanted one, but I was never sure what to get. I couldn’t make up my mind, so I didn’t get any,” she tells me before going back to watching. She seems so intrigued by everything he’s doing.

“How bad does it hurt?” she asks, looking at Jake now.

“Not bad at all. You get used to it pretty quick,” he tells her. Now, she looks up at me and races over, grabbing the front of my shirt.

“I want one.”

“A tattoo?”

“Yeah. I want one.”

“What do you want?” I ask her as her face lights up.

“I don’t know! You guys have to help me decide.”

“Get a rose,” Harlon calls out.

“No. A rose is something all the girls get,” Jake chimes in.

“What about a bird?” War says, his dark gaze coming to hers.

“Little bird,” she says softly.

“What about a bird with three black roses in its claws?” Jake says. He knows she’s ours. We’ve talked about it enough in front of him.

“One for each of you,” she whispers. “Is that weird?” She looks back over at me.

“Why would it be weird?”

“I don’t know. It’s permanent, Denz. What if … if you guys don’t want me later?” Now I laugh and pull her back into my arms.

“Baby, that is never going to happen. There’s never going to be a time when we don’t want you, Arya. You’re stuck with us.” The smile on her face tells me she likes what she’s hearing.

“Let’s do it then,” she says. She pulls away from me and walks over to Harlon, climbing in his lap.

“Can you design it?” She knows Harlon is good at what he does, and computers and drawing are his things.

“Of course I can.” She smiles brightly at him, and I sit here wondering if this will always be us. Will she always be this happy?

“Denz, you good?” Harlon calls out to me. I shake the thoughts away and nod my head.

“Yeah, I’m good. Talked to Dad. I told him that I was in.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. He wants to know about you two.”

“I, for one, think it’s a great idea,” Arya chimes in. Harlon tickles her sides, making her laugh before War speaks.

“I don’t know how well I’ll do,” he says.

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