Page 123 of Revival

“Did you find something you like?”

“I did. I like this design. If we can make this middle piece darker, I think it’d work nicely with the cover-up.”

“I can make that work. Come on back. You can show me what we’re dealing with, and we can get started.”

Nerves flutter in my abdomen as we walk to the empty stall. I peek in on Spencer and find his eyes already fixated on the parted curtain as if he knew I was coming. He gives me a slow once-over, his stare potent enough to bring heat between my thighs.

I offer a jaunty wave, and he returns a devastating smirk.

Cole and I complete a brief consultation. He agrees the tattoo will work nicely, and after cleaning the area behind my ear, he applies the stencil. I study my reflection in the mirror and confirm the placement.

Cole positions me lying on my side and sets up his tray.

“Ready to get started?”

I curl my fingers into a fist and tuck them against my chest. “I’m ready.”

“Okay. Let me know if you need a break or anything.”

The gun buzzes to life, and he gets to work.

I close my eyes and breathe through the burning pain. It feels like someone is pressing a hot iron against my skin. The sensation isn’t too bad except when he stays in one spot for too long. It’s the only time I find myself wishing he would move along.

Cole doesn’t talk while he works, so I listen to the buzzing gun and the heavy metal rock playing from the speakers. I can confidently say I don’t recognize a single song. Between breaks in the music, I strain to hear Spencer and Dante, but their voices are lost to the tattoo guns.

As Cole moves from spot to spot, I picture a jar filling in my mind, the percentage completed steadily growing. Each movement is a piece of Sebastian being erased from my skin forever.

And replaced by something much more permanent.

“How are you doing, Kitten?”

Spencer’s soft, deep voice has me opening my eyes. “Good.” I sound like I just woke up. Maybe I did. Somewhere, I fell into a lull despite the screaming rock band.

“She’s almost done,” Cole announces from beside me. After a few more passes with the needles, he wipes the spot clean. “Finished.”

“How does it look?” I ask Spencer, reaching for his hand.

His eyes zero in on my neck.

“Is it ugly?” I tease, knowing it’s not. The design is small and cute.

He seems to shake himself out of wherever he went and helps me sit up. “It looks great, Kitten. Want to tell me about it?”

Cole says, “I’ll give you two a minute.” The curtain swishes shut behind him.

Spencer brushes gentle fingertips beneath my new tattoo. “You went with river rocks.”

“They’re stones.”

His startled exhale puffs warm air against my neck.

“They’re strong. Unbreakable. Did you know people will use stacked rocks as trail markers to find their way home?”

Spencer’s swallow is audible. “I did.”

“I had him darken the middle one for you.” Because he’s the middle Stone.

“Cortney,” he rasps my name. “Kitten, when I said you should cover up his mark, I didn’t mean for you to feel pressured to replace it with mine.”

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