Page 205 of Heir

Dominic said he would keep his eye on the situation, and that was that.

I also told them what Jude had told me.

Kai hadn’t shown any reaction to what I said. He only pulled me tighter in his arms.

And now it was midnight.

Both of us were still awake.

Dominic had come by earlier today and tattooed four more cherry blossom flowers on Kai’s back and covered up the Jude tattoo on his wrist with a black-inked bracelet with intricate patterns. The name “Jude” was buried deep in a sea of ink, and that was all there was to it.

That had taken most of the day. Now I sat on Kai’s lower back as I took in the expanse of the tattoo, letting my finger run over the places that hadn’t been recently inked.

“It’s beautiful,” I said softly.

“Don’t you find it grotesque?”

“Why would I?”

“Because of why I get them.”

I paused. “I would never find anything about you grotesque. You’re beautiful. And you’re mine. But why do you get them?”

He turned his head around so that I could see his eyes. “I guess it makes it more bearable when I kill for the club.”

“Oh.”

“Killing is easy. It’s what comes after that’s hard. But if I remind myself of the reason, it makes it easier to deal with.”

“Oh.”

“You think that makes me weak?”

I frowned. “You can never be weak.”

Kai was the strongest man in the world. He was my protector. My love.

“You’re so strong. You make me strong,” I said fiercely.

He reached out his hand for me and helped me to lie on the bed. He moved his body over mine and looked me in the eyes.

“Kai,” I said when I felt him press against me.

He kissed me softly.

“You make me strong,” he said. “I can take on anything as long as you’re by my side.”

I smiled a little. “Then you’re going to be invincible. Because I will never leave your side.”

For the first time since we got off the ship, Kai offered me a genuine smile before kissing me once more, holding me in his arms.

“I’m gonna hold you to that,” he whispered, and he kissed me again.

And again.

And again…

EPILOGUE

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