Page 42 of Tarnished Vow

“I could get used to this.”

The corner of my lips twitched up. “What, red nail polish on your marble?” I wiggled forward, placing my feet closer to the fire. Perfect.

Squealing as he wrapped his arm around me, lifting me from the ground. “I was joking! I didn’t spill any! I swear.”

Holding me back to his chest with one arm, he dragged the lounge closer to the fire. “Don’t act like I would care.”

“You cared when Bas dropped the paint,”

“No, I cared that he dropped it and got it on you.” He sat down, still holding me to his chest, “And I don’t like it when you lay on the ground.”

How did he know I was about to lie down? “Fine,” I moved off him, getting in the right position again. He held my hair up before I laid back on his leg.

If this was to be the rest of my life, I would be okay with that. Taking his hand, I started to trace his hand tattoo, then over his rings.

Until him, I had only experienced angry silence.

“What happened here?” his finger ran under a bruise on my collarbone.

“Accident at the vacation house.”

He paused, “Vacation? When did you go away?”

“I left that night, after leaving here.” I sighed. “I only got back yesterday. Nothing like a family gathering to test my sanity.” Slowly, I traced the tattoo over his wrist and up his arm. “But I did buy these gorgeous navy stilettos. So, the trip wasn’t a complete waste.”

Silence again. It wasn’t angry silence, but different. I could feel he wanted to say something.

“Vince, can I ask you a question?”

“My love,” his fingers ran through my hair, “when have you ever needed permission to ask me anything?”

Biting my lip, he was right. Focusing on his hand, “Are you sure you want to marry me? I don’t want you doing it out of guilt or something.” Holding his hand, I sat up. “I know I’m not your type, so, are you sure you want to?”

After four years with him, it was clear he wasn’t attracted to me. The list of seductions I had tried on him at twenty was humiliating. And twice, I had directly asked him for sex. Which made his need to touch me just more confusing at the beginning.

He ran his thumb over my cheek before holding the side of my face. “I’m sure.”

I’d never wanted a tattoo, and I had sworn I would never get one. Running my hand down his arm.

“Does it hurt?” Staring at all his tattoos. “Getting tattooed?”

“Depends on the person.”

Climbing off the couch, I stood in front of him. “Can I see your tattoo again?”

He smirked. “Which one?”

“Which one do you think, Vinny? I need to be reminded how big it is again.”

His eyes widened. Did he seriously not know what I meant? Part of the Crows Oath was the tattooing within the ceremony. God. Only he could get me going back on my one rule.

Standing up, he turned. The Crows family emblem. It was bigger than I remembered. Staring at the large gap within the emblem design, across the back of his shoulders. Left intentionally empty.

My name would go there.

Madeline Crow.

Just thinking of my name change sent a wave of nerves through me, let alone seeing it tattooed across his back.

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