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Noas not the tio there Sex wasn’t what this was about He wanted to coh their situation was royally fucked up, things would be okay They had to be okay

Donovan paused, her touch light on his hip, there where he’d once had a tattoo Her tattoo

She stared down at it, her fingers still caressing hih His dick was so hard and heavy, and when she ainst him he hissed, whether from pain or pleasure he wasn’t sure Maybe it was both

“Donnie,” he said carefully Things were unsettled between them, and they’d both had an emotional day He should step back Gain that perspective that he needed so badly A stronger man would

But then she’d always been his kryptonite, hadn’t she? The one weakness he couldn’t get over

“I almost had mine removed,” she said softly

When he didn’t respond she looked up at hi on his shoulder for weeks, and I was a ed et over you was to get rid of everything that reminded me of you”

She exhaled, her eyes back on the empty patch of skin “But I couldn’t do it I sat in that chair, drank a fifth of whisky and waited for the pain to go away When the guy was about to start the laser treatment, I bolted I just…ran This tattoo is a testament to e had and what I lost”

She sniffled and his heart turned over at the sadness in her eyes He felt like an absolute shit, but he had to at least try and make her understand For hi

enough to carry that kind of burden around He needed a clear line—a finish line—and he’d taken it

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly “I had to”

She lowered her lashes, wet from the water, and blew across his flesh “I know I screwed up so badly, Jack So badly”

“Hey,” he said, running his hands through her hair “We don’t have to do this Not now It’s been one hell of a day”

Donovan’s hands moved up to his chest, and she slid her mouth across one of his nipples It wasn’t fair The reaction she got out of him with a touch as simple as that

His fingers were still in her hair and maybe it was the tilt of her chin, or the way she looked so vulnerable that had him tied up in knots Maybe it was the feel of her in his arht of his mark on her body His tattoo The one she’d kept Whatever it hen she made that sound, that little whimper of surrender he was done for