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His hazel eyes search my face intently, and I glance away with burning ears. Ever since the entire group found out about my history with Devon, it's been awkward as hell. Especially around Christian, given that he also has something going on with Dev, whatever that may be.
“So,” he says after a moment. “Devon's a real hijo de puta, huh?”
I don't really know what he said, but judging from his tone, I surmise that it's not good. “Guess so.”
Nodding, he types something out on his phone quickly. “Good talk, hermano.”
Then he claps me on the shoulder before speeding up to walk with Tay and Huck. I frown after him because what the fuck was that? Good talk?
“Found our girls,” he says, throwing an arm around Taylor's shoulder. Right on cue, Arya’s loud giggle reaches my ears.
I turn just in time to see her practically skip toward us, cheeks flushed. Her heels are in her hand, eyeliner smeared, and Salem walks beside her with that loose, floaty posture of someone who’s had too much to drink. When she sees us, her grey eyes light up like the Fourth of July.
But only for a second.
They land on me, and the spark winks out, leaving behind a cold indifference. I feel it like a sharp stab to the chest.
Arya doesn't seem to notice the shift as she throws her arms in the air. “We got tattoos, bitches!”
Taylor chokes on his spit, blue-green eyes bugging out. “You what? Without me?”
“Matching ones!”
“They’re not matching,” Salem sighs, rubbing her forehead like she's fed up with Arya’s shit.
“Okay, we coordinated.”
“Not even close.”
Arya ignores her and turns to Christian with a heated grin. “Guess where mine is.”
Huck closes his eyes in preparation. “Please don't say it's somewhere none of us want to see—”
Too late.
Arya yanks up her crop top, flashing not only us but everybody walking by as well.
“Called it,” Huck mutters just as Christian curses in Spanish.
“Salem!” he growls, grabbing both his girlfriend's tits. As much as I try to look away like the gentleman I am, I'm actually not. I'm totally staring at Arya’s huge rack. “Did you fucking brand my girl?”
We all crowd close to read the words "Salem’s Sugar Baby” inked above her left nipple.
Christian's face turns red. “Are you kidding me?”
Arya shrugs, entirely unbothered as she tugs her top back down. “She did pay for it, so.”
He makes a strangled sound and drags his hand down his face. I ignore them both, stepping closer to my wife instead. She eyes me warily, arm still out for Taylor to inspect her first tattoo.
“Looks pretty good,” he hums, turning it from side to side. “Lines are clean. I'm super pissed you did it without me, though.”
“You can choose my next one.” She rolls her eyes, and they land on me once more as I study the ink. It's a small camera, no bigger than the middle of my palm, flowing neatly into the curve of her arm. Delicate and beautiful.
“What does it mean?” I ask, reaching out to touch it before stopping myself.
Salem turns away with a shrug and follows the group back toward the RV. “It means nothing. Just a stencil on a piece of paper that Arya picked out for me.”
The waver in her voice clues me in on the lie, but I let it go, trailing behind with my hands in my pockets. She wouldn't tell me anyway, and if I'm being honest, I'm exhausted. Even when we dated, Salem always had her heart locked up tight. The key has long since vanished.
