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We sat for a long time as anguish poured from him. I recognized it all, the feelings he cycled through like gears in a car—anger, sorrow, fear, rage. I knew them by heart. I held him as Sin and Lucius milled outside the doorway, their faces set in grim lines of worry.
When Teddy’s tears subsided, he let me go and cradled my face with his hands. “Thank you.” His voice shook, but his resolve was certain. “Thank you, Stella. I can never repay you. Never.”
“You already have.” I smiled and wiped his tears away. “That was the bad news. I’ve got some good news, too.”
I motioned for Sin and Lucius to come in.
“Good news?” Teddy rose and embraced Lucius and then Sin. The three of them stood together, brothers with a bond that could never break.
“Yeah, little brother. This is my favorite part.” Lucius cracked his knuckles.
“We’re going to kill them all.” Sin spoke of mass murder with a gleam in his eye that would have chilled even the stoutest heart.
All I felt was pride. “We are.”
“Good.” Teddy nodded and stood straighter, the Vinemont steel strengthening his spine just as it did for Sin and Lucius. “I want them to suffer. For Stella. What can I do?”
Sin smirked and clapped him on the back. “I knew it was in there somewhere.”
I stared up at them. I was caught in the web, surrounded by three deadly spiders, and there was nowhere else I’d rather be.
“I think that about does it.” Tony clicked the tattoo gun off and sat back. “I can easily say this is the best work I’ve ever done. Here.” He handed me a mirror.
Sun filtered through the glass panels in the spa room and lit the ink along my skin. I followed the swirls of vines curving gracefully from my collarbone, across my breast, down to my stomach, and ending with a flourish over my heart. “He’s going to love it. Just don’t tell him you saw my nipples or things might get ugly.”
“Oh, I’m well aware. I could tell that night at the party with the masks.”
I peered up at him. “You could?”
He dabbed some ointment along the fresh ink. “Are you kidding? He couldn’t take his eyes off you. I thought he might take me out just for touching you. If that wasn’t love, then…” He shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe it was some sort of unhealthy obsession?”
I smiled. “A little bit of both.”
“Sounds about right. He’s a strange guy.” He met my eyes and hastily continued, “I mean, I dig him. No offense meant.”
“None taken. He’s definitely strange.” I sat up and pulled my t-shirt back on.
He leaned back and twisted one of the piercings in his eyebrow. “You sure you’re okay? I know you said you got into a car accident, but the scars I covered—perfectly, I might add—look sort of, I don’t know, intentional?”
“Don’t worry. No one’s hurting me. I promise.” I smiled to reassure him. “It was a car accident.”
He twisted the loop a few more times before dropping his hand. “Yeah, you seem like the sort of woman who gives as good as she gets.” He packed up his tattoo gun. “Anyone else and I’d keep pressing, but I get the feeling you might put a hurting on me if I pry.”
“Your instincts are spot on.” I kissed him on the cheek. “Send Sin the bill. He’ll pay up.”
“He always does.”
“And I’m glad you’ll be far away from here when he sees our little secrets.” I’d added in a couple of piercings especially for Sin, ones that he might strangle poor Tony over.
“Me, too.” He shuddered, the tattoos along his arms dancing as he cleaned up his work space in the spa room.
I stood and stretched, ignoring the stings along my skin.
“Make sure you follow up with my aftercare instructions,” Tony said as I retreated back into the main hallway.
“I’m all over it. Don’t worry. And if I’m not, Sin will be.”
The boys were in town finalizing preparations. I’d bowed out at the last minute, claiming I needed some “me” time. Sin didn’t want to go without me. After a lot of convincing, I eventually shooed him out the door along with Lucius and Teddy. I hated for him to worry, but I was safe at home and wanted the new ink to be a surprise.
Laura bustled around the kitchen as I entered. She’d made a platter for sandwiches, so I fixed a ham and cheese and grabbed some chips from the pantry.
“How’s Teddy been the past few days?” I tried to keep my tone nonchalant.
“A little distracted. Otherwise, fine.” She hit some buttons on the dishwasher and turned to give me a smile. “You’re looking happy today.”
“I am. I got Sin a surprise.”
“Oh, do tell.” She walked over and leaned on the island.
