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EPILOGUE
Adam
One year later...
My mind was focused like never before on the ivory skin beneath my buzzing needle as the design I’d drawn took shape under my hand. It had been a collaboration, but mostly, it had been my idea. A gift of sorts. I needed it to be the most perfect piece I’d ever done.
After all, I’d be looking at it for the rest of my life.
“How’s it going down there?”
I drew back and glanced up at Faith’s curious gaze as she tried to peek. “It’ll go faster if you quit moving.”
“Yeah, well...” She smirked that sexy smile of hers. “I’m excited. Plus, you said an hour, and it’s been fifty-five minutes, so...”
I looked down at the image of the overflowing bundle of sunflowers, wrapped in a flowing pink ribbon rippling in the breeze. All that was left was the text, which she’d asked me to surprise her with. A fucking daunting task.
“You’re sure about this?” I asked her again, for like the thousandth time.
She sat back with a smile. “You’re going to be my husband in like forty-eight hours. Of course, I’m sure.”
I leaned in and pressed a kiss to her exposed belly. “I love you, soon-to-be Mrs. Bishop.”
This made her giggle. A sound I loved more and more every day.
“Okay. ‘Property of Adam,’ coming right up.”
Her reaction didn’t disappoint when her head snapped back up with wide eyes. “You better not!”
I laughed out loud and dodged her smack, but she knew I was kidding and settled back down to let me work.
Honestly, I’d thought long and hard and debated about what to put on her perfect white skin. In the end, when the words found me, I knew they were right. It was really the only thing that could sum up our love story... now and forever.
I took a breath and laid the first letter that would signify the rest of our lives.
Two days later,as I got dressed to marry the love of my life, I was surprisingly nervous. Not because of what I was doing. But because I knew she’d be seeing her tattoo for the first time. She’d adamantly refused to look at it until today, making me do all the care and keeping it covered until today when she put on her wedding dress.
I could only hope my words didn’t disappoint.
“Hey, brother.” Tobias seemed to sense my nerves as he joined me in a small side room of what used to be the Redemption Road church, but was now a thriving community center, and offered me a flask from his coat pocket.
I chuckled and accepted it gratefully, taking a sip. “Thanks.”
“Proud of you, bro,” he said as we sat together, and I felt the weight of his words. He’d been through a lot these past months too, and I knew he felt guilty it was his best friend that had hurt Faith, though he had no way of knowing anything.
I handed the flask back. “Thank you.” I ran my palms down my thighs, my gaze drifting down my raised pant legs to my ankle which was now free of its monitor, thanks to Mateo and DA McNolty’s efforts on my behalf with the parole board. I was finally and forever one hundred percent free to be the man I always wanted to be with the woman I’d always wanted.
“I’m supposed to give this to you. It’s from your bride... who looks stunning, by the way.” He handed me a gift bag, then headed to the door as if sensing I’d need privacy.
I waited until he was gone to pull out the tissue paper and peer inside. My heart leapt to my throat and my eyes began to burn. Overcome, I looked away and ran a hand over my head.
“Fuck, baby. Really?”
Eventually, I turned back and gently pulled out the stack of letters. Every one she’d written to me, that I’d returned unread, still wrapped neatly in a silky red ribbon.
But there was a new one on top. No postmark. Just my name in her simple penmanship.
Somehow, I managed to pull it out with my trembling hands and open it.
