EPILOGUE

ADDIE

Four months later

I walked out of the office building and onto the street and smiled when I spotted Manic standing by his bike. He was always there waiting when I finished my therapy sessions. Not once had I walked out of this office and been alone.

He moved as soon as he saw me, striding up and pulling me into his arms.

Today’s session had been tough and emotional, but I felt good, in control in a way I hadn’t for a long time. I leaned back and he dropped a kiss on my forehead, and when I grinned, he took my chin and laid one on me.

“How you doing, cupcake?” he asked when he finally lifted his head.

Warmth spread through my chest as I looked at him. He’d changed my world in so many ways. God, he was my world. Sometimes that scared me, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. “I’m good. Really good.”

His gaze searched mine, and I knew he could see that I meant what I said when his eyes lit with pleasure. “So, you all ready to get inked up?”

“Yep,” I said as nerves fluttered in my belly.

“No second thoughts?”

“Nope.” Not one.

“You gonna tell me what you want yet?”

I shook my head. “Not until we get there.”

He smiled and climbed onto his bike, and I hopped on behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. We roared off and I laughed. I loved riding with him. Now that it was warmer, we’d been to a few events with the whole club and the roar of bikes riding in formation. The buzz and excitement when we were all together was awesome. And I got to hang with Lila and the other old ladies. They’d been welcoming, and I felt like I had a whole other family.

The number of people I loved had grown, and yeah, at times, that scared me as well, but mostly now, it filled me with joy.

We pulled to a stop outside Rocktown Ink, and I climbed off. Manic took my hand and led me inside. I waved to Trix and Dane, who were debating something at the front counter as we walked by. The sound of a tattoo machine drifted out of the curtained-off room Cal worked in, and Riff poked his head around the door at the end of the hall, holding a mug.

He held it up. “Coffee?”

“No thanks.” I was too nervous. This was my first tattoo, and I had no idea what Manic would think of my idea.

“Wanna see what you get when you’re done, Adds,” Riff said and winked, then disappeared behind the door.

Manic led me into the room he worked in and shut the door behind us, then crossed his arms and raised a brow. “The suspense is killing me, cupcake. Put a man out of his misery,” he rumbled, his gaze moving over me.

I hadn’t told him where I wanted my new ink either. Manic was an excellent artist. I’d roughly sketched out what I wanted, and then I’d leave it for him to turn it into the final image. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous. He knew how I felt about him. I told him all the time.

Still, my hands trembled a little as I pulled the piece of paper from my bag. I walked to his sketch table and unfolded it, flattening it out. “I want it above my heart.” I didn’t look up as he shifted behind me, curling a hand around my waist as he looked at the sketch over my shoulder.

A breath puffed from him, like someone had jabbed him in the sternum.

“I know it’s rough. I’m no artist. But I knew you’d be able to make it good.”

His face dipped to the side of my throat, his lips pressing against my skin. “You want my name on you, baby?”

“Yeah. I want you with me all the time, for the rest of my life.” I turned to look at him. “More than anything.”

He smiled, and it was the smile he gave me when he was feeling soft. He opened the desk drawer beside him and pulled something out. It was a piece of paper as well, and he laid it beside mine.

Addison was drawn on it in gorgeous text, slopy and thick.

“Looks like we had the same idea,” he said and turned me in his arms. “Want you with me all the time as well, cupcake, for a lifetime.”

Tags: Sherilee Gray Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net