Page 245 of Accidental Husband

It still defies reason.

Juliette King is my wife.

Juliette King and I are celebrating our two year anniversary.

She asked me to mark the occasion with new ink. Her first ink since she tattooed my name to her ribs. Well, since I added to the design three-hundred-sixty-five days ago.

The tattoo was her idea, but the design was mine. She wanted something to go over her scars. Not a cover up, exactly. More a promise to herself. A reminder that she was strong enough to get through anything.

The design is simple.Beautifulin a thin script, over the curve of her hip, over the scars that mark her hip and thigh.

It doesn't cover the scars. It certainly doesn't hide them. It doesn't even touch most of them.

Instead, it reclaims them.

It's hard to explain. I can never explain myself with words. But this idea, this design—it's my way of telling her I understand.

I get it.

I'm sorry I put her though so much shit.

I'm sorry it took me so long to understand.

I love her just the way she is.

And even if she went back to cutting, I'd still love her. I'd do whatever I could to help her—

No, to get her help.

This isn't my battle. I'm not her shrink. I can't take the weight of that.Wecan't take the weight of that.

But I can be here. I can stand by her side, offer her comfort when she needs it, give her space when she needs that.

I'll never like giving her space. Hell, I'll always hate it when she locks me out and recedes into herself. But I get it now.

That's her way.

She has to process things on her own. She has to sort out her thoughts before she can share them.

"Well, um…" Her fingers graze my temples. "You're pretty cute."

I arch a brow. "Pretty cute? That's it?"

"Don't push it."

I stare back.

She holds her poker face for half a minute. Then it falters. Her lips curl into a smile. Her eyes brighten. "Very cute. And incredibly handsome."

"Too handsome to kill?"

"Hmm… maybe."

"You could have her tattooDouchebagto my forehead instead."

She nodsmaybe. "That would ruin the handsomeness."

"Then I wouldn't be too cute to kill."