Page 94 of Broken Beauty

“This one,” I ask, scared to hear what dark and twisted thing he tattooed on himself.

It's a sentence, in what looks like Russian, across the side of his tricep.

“It means 'Forever Until The End.' My mom was Russian and she would always repeat this phrase to me.”

I hate how his voice cracks a little while saying that. He never ever talks about his mother and I wish I knew why.

Deciding to move on to another tattoo I point to the syringe. “What's this one?”

“It's so that I don't forget.”

I feel a small tear fall from my eyes.

I look up at Ash and I see him already looking down at me. “Do I even want to know what the other ones mean?”

“No. And I don't feel like breaking your heart today so don't ask.”

I lick my bottom lip as another tear falls from my face. I nod my head and lean forward to press my lips against his.

As our lips move against one another we fall against the covers and everything disappears into the shadows making it just Ash and I.

Forty-Four

Ash

Present

I jolt awake when I feel a harsh hand grab my shoulder. I open my eyes and look to my left, seeing Ariella sleeping soundly. She looks so peaceful when she is sleeping, especially as she curls into my side.

My eyes go down to her chest which is covered. I turn my head and see her father glaring at me.

His eyes are filled with hatred and he looks like he wants to kill me.

Feeling's fucking mutual.

That asshole.

“Get the fuck out of her bed before I kill you in front of her.”

Doubtful.

This motherfucker knows what I have done.

He was in the courtroom that day trying to put me behind bars.

“You get out first,” I whisper, not wanting to wake Ariella up.

Cal shifts his eyes to his daughter who has her head curled into my chest with the sheets covering her chest. “You really think I want to see my daughter naked? Get a fucking grip.”

“I'm not asking,” I say calmly.

Cal looks at Ariella before looking back at me. I see his jaw clench and my eyes move down to his fists that are turning white.

He turns and gets out of Ariella's room, closing the door behind him softly.

I slowly get out of bed without managing to wake Ariella up. I cover her with the blanket before throwing on my sweatpants and sweater.

I slowly get out of Ariella's room. When I turn around, I see Cal waiting for me, leaning against the wall across from me.