Page 45 of Savage for You
He opens it and reads it out loud, “You’ve inked yourself on my heart. Tattoos tell a story, and I hope ours is just as permanent. Now we’re off to a place that will add to it.”
“A tattoo? Are you serious?”
“Oh yeah, let's go.” We jump into the Jeep and head over to his favorite tattoo shop.
Once we arrive at Black Coffin Tattoo, we meet Axel, the tattoo artist who does all of Rocky’s tattoos. He looks just like Charlie Hummel and is super sweet.
“So, Monti, I have your tattoo drawn up. But the word on the street is that Rocky is here for another one. Happy birthday.”
“Thanks, man.” They do some bro handshake.
“Are you going to get it done today?” He smiles down at me.
“No, we're here for you. It’s your day.”
“Oh no, Killer, you can definitely get yours done today. You go first, baby.”
I groan and mumble, “This day isn’t about me.”
“Well, it's my birthday and I want you to get it. Since we're here and all.”
“So dang bossy,” I say quietly enough that he can’t hear me.
“I heard that,” he growls, smacking my ass and making me jump.
“Okay, okay. Sheesh, no need to be pushy.” I laugh.
“Good girl.” And then he smirks at me. Asshole.
The tattoo I’m getting today is another one for my parents. It’s something simple but means a lot. They used to say, “She’s a little wildflower with a lot of warrior underneath.” A Melody Lee quote, and they were right. I am a warrior. I have their thumb prints that make a heart, so he adds the quote to the thumb prints. On my ribs, right below my breast.
I tuck my shirt into my bra and lay on my side like he asks. Rocky sits in the chair next to me and holds my hand.
“You ready?” he asks me with his gray eyes shining at me.
“As I'll ever be.”
“Let's do this,” Axel says.
The tattoo gun turns on and I'm looking into Rocky's eyes as I'm getting the tattoo and smile. He kisses my forehead, and we talk about everything and nothing at the same time.
“Alright, I’m finished,” Axel tells me.
I get up and walk over to the mirror and I want to cry. It’s so beautiful even though it hurt like a bitch. My eyes start to tear up, but I don't want to ruin my makeup.
I turn to look at Rocky. “So, did you figure out what you want?
“Yes, and it's a surprise. Go sit your sexy ass down right there and you’ll see it when it's done.”
“Yes, sir.” Two can play that game.
His eyes darken and he rubs his hands down his face and looks at me like he wants to fuck me here right now.
I mouth “later” to him, and he groans.
He sits in the chair after Axel sanitizes, and re-wraps it for him. The tattoo is going on one side of his neck, kind of behind the ear. I'm holding his hand like it's his first time getting a tattoo when now it's just normal for him. Truthfully, I love the feeling of his hands on me.
Rocky starts telling me about this time when his dad tried to teach him how to play hockey and he sucked at it. I can’t stop laughing, because he couldn’t skate for the life of him. Pro hockey player dad and a son who cannot skate. He says he learned eventually, but he wasn’t a fan of it. His parents let him play other sports and that’s when he discovered his love for football.