JACE
She turned her back to leave.
And I should’ve let her.
I should’ve let her walk out, kept pretending that this was still a game of strategy and not a full-blown f**k you from the universe to every boundary I’ve ever honored.
But then—
She bent slightly to grab her bag.
Skirt riding up. Shirt lifting just enough.
And I saw it.
Ink.
A fresh tattoo blooming just above the curve of her thigh, peeking out from the edge of her skirt like a secret whispered into someone else’s mouth.
Three lilies.
Not one.
Not two.
Three.
Black and gray. Beautiful. Detailed as hell.
New.
My heart didn’t stop.
It detonated.
“Where did you get that?”
The words came out like smoke and gravel.
She turned, surprised. “What?”
“That,” I bit, pointing to the ink like it was bleeding. “That wasn’
