I continued the light touch of my fingers and even went as far as to insert one. If he could tease then so could I. His indrawn breath was barely audible, but my senses were too in tune with his not to hear.

“You’re going to fucking kill me,” he groaned. His mouth descended, and the moment his lips met mine, I came apart and filled the kitchen with my cries.

I could feel my willpower weakening along with my body. I didn’t even realize that I was falling. In more ways than one. My back now rested on the tabletop, and my legs opened wider for greater access.

“Take it all,” I whispered just before the force of my release sucked the air from my lungs along with my will.

“I plan to,” he whispered back. Regret that he’d heard me was quickly replaced by the sudden and merciless invasion of his cock. The table rocked and the chairs collapsed under the force of his hips. I swallowed back my cries until they were nothing but whimpers. I wouldn’t give him that. “No, baby, don’t you hold yourself back.” He slid his hand between our bodies and tortured my clit. “Scream for me.”

* * * * *

Keenan had spent the morning taking me, and not once did I resist. He had done things to me that still made me blush. There wasn’t a part of my body that he left untouched.

“What are we doing here?” I asked much later as I looked around the empty tattoo shop with irritation.

“Righting a wrong.” He started setting up as if getting ready for a client.

“Is this your shop?” I tried not to sound impressed when I asked but failed. I had always wondered what Keenan had gone on to do and if he had found someone else. He left before he could graduate due to his long stay in the hospital, and given his quiet yet desperate need for attention and affection, it was impossible to picture him without someone.

“It’s mine.” He patted the leather chair. “Hop up and lay on your stomach.”

“But I don’t want a tattoo.”

“I wasn’t asking, Shelly,” he threatened without looking up.

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“You can do it willingly, or I can strap you to the chair and do what I want anyway.”

I struggled with my choices and realized I lacked an advantage or the words to convince him that what he was doing crossed too many lines.

The foolish teenage girl in me still hoped…

I quickly did as he ordered before he could see my tears. I rested my head against the soft leather in defeat and willed my body to keep still.

I drowned it all out.

The hum of the machine.

The feel of his hand.

The needle’s piercing vibration against my skin.

I let it all go for the past.

* * * * *

SIX YEARS AGO

“Are you afraid?”

It took me a moment to gather myself after he’d just gotten through kissing me senseless. We were in his bedroom with romantic music playing softly in the background. I had to admit that he was pulling out all the stops. A twinge of sadness and anger flowed through me as I remembered our recent but short breakup and why. I’d forgiven him, but the urge to beat the brakes off Jessica Stanton was still strong. She had been a friend, and the two of them had done the unthinkable when they made out at a party.

“A little. I’ve never done this before.” The cutest grin spread to his lips and eased some of my nervousness.

“You don’t know how happy that makes me.”

“Why? Because you’re damaged goods?”

“Ouch. That hurt.” He clutched his chest as if seriously wounded.

“Maybe this will help,” I whispered and quickly shed my dress before I lost the courage. I was surprised at how brazen I was even though it was all an act. His eyes boldly traveled every inch of my body, and I shivered from that contact alone.

“Are you sure you want to do this now? We can wait if you want.”

I nodded my head even as I crossed my arms over my breasts. I had turned sixteen the month before, and I felt I was as ready as I would ever be. “What better day than Valentine’s day?” I joked.

“Your wedding day,” he answered. His face turned down with guilt, and he backed away, but my hand shot out to stop him.

“I know. I was only kidding, but I want you now. I choose you. I choose this moment.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Well, I am pretty amazing.”

“I’m sorry, okay? It will never happen again. I don’t want to hurt you like that again.”

As much as I didn’t want to risk this night, I couldn’t hold back my feelings. “Why did you do it?”

His head fell forward and his shoulders shook as he gripped the sheets. I watched the veins in his hands bulge and stretch. “I wish I knew.”

* * * * *

PRESENT

He’d lied. After the first time, he hurt me much worse each time after. The pain yesterday didn’t heal with time. It only festered.

“Where did you go?” I felt myself being lifted until I was now sitting upright. I felt the soreness on my ass and looked down to see what he had done but found it wrapped.

“What?”

“Where did you go just now? You were as stiff as a board.”

“In my memories, Keenan. It’s my only comfort. What did you do to me?”

“I told… I needed to right a wrong.”

Realization hit, and I was left shaking with anger. “You tattooed your name again?”

“Not quite.”

“What. Did. You. Do?”

“I left a reminder of who you belonged to. It’s more for me really.”

“Your arrogance is unattractive.” I may have sounded petty, but it was all I had at the moment—short of killing him.

“Are you saying you don’t want me?”

“More or less.”

“Let’s test that theory out.” In one fluid motion, he flipped me over and had my shorts around my ankles.

“Is this how it’s going to be? I’m not your toy, Keenan.”

“No, baby. You’re not. You fuck too well to be a toy.” I could feel him peeling the wrap away from my ass. “Mine,” he growled and palmed me.

“You keep saying that.”

“I mean that’s what the tattoo is. It says ‘Mine.’”

“Please tell me you didn’t.” I attempted to stand up, but his hand on my back kept me in place.

“I did and I enjoyed.” He peeled down my panties with his thumb and kissed down my back.

Somehow, I found the strength I didn’t know I possessed.

“Keenan, let me go.” I turned my head to look into his eyes and let him see how serious I was. “I don’t want this.”

He stared at me frozen for so long that, for a moment, I didn’t think he would let me go. He shoved away from me and kicked away his chair until it banged into the wall violently. The next second, his fist flew into the glass frame nearby, and I watched in horror as it shattered and fell to the floor. Without a word, he stalked toward the back of the shop and disappeared behind a door.

I spent the next few hours confined to a corner of his shop while he saw countless clients. All of them were female. I watched them flirt and touch and shamelessly throw themselves at him. A few even had the gall to grab onto his cock and he just smiled.

Always smiling and welcoming.

I hated him.

He promised I would and he succeeded.

“So, Keenan, I was wondering if you would finally take me up on that date,” a platinum blonde with a body full of tattoos asked. Seriously, where could she possibly have room to fit another tattoo?

“I don’t know, Missy. I’m kind of busy. Maybe next time,” he winked, and I almost threw up in my mouth at the way she gushed.

“How am I going to ever steal your heart if you won’t let me take you out?”

“That’s because my heart has already been stolen.”

The platinum turned her nose up at me and snarled, “Her?”

He laughed. “Don’t be silly.” My heart plummeted at his blatant disregard for me. “I’m talking about my daughter.”

“Oh, I bet you make pretty babies.” She brazenly sat in his lap and ran a finger down his chest. “I bet we could make some pretty babies. So how old is she?”