Forever Tattooed (Tattooed Billionaire Book 3) Read online

  “Jennings Accounting Services is in desperate need of an accountant and not just anybody. The clients need a familiar face to feel secure in Raelyn’s absence.” I hesitated, still unable to wrap my head around what I was about to ask. I continued after a drawn-out sigh, “I need you to step in and help out Ashton until Raelyn is well enough to return.”

  “I’d be happy to.”

  “And, over time, you’ll pay me back in full by donating the money to A Voice for Kids,” I added, knowing the money would go to a good cause. It was a personal charity I’d founded for kids in need.

  Cale smiled. “I think that is a great idea.”

  “And, when the time is right, you’ll apologize to Raelyn for everything.”

  “Of course.”

  I searched his face, hoping the sincerity in his eyes was genuine. “If you do so much as one thing to hurt her or jeopardize her business again, I’ll break every fucking bone in your body.”

  “I won’t. You have my word.”

  “This doesn’t mean all is forgiven,” I clarified.

  “I understand. Thank you.” Cale beamed and outstretched his hand in an unspoken peace offering.

  My jaw twitched indecisively. Considering I’d wanted to smash his face into a brick wall when I first began my journey up his sidewalk and the urge hadn’t completely dissipated, I decided to keep my hand to myself.

  There was only one thing left to say. “Don’t fuck this up, Cale.”

  Finished, I got into my car and drove off.

  As I made the drive home, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d made the right choice by bringing Cale back into Raelyn’s life as well as mine.

  Shortly after Raelyn’s surgery, at one point, when we’d been pressed for time to find someone qualified to step in her place, she and I had discussed employing Cale at Jennings Accounting Services, so I knew she wouldn’t be upset now, but I still felt uneasy.

  Cale’s betrayal had scarred me deep, and I was unsure if time would repair our business relationship, let alone our friendship.

  I eventually pulled into the driveway, parked my car in the garage, and went inside to search for Raelyn. I climbed the stairs to our bedroom where the sound of the television softly filled the room. When I entered, Raelyn was fast asleep on her side.

  My heart beat a little faster with each step toward her, just as it always did when she was near. All the pent-up stress and tension from my workday seeped out of me.

  I removed my jacket, collared shirt, tie, and slacks, and I tossed them on the floor. The bright orange hues of the sun setting beamed into the room as I walked to Raelyn’s side of the bed. I sat on the edge of it beside her where I ever so slowly flipped my hand over to gently brush my knuckles along the soft skin of her cheekbone, drinking in the sight of her.

  She always made my heart beat in a way it never had before.

  She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her hair was an inch or two long, and it was growing back just as beautiful as before.

  The long scar that marred her scalp was now hidden, too. Raelyn was nervous it would make her look as though she had a crazy, untamable cowlick. But, to me, her hair could be as unruly as it wanted to be. She’d still take my breath away, and the scar and cowlick would be reminders that she was here with me to stay—forever.

  Her face had a certain color to it, making her appear not only beyond stunning in my eyes, but also healthy and vibrant. The worry and stress about the unknown that used to haunt her features was now gone.

  I wasn’t a religious man, nor was I a man of many words, but there was only one way to describe how I felt, knowing Raelyn was mine to keep.

  Blessed.

  I leaned forward to kiss her good night. “I love you, gorgeous girl,” I breathed, brushing my lips along her forehead.

  Then, I went to the other side of the bed and crawled in beside her. I draped one arm over her center and drew her toward me until our bodies were flush against one another.

  “I love you, too,” she whispered. “Always.”

  two

  Raelyn

  As I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I took in the woman standing before me. My heart began to pound in my chest as the seconds ticked by, one by one.

  She looked exactly like me.

  The green eyes staring back at me were the same as my own. High cheekbones, short sandy-blonde locks, and a narrow nose—all the same as me. Even the slender shape of her body was an exact replica of mine.

  All in all, on the outside, this woman was me, Raelyn Jennings, and I felt an overwhelming gratitude to be alive. I had survived the unthinkable. I’d been given a second chance to live, to breathe, to feel.

  Against all odds, I was a cancer survivor. Again, for a second time in my life. The mere thought alone brought a wave of tears rushing forward. Although my heartbeat was steady and resilient, pieces of myself were still missing on the inside.

  I was a complete stranger to myself. Those same green eyes in the mirror held a mystery, even to me. I felt as though I were a prisoner, shackled and chained, being held captive by my very own mind.

  A vital part of myself had been lost three months ago when Dr. Coleman successfully removed the aggressive glioma brain tumor that had threatened to take my life.

  Since the procedure, I had not been the strong, independent CEO of Jennings Accounting Services. And, oh, how I longed to find that woman within myself again, to reclaim my life and to regain my independence and prestigious career.

  Everything had changed the moment I woke up in the recovery room in the hospital.

  I was different.

  Some days were good. Random tasks were simple and effortless, such as bathing, dressing, and cleaning. Everything around me seemed crystal clear, and I felt…normal. Me.

  Then, there were the bad days where every single second was unclear and foggy, and I was left confused by the world around me. I struggled to make sense of the littlest things without any clarity as to why. Navigating tedious obstacles that life had thrown directly in my path overwhelmed me. Organizing a shopping list or remembering directions with many detailed steps seemed impossible. I wanted to remember how to do it, I really did, but my mind refused to cooperate. Those moments left me mentally exhausted, weak, and hopeless, and I hated the idea of anything testing my inner strength to persevere. It sent my emotions into a complete tailspin.

  My chest became heavy and tight as all my reservations came rushing forward.

  This is me. The new me.

  Most days, I could force myself to overlook these changes within myself even if there were times I longed to be the person I once had been.

  Could others ignore my imperfections?

  I drew in a lungful of air and gradually released it. Deep down, in my heart and soul, I understood that I had to accept myself because I’d forever be thankful for being given this new chapter in my life, a second chance at living.

  The distinct sound of footsteps nearing instantly pulled me out of my reverie. I turned to see the most beautiful man on earth. All my doubts disappeared at the mere sight of him.

  Damien. My Damien.

  As he sauntered toward me, wearing only a pair of black Under Armour sweatpants, I realized most women would probably notice that every single inch of him was pure perfection.

  Sheer muscle and tattoos covered most of his upper torso. The atmosphere around him radiated raw strength and determination to conquer anything in his path. The depths of his stunning gray eyes melted me with each and every purposeful look, and when he smiled, it would leave me breathless.

  He was handsome beyond words, but none of those godlike features were why I loved Damien so much.

  No, not at all.

  It was his heart that had seized and held my own. It belonged to him, only him.

  In such a short time, this man had become my everything. Damien had instilled me with the courage to persevere through my darkest days. When I’d felt utterly defeated by the reoccurrence of m
y brain tumor and wanted nothing other than to let cancer take my life, ridding myself from the pain and suffering that constantly plagued me during my illness, he’d taught me to fight, to never give up. His compassion, understanding, and determination to save me through it all were things I’d never forget.

  Seconds felt like an eternity for Damien to reach me, and when he finally did, he set his hands on my hips and drew me close.

  “Good morning, gorgeous.” His voice was low and gruff with sleep. He gently pressed his lips to my cheek, causing his facial hair to tickle my skin. “You look radiant.”

  My palms automatically went to his chest where I felt his heartbeat, and I smiled at the feel of his warmth enclosing me. “Good morning to you, too.”

  “What has you up so early?” Damien caressed his hands up and down my sides.

  “Iris texted me yesterday morning and told me she had today off,” I answered.

  Between Iris furthering her education, working full-time at Westland Medical Group, and bartending at Keith’s Bar & Grill at least twenty hours a week to pay extra on her college loan payments, it was rare for Iris to have a day off. She was a superwoman in my books.

  “Wow, that doesn’t happen very often.”

  “Exactly,” I agreed. “So, we planned a girls’ day out.”

  Worry and apprehension immediately settled in Damien’s eyes. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? You haven’t left the house for more than a couple of hours at a time yet.”

  Though Damien was right, I still felt there was no reason to be concerned. “I’ll be perfectly fine,” I reassured him before teasing, “Plus, this is Iris we’re talking about. She’s as big of a worrywart as you are, so I’ll be in good hands.”

  “Ha-ha, aren’t you funny?” Damien kissed the tip of my nose, and I gravitated toward his touch.

  Our foreheads leaned against one another as I told him, “Please don’t worry about me, Damien. I’ll be fine.”

  He closed his eyes for a moment, hiding his unease. “Promise me, you won’t overdo it, and you’ll come home when you start to feel tired.”

  Damien was always so caring and thoughtful.

  It made me smile at him with an overwhelming tenderness in my expression as I said, “I promise.”

  “All right.” He sighed heavily before stating, “You can go.”

  I had to resist the compelling urge dancing at the back of my mind, wanting to smirk. Surely, I didn’t need his permission to get some fresh air, but I decided not to be audacious.

  “Why, thank you. I’m so grateful for this opportunity to leave the house.” I batted my eyelashes at him, completely spacing my previous good intention not to be cheeky. Well, at least I always tried not to be even though I sometimes failed miserably.

  “Don’t be a sass.” Damien lightly drew my lower lip between his teeth and tugged. “Or I’ll have to lock you up in my tower and toss away the key for good.”

  Please do, was my first thought.

  I couldn’t give in to Damien though. That would be too easy.

  Damien and I always challenged one another. It was part of who we were.

  I shrugged. “I’d find a way out and escape.”

  Unmistakable heat flamed in Damien’s eyes as they fused to mine. His hand spanned across my lower back, and he yanked me flush along his firm body.

  “I’d find you,” he breathed less than an inch from my face. “And I’d bring you back to where you belong. You’re mine, Raelyn.” He cupped my jaw. “Somehow, I get to keep you forever, and I’m never letting you go.”

  With those captivating gray eyes that I loved to no end, his admission wreaked havoc on my heart, and just like that, our emotions flipped on a dime. Damien knew I was his. Yet, some days, it felt as though we were living a dream with me still being here, alive and well.

  “Kiss me,” he demanded.

  So, I did.

  My lips melted against his. A familiar spark, bursting with raw passion and undying love, ignited between us, and I felt it all the way to the depths of my soul.

  Only Damien could make me feel this way.

  I linked my fingers around his nape and pulled him closer to me to deepen our connection. An untamable desire instantly pooled low in my belly, and it intensified with every passing moment.

  One second, I was standing on the tiled floor, and the next, I was being swept into Damien’s strong arms. He carried me into the bedroom without delay where he laid me on the center of the mattress, still kissing me with fervor that mirrored my own. I’d never get my fill of him.

  Time ceased to exist. It was only him and me, giving in to our need to be close to one another.

  Damien grabbed the end of my dress and slid it up the length of my body before tossing it on the floor, leaving me in only a white lacy bra and matching thong. He inched his way backward to admire me.

  My newly growing curves were bared to his eyes. At my changing body, insecurities slammed into me out of nowhere, and I used my arms to cover myself. I was no longer skin and bones, as I had been before the surgery. Now, my appetite had come back full swing. If only my energy level had gotten the same memo, too, then maybe things might’ve been brighter than their current state.

  Damien gently grabbed my wrists to move my arms out of his way. Keeping them in his grasp, he brought his face to mine. “Don’t hide from me, Raelyn. I fucking love your body.” He bent forward at the waist and pressed his lips to my stomach.

  “But these curves are out of control, and I’m not sure I like them.” I attempted to wiggle out of his hold, overwhelmed by how fast my body had been changing. I just needed a blanket or something to hide my hips and thighs and stomach. Actually, the only thing that I had going for me was that my ass was flat on the mattress.

  “I do.” He didn’t hesitate as he secured my wrists with one hand and used the opposing one to caress my face. “They make you glow, vibrantly so.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.” Damien inched his way down the length of me and lowered his face to my belly. “You’re so soft and smooth from here to here.” He dragged his lips from my left hip bone to my right, tenderly kissing each side. “It makes me constantly have the need to touch you.”

  He removed my panties and tossed them aside before continuing his ascent to the center of my chest. My torso bowed off the bed from the scorching trail left behind in his wake. Then, he dipped the tip of his tongue into the hollow of my throat. His hot breath made my pulse thrum in my veins.

  He reached my lips to kiss me once again before slightly drawing back to gaze at me. I beamed when he flipped his hand over and brushed his knuckles down from my ear to my chin.

  “When you smile, your cheeks light up with an inviting, warm shade of pink.”

  He ran his fingertips down my side and grabbed my thigh to rock his pelvis along my center, creating an uncontrollable ache in my core.

  “And, when you curl up to me in the middle of the night, your curves fit perfectly along my body, just like they do now. I love everything about you. Nothing could ever change the way I see you, Raelyn. Nothing.”

  His words and the things they did to me left me speechless. All I wanted was to feel him inside me now, so I hooked my thumbs into his lounge pants and briefs and yanked them down his hips and legs until they were completely out of my way.

  Damien came up over me, caging me in. He fused our lips together with an ardent kiss as he impaled me with one deliciously slow thrust. All I could do was moan and lift my hips to take him deeper inside me.

  With our mouths still locked together, Damien grabbed my hands and brought them over my head. He gradually pulled out before sinking back into me where he lingered and swiveled his hips. The friction and heat he created within me at each pass made my muscles grow tighter and tighter. Blood rushed to my core as wavelets of ecstasy pulsed through me.

  With every grind of his hips, ripples of muscles flexed on his abdomen, across the width of his tattooed chest, and all the way
to his broad shoulders.

  It wasn’t long before I catapulted over the edge. Damien’s release followed my own as he groaned, heady and deep, pumping himself into me.

  As we fought to catch our breaths, Damien nuzzled his nose into my neck. I ran my hands up and down his long, muscular back as the drumming of my heartbeat gradually eased.

  Thick scars marred his shoulders and upper torso. As much as I wanted to ignore their presence, with each swipe of my fingertips, it was impossible to tune out their jagged, rough contours. The tattooed black lines curved in all directions and ended in sharp points. The dark ink was an effort to hide a traumatic, painful part of his past.

  Touching the marks was an instant reminder of how much there was of this man that remained untold. And it was impossible not to feel a sense of longing to know Damien better, all of him, as he did me. I prayed, with time, he’d confide his story with me one day soon.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  Damien’s question made me worry that I’d accidentally lingered on his scars for too long.

  “You,” I answered softly.

  He lifted one arm and propped himself up with his elbow to look at me. “What about me?”

  “I’m waiting for you to share yourself with me, to let me in, the way I have with you.”

  “Raelyn, I share my entire life with you.”

  “Not your past.”

  For the first time in so long, Damien’s eyes glazed over with an invisible shield, locking me out. He sat up and maneuvered himself to the edge of the bed where he placed his feet on the floor. “That’s because nothing good can come of it.”

  “Damien, please,” I pleaded. “I’m not saying I want to hear every detail right this minute. All I’m asking is for you to let me in instead of shutting me out.”

  “I’m not shutting you out.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “Christ, Raelyn, you are the only person I’ve let in, and that’s still not good enough for you.” Damien threw his hands out to the sides with irritation.

  I narrowed my eyes at him, completely annoyed and hurt by his stubborn refusal to see my feelings on this. “After everything I’ve shared with you—not to mention, all we’ve been through—you still won’t open up to me.” My chest ached with unbearable sorrow. I flinched and looked away as I murmured, “That’s like shooting an arrow straight through my heart, Damien.”