Tattoos: COMPLETED ✔

Chapter 73

The rose on the charm bracelet is almost identical to the one tattooed right above his heart.

I don't know what it is about his rose that draws me in, maybe it's the beauty of it or maybe it's the darkness, but which ever it is, I can only hope it means as much as it does to him as it does to me.

"Do you like it?" he asks when I remain speechless.

I put him out of his misery when I wrap my arms tightly around his torso. "I love it," I tell him softly.

I hear a small sigh escape his lips, but I don't know why he's so relieved. How could I have not loved it?

I can feel the stares from other people, so I reluctantly pull away.

"Help me put it on," I tell him, and I'm surprised when his large hands make quick work with the small clasp.

I don't know what else to say but thank you.

He shrugs. "It's no big deal."

I resist the urge to smile as he plays off the gift as if it's nothing when we both know it's so much more than that.

"Ready?" he asks, holding out his hand.

I stop playing with the charms and grab his outstretched hand.
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"You should try on that shirt I told you to get," I tell Jace when he heads to the closet to change into dress clothes before work.

He emerges a few seconds later in nothing but black slacks and that white button down shirt.

My eyes scan his torso and chest, and I can faintly see his tattoos through it; I don't know what it is about suits and tattoos, but the combination of them is incredibly sexy.

He doesn't seem to notice my lustful gaze, and it takes everything inside of me not to jump him right there. After are dry spell, we haven't been able to keep our hands off each other all week.

I see his tie is slightly crooked, so I use that as an excuse to walk over to him.

Once I straighten it, my hands roam down his hard abdomen, resisting the urge to dip my hand down into his pants.

He smirks, and in a blink of an eye, he has both of my hands looked securely behind me with one of his own. He trails his lips across my collar bone and along my neck, and stops once he he reaches my lips.

"Mine," he whispers and kisses my lips possessively; he pulls away much too soon.

"Do you want me to drop you off at work?" he asks, letting go of my hands. He goes from saying I'm his and kissing me to asking me if I want a ride; after all this time, his mood swings still surprise me.
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I've only been at work for a few hours before I get a phone call. I see it's Jace and immediately pick up.

"Jasmine," he says. My name comes out sounding like a sigh of relief.

I frown. "Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice." His words are sweet, but I can tell somethings off.

"Is everything all right?"

I just know he's running a hand through his hair.

"Everything's fine, but I want you. Now." His words send a delicious shiver up my spine; I want him too.

"I get off at five. Do you want me to grab us some Chinese food and meet you at your office?"

"That sounds great, but don't get me too much. I need to save room for desert."

His words make me warm inside, and the half hour until I get off work is torture as I think about Jace and his hands, lips, tongue...

When five o'clock rolls around, I want to jump straight in my car and go to Jace, but my stomach growls in protest, so I decide it's best to eat.

Since there's a small Chinese restaurant a block over, I decide to walk, so I can save myself from having to search for a parking spot.

It's freezing outside, but with my heavy winter coat, it's not so bad.

The line isn't very long inside the restaurant, so I'm in and out with my two boxes of stir fry in less than ten minutes. In my effort to push the door open with my hip and not spill the food, I run into someone on my way out.

I'm apologizing when I get a glimpse of familiar brown hair. Normally I would have got the hell out of there, but a glimpse of his face catches my attention.

He realizes it's me, and pushes past me and heads back outside in a hurry. I run after him, dropping the two boxes of Chinese food in the process, but I don't care.

"Tobias, wait!" I yell, chasing after him.

I sigh when I loose sight of him, but then I see his tall figure turn around the corner. I push my way through people, and they shoot me glares, but don't say anything; this is New York after all, they're used to rude people.

I'm out of breath when I finally manage to corner him; I grab his wrist.

"Look at me," I demand, pulling on his arm, but he's too strong.

"Just leave me alone, Jasmine," he says, his voice curt and cold.

"Not until you look at me." I have to know what I thought I saw was true and not just my imagination.

He rips his hand from my grasp, and turns on me suddenly. "Fine, you want to see? Have a look," he spits, and I stare in horror.

Black and blue bruises mare his face. There are some on his jaw, his cheek, his eyes... I want to look away, but I can't.

Both his lower and upper lip are busted open; he looks absolutely horrible, like he got in an accident or something. I notice the cuts and bruises are slightly faded, but it only makes him look worse because of the greenish tint it gives the bruises.

"What happened?" I ask him.

But deep down I already know.
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