Donovan (Face-Off 3)

“She wants you to wait out here for her. You can have a seat over there.” She tilts her head toward a row of chairs along the long window that looks out over the busy South Philly street.

“Okay. Thanks.”

Scully slaps a hand on my back and shakes my hand with the other. “All right, brother. I have another appointment. Come back and see me when you’re ready for you next one.”

I shake his hand. “Will do. Thanks again.”

I take a seat and flip through my cell phone as I wait. Sydney doesn’t have any tats, and I never got the impression she wanted one. She’s full of surprises.

After what feels like an hour, the door opens, and Sydney walks out, laughing with a middle-aged balding man with ink from his neck down to his knuckles. She seems so calm and at ease as if she frequents tattoo parlors all the time.

“Hey, big guy.” She holds out her cheek for me to give her a kiss, and I do. “I have a surprise for you.”

“I hope it’s the kind I like.”

She winks. “You know it.”

“Well, let me see,” I say, impatient.

“Not in here.” Sydney rubs her hand up my forearm. “When we get in the Hummer, I’ll show you. Calm down, my love.”

Clutching her hand, I drag her out the door, yelling thank you to Tate and the receptionist. At some point, I will be back. Hopefully, the next one will be to commemorate our team making it into the playoffs. Things are looking up this season now that Alex is engaged to Coach and no longer moping around like he did the last half of our season.

And I sorted out my shit. All it had taken was opening up to Sydney about my past before I was able to let go of it. The dark part of me is still there, and will probably never leave, but with Sydney, I found acceptance and the light I needed in my life.

By the time we get into the Hummer and shut the door, I’m already clawing at her shirt. “Take this off,” I command.

“How do you know where I got my tattoo? For all you know, it’s on my toe.”

I shake my head, smiling. “Because I know you well enough to know that you would want it out of sight so that your parents don’t have a stroke.”

Meeting Sydney’s family was interesting, to say the least. They are the most uppity people I have ever met, and the complete opposite of the type of people I know. The only time I ever meet elitists like that is when we’re dealing with sports team owners or investors. It was no surprise Sydney was such a brat when we first met. But that rebellious side of her was always there, desperate to break free from the mold.

Sydney removes her shirt, like the good, girl I taught her to be. With the dark tint on my windows, no one can see inside. I lick my lips as her breasts come spilling out of a lacy black bra. Deep breath, I tell myself. As much as I want to stick my dick between her tits, I cannot get hard when I want to have a serious conversation with Sydney about my tattoo.

I grip the seam of my t-shirt and tug it over my head, giving Sydney a good look at my chest. While I take my shirt off around her most of the time, she says it never gets old after I hid from her for so long. She’s become obsessed with touching my muscles and running her hands over my tattoos. I like when she does it, something I never would have expected before I met her.

Turning, so my back is facing her, I stare out the window and wait for her reaction. It doesn’t take long before she squeals with excitement.

“Oh, my God, Carter. You…”

As soon as I hear her crying, I shift in my seat, so I can look into her eyes, hold her hand, and tell her it’s okay. “Don’t cry, babe.” I stroke her skin with my thumb, trying to soothe her.

“You have my name on your back. Our names. And…” She chokes on her words.

“Inside the last puzzle piece, I had Scully draw an infinity symbol. You see how the words break up some of the lines?”

“Yes. On the top part of the loop, it says, She’s the light,” Sydney says, tracing it with her finger, “and at the bottom of the loop, to my darkness. It’s in script writing, just like the tat on your wrist.”

“Beneath the symbol, I had both of our names interlinked to show the two of us joining together.”

“I love it.” She wipes her tears with the back of her hand. “You made a perfect choice.”

Some people may think I’m crazy to get the name of the woman I have been with for less than a year inked on me, but I know what I have with Sydney is permanent.

I take her hand in mine and gaze into her big, blue eyes. “You were the missing piece to the puzzle. I was always searching for something, but I never knew what I was looking for until I found you.”

“I feel the same way, big guy. I love you.” Her voice softens to a whisper.