Truth Forever 22

Truth Forever 22
Cali

“My stuff.” I couldn’t help it. My feet took me to the pink wig still sat on Truths bedside table. The wig I had thought I would never see again. I had assumed he would have thrown it out. But then again I had thought a lot of things. 

I had never expected to see Truth again, let alone be in his bedroom with him looking at me the way he was. Like I was some sort of wild animal that he was afraid of scaring away. “You kept my stuff?”

He gave a sort of half shrug, his shoulders moving up and down. It was a nervous gesture. His eyes never left me, though as I ran my hand through the silky strands.

“I was kind of hoping you would be back.” He leant back, his weight on his arms on the bed as he stared at me. There were so many questions in his eyes. All of them unspoken. 

In the weeks I had known him, Truth had never lied to me. As far as I was aware anyway but there had been a lot he hadn’t said. I had thought our relationship was just two people letting off steam, hell I had lied about us being casual to myself from the very beginning but looking into his whiskey coloured eyes, I realised he had never lied to himself. 

“I didn’t want to leave.” It came out a whisper. Tears pricked my eyes. And I wiped them away angrily. I had told myself I wouldn’t cry. Yet here I was, crying like a baby with tears rolling down my cheeks. 

He was on me in a second. Muscled arms wrapping around my shoulders. “I didn’t want you to leave either it’s just….” His sigh was loud. “I thought …just for a split second I thought you had been playing me to get info on the club. I regretted it, Cali. Fuck I’ve regretted it every single day since.”

“It’s ok.” I pressed my face into his chest. Sucking in great lungfuls of his scent. Smoke and leather and the darkly masculine aroma that was pure Truth. 

“It’s not, Cali. If any of the others had done that to you. I would have killed them. I wouldn’t have even hesitated.”

I tilted my chin up so I could search his face. “But you hesitated with me?”

“Of course, I did. I fucking love you.” Truth paused as if he had just realised what he had just said. Disbelief and shock made his features sharper. Not that I could blame him, I was in shock as well.  

He shook his head. “Don’t freak out, it’s just words.” 

It wasn’t just words, though. Not from a man like Truth.  I doubted he had ever said the words to a woman before. 

“I….”

He silenced me, pressing a thick finger to my lips. “You don’t have to say it back.”

Playfully I bit at his finger. Nipping at it. I had come here to talk, to hash things out. So maybe I could leave and move on with my life. I hadn’t expected him to profess his love. And I sure as hell hadn’t expected my own heart to slam into my chest at his words.

“Oi woman, stop biting my damn hand..” Truths arms tightened, and I found myself giggling like a schoolgirl.  “I was just saying you don’t have to say it back and you go and take a chunk out of me.”

“You didn’t even give me a chance to reply. You just stuck your finger into my mouth.” I glared at him playfully. “So you deserve a good biting.”

Truths eyes glinted. “I think you deserve to have a few teeth marks in your ass woman.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes.” His hands slid down until both palms were over my ass. He squeezed hard. And a fresh wave of lust swept over me. At this rate, we wouldn’t talk anything through at all. We would just fall into bed. Not that I would mind that, but we really did need to talk first. “Yeah, I really think you do.” He squeezed again.

This time I couldn’t help the breathy little moan that escaped my lips. Truths eyes shone, his look knowing as he melded my body against the hardness of his. “You like the sound of that, don’t you? Do you like the sound of waking up next to me every morning as well?”

I took a step back, my eyes searching his face. Almost instantly, I regretted it. Hurt flickered across his features. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him. 

“You don’t want to.” He turned from me, one giant hand sweeping through his hair. Making it stand on end. “That’s cool. I didn’t mean anything by it. It was just.” He shook his head. “No, I did mean it, Cali. I’m not a liar, and I won’t start now. I want you back with me. Back in our bed. Every single fucking day.” His voice was ragged. “I want you wearing my property patch. I want every single mother fucker to look at you and know you are mine. I want to see my ring on your finger when you wrap your hand around my cock. You want to get married?” He arched a dark eyebrow. “I’m up for that. You want to fuck like teenagers and do it whenever and wherever you feel like it? I’m up for that too. Just as long as you are mine.”

“No .” I kept my voice steady. Darkness seeped into his eyes at my words, and I hated the fact I put it there. “You know I can’t move in or marry you Truth.” I held up my hand as he turned away. “And it’s not because I don’t love you because I do. It’s just….”

“You love me?”

“Of course I fucking do you, big idiot. Why else would I be here?” My eyebrows pinched together. He was dense sometimes. “But I’m not going to move in with you or marry you. If we are going to do this. Then we have to do it right.”

“You being in my bed is right Cali…. nothing has ever felt righter.”

It was my turn to silence him. But instead of using my hand, I slanted my lips over his. For several seconds we just stood there, our lips brushing against each other. “Gem has said I could stay with her until I find somewhere of my own and I can grab a job at Cooks as well. Avery said she would swing it.”

“You plan on staying?”

I sighed. “Of course, I’m staying. I can’t really wear your property badge anywhere else can I? No one would know who the hell I was property of? But I am getting my own place, and we are doing this properly. No more talk of weddings and that shit. It’s too soon.”

“No more talk ...for now. But I do plan on putting a rock on your finger Cali. And I’m not the kind of man who takes no for an answer.” His dark eyes glittered. “Now come here and take off your damn clothes. I want to see you naked.” His grin was pure sex, and I smiled back coyly in return. “I hope you don’t have plans tomorrow Cali…. because you aren’t getting out of my damn bed.”

“As much as I love the idea of that, I have an early morning appointment with Gent… and it’s one I can’t reschedule.”

He snapped his mouth shut. Anger flickering across his face. “Gent again?”

“Yes,” I ran my hand up his chest. “Gent again but don’t get jealous ok? This is one appointment you will be glad I went to.”



“Can I see?” Truths voice filtered in from the shop proper, over the buzzing of the tattoo gun as Gent pressed it against my tender skin. 

It brought a smile to my face. It reminded me so much of the first time we had met. And sure enough, when I turned my head, he was right there. Leaning against the door frame staring at me as I lay on the table with my ass out. 

“The tattoo or my ass?” I grinned at him. His teeth flashed as he smiled back. It was obvious he was remembering as well. “Both.”

“You two need to get a room.” Gent chuckled in the good-natured way that was all him.

“We would have a room if you would fuck off for fifteen minutes.”

“Fifteen minutes geez brother.” Gent shook his head, sending his hair flying into his eyes. “If that’s all you can give her, then I am starting to regret agreeing to put this on her forever.”

I watched as Truths eyebrows shot up, a quizzical line appearing between them. “Can I see?” He repeated. 

Gent shot me a look, waiting for my nod of approval. “Sure.”

It seemed like an eternity that he stared at it. And he didn’t say a damn word. There was no sound but the noise of the three of us breathing. 

Self doubt gripped me. He didn’t like it. 

“Say something.”

“It’s …” Truths voice cracked. “It’s beautiful work.” He finally said.

“Beautiful work?” Gent mirrored him. “The woman you love has your name tattooed on her ass, and all you can say is that its beautiful work?”

I was glad he had said it instead of me because I was beginning to feel like a fool.

“It’s beautiful and … Jesus I don’t know what to say, Cali. You won’t be my wife, but you will ink this on your skin forever.”

I gave him a shrug. “I wanted you to know I’m serious. That I’m all in.” My voice was weak, barely a whisper. 

The tips of his fingers brushed against my skin. “And is it true? Is it really going to be Truth Forever?” He traced around his name. The name I had added above the forever tattoo I had inked the day I had met him. 

“I hope so.”

“There’s no hope involved now Cali. But Gent should add something more?” He chuckled. “Because it should read Truths forever.