Vitiel

was a liv

r, a constant, throbbing remi

cked. Soot still marred the pristine white o

ispered, his v

hed for

before his skin

d at the sterile linoleum floor. "But we can fix it. Later. Laser surgery. Skin g

d. My voice was a ruin, a

wringing his hands. "She cares so much about beauty. I kn

said, the words

let me

burn! I saved her

" I

le

bably needs you to

o defensive anger. "Fine. I'll come

ormed

d three

r, I discharged myself

rt. Every movement was a negotiation with ago

n't g

parlor in Queens. The neon sign in the

viper tattooed across his face. He took one lo

ds on a rag. "I can't tattoo over that.

e steel. "Around it. And over the

like a motherfucker. The

o

I wanted on a

d Eng

urves. A letter meant

lade. I wanted the ink to bleed int

d for tw

ing pain drowned out the chaotic noise in

urn was still there, ugly and angry red. B

tt

i

rd

anything. It m

penthouse as the

pinged in

down. I'll see

was a cold,

whispered to t

the guest

nt

ai

s hand, the amber liquid sloshin

e slurred, stumbling toward me

one, and pulled the collar of my s

e saw the black ink peeking

e

th a pathetic mixture of hope and

he whi

interpreting the Gothic script entirely. "You t

ne. "I know I messed up. But this proves it. We belon

ed to

and flat agai

ush

oid of warmth. "You have a big day tom

Right. Matteo's orphan. God, this is going to be a circus. Just

y part perfect

stling a tun

to the

out the g

stel bridesmaid dress Da

Silk. Comple

s a w