Chapter 2 - The Tattoo

Avery

It had been two days, and I still couldn't stop thinking about that night.

I was still lost in my thoughts when Mia's voice suddenly broke through them.

"Ri-ri… pick up your phone."

I blinked and looked down at my phone, finally noticing it had been vibrating beside me. The moment I saw the caller ID, I sighed and leaned back.

"It's Mom," I muttered. "She probably wants to remind me about her marriage again. This is her second marriage in a year, can you imagine? I don't know why she can't just stop. She keeps saying she's looking for the right one. Last time, she said he was the best. Now this one is going to be the best too." I rolled my eyes, unable to keep the irritation from my voice. “Now she wants me to move to Dallas, but I won't be moving!”

Mia stared at me for a second, then shook her head with an amused smile, but I barely noticed because my thoughts had already wandered back to the masked man. I didn't even realize I was smiling until Mia caught me.

"You're thinking about that night again, aren't you?"

I immediately stopped smiling and looked away, pretending I hadn't heard her. What was I supposed to say? That I couldn't stop wondering who he was? That part of me wished I could find him even though I didn't have a name, a face, or anything useful to go on? I pressed my lips together and kept quiet, hoping Mia would let it go, but before she could say anything else, her attention shifted behind me.

"Look, he's coming."

I turned and my heart immediately gave that familiar little jump when I saw Chase running toward us. He looked unfairly good, his hair slightly tousled, his hockey jersey hanging perfectly on his broad frame. He reached us, laughing, then casually reached out and touched my hair like he always did, and despite everything, a smile slipped onto my face before I could stop it.

"I'm going to miss you so much," he said.

My smile disappeared. I stared at him, confused by the sudden heaviness in his voice.

"What do you mean by that?"

His expression softened. "I'll be moving to Dallas this weekend."

Dallas? This weekend? My chest tightened as all the things I'd wanted to tell him suddenly felt even more impossible.

"I'll miss you pookie," he continued with a small smile. “I wish things with Tina had worked out the other night, but she suddenly had something important come up, so I ended up going to a masked club instead.”

My stomach dropped.

He continued talking, completely unaware of the way my expression had changed.

"I met a virgin there... she was so tight," he said casually. "And honestly, I enjoyed myself."

My eyes widened, and suddenly I couldn't hear anything except the blood rushing in my ears. A cold shiver ran down my spine as my mind desperately tried to connect the words he was saying to the memories I'd been trying to piece together for two days. My fingers curled against my palms.

Then Chase lifted his shirt.

"And look what I got that night. A new tattoo."

Everything inside me stopped.

My eyes locked onto the dark tattoo sprawled across the left side of his chest, and for several seconds, I couldn't even breathe properly. The black serpent curled around the dagger, the tiny crown sitting at the base of the blade. I knew that tattoo. It was exactly the same as the stranger's.

"Do you think it’s nice?” Chase asked, lifting his shirt a little higher so I could see it better.

I forced a laugh, but it sounded strange even to my own ears.

"Of course it's nice," I said.

Chase shrugged, dropping his shirt back down. "It's kind of a family thing, actually. We've all got it, one way or another. Been meaning to get mine for a while — that night just felt like the right time."

My gaze remained fixed on the spot where the tattoo had been.

A family thing. Meaning it wasn't just his. Meaning anyone in that family could be walking around with the exact same ink.

Oh God.

Heat rushed through me, and I suddenly realized I was sweating.

"Why are you sweating?" Chase asked, his eyebrows drawing together as he stepped closer. He reached up and touched my face, his fingers brushing my cheek.

The simple gesture made my heart pound even harder.

I swallowed and tried to act normal, but my mind was already somewhere else, desperately replaying every broken piece of that night.

Then Chase smiled.

"And one more thing. I want you to come with me to Dallas. I want you to finally meet my dad. You've never met him, and I'd love to meet your mom too since you never let me meet her. So… would you?"

I barely processed the question. My thoughts were spinning too fast, and before I could answer, Chase gently cupped my face, forcing my attention back to him.

"Would you?"

"Yes," I stammered.

His smile widened immediately. "Settled, then. I'd love it if you'd move to Dallas too, pookie."

He gave me one last grin and ran off, leaving me standing there completely stunned.

I stared after Chase, then looked back at her. "That was the tattoo."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Do you think it's him? The man from that night? The one I've been looking for?"

I bit my lower lip, suddenly realizing that Dallas might hold the answer to everything.

My heart skipped again.

"I think I'd need to move to Dallas."