E I G H T E E N

Curled in bed, Colton’s tattooed arm wrapped tightly around her waist, Kate let out a contented sigh. They’d been talking for hours about anything and everything. Colton had told her about how he met Austin, how he’d played football in school but sucked so he moved to boxing. He’d told her about how he started underground fighting to make money but had been able to escape that life due to his father’s connections. Kate had asked about his family but Colton changed the subject. It wasn’t subtle by any means and she knew it was best to leave it alone. His body tensed and his hair prickled beneath her touch. It was clearly a sore subject.

His breath was deep now, his chest rising and falling slowly. Kate’s eyes traveled to his chest tattoo; a black and grey skull with a snake constricting it covering the majority of his left pectoral muscle. It continued across his shoulder and down his left bicep. She wondered if it had any significance, deciding to ask him when he awoke.