"You can set up there," James said, walking in & pointing at the side table by the armchair you were reading in. With a nod, a young man you had never seen before crossed the living room of the palatial penthouse you shared with your husband and grabbed the table. He lifted it easily and moved it to sit right in front of you. Then he plopped down a case & started unloading supplies. "What...?" You started to ask James what was going on, your eyes locked on the pile of gloves, paper towels, tiny plastic vials, ink, & a sealed needle.

"Peter does all the inking for the family." James said before you could finish asking. "I brought him here to give you a tattoo." You closed your book and looked up at James. "What? *Me?" You asked, your eyes widening. James nodded. "After you lost your wedding ring last week, I realized you needed a permanent symbol to make sure everyone knows you're mine. Ring or no ring."

Your eyes flick to your naked ring finger & then back to James, "Are you telling me that you're tattooing a ring on my finger?"

"Something like that" James nodded at the table in front of you where Peter was setting up. "Lay your hand on the table, sweetheart." He insisted. Not wanting to risk his temper, you did as he said. He he crouched down beside you, running his fingertip along your finger, tapping the spot just below where your finger met your hand. "I want it right here." he told Peter. "You got it, boss." The young man said, opening one of the vials and rubbing a white cream on your finger.

"What's that? It tingles." You asked, looking from Peter to James. "It's a numbing cream. I insisted." James answered. "I want you to have a permanent ring, not be in pain." How kind of him, you thought ruefully as James looked at you as though he was being generous. You hadn't meant to lose your ring, it had slipped off while you were shopping. Now you were being branded.

Peter picked up the tattoo gun to start. You didn't feel a thing as he inked James around your ring finger in a gothic-style swirl.