Her Tattooed Savior (New Adult Wrestling Erotic Romance) by Selena Storm

Her
Tattooed Savior
     
    Her foundation bottle was almost empty and Mandy was starting to panic.
Ronnie would be there to pick her up any minute and she had to cover the bruise
on her cheek or he was likely to give her another one. It was her second bottle
of foundation in as many months, but Ronnie had been more willing to use the
back of his hand recently and Mandy had no choice but to layer on her makeup in
an effort to cover the marks his fists had left.
    Her face stung when she blotted the ugly yellow bruise on her cheek.
Its center was still a deep plum on her tanned skin, but the edges had faded
into the ugliest yellow she’d ever seen. It was the worst bruise he’d ever
given her, but unlike before, there was no apology. He didn’t beg forgiveness
like he used to when he lost his temper. He had hit her and then just walked
away from her.
    That was almost four days ago and she hadn’t heard from him since, but
it wouldn’t be the first time he’d just left to cool off for a while. Mandy
knew she better be ready for him at six sharp or there would be even more
trouble and she couldn’t afford another bottle of twenty dollar foundation
right now.
    Ronnie hadn’t always been so bad, not really. Or at least that’s what
Mandy tried to convince herself as she added another layer of powder over her
bruise. They’d started dating four years ago when they were both sixteen and
she thought he was her true love. When they’d started dating, it had been so
passionate and Ronnie was so romantic and sweet. He had a temper and he let it
get the best of him sometimes, but he’d cried the first time he shoved her. He
promised it would never happen again and she believed him.
    She believed him until he did it again. That time she got flowers. The time
after that it was a new necklace. He’d shove her and then cry and give her a
present. It happened every few months, but Mandy always chalked it up to his
temper. Besides, she’d been accustomed to her father’s fists since she was
little. Mandy just took it as a fact that men lost their tempers and it was her
own fault for getting in their way.
    Ronnie was getting worse though. He’d been getting worse for months and
she was finally being really thankful that he’d said no when she’d asked him to
move in with her when she got the tiny apartment on her eighteenth birthday.
She’d been waiting tables at their local diner since before they were dating
and with her tips, Mandy had enough to cover a small apartment. If Ronnie could
even just help with the groceries, she’d want him to live with her.
    He’d said a flat no, and had refused her ever since. That didn’t stop
him for staying over whenever he wanted, eating her food, using her toiletries,
and having his friends over when he felt like it, even if it meant keeping
Mandy up at all hours of the night. She loved him and she put up with it, even
when she knew she shouldn’t.
    When he’d started coming by less, Mandy had panicked. Despite their
problems, she loved him so much. When he was good to her, there was no one better
in the universe. Sadly, the good times were dwindling and the old Ronnie was
slowly being replaced with a man she hardly knew anymore. He’d been losing
weight, his skin had gotten worse, and his temper was only growing shorter.
She’d heard the rumors, but it had taken her finding his pipe in her apartment
that made her believe what she’d been hearing around town.
    For once in her life, Mandy had the courage to confront her boyfriend
about what he was doing. His father was the sheriff and even he wouldn’t be
able to help him if Ronnie got caught with meth on him.
    “Stupid bitch,” Ronnie had laughed at her as he gave her the bruise she
now wore on her cheek. “Stay out of my business!”
    “I just don’t want you to get in trouble,” she’d sobbed at Ronnie. “What
if your dad finds out?”
    “You think he doesn’t know?” Ronnie screamed at her. The walls of her
apartment