The ongoing drama between Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen now includes some questionable body art. In her latest legal filing against her ex, Paul claimed that Mortensen recently inked her initials on the inside of his lip. She included the fresh tattoo in her evidence that Mortensen had become “increasingly possessive” of her after she finished filming The Bachelorette earlier this year.
Paul filed a protective order against Mortensen on April 7, in response to the temporary restraining order Mortensen filed in March. In the court report, which was obtained by People, Paul alleged that her ex had exhibited a “pattern of abusive conduct and coercive control” that worsened as her season of The Bachelorette was approaching its March 22 premiere date. (The season wound up being shelved due to Paul and Mortensen’s dispute).
For evidence, Paul submitted various text messages she received from Mortensen in mid-February in which he repeatedly proclaimed his undying love for her. She also claims she was shown a photo of Mortensen’s inner lip, which had a tattoo of her initials, “TFP.” People’s source corroborated that Mortensen got the ink on Feb. 14 shortly after Paul posted Valentine’s Day-themed promo for The Bachelorette. This reportedly happened prior to the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives filming pause, and Mortensen apparently “showed the tattoo to cast members and on camera while filming the show.”
Paul argued in her court document that the tattoo was “extremely alarming” for her to discover, especially since Mortensen got it while he and Paul were not together. “Considering his increasingly possessive and erratic behavior, and considering the fact that we were not in a relationship, this was extremely alarming,” Paul’s filing read. “My initials are now permanently tattooed on the body of a man who has been abusive toward and possessive of me.”
Mortensen’s appearance on the new competition show Unwell Winter Games clarifies this timeline even more. On the show, which filmed in early February, Mortensen emphasizes that he’s single, even flirting up a storm with fellow cast member Hallie Batchelder. Per People’s source and Paul’s filing, Mortensen would have gotten the “TFP” tat just days after returning from that production.
