Page 15 of Broken Skulls (Rebel Skull MC #7)

Chapter Fourteen

Jacob

M y mom told only one person where we were going when we left. One. That’s all it took for my dad to find us. So, trust me. I know the significance of what just passed between the two of us. She gave up her life to protect what was hers, and now she’s asking for the same level of devotion from me.

Elizabeth is giving herself to me … everything she is and everything she holds close to her.

I’m not going to fuck up this time.

She cried until she fell asleep in my arms, then I took her back to her room in the basement.

I tuck her in, running my fingers through her hair. It’s so soft.

She’s soft.

She’s quiet.

She’s everything they said she wasn’t.

“JD!” Lily yells down the stairs.

Fuck.

I rush out of the room and jog upstairs, finding her in the living room.

“Oh, there you are,” she says, placing her hand over her heart.

I wipe my hands down the front of my jeans. “Yeah, I was just doing some laundry in the basement.”

Her brows furrow, and she tips her head as if she’s listening for something. She walks over to the window, peering through the gap in my curtains.

“What’s up?”

She bounces nervously on her toes, keeping her eye on my driveway. “The room in your basement. You know, the one you use when you go into the dark. Um, you don’t have someone down there, do you?”

Lily is the only one who knows about that room.

I drop my head and laugh. “Is this about my joke? It was just that … a joke.”

“Was it?”

“Lily, who would I have down there?”

She looks at me. “I saw the way you were looking at her in Iowa.”

“Who?”

Her hands land on her hips. “JD, if she’s down there, you need to tell me right now.”

I drop to the couch, resting my arms across the back of it. “You’re funny. Did you get the lamps finished?”

Lily turns back to the window. “Shit! I knew it,” she squeals, jumping up and down. She narrows her gaze on me. “You don’t understand. Jesse is coming, and she’s not alone.”

The windows rattle as bikes begin to spill into the yard. I jump to my feet suddenly angry they’re invading my personal space. “My own fucking club?”

She grabs my arm, hanging on to it. “She doesn’t mess around when it comes to protecting women, JD. You know this! Please tell me she’s not here.”

I pull away, determined to stop them at the door.

Jackson is just stepping foot on my porch when I walk outside, closing the door firmly behind me.

“You guys bringing the party to the junkyard?” I ask, dropping my ass down on the top step.

Jesse slides off the back of Dirk’s bike, shaking out her long silver-grey hair after removing her helmet.

Jackson tosses a thumb in her direction. “You know how she is when she gets something in her head.” He tips his to the side, studying me.

I laugh. “What’s in her head?”

“She thinks you got a woman in your basement.”

This makes me laugh harder, but in my mind I know the gig is up. And I just remembered I left Lily inside. I’m sure she’s already discovered my hidden treasure.

Jesse brushes past me and into the house.

“Go on. Help yourself. Beer is in the fridge.” I wave my hand toward the front door.

Slowly I stand, feeling uneasy as the men of the club watch the front of my house.

“Jesus. You do have a bitch in your basement, don’t you?” Jackson groans. “Goddammit, man.”

Tank slides off his bike, his gaze narrowing on me. But I don’t have time to worry about him, or any of the men for that matter, because my front door swings open, banging loudly against the side of the house. Next, Jesse comes barreling out, fists swinging.

I throw my hands up, blocking her, but I don’t try to stop her.

No one does.

Until a woman cries out. “Stop! What are you doing?”

Jesse pauses, looking over her shoulder. Lily has her arm around Elizabeth, helping to balance her as she covers her eyes, trying to adjust to the sunlight.

“Lizzie?” Tank shouts, running toward the porch.

Before I know what is happening, Elizabeth is pushing her way past Jesse and throwing herself into my arms. She wraps herself around me tightly.

“That’s not my name!” she screams at him. “Leave Jacob alone.” She finishes on a sob before burying her face in the crook of my neck.

Everyone is quiet.

“Her name is Elizabeth,” I say to the group.

Tank huffs, shaking his head like he can’t believe what he’s seeing or hearing.

“Okay. Let’s all chill the fuck out,” Jackson orders calmly, holding out his arms.

Jesse chuckles darkly. “Chill out? He had this woman locked in a dark room in his basement, Jackson. I’m not finished with him.”

Elizabeth lets out another little sob.

“Shh,” I comfort her, running my hand over her back. “It’s okay.”

Tank folds his arms across his chest. “Is what Jesse saying true?”

“There’s no lock on the door. She was never locked in. Jesus Christ, get off my dick.”

Elizabeth’s breath catches, and she stills in my arms.

Jackson and Elijah both head inside to see if what I’m saying is the truth, Jesse hot on their heels.

Lily looks at me sadly.

“I took the lock off when I brought her here,” I say, doing my best to ease my friend’s worries.

Elizabeth slowly lifts her head to look me in the eye.

We’re still staring at each other when the trio returns from inside.

“He’s not lying. There’s no lock,” Jackson tells the club.

“I don’t understand,” she whispers. “I thought …”

“You never tried to get out,” I explain to her.

Her brows pull together as she thinks about her stay in my basement. She slowly looks around the group, her gaze landing on Tank. “I want to go back to my room now,” she says quietly.

I sigh loudly because I know the club isn’t going to allow that to happen. Not until they understand why I have a room like that in my basement and why I brought her here.

“Maybe you could stay with Kelsie and Tank for a little while. Just until I have time to explain everything,” I encourage.

Her fingers curl into my t-shirt in a death grip, and I’m not going to fucking lie … I like it.

“No,” Tank says, holding his hands up. “I’m not disrespecting Kelsie that way.”

Dan grunts in agreement. “She can stay with us.”

Lily steps forward. “Yes, why don’t you stay with us? Just until we figure this all out.”

“She’s staying with Willow and me,” Jackson orders, crossing his arms over his chest.

Elizabeth starts shaking her head back and forth, tugging me with her toward the house. “No.”

“Help her pack her things while I run home and get my truck and my wife.” Jackson says, ignoring her pleas. He brings his fingers to his mouth and whistles, signaling everyone to head out.

Jesse grabs his arm. “I’m not leaving until I know this woman is safe.”

“Fine. You and my sister can stay, but be nice.”

She huffs, whipping her hair as she turns, storming inside my house. Lily follows her.

Everyone else gets on their bikes and begins to pull out of the driveway.

“I want to go back to my room.”

My gaze bounces over her frightened face. She’s so different than everyone had described in all the reports and news articles. Everyone painted her as crazy … terrible … someone who loved a monster. They all painted a picture of her that wasn’t true.

No one ever came even remotely close to getting it right.

No one peered into her tiny fractures … until me.

“Okay,” I hear myself say, ready to face the ass whooping I’m likely to get from Jesse.

But it will all be worth it.

For her.