Page 29 of Broken Skulls (Rebel Skull MC #7)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Jacob

I forced myself to stay awake until I was sure she was sound asleep. My body and brain were exhausted, but I needed to make sure she was good before I let my eyes fall closed.

This morning I woke with a start, feeling like I’d slept for days. I found her still asleep beside me, except she wasn’t hugging me, she was curled up around the little stuffed dog I left for her in the basement before I went to Iowa.

Did she go down to the basement last night to get it?

I run my finger over her brow. She’s so brave.

I’m going to let her sleep as long as she needs to. I head to the kitchen, turning the coffee on. I glance out the window, spotting a couple of bikes outside.

I open the door to find Raffe and Jackson playing cards on my front porch.

“Coffee?” I lean out and ask them.

“Fuck yeah.” Jackson throws his cards on the table and stands to stretch.

They both follow me back inside.

“Have you guys been here all night?”

“Yep,” Raffe says, helping himself to a cup of coffee.

“Eggs?” I ask from inside the refrigerator. “You know you fuckers didn’t have to guard my house all night. Everything is good.”

“Yeah, we heard,” Jackson jokes.

His dad punches him in the arm. “Stop.”

“Naw, man. That was some crazy shit last night. We just wanted to make sure someone was here if you needed anything.”

“Well, I appreciate it.” I crack an egg in the pan, catching movement out the corner of my eye.

“Good morning.” Raffe jumps from his chair, pulling it out for her to sit.

She has my t-shirt pulled up to her chin, nibbling on the seam. She stares at the chair for a moment before turning her eyes my way. “Can I talk to you?”

Jackson immediately takes over my task.

“Yeah, yeah sure.” I wash my hands, wondering what’s wrong. Maybe she heard what Jackson said and she’s embarrassed.

He reads my mind. “Shit, dude. I’m sorry. I’m such a dumbass.”

I pat him on the back, not arguing with him. “We’ll be right back.”

She’s standing in front of the mirror in my plant room. I walk up behind her, our gazes clashing the minute our bodies touch. The intake of her breath makes my cock ache.

“Um.” She pulls the shirt down, revealing her slender neck … it’s covered in hickeys.

Am I a teenager locked in a grown man’s body?

Yes. Yes, I am.

The grin on my face widens when she huffs. “Jacob, I don’t want everyone to think you’re hurting me. They were so upset when they thought you had me locked in the basement.”

I turn her around in my arms, staring down at her. The concern wrinkling her nose is cute. She’s worried about me. “They’re not going to think I’m hurting you,” I assure her. I don’t want her to stress.

“Do you think they’ll notice?” she asks, and then she … she lays her head on my chest.

I stare at the image of us in the mirror. I’ve never seen anything I’ve loved more.

My arms wrap around her slowly. If only I could lock her here forever. “Oh, they’ll notice,” I tease.

“Maybe I can just hide out in the bedroom for a few days.” She squeezes me around the waist, hopeful.

“Nice try.” I push her away, forcing her to look at me. “Listen, I’m not going to lie to you. They are going to tease the shit out of me for it, but they won’t you. So no worries, okay?”

“How do you know?”

“Because they know I’ll beat the dog shit out of them if they upset my girl.”

She blushes like a schoolgirl. As if flirting is a new concept for her.

“Come on. I’m going to get these fuckers fed and then send them on their way. I know we have a lot to talk about.”

This doesn’t please her. She begins to pull away from me. I hug her close. “Elizabeth, you and I talking is not something to be afraid of. I’m not going to pressure you to talk about anything you’re not ready to. I just want to talk … to get to know you.”

“I don’t know me, Jacob.”

“Then I guess we’ll both get to know Elizabeth at the same time. Isn’t it exciting?” I shake her gently between my arms.

“What if what everyone says about her is true?”

“Well, then I think we’re going to have our hands full.”

She laughs.

I take her hand and pull her from the room. “Don’t let me forget to water those plants after breakfast,” I tell her over my shoulder.

When we get to the kitchen, I sense her reluctance, but I escort her to a chair at the table anyway. The minute Jackson looks over at her, he starts in.

“Fuck, dude, you marking your territory or what? You could have just put “Property of JD” on her back.” He walks over and sits down beside her. “I’m sorry you found yourself an idiot. He’s not going to hear the end of this … ever. Our brothers are going to give him so much shit.” He shakes his head in mock sadness at her.

She gives him a shy smile, and I swear I hear her giggle.

Raffe finally realizes what we’re talking about. He looks from Elizabeth to me. “Are you a teenager, JD?”

“Fuck off. I’ve seen Rachel sporting a few of those herself.”

“Okay, please stop. I don’t want to be reminded of my parent’s public displays of affection.” Jackson gags out the last word.

This time I know Elizabeth laughs.

He winks at me, pleased with himself.

I turn back to the stove, suddenly overcome with emotion.

This fucking club. I swipe at my eyes. There aren’t many places in this world that feel safe anymore, but my brothers always feel safe. I should have been honest with them as soon as my obsession with her began. I’ll always be able to trust them, and she will, too.

“So, you going on the run tomorrow?”

I roll my eyes. I’ve already told him I’m not going. I need to stay with Elizabeth. She’s not quite ready to be on the back of my bike for that many hours. She needs to build up her strength.

“No.”

“Great. I’m going to need you to watch Lex.”

“Oh my god,” I groan, falling right into his trap.

Before I can argue, Jackson fills Elizabeth in on who Lex is.

“Her parents sound like mine,” she says when he finally shuts up.

I hand her a plate and sit down. She’s talking to him …

“Maybe you could go with JD, you know, in case she needs someone to talk to.”

Her eyes widen in surprise, and she sits back a little. “I … I guess I could.”

He pretends not to notice her reaction to his asking for her help.

Raffe notices the dragonfly on the refrigerator. He points to it with his fork. “That Charlotte is quite the little artist.”

Elizabeth and I look at each other. “She sure is. Charlotte is Katie and Petey’s oldest daughter,” I tell her. My heart slows when she sees that I’ve handled it. Her secret will always be safe with me.

“I met her at the farm,” she says hesitantly.

“I hear the dragonfly brought you here,” Raffe tells her.

She taps her fingers over her neckline.

His gaze softens. “It’s okay you lost it. The dragonfly always flies where it’s needed most.”

“I hope so,” she whispers.

He leans back in his chair, winking at me. “JD here owes me a big one, because I’m the one who started it all,” Raffe jokes.

Jackson shakes his head chuckling. “He’s right, you know. It went from him to my mom, to Lily, to Willow, to Charlotte, to Kelsie, and then to you …” He looks at my girl, and reaches over to take her hand. “It led you right where you need to be. Here with us.”

Someone knocks on the door, and it opens without anyone answering. Fucking Dirk.

“I have orders from my old lady. You’re to have her over to the warehouse by two pm.” He points at Elizabeth before turning his finger on me.

“What the fuck for?”

He runs his gaze over Elizabeth. “The ladies are going shopping.”

When I begin to argue, he raises an eyebrow at me. “You want her wearing your sweats to the run tomorrow?”

“Oh fuck. Yeah, I guess …” I run my own eyes over her. “Do you want to go shopping with Jesse?”

She nods, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.

“Alright, I’ll have her there.” I wave my hands. “Now, no offense brothers, but I got shit to do.”

Jackson starts to laugh, and Raffe kicks him under the table.

“Very funny. Now go on.” I wave everyone away.

Raffe puts his plate in the sink as Jackson shovels the last five bites on his in one mouthful. Dirk rolls his eyes and walks out, but not before flipping us all off.

Soon, it’s just the two of us.

“I love my brothers, but … I’m sorry if they offended you in any way,” I tell her.

“They didn’t. It’s just strange, you know? To be here and this.” She waves her fork between the two of us.

I nod, not arguing with her. It’s a little strange for me too, so it has to be crazy as fuck for her.

We finish and she helps me with the dishes. She’s quiet as she runs a dish towel over a plate. After the third one, I notice a small smile on her face. I wonder what’s she’s thinking.

As she’s finishing the last one, I pull the watering can from under the sink. After I fill it, I tip my head for her to follow me. “My plants are probably thirsty as fuck.”

She hovers by the door as I make my way around the room. “Mavis, Mavis baby, you need some pruning.”

I start plucking dead leaves, silently cheering when Elizabeth comes to stand by me. She watches me for a few moments, and then begins to go to work, helping me care for the plants.

Her finger dances over one of the yellowed sympathy cards still stuck in one of them. I wait for her to ask me about it, but she doesn’t. She rubs a green leaf between her finger and thumb, her gaze quietly assessing the room.

“They’re from my mom’s funeral. I’ve somehow managed to keep these fuckers alive for thirty years.”

I laugh at the way her eyebrows raise in surprise.

“Thirty years?”

“Yeah. Crazy, huh?”

Her focus goes back to the waxy leaf. “I don’t think it’s crazy at all.”

My shoulders fall, and I realize how scared I was to tell her about them. My ex laughed her ass off when I told her. I swore then I’d never let anyone in this room again. Well, except for Lily. She waters them occasionally for me.

“Do you like taking care of them?”

I chuckle. “When I was a kid, they terrified me. I didn’t want any of them to die.”

“How old were you?” She walks toward me with a handful of dead leaves, dumping them into the small trash can I’m using.

I’m amazed by how much she’s talking to me.

“I’m sorry,” she says, mistaking the look on my face to mean she’s asking too many questions.

“Don’t be sorry. I like that you’re interested in me.”

Her head drops, and a pink tinge brushes over her face. God, she’s beautiful.

“I was twelve. Could you open the curtains?” I point to the windows. “This room has the most sun, but it’s only in the morning. I’ve always wanted to figure out a better place for them.”

She walks away from me. “I like talking to you, and listening to the sound of your voice,” she admits now that her back is to me.

When she pushes the curtains open, little rainbows burst over the room … and her face.

Fuck.

“Jacob!” she squeals, rushing over and taking the watering can from me.

I stare at the puddle on the ground for a second before raising my eyes to her.

There’s not one thing in this world I need at the moment … I have everything. Slowly, I draw my finger over her face. Her eyes fall closed. “I’m a simple man, Elizabeth.”

“Simple sounds nice,” she says quietly.