Page 34 of Sinful Skulls (Rebel Skull MC #9)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Daisy

E lizabeth and I laugh when we arrive at the same time.

“And we both brought flowers,” I tell her, showing her one of my floral paintings. I’m glad she’s here. After what happened with Dirk today, I thought briefly about running away, but talking with Elizabeth eases my anxiety.

“Do you want to go get a coffee with me? I could really use some caffeine to get me through the rest of the day.”

Her gaze bounces over me. “Are you still having a hard time sleeping?”

“Yeah.” I blow my hair out of my face, and she reaches out, helping to brush it away. “I feel bad because I’ve been keeping Brody up too.”

She hooks her arm around mine. “Let’s go get that coffee.”

We both wave to Lily as she helps a customer at the counter. “We’re taking off!” Elizabeth yells from the door before we step out into the warm sun.

“It’s not far from here,” she says, guiding me down the street.

“This is the cutest town. It’s big but not too big. It still has that small town feel.” I stop beside her when she pauses to check one of the pots of flowers in the downtown area.

“I need to get down here and water these tonight,” she determines after sticking her finger in the dirt.

“How do you even do that? There are so many.” I look down the street, admiring all the colorful pots.

“Jacob helps me. He has a water truck. It doesn’t take us very long, and he always takes me out for ice cream when we’re finished.”

“Aw, that is really sweet. What’s in the water around here? If I had known men like these existed, I would have been here sooner.”

The smile that lights her face at my words makes my heart warm. “Me too,” she agrees. A laugh bursts from her lips, and she quickly covers her mouth. “But we’re here now.”

We window shop along the way, making plans to meet up tomorrow to do a little thrifting. “We should invite Lily. She’s a thrifting queen.”

“She seems really nice. Everyone does.”

“Everyone?”

“Well, okay, yeah. You saw that the other night, huh?”

Elizabeth nods.

“I feel bad about it. I’m really not a bitch, I promise.”

She chuckles. “I never once thought you were. The club is the one place you can be yourself. We all have limits with our men, and you stood your ground.”

“I nicked her, but I really didn’t want to hurt her.” I take a deep breath. “It’s messing with my head to be honest.”

She holds the door open to the coffee shop, letting me pass in front of her.

“Oh, gosh, this is cute. I love it.” I glance around, checking out the rustic décor as she leads us to our seats.

As soon as we’re settled, she resumes our conversation. “Biker life is different. Tensions rise, and here, you duke it out. If you wouldn’t have made your place known, that kind of behavior would have continued. It still might. Never be afraid to protect what is yours.”

“I get that things are different here, but I guess I worry I might cross a line.” I stop talking. She’s going to think I’m nuts.

Elizabeth laughs lightly and reaches over to pat my cheek. “The fact you’re worrying about it means you have morals. You have a line, and I think you know that.”

“I guess. You don’t think I went too dark?”

“No, I don’t. If you pay attention to humanity, you will see everyone has a dark side. Some lean into the light, others the dark.” Her head dips to catch my eye. “Just be open and honest. This is a safe place to find the line. The club will help balance the scales.”

“Dirk told me something similar the other day. I opened up to him, and now I’m kind of regretting it. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to face him again.”

She patiently waits for me to elaborate.

“I showed him a private portrait of myself. I don’t know why I let him see it. It was stupid.”

Her brows pull together in concern. “Why were you embarrassed by it?”

“It was dark and sinful,” I admit softly.

She pales.

My head falls. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be telling you all of my troubles.” When she doesn’t say anything, I look up to see her eyes wide and panicked.

“It can’t be,” she whispers.

“Daisy,” a deep voice says from behind me as warm fingers wrap over my shoulder. Henry leans down and whispers in my ear, “Stay calm and introduce me to your friend.”

Elizabeth looks like she’s about to pass out.

“Elizabeth, this is my … um, my, um …”

“I’m her uncle. It’s nice to finally meet you.” He holds his hand out to her. She’s frozen in her seat. He doesn’t look offended when she doesn’t shake his hand. He lowers himself between us.

“But I suppose you recognized me when I walked in. We were identical twins after all.” His gaze hardens on Elizabeth, and she begins to curl in on herself.

I’m so confused as to what is happening that I begin to look around. Am I awake or am I dreaming? Maybe I’m hallucinating. My heart begins to beat faster and faster. I really need to get some better sleep.

Elizabeth’s hand touches mine under the table, and she taps me twice, pulling me back to reality. She gives my fingers a squeeze.

“You are more beautiful than I imagined, Lizzie. My brother was a greedy bastard. He never sent a portrait of your face; I was only graced with your lovely backside.”

He looks at me.

Lizzie? Why is he calling her that, and why is it so familiar?

My heart slows to a complete stop. There was a Lizzie in one of the yearbooks from the school my father taught at …

She squeezes my hand again, and I turn toward her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers.

“Oh. Oh, did you not know?” Henry reaches out and touches my face. I jerk away from him. “I’m sorry. I really thought you knew.” He seems sincere, but my question is how did he know?

He reads my mind.

“You were looking for her. I assumed you found her here. You both share the same mannerisms. Why else would you be here?”

Elizabeth and I turn to look at each other at the same time. Brody. I’m here because of Brody. Does he know she’s my mother?

No. I’m certain he doesn’t know anything about this. He would have told me if he did. I trust him.

She gives my hand one final squeeze before letting go and sitting up straight. “What do you want?” she asks him.

My mind wanders to the painting of her, and the images I created in my head of what she might look like. I stare at the side of her face as she waits for his response.

She’s my mother.

Elizabeth is the girl in the painting.

My mother.

The smile on Henry’s face has me scooting away from the table, ready to run. He shakes his head and points at me with his pocket. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Does he have a gun?!

Elizabeth reaches out and wraps her hand around mine, keeping me still.

“The three of us are going to stand up and walk out of here, and then we’re going to get in my car. It’s right outside.”

She turns to look out the window.

“Give me your phones,” he orders, holding out his hand.

“Just do as he says,” she tells me, fishing hers out of her purse.

He reaches out and curls a finger around her bag, tipping it toward him to see the contents. When he’s satisfied she doesn’t have anything to be concerned about, he turns his attention to me.

I’m not going along with any of this. I didn’t escape him in Paris to now just willingly waltz out of here with him. He’s crazy.

Henry grabs my purse and pulls it out for me.

“She has to pay for what she did to your father, and you know how that has to happen.” He taps the pocket of his shirt, and I see the tip of a paintbrush.

Oh my god.

He sets our phones on the table and drapes a napkin over them. “Move,” he orders.

“It’s okay, Daisy. Let’s go,” she says as she stands, pulling me with her.

He follows us out of the little coffee shop and then walks us down the block. He opens the back door for Elizabeth and motions for me to get in the front seat, but before I get in, he grabs my face in his hands.

“You did good. You found her even if it was unintentional. Just remember, we’re doing this for your father.”

I fall into the seat, because he’s right … I just led my insane uncle right to her. She rid herself of my father only to have me lead another irrational man right to her doorstep. Oh my god, what have I done?

“I know I’ve given you no reason to trust me, but please, please trust me now,” she says quietly behind me as he rounds the car.

My heart drops into the pit of my stomach as the driver’s door opens and he joins us. He pulls the gun out of his jacket and sets it on his leg.

“Get comfortable. We’re going on a nice long ride.” He starts up the car and pulls away from the curb.

As soon as we’re out of town, I somehow find my voice. “Henry, this is crazy. You told me you had willing participants for your portraits. She is not willing. This is kidnapping!”

He doesn’t look away from the road. “She kept you from him … and from me, and then she killed him, Daisy. I don’t know why you’re not understanding what I’m trying to tell you. She thinks we are monsters.”

“You and him. She thinks you and your brother are monsters. Not me.”

He shakes his head and laughs. “Still in denial I see.”

“I’m not like you.”

“Oh, but you are.”

The butt of a gun suddenly appears from the backseat, coming to rest under Henry’s jaw.

“She’s not.”

She reaches over the seat and grabs his gun from his lap, pushing hers into his neck a little more. “Pull over or I’ll blow your head off,” Elizabeth tells him.

His eyes widen, but he does as she asks.

“You should have patted me down,” she growls in his ear. “You’re right about one thing. I did think your brother was a monster, that’s why I kept my daughter away from him. That’s why I killed him.”

I plaster myself against the door, watching her take over the situation. The calm on her face is almost frightening.

“And I can tell from my daughter’s reaction to you that you also are a monster.” She finally turns to look at me. “Get out.”

“What?”

“Get out. Someone from the club will find you soon. Stay on the side of the road where they can see you.”

“You’re not coming with me?”

She shakes her head. “I can’t do that, Daisy, but they’ll know where to find me.”

My hand clumsily reaches behind me, and I almost fall out of the car when the door opens.

“Close it,” she tells me.

I begin to cry, because what if I never see her again? What if he overpowers her somehow?

“I’m not afraid of the dark, baby. It’s okay. Shut the door.”

I push it closed and fall to my knees, watching helplessly as they drive away.

My head falls, and I hit the gravel road with my fists.