Page 18 of Trusting Skulls (Rebel Skull MC #8)

Chapter Sixteen

Ash

M y normally steady hands tremble as I pull a letter with my name on it from under the mat.

I give the coffee one last glance, making sure it won’t spill on the new phone I purchased for her yesterday.

A light comes on in the kitchen, and I quickly press myself alongside the house before quietly fading into the morning fog.

As I’m slipping into the forest, Dirk calls my name. I pause, becoming the silence. Becoming invisible.

“I know you’re out there. We’ve got a situation!” he yells, cupping his mouth.

This has me jogging in his direction. When I reach him, my adrenaline spikes. Dirk is shaken. Something I’ve never personally witnessed. Instantly, I prepare myself for go-mode.

“What happened?”

He grabs my arm and guides me away from the house a few steps. “Jesse, Raffe, and I are leaving.”

I scan the area waiting for further explanation.

“We have a family matter to handle.” He rubs his temples. “Lexie is asleep upstairs. We’re going to wake her up here in a bit. We don’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”

“You’re leaving her here alone?”

His crazy-colored eyes narrow on me. “We’re leaving her with you.”

“What about the party?” I ask him.

“Fuck the party. We’ll postpone. Raffe needs help with something. We think Lexie’s in a good place right now, but she needs a little more time and separation from the world she’s leaving behind. So, you’re up. This is your shot.”

I’m at a loss for words. This is all so sudden. I look at the letter in my hand. “Yeah, okay, but JD said …”

He cuts me off. “I’ll talk to JD. You take her home when you think she’s ready.”

“Rules?”

His eyebrow rises high. “You make your own. But don’t forget she’s not just yours anymore. She’s part of the family now. She might not have had any parents when she got out here, but when she leaves she’s going to have several sets.”

I rub my hand over the back of my head. “I love you guys for that.”

He slaps me on the chest. “I’m glad you’re home, brother.”

“Me too.”

“Go get your gear while we talk to her about what’s happening.”

He doesn’t have to tell me twice. My entire body is tingling with anticipation at the thought of seeing her again.

When I get to my camp, I sit down and pull her letter from my pocket. I wonder if this is what she was writing last night as I watched from my perch in the trees.

Dear Ash,

I finally opened all of the packages you sent me. Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t open them sooner. I wish I had. Maybe I would have realized what I have been searching for has been right in front of me the entire time.

I’d been infected by an aggressive loneliness that embedded itself into the very marrow of my bones. I tried everything to ease the pain it caused, but nothing ever penetrated deep enough to soothe the endless ache. It was untouchable … until your letters.

You’ve noticed more about me than anyone ever has. You see me. It’s made me feel something new. I’m not sure exactly what that is, but it’s been a welcome reprieve. To be honest, it scares me a little.

Could you be the cure I’ve been searching for?

Do I dare hope?

Lexie

P.S. Whether you’re the remedy or addiction, I find myself craving more.

When Jackson told me the club decided to stage an intervention and remove Lexie from her situation, I was skeptical. But this letter … I already owed the club my life for what they’ve done for my sister and me.

I’ll never be able to repay them now, because this is everything.