Page 19 of Trusting Skulls (Rebel Skull MC #8)

Chapter Seventeen

Lexie

“ L ex, Lex, wake up, hun.”

I roll over and find Raffe perched on the edge of the bed. His eyes are swollen and puffy. He looks like shit.

“What’s wrong?” I sit up, rubbing my eyes.

“Nothing. We just wanted to tell you that we’re headed out. Ash is going to stay with you until you’re ready to face the world again.”

My sleepy gaze slides around the room. Dirk and Jesse are sitting at the foot of the bed.

“You’re leaving?” My brain is trying to sort out what’s happening. The beat of my heart increases at the solemn look on their faces.

“I told them about Rachel. We’re going to go get her and bring her home.”

A heartbreaking glance passes between the three of them.

“I’m glad you confided in them. You shouldn’t have to do this on your own,” I tell him.

“This place, here in the mountains, it has a way of healing …” He looks away, shaking his head. “I came up here to show you that you weren’t alone. I hope I did that for you, because you reminded me of the same.”

A knot forms in my throat at the pain this man still faces, but as they stand up to leave I remember he said Ash was here.

“We’ll see you back home soon,” he says after kissing me on the forehead.

“Wait!” I grab his arm, hanging on for dear life. “Ash is here? Now?”

He pats my hand, recognizing the panic on my face. “He’ll be here in a minute.”

My gaze bounces around as I continue to hold him with one hand, my other frantically trying to tame my wild hair. I must look hideous. Ash can’t see me like this!

“Um, can I just go with you guys? You could drop me at JD’s.”

Dirk stands up and walks over. He pries my fingers from Raffe’s arm. “I’ll meet you guys downstairs.”

I jump up and start dressing, holding on to the hope they’ll take me with them. It’s not that I don’t want to see Ash. Of course I do, just not like this.

Dirk takes my bag from me and sets it on the bed. “Stop. You’re not going with us.”

“Look at me!” I point to my face.

“Ash has seen you with your head in the toilet.”

He’s right. “But that was before …” I pause, taking a deep breath. I’ll never get through to Dirk if I’m acting crazy. I need to remain calm. “If Ash is really interested in something more, I can’t let him see me like this.”

Dirk drags his gaze over me lazily before pointing to the bed. “Sit.”

I do. Calmly. Demurely.

He crouches down in front of me. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret.”

Another deep breath. Ash is going to be here soon. I need to be gone before he arrives. I struggle to bring my focus back to Dirk … the only thing standing between me and the front door.

“Men don’t give two fucks about that shit you ladies put on your face.” He wags an inked finger in front of my eyes.

I open my mouth to argue, but he holds up his hand to silence me. “What are you feeling right now?”

“I’m freaking out because I’m uncomfortable when I don’t have my hair and makeup done.”

“That’s on you, and you need to work through that. Don’t put that on Ash.”

“I want him to see me at my best.” I switch tactics, sticking my bottom lip out in a pout.

He just laughs and shakes his head. “Your best isn’t reflected by the way you look. It’s dictated by what this thing puts out.” He taps his fingers over my heart. “Last night, when you were there for Raffe, that’s your best. It has nothing to do with this.” Again, his hand waves over my face.

It’s clear I’m not going to win this battle. “I’ll just hide out here in my room,” I say, sounding every ounce like a petulant child.

Dirk stands and heads toward the steps. “Stay up here all you want. You’ll eventually have to take a piss.” He shrugs, not in the least bit worried about my predicament. “Remember what I said about running off.”

Even though I want to rip his eyeballs out of his head for leaving me here, I’m sad over the reason why. “I’m sorry about your sister,” I say quietly as he takes the first step.

He doesn’t turn to look at me, but he pauses. “Me too.”

As soon as he’s at the bottom of the stairs, I panic. I quickly toss my things in my bag to follow after him. They can’t make me stay here. When my foot hits the second stair, I hear Ash’s voice. Fuck. It’s too late! I drop to my ass on the step so they can’t see me.

“Is everything okay with Raffe?” I hear Ash ask.

“He’s got some personal stuff going on. We’ll share soon; we just need to take care of a few things. When the time comes, Raffe’s going to need to lean on the club for a while.”

What about him? I know Dirk’s strong, but I know he’s got to be hurting too. He just found out his sister is dying.

“Whatever he needs, brother. I owe you guys everything for helping Lexie and me.”

Lexie and me.

He says it like we’ve always shared the same sentence.

The sound of his voice sends shivers down my spine. There’s something magical about it. It holds special powers over me. I’ve tried to ignore it, because I know it’s something I could get used to. I’m afraid it will become like the very air I breathe, something I can’t live without.

“When I said she was in a good place this morning, it doesn’t mean she’s there yet. Keep your guard up. If she runs, she’ll get lost out there.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“Good. Keep in touch with JD, and text me the new number on that phone you bought her.”

The door squeaks open. No! They can’t really leave me here. I fight every cell in my body not to fly down the stairs behind him.

“Oh, one last thing. She’s feeling a bit insecure. We didn’t bring all her foo foo makeup and shit. Be patient, wait her out. Eventually she’ll come down.”

They both chuckle.

Well, fuck them. I need my foo foo shit. I’ll piss in the damn trash can if I have to.

I slowly slide back into the room as the rumble of Dirk’s truck fades down the driveway. The cabin falls into an uncomfortable silence. I know he’s here, and he knows I’m here, but neither of us speak.

The day ticks quietly along, and I begin to wonder if Ash is still here. Eventually I doze off, until a voice that annoys me like none other filters through the fog of my mind, rousing me.

Please tell me I’m dreaming.

I sit up straight in bed but flop back as soon as he speaks again, confirming it’s not a bad dream. He’s really here. Great. Can this day get any worse?

“Ash! Fuck, brother, I didn’t expect to find you up here.” Brody’s gravelly voice grates over my nerves.

There’s lots of back slapping going on downstairs. I’m happy for Ash, but this doesn’t bode well for me. I’m sure Ash has missed his best friend. I sure didn’t. Brody’s been up my ass for months. The club must have sent him up here.

“Well, I didn’t expect to see you either. Jackson told me you took a trip up to Reno. I was pissed you weren’t there to welcome me home, but now I understand why.”

Brody laughs loudly. “I love you man, but you have to admit she’s much prettier than you.”

The soft sound of a woman’s laugh mixes with his.

This makes me sit up. Brody has a woman with him. This news does make me curious, but not enough to risk a peek. I bite at my nails. If Ash tells him I’m up here hiding, he’ll find me and toss me over his shoulder like a goddamn cave man and force me downstairs.

Or maybe he’ll just throw me over a cliff.

Brody and I are on the same team when it comes to me and Ash. Neither of us think I’m good enough for him.

Their conversation suddenly becomes a jumble of whispers, and I strain my ears to hear what’s being said. I’m sure it’s about me. The door opens and then it’s silent again.

I’m not sure how much time passes before someone comes back inside because I doze off for a second time.

“Lexie,” the woman’s soft voice calls up the stairs.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

“Yeah?” I yell, wondering who she is and why she’s calling for me. Maybe she’s one of the women who hang around the club.

“I’m a friend of Brody’s. Can I come up?”

No. “Sure,” I say, smoothing my hair down with my hands.

A dark-haired woman not much older than me appears. She’s striking. It’s a little intimidating until she smiles, and an overwhelming sense of familiarity washes over me.

“Sorry. This might be awkward, but Ash told me why you are hiding up here.”

I groan out loud. How incredibly embarrassing. Why would he tell her?

She tips her shoulder, showing me the bag on her back. “I’ve come to the rescue.”

Instant relief floods through my system. An answered prayer. I don’t know if I’ve ever received one of those before.

The look on my face must be all the permission she needs, because she bounds toward me. “I don’t usually wear much makeup, but I have a few things.”

“I would kill or die for just a hint of mascara,” I tell her.

“Then you’re in luck.” She pulls out a purple tube and hands it over without looking at me. She continues to dig in her bag.

“If I looked like you, I wouldn’t need makeup either.”

Her head snaps up. “What? Are you kidding me?” She reaches out and runs a piece of my hair through her fingers. “You’re breathtaking. The copper color of your hair is so unique, and my god, look at your eyes. A shade of green that would be nearly impossible to recreate with the mix of my palette.”

She runs the pad of her thumb down the side of my nose, trailing it lightly along my cheekbone as if measuring every freckle. The way her gaze intensely brushes across my skin makes me pull back a little bit. The tiny action is enough to break the spell she seems to have fallen under.

She laughs, covering her mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m an artist. Sometimes achingly beautiful things pull me in.”

“Um, I’ve never been described that way.”

Her head tips side to side like an owl as she continues to stare at me. “Can I show you?”

“How?”

“Let me paint you.”

The way her eyes continue to roam over me makes me feel exposed in an oddly good way. “Now?”

“Sure. Why not? Brody and I are staying here tonight, and it doesn’t look like there’s much else to do. I mean, I didn’t see a TV or anything.”

She’s absolutely right. There isn’t anything to do out here but think. Something I’d like to stop doing, if only for a minute.

“Come on. It will be fun.”

This is the strangest of days, but if anything this woman offers a buffer between me and the two men downstairs. I give her a tiny nod.

“Perfect. Let’s get you in the shower. I’ll take care of everything. I’m going to tell Brody to set my paints up outside. The timing is going to be perfection.”

I jump up as she jogs down the stairs. “Wait! I don’t even know your name.”

She gives me a big smile. “Daisy.”

Her personality certainly speaks of a fresh, comfortable spring day. However, her appearance promises something mysterious, unsettling, maybe even a little dark. The combination is impossible to resist.

“I’ll be right back.”

What did I just agree to do?