Page 31 of Trusting Skulls (Rebel Skull MC #8)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ash

“ W hat were you and Lexie talking about when you pulled in? It looked pretty serious,” I ask JD as soon as Lexie heads into the house to help Elizabeth make a salad.

JD lights up a cigarette before dropping his ass into his rickety lawn chair. “We ran into her dad’s boss in town. He offered her a job.”

I flip the steaks and then drop into the chair beside him. “That was nice of him.”

He hums in agreement, but his expression doesn’t match the sentiment.

“I get the feeling you didn’t like him.”

JD sighs and stretches his legs out in front of him. “Keep on trusting those feelings kid, because they’re spot on.”

“She’s never mentioned him before. What is it about him you didn’t like?”

He laughs. “Just a feeling.”

“A lot of feelings going on here,” I joke, but we both know it’s not funny. Your instincts can literally mean the difference between life and death.

JD sits forward, resting his arms on his knees. “I can’t say for sure, but there is something off about that guy. I’m not going to push her on it. I want to see how she lets this play out.”

“But we’re not really going to let her work there, are we?”

He flashes me with a smile that makes me realize there’s a lot more to JD than meets the eye. “She called me Dad tonight. I don’t think she tosses that word around lightly, and neither do I. I’m going to be the father neither she nor I had. I’m going to have that girl’s back till the day I die.”

I’m surprised by his declaration. I don’t know how he and Lexie got so close in the few short months I was gone. I’m just glad he sees what I do. That she deserves a family. He pulls his phone out of his pocket, and I watch as he messages someone.

“In a few days I’ll be able to tell you what time that bastard takes a shit.”

Our conversation ends as Elizabeth opens the door. “Are you two paying attention to the grill?”

I jump out of my chair. “Oh, shit. Yeah, sorry!”

She laughs, waving her dish towel at me. “Everything’s ready inside. Are they about done?”

“I think they look good, but I’ll bring them in so you can check them.”

JD stands and stretches. “I don’t want to worry Elizabeth. She’s got a lot on her mind, so if we could keep this between the two of us that would be great.”

“Yep, but you’ll let me know what you find out?”

He pats me on the back and jogs in front of me to catch the door. “We’re on the same team, aren’t we?”

It makes me laugh. “Always. Does that mean I don’t have to ask you to date your daughter?”

JD pauses before opening the door. “Seeing as you’re already dating, I’ll let it slide. But you better hit me up if you ever think about proposing.”

I know he’s only joking. At least I think he is. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

As we’re eating it becomes clear to me why and how Lexie’s relationship with JD and his wife evolved so quickly. They’ve given her the very thing she’s longed for. A place where she can be herself. She feels safe and protected, with people who are present and engaged.

She laughs as she tells them about Dirk and Jesse coloring together.

“Aw, you’re fucking with us.” JD shakes his head, waving her off.

“I saw it with my own two eyes.” She shrugs. “Believe it or not, but those two are not who I thought they were. He’s a teddy bear.”

Elizabeth giggles. “I’ve never heard Dirk described that way.” She stands and begins to clear the table.

“Don’t worry. I’ll clean up. Thank you so much for the meal. It was wonderful.”

JD and Elizabeth smile at each other as Lexie begins to fill the sink with soapy water.

Before she finishes with the dishes, JD lays a hammer and some nails on the table. “Maybe Ash can help you hang that shelf you wanted put up.”

I grab the stuff. “Lead the way.”

“Oh, I can do it.”

Elizabeth bumps her hip against Lexie’s. “First rule of having a boyfriend – if he offers, let him.”

Lexie looks uncomfortable at the mention of me being her boyfriend, but I try not to take it personally. She’s been thrown into a whole new world in a short time. It’s all new to her.

“I had to downsize a little, but I think that’s a good thing,” she tells me as we enter her new room. “A fresh start.”

She points to the wall where she wants the shelf to hang, then she grabs her bag from the cabin. “I made that in woods class,” she tells me shyly.

“It’s good. Maybe you can get a job working with Jackson.”

It makes her laugh. “Okay, whatever. I know it’s not perfect, but I was pretty proud of myself. I made it for my dad, but he left it on the kitchen table. Eventually, I just put it away in my room.”

“So, this is its debut,” I say, hoping to lighten the mood.

“I guess it is.” She smiles as she digs in her bag. “I thought it would be a nice place to display all the wood carvings you’ve given me.”

“Perfect. Is this okay here?”

She nods, blinking back tears. “This is all so surreal. Having a new home, a fresh outlook, and a …” she pauses and takes a deep breath, “a boyfriend.”

I look over my shoulder at her and wink, holding nails in my mouth. Her cheeks turn bright pink, but I can tell she likes it by the giddy way she hugs herself.

While she’s filling the shelf, I lie back on the bed to watch. She carefully places each item after admiring it for a second or two.

“I think it’s you who should work with Jackson,” she says. “You’re so talented.”

“It’s a nice hobby, but I like working at the bike shop.”

“Oh shoot. We left our painting at the cabin.”

“I grabbed it. If you don’t mind, I was going to hang it in my room at the warehouse.”

She places the last item on the shelf and then sits down by my feet. “Yeah, I don’t have much room here anyway. I wonder how Brody and Daisy are doing.”

“I’m sure they’re fine.” I sit up and grab her hand, pulling her back until she falls on top of me. She laughs. “JD might kick me out if he thinks there’s some funny business going on in here.”

Just then, their golden retriever puppy jumps on the bed with us to join in the fun. He licks her face, making her giggle louder.

“Oh look, Max is on my side,” I tease, tickling her even more.

“Okay. Okay!” she squeals as she tries to get away from us.

I tickle her until JD does, in fact, come into the room.

“Am I going to have to kick your ass? Let her go before she pees her pants.”

She rolls away from me and off the bed. “Oh thank god you came to my rescue.” She rushes past him and into the bathroom.

He chuckles. “I told you she was about to piss herself.”

I follow him out of the room. “I’ll probably take off here in a bit. Do you think she’s good?”

JD stops and taps me on the chest. “She’s better than I’ve ever seen her, Ash. I think something’s finally clicked. But with that said, you know I’ll keep my eye on her. You worry about taking care of yourself.”

“I am, brother.”

He nods. “I’m real proud of you.”

Lexie joins us. “That was a close one,” she rasps, still out of breath from her earlier bought of laughter.

“You want to walk me out?” I ask her.

“Oh, you’re leaving?”

“Yeah. I’ve got to be at the bike shop early. Billie Rose is going baby shopping with Willow tomorrow, so I’ve got to man the office.”

She hugs herself around the waist. “Sure, I’ll walk you out.”

The closer we get to my bike she begins to drag her feet.

“Hey, I’m going to be back as soon as I get off tomorrow. Actually, I might shower first,” I joke, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her close.

“I’m just sad. It’s been nice having so much time together.”

I grab her chin, holding her still as I press my lips to hers. “Soon we’ll have a place of our own.”

“I …” She pauses and nibbles at her bottom lip.

“I love you, too,” I whisper, letting her off the hook by saying it first. She’s still having a hard time believing this is happening.

Her forehead falls softly to my chest. A muffled “I love you” quietly follows.