Page 57 of Trusting Skulls (Rebel Skull MC #8)

Epilogue

Lexie

“ A re you ready to head to the baby shower?” Ash asks, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Yeah,” I say mindlessly, staring at the painting we finally got around to hanging up this morning.

He lets go of me and moves to my side, dipping his head to see my face. “What’s wrong?”

I dismiss him with the wave of my hand. “It’s …” I laugh lightly. “It’s nothing.”

His gaze jumps between me and the painting. “What?”

“This is going to sound crazy, but do you remember the necklace Daisy gave me?”

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask you about it. Did you lose it?”

I shake my head. “No. I gave it to Rachel.”

He looks confused, so I explain. “She swears it’s the one the club’s been passing around.”

“How could that be? Did you tell her where you got it?”

“It has the same scratch on the back as the one the club had.”

“Really? That’s weird.”

“Yeah. Elizabeth had it last, and she lost it.”

Ash’s brows pull together. “You think Daisy found it? Because that would be crazy it ended up back here.”

“It would, wouldn’t it?”

I stare at Daisy’s signature on the painting. “Have you noticed all of the daisies Elizabeth has planted at the junkyard?”

He looks even more confused but nods in agreement. “They do seem to be her favorite flower. The stained glass above the door to her greenhouse even has daisies in it.”

“You’re right,” I say, jumping away from the painting and spinning in a circle. “Oh my god. Daisy was adopted.”

Ash looks at me like I’m losing my mind, and maybe I am.

“I’ve got to talk to Elizabeth. Right now,” I tell him.

He grabs my arms and tries to calm me. “Breathe, baby. Tell me what the hell is going on.”

I don’t want to betray Elizabeth by telling him about the secret baby she put up for adoption, but I also need to talk this out because my mind is about to explode.

His mouth slowly falls open as I relay the story to him.

“This is insane,” he whispers.

“Do you think Daisy could be her daughter? Am I reaching too far here?”

He rubs his hand over his mouth as he thinks about it.

“Elizabeth said her daughter mistakenly thought her friend Danielle might be her mother, and they had arranged to meet up, but then she went missing. And Daisy told me she’s been hiding out.”

We both fall onto our little couch, staring at the painting.

“She does look a bit like Elizabeth, now that I think about it,” Ash reasons quietly.

My mind swirls in turmoil, because I know more than I’ve told Ash. I know the reason Elizabeth gave up her baby. She was raped. She gave her daughter up to protect her.

A pain settles deep in my chest for the woman who has become like a mother to me, while simultaneously aching for the girl I wrapped pinkies with. The girl who promised to be my soul sister.

“Oh god. What if Brody brings her to the baby shower? They’re supposed to be back today.”

We both jump to our feet, and Ash looks at his watch. “Fuck, we’re going to be late.”

When we get there, Ash breathes a sigh of relief. “I don’t see Brody’s bike. I think we’re safe.”

We hurry out back to find the baby shower already in progress. “Sorry we’re late,” Ash tells Jackson as we settle at the table beside him.

He laughs. “She hasn’t noticed. She’s been in heaven opening all those gifts.”

I look at the mountain of presents beside her as Ash sneaks up and adds ours to the top of the pile.

“I’m in so much trouble. My daughter is already spoiled, and she’s not even here yet,” Jackson grumbles, but I can tell how happy he is.

Ash leans over and whispers in my ear, “Elizabeth and JD are to your right.”

I glance over my shoulder and spot them. “I’m going to go sit with them.”

He nods.

JD notices me looking at them and waves me over, sliding away from Elizabeth to make room for me between them. They both give me a hug as Willow opens the next gift.

I tap my foot nervously. What if Brody and Daisy show up? Maybe I should text Brody and warn him.

“Oh, Lex, what a sweet gift,” Elizabeth says, squeezing me tight.

I look up to see everyone oohing and ahhing over the gift from me and Ash.

Willow holds up the little bug mobile as tears stream down her face. She then reads the story I wrote to everyone, stopping every so often to cry. She pats her chest and mouths a thank you to me when she’s finished.

Ash winks at me from across the yard. We really do make a good team.

The next gift causes an even bigger stir. It’s from Rachel.

Oh fuck. I forgot about the necklace.

JD leans over me to grab Elizabeth’s hand. “It’s not the same one, baby,” he whispers quietly.

But it is, and her reaction confirms my suspicions.

“Yeah, yeah.” She waves him away.

I guess this is as good as time as any to broach the subject, because Brody is on his way home with Elizabeth’s daughter.

“Where did you lose the necklace Kelsie gave you?” I ask her quietly.

“Um, the beach,” she answers mindlessly.

Elizabeth visibly pales as Rachel explains the scratch on the back and that the dragonfly has returned home.

I take a deep breath and then pull her and JD to their feet. “I need to talk to you guys. Right now.”

We all slip into the backdoor and sit down at the kitchen table.

“What is it, hun?” she asks, trying to focus on me but still visibly shaken over the necklace.

“I’m the one who gave the necklace to Rachel. The dragonfly belongs with her and Raffe’s granddaughter,” I tell them.

JD stares at me even more confused. “Where did you get it?”

I worry my bottom lip between my teeth, knowing I have to tell them. “Brody’s new girlfriend. He met her at the beach.”

Elizabeth’s gaze snaps to JD’s.

“She’s an artist. When she was at the cabin with us, she painted a portrait of Ash and me.”

Tears begin to stream down Elizabeth’s face, and JD wipes them away with the palm of his hands.

“She was so kind to me …” I pause as emotion begins to knot my throat. “We exchanged gifts. I gave her my little stuffed dog, Toto. You know the one you packed for me?”

Elizabeth nods, her eyes finally meeting mine.

“In return, she gave me the necklace. She told me a stranger found it in the sand and gave it to her. She said the woman told her it meant an angel was near.”

Her hand flies out, and she grabs mine. “This can’t be, Lexie. This just can’t be …”

“Her name is Daisy,” I finish quietly.

The front door bangs open, and Brody’s boisterous voice booms across the house.

“Did we miss the party?” he asks as he steps into the room with my soul sister tucked protectively under his arm.