Page 118 of Roses and Skulls

“Do you think it’s done,” I rasp, my mouth dry.

“I’m sure it is, hun. Why don’t we go up and get you something to eat and drink? You’re getting dehydrated.”

“I-I want to see,” I start to rise but falter back on my butt.

“Not happening,” my dad and Elijah say in unison.

A flutter of wings lands in front of me. My little crow hops to me as I hold my hand out, urging her to come closer. She drops a bloody ring in my hand, then hops away from me, her beady black eyes leery of the others sitting around me.

I close my fingers around it. “Thank you,” I whisper.

The larger black crow that always seems to be watching her back caws and my little bird gives me one last look before flying away.

“You two take care of her,” my dad says, jumping to his feet. “I’ll get the boys and we’ll clean up the mess.”

Elijah helps me to my feet.

“Go on and take her upstairs. I’m going to grab something for her to eat,” my mom says once we reach the warehouse.

The club members are very respectful as I walk by them, all giving me a nod or a soft squeeze to my shoulder.

When Elijah gets me to my room, I stare up at him, suddenly embarrassed by everything that has happened. He kneels in front of me as he takes off my boots.

“Do you believe in Heaven?” I ask quietly.

He shakes his head, focused on what he is doing. “I don’t know what I believe, Rosie.”

I glance to my right, staring at the sunset on my wall. “What have I done?”

Elijah lays his big hands on my thighs, squeezing. “You rid the world of a bad man, baby. Don’t do this to yourself right now. You’re tired.”

My mom knocks before opening the door. The smell of the food she has brought in makes me feel nauseous.

“I’ve got her, Elijah, you can see her again in the morning.”

He takes a deep breath, not wanting to leave me. But when he opens his mouth to argue, I grab his hand. “It’s okay,” I whisper. “Can you… can you please go down and make sure he’s really gone.”

“Sure, baby.” He leans down and presses his lips to my forehead. “I’ll be back at first light,” he glances over to my mom, making sure she knows he won’t stay away for long.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Jesse

Irealize my first mistake was not taking out Renee when I had the chance years ago.

For some reason, I always gave her the benefit of doubt. Thought maybe she didn’t know that Jimmy was hurting me. But now I know the truth and my father and daughter paid the price for that miscalculation. How could she have known and not stopped it? She was my aunt.

When I saw her at the airport, her face fell when she spotted me. I knew right then something bad had went down at the trailer. She let me drag her out of there with little fight. But once I got her out in the middle of the desert she word vomited all over the fucking place.

“Mom, I’m sorry we didn’t tell you,” my baby says as I cradle her in my arms. Both of us lying on her bed.

I run the washcloth over her face, washing away blood and makeup. “Shh, it’s okay. I understand. Sometimes, we keep secrets to protect those we love.”

Her multi-colored eyes, ones that look identical to her father’s, swim with unshed tears. “I… I thought I had it handled. Even though I knew what he had done, I thought he really felt bad for my being in the truck that night. Do you know about Lanie?” she asks me.

Brushing hair away from her face, I see my little girl, the one I held in my arms nineteen years ago. “Yes, I’m sorry.”

Billie Rose shifts her eyes away from the sunset I painted on her wall. “Your aunt hurt you, didn’t she?”

---