Page 2 of Trusting Skulls

My jaw drops. Oh crap. Not a cop. I wish it was, because I would have had an easier time talking my way out of this.

JD stands in the doorway, his gaze roaming over the bathroom. My head instantly falls.

He steps into the room and reaches around me to flush the toilet. I hug my purse to my chest, wishing I had a pair of ruby slippers to whisk me away.

His fingers wrap around the back of my neck, and he guides me out of the now empty house. Looks like everyone dropped their shit and ran.

Fuck, that means there will be more Skulls outside.

Sure enough there are.

“Why can’t you guys just let me live my life?” I grumble, stumbling down the steps.

JD doesn’t say anything as he steadies me.

Jackson walks over to us, but my “dad” waves him off. He opens the passenger door for me and waits for me to get in.

I stand there, swaying on my feet. “Um, I have a ride home.”

“Had,” he corrects, his hand landing in the center of my back. He pushes me gently but firmly into the cab.

“Fine.”

I watch as he rounds the truck. His eyes never leave me.

When he slides in, he notices the death grip I have on my purse. He snaps his fingers.

“What?”

“Hand it over.”

“No. Jesus. I have tampons in here. Is that what you want to see?”

He doesn’t argue with me, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “Where are we going?” I ask, disappointed when we pass the turn to his house. I guess that’s for the best. I haven’t been there since the night I made a terrible mistake.

I’ll probably never go back there.

The thought makes me sadder than I thought possible.

I glance in the mirror, seeing several bikes trailing us. “What’s going on?”

He sighs. “I’m taking you home to pack a bag.”

Oh, so I am going to his house. Guilt gnaws at my gut. “Um, I would love that, but my parents are coming home tomorrow.”

It’s not a total lie. They will be home for a quick layover before both heading off in different directions. It’s their occasional hookup. They spend the day going over schedules, talking about finances, and then they have “date night.” None of it involves me, but JD doesn’t need to know that.

“I don’t give a fuck if the King of England is coming tomorrow. You’re packing a bag, and then we’re leaving.”

The road begins to blur as we pull into the driveway, and I sway slightly in the seat. My hand slaps against the dashboard to steady myself. Oh my god. I just need to go to bed.

At the door, JD hurries me along as I fumble with the keys. Kelsie’s dad joins us on the porch when I finally get it unlocked.

Just as I’m about to duck inside the house, JD plucks my purse from my shoulder. “I’ll keep that.”

My heart races, and my gaze bounces between the two of them. “You know …” I point my finger at JD ready to tell him off.

“I know. I know. I ain’t got no right.”

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