Page 94 of Trusting Skulls

If only angels were real.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Ash

“If you don’t get some sleep kid, you’re going to drive yourself mad,” Dirk says, patting me on the back. “Kelsie was sure they were going to give her the package. Lexie knows you’re thinking about her. That’s all we can do for now. My guess is that her parents will be splitting town any day, and when they do, we’ll be able to get to her.”

“I wish I could sleep,” I tell him.

He squeezes my shoulder. “Give it another go. Your body will eventually give in.”

After he heads upstairs, I decide to leave the warehouse and go for a ride. I need to clear my mind.

The next thing I know, I’m waking up in Lexie’s bed at JD’s.

“Fuck.” I sit up and run my hand down my face. I faintly remember standing on his porch last night, sobbing like a little fucking baby. “Shit.”

JD knocks on the door as he opens it. “He’s up!” he yells over his shoulder. “Come on, Jackson’s here. He wants to talk to you.”

Reluctantly, I follow him out to the kitchen. Elizabeth sets a big plate of pancakes in front of me as I sit down. If it wasn’t for her and Jesse, I don’t know if I’d even remember to eat.

“My mom went over there today. She’s good, brother,” Jackson says, no beating around the bush.

“They let her see Lexie?”

Jackson laughs. “Mom talked to one of her friends over at the hospital and asked them to recommend her as Lexie’s physical therapist. I don’t think her fucking parents even suspected Mom to be married to a Skull. She doesn’t fit the image of us in their mind.”

“Kelsie got through, too. She dropped a gift off for me yesterday.”

He nods.

“Is your mom feeling up to this?” I ask.

His brows pull together. It pains him to talk about her cancer. “She was the one who came up with the idea. She said she needed a purpose.”

“Jesus, man, tell her I’m so fucking thankful. So Lexie is really okay? What did she say?”

Jackson shakes his head sadly. “She didn’t want to talk, but she did the exercises my mom had for her. Mom said Lexie gave her a hug before she left, so that’s something. She’s going back again tomorrow.”

JD pats me on the back. “Rachel will look out for her. She’ll get stronger, and then she’ll come back to us. Trust her.”

He’s right. I need to trust that things will work out.

“The news reported this morning that the police are interviewing her this afternoon. They said Dolan might be facing more charges based off of her statement.”

“It’s bullshit she even has to go through that,” I complain, banging my fist on the table. “That fucker should have died.”

Elizabeth sits down with us. “I wonder where they’ll interview her?”

Everyone looks at each other. We all pull our phones out at the same time. It’s time to call in the troops. We all want her to know she’s supported. We’re her true family.

I’ll never give up on us. No matter how long it takes.

One step at a time.

Chapter Forty

Lexie

---