Page 30 of Roses and Skulls

I look past him towards his bike and then back at the spot where I left all my happiness three years ago. Jesus, I just need out of here.

I take the helmet and shove it down on my head as I walk to the bike. “You better not be a serial killer,” I tell him.

He laughs as he straddles the bike, holding out his hand to help me on. I don’t accept the offer. I’ve ridden on the back of bikes my entire life. I don’t need anyone’s help. Once I settle in behind him, reality of what I’m doing weighs on me. You can quit harping because I know how stupid this is but what is one more bad decision.

He rolls out onto the road and wraps one hand over mine, making sure they are clasped tightly around him, then he gives me exactly what he promised.

Yes, I tip my head back and stare at the stars as we fly down the open highway. I’m putting all my faith in a stranger, one that made me come on his sucker. I smile to myself. For the first time in so long, I feel alive. Truly alive.

After a while, he slows down and heads towards the warehouse. Wait, I didn’t tell him where I live. But he doesn’t take me there. He pulls off the road to a spot on the opposite side of the lake. He kills the motor. I slowly slide off, removing the helmet.

He stays on the bike, watching as I shake my hair out. “Feeling better?” he asks.

I nod shyly, the tough girl I pretended to be left behind at the bar. “Why did you bring me here?” I ask, hesitantly. Does he know I live just on the other side?

The stranger laughs. “I found this spot the other day. Don’t you think it would be a perfect spot to build a house?”

This makes me smile. “It would, you could put the house right there.” I point, before turning to face the water. “Then you could sit on the porch and watch the sun both rise and set.

He swings his long leg over the bike. I hold my breath as he gets off, still a little nervous. I mean, he could have brought me here to take advantage of me and then drown my ass in the lake.

I quickly point across the water towards the twinkling lights of the warehouse. “That’s where I live, my family will be getting up soon. I should go.”

The look on his face makes me pause.

“So, maybe you could put in a good word for me with the owner.”

I’m confused for a moment but then I realize he’s talking about the land. He wants to build a house here. “Oh, yeah. I guess I could do that but…” I let my words trail off. I can’t do that. I just can’t bring a strange man home and say hey, I met this dude at the bar, and he wants to buy the tract of land on the other side of the lake.

He laughs. “Hey, no worries. I get it. Your secret is safe with me.”

My eyebrow shoots up and he laughs harder. Oh, he thinks he’s cute, does he? “For your information, I don’t have any secrets from my family.”

He shakes his head. “Okay, sweetheart. Whatever helps you sleep at night. We can hash this out another time.”

I watch as he gets back on his bike and fires it up. “Get on, I’ll take you home.”

I inch away from him. “I’m good. I can find my way from here.” And then I take off running, dodging branches as I make my way through the trees to the other side of the water. I hear him take off down the road, so I slow my pace, breathing a sigh of relief. I survived. I went out into the big bad world all by myself and survived.

Chapter Seven

Billie Rose

"Up, up, it’s time to get up,” my mom singsongs, pushing the curtains back, letting the sun pour into my room.

I pull my pillow over my head. Ugh, I feel like I just fell asleep.

Maybe because I did.

She rips the blankets away from me and tickles the bottom of my feet because she knows I hate it. I kick at her but then a masculine hand grabs my leg. Great, dad is here too. Lovely, I toss the pillow I’m using to block the light at him.

My eyes blink open slowly as he catches it. But it’s not my dad. I jump up and throw myself at the man standing at the foot of my bed. He laughs, taking a step back to steady us. “You’re getting a little too big to be hurling yourself at an old man like me,” he says, snuggling his nose into my neck.

I’ve missed him so much. When he sets me down, I race to my phone.Uncle William! I didn’t know you were coming.

William is my mom’s best friend. They were in the foster care system together when they were young. Uncle Raffe told me the other night about the abuse they suffered at the hands of a priest in charge of their care at a boy’s and girl’s home.

My mom crosses her arms over her chest. “Uh, hello. The party?” She grins at her best friend. “I told you, she never listens to me anymore.” She throws her hands up in the air. “I’ll leave you two to reacquaint. I’ve got to get the food ready.” She pauses by the door. “Get dressed. I want you downstairs and presentable in an hour.”

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