Page 39 of Roses and Skulls

Jackson sits forwards. “What secrets?” His face falls in hurt. “I thought we were friends,” he pouts.

“I haven’t disclosed all your secrets, so you better behave,” Elijah points out.

I roll my eyes and turn to Jackson. “There are things that can’t be shared between cousins,” I say, trying to ease the betrayal I see on his handsome face.

He flips his hair with the shake of his head. “I’m not any more cousin to you than he is.” He nods towards Elijah.

True but…

I shake my head. This is all too much.

“I have to go. Sorry guys, you’ll have to figure all this out on your own.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Brody tells me, his breath hot on my ear.

I thrust my head back hard, hitting him square in the chest. The air rushes out of his lungs, giving me just the time I need to shimmy out of his grip, but Elijah tackles me to the floor, pinning my hands to each side of my head.

His dark brown hair falls into his eyes. “We are not your enemy.” He drops his forehead to mine. “You know more about Draven than you’re sharing.”

I don’t say anything.

“Come on, Rosie. We aren’t letting you go in there alone. He’s dangerous,” Jackson says from somewhere nearby.

“I’m just working there because I love the bar,” I pant, trying like hell to shove this buffoon off me.

“I didn’t say we were taking that away from you. But we’re going to have your back, Rosie.”

“Why are you even here?” I ask Elijah, ignoring Jackson.

He smiles. “Someone from the club called me. They knew I’d send you for a loop. Set you off balance.”

I don’t know who called him, but it pisses me off. He’s ruining everything. “I need to get to work. Get off me.”

“No. You’re going to get me in. We’re going to see what he’s up to, together,” Elijah says.

I roll my head back and forth on the floor. “No, you’re prospecting for the club. Draven will see right through that shit.”

“Wrong. I’m working for you first and foremost. The club second.”

I glance up at Jackson. He nods. “Me too.”

“The club comes first,” I whisper, turning my head away from them.

Jackson runs his hand down my hair, playing with the ends. “Not anymore, Rosie. I’ve watched you suffer for the past few years. I know you think I didn’t see over your walls, but I did. I just didn’t know how to knock them down.”

I bite my lip, watching him and Elijah in my peripheral vision.

“Curtain left, in comes the wrecking ball.” He chuckles sadly, pointing to Elijah.

Elijah releases me and sits back on his heals, pulling me up with him into a sitting position. I hug my legs, protecting myself and my few remaining secrets.

My forehead falls to my knees. “I can’t have you guys distracting me. It takes all my concentration to stay ahead of him.”

Elijah’s big palm cradles the back of my head. “Dirk hates me. We don’t even have to lie about that to Draven. You introduce me as your boyfriend and ask him if he could give me a job somewhere in his club or at the bar. I’ll kiss his fucking ass if I have to but I’m not letting you do this any other way, so it’s this or I tell Dirk everything.”

I raise my head with tears in my eyes. “Back to blackmailing? I wish you would have stayed in California,” I say quietly.

“Hatemeif you need to hate someone,” Jackson says, drawing my attention to him.

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