Page 2 of Broken Skulls

For all they know, I could want to find her for sinister reasons. They think I’m a monster after all. Or at the very least, someone who loved a monster. But here they are, giving me her address.

I don’t know why it surprises me. They had as much care with me … their own daughter. Why would I think they would be different with their granddaughter?

When he slides an old envelope across the table with the address scribbled in the corner, I pick it up, along with the painting.

Without another word, I leave.

Chapter One

JD

"What do you think she’s looking at?” Brody asks from beside me, squinting toward the horizon.

“No idea.” I scan the beach. “The water. The sky.”

“At least the sun is going down. I’m sweating my balls off,” he grumbles.

She pushes herself from the ground just as the sun meets the water. Slowly, she makes her way down the beach. I rise with her, needing a better view.

Tears stream down her cheeks as she stares out over the ocean. She takes a few more steps, pausing behind a young artist whose focus darts between the beautiful sunset and her canvas.

My heart slows as I watch her body tremble in sorrow. Tears begin to slide down her pale cheeks. The sun kisses each drop as they roll from her face, turning them into tiny golden jewels that are quickly absorbed by the sand.

I saw how damaged she was the day Kelsie spoke to her in Iowa. That’s where my obsession began, but now I can clearly see she is broken beyond repair.

It mesmerizes me just like all the other damaged treasures I’ve acquired over the years. She’s beautiful in an imperfectly perfect way.

The need to collect all of the broken things pulses through my veins. I have to have it. I have to have her.

She’s coming back to the junkyard with me.

As soon as the sun clears the horizon, she bends forward. It looks like she’s found something in the sand. She taps the young woman in front of her on the shoulder, showing her the item. The artist shakes her head, but Lizzie places whatever it is in the woman’s palm, gently closing her fingers around it.

The younger woman looks at it before hugging it to her chest as she watches Lizzie walk away.

I take a step back, bumping into Brody.

“Let’s go. She’s on the move,” I say, shaking my head to clear my racing thoughts.

“Fuck that. I’m done with this wild goose chase. The woman looks fine to me. I’m going to stay and enjoy the beach.”

Is this the same man who was bitching five minutes ago about sweating his balls off?

“Whatever, brother. I’ll see you back home.”

It’s probably for the best we part ways here anyway. He wouldn’t understand what I have to do next.

He waves me off, dropping his ass back on the sand. A few young women look his way, giggling. I’m not sure if it’s because they think he’s hot or if they’re laughing at the thought of how hot he must be in his jeans and boots on the beach.

I know we stick out like a sore thumb, but I wasn’t worried about Lizzie spotting us. She’s in some sort of disassociated trance. She’s been extremely focused on her mission. The facther emotions are bubbling to the surface tells me whatever that is, it’s about to come to completion.

I caught up to her back in Iowa as she was sneaking into her parent’s home. She didn’t stay long. Then she left with the couple’s black Corvette and drove all night and into the morning before coming here.

Now, she weaves in and out of traffic as she makes her way up the coast. Hours go by before she finally pulls off onto the shoulder of the road. I continue around the bend before stopping. I take my helmet off and listen for the rumble of her engine. It’s quiet. I slide off the bike and make my way down the shoulder of the highway. I find her just on the other side of the guardrail, a few feet away from me.

The moon shines over her as she stands on the edge of the cliff.

Fuck.

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