Page 69 of Broken Skulls

Eventually, I gather enough courage to look at him. His eyes bounce over my face, his brows pulled tight. I run my finger over them lightly.

“Thank you,” I whisper, and then I place my lips to his.

Chapter Thirty

Elizabeth

Iglance at Jacob as he introduces me to the people at the clubhouse. “This isn’t everyone, but tomorrow they’ll all be here for the run.”

They’re all nice to me. No one has glared at me or given me a disapproving look. It’s strange. Almost foreign.

I spot Kelsie and Tank across the patio. She’s perched on his knee, and he’s feeding her.

“Is it too much for you?” Jacob asks, bumping his knee against mine as we sit side by side at a picnic table.

“What?”

“Seeing your ex with someone else.”

“No.”

“You sure about that?”

I turn to face him. “Do you want me to be honest?”

He nods, and I can see him bracing himself for my response.

“I used Tank. I knew he would keep me safe. And he was a distraction, I guess. Being with him made me feel like a normalperson at times. He’s a good man, but I was never in love with him.”

His shoulders fall in relief.

“I’m a bad person, Jacob. Everything I’ve ever done has been for …”

“Her.”

“I was going to say for myself.”

“But we both know that’s not true. Sure, you may have done things to keep yourself going, but it was for her. If she had never been in the picture, would you have used him?”

My gaze goes back to Tank. He’s watching Kelsie walk away from him. His eyes never leave her as she visits with her parents.

“If the baby hadn’t been in the picture, I would have tried to jump off that cliff much sooner, long before I met Tank.”

“She saved your life.” He takes my hands in his.

Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would have someone to talk to about my daughter. It’s nice. It makes her feel real. I squeeze his fingers. “I guess you and her have something in common.”

He drops his head, and his cheeks redden above his beard. “I didn’t save you. I kidnapped you.”

Dirk and Jesse sit down across from us, both catching his comment.

“Fucker,” Jesse snips, narrowing her eyes on him.

Her husband laughs. “I had to kidnap this bitch too, so don’t let her fool you.”

She huffs, turning toward me. “So, are you ready to go shopping?” She waves a gold credit card in front of my face. “It’s on the club today.”

“Oh, I …”

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