Page 72 of Broken Skulls

Jacob rolls his eyes.

“For Ash.” She points at him as she backs toward her rod.

Before she gets in, I run to her. I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight for a moment “Thank you,” I manage to choke out, and then I hurry into the house.

Jacob comes in a few minutes later, dropping the bags beside me on the couch. He crouches down in front of me.

I look anywhere but at him. When he doesn’t say anything, I give in. “I’m good. It’s just … I don’t know what to do with everyone’s kindness.”

“You’ve been alone for years, Elizabeth. I think you’re doing real good, baby.”

I swipe at my eyes. “I like Jesse a lot. She’s sweet.”

He barks out a laugh. “That’s the first time I’ve heard her described that way.”

“Do you want to see what I got?”

His eyebrow raises. “Fuck yeah I do.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Jacob

Ilean forward, running my hand up the inside of her thigh.

“Do you like them?” she asks, turning to look at herself in the mirror.

“So much that I’m not sure I want anyone else to see you in them.”

A shy smile pulls at the corners of her mouth. “It’s my outfit for tomorrow. Jesse picked it out.”

My fingers brush lightly over the seam between her legs. She sways on her feet. “I’ll have to remember to thank her.”

“Oh, wait.” She pulls away from me, rushing out of the room.

I almost fall off the chair in my attempt to keep her near me. I’m finding it harder and harder to keep my hands off her.

She comes back a few seconds later and hands me a little box. I take it from her. “What’s this?”

“It’s for you.”

My heart stops when I see what it is. I clear my throat. “Elizabeth.”

“Do you like it?” she asks quietly, biting her bottom lip.

My fingers wrap around her thigh, pulling her close. “It’s … perfect. Thank you.”

“Jesse says it will protect you on the road.”

I nod, unable to find words for how much this little bell means to me. Several of my brothers have them, but I’ve never been gifted one.

“I’m going to go put it on right now,” I tell her, and that earns me the biggest smile I’ve gotten from her to date.

She pulls me to stand. “I’ll go change, and then I’m going to start on supper. Jesse gave me one of her recipes to try … if that’s okay?”

I rub my hand over my chest. “Yeah, yeah, baby. That’s fine, but I can cook. Why don’t you rest?”

“Jacob, I’ve been resting for years. I want to do this.”

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