Page 55 of Always Mine

“Hey, sweetheart.”

Daisy turned and expected to see her father.It would be the price she deserved if he was there to take her to hell for what she did to him.Instead, this was an old man, someone she didn’t recognize.

“Hello,” she said.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

She frowned.This was crazy.“I’m not.”

“No, you’re not.This is not your time.You have a whole life ahead of you, and you’re not supposed to be here.Trust me, I know.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I do.I’m always here to come and take the Skulls where they need to go.”

Daisy was not liking this.She felt her arms flood with goose bumps.“Do I know you?”

“Unfortunately not, you were too young to have known me, but you might have heard of me.The name’s Mikey.”

He held out his hand, and Daisy kept hold of the railing with one hand, then reached out to his hand and shook it.

“Hello, Mikey.”

“The Skulls have come a long way, haven’t they?”

“Yeah, they have.”

Mikey sighed and looked toward the sunset.The light seemed to have dimmed just a little.

Mikey?She remembered the tales of a Mikey, one of the original members, and his death had hurt so many.Even now, he was still remembered, and that was why she recognized him.There were pictures of fallen members all around the clubhouse.She had stared at Mikey’s picture several times.

“Have you ever thought of letting go?”

“When I do ...I fall into memories and I-I just want to get home.”

“Then you need to stop being afraid and make your way down that road.”

He pointed behind her.

“But it’s dark.”

The path he pointed at was dark, and she couldn’t quite see it clearly.

“Because that is life, and life is uncertain.There is no telling what life will bring.Going there, life is done, it is over, when you head into the light.You need to be ready to wake up.Ready to go back to the club.”

“Is that what you have come to tell me?To go back to the club?”

“I’ve come to tell you that you are running out of time, Daisy.You need to make a choice, and you need to be strong.You need to be capable, and I know for a fact Anthony needs you more than he realizes.Lash needs you to help him with Anthony.That boy is going to be a great leader, but without you, he is going to be a problem.Tabitha needs you.The Skulls and Chaos Bleeds need the two of you to keep your friendship going.Rachel needs you, because Adam is not going to be quite so ...willing with a younger woman.Miles needs you, because that boy is lost.Angel needs you because she wants to help you.They all, in one way or another, need you, Daisy.You are part of the club.You are there because they all need you and they all love you and want you there.Nothing is ever going to change for anyone.”

Daisy looked behind her, to where the road was so uncertain.Her heart pounded.She felt so afraid.But she really wanted to get home.She wanted to hold Anthony, kiss him, and tell him she loved him.She wanted to tell Lash they fucked up.She wanted to call Tabitha.She no longer wanted to be delving into one memory after another.What she wanted above all was to finally live.

Gritting her teeth, she let go of the railing, took that step, then another step forward.She didn’t fall into any memory, and with each step she took, she felt a little stronger.

When the pull of the darkness drew her closer, she couldn’t help but turn back, and there was Mikey, giving her a wave.He was already making his way into the light, and she moved into the darkness, felt something spin, and suddenly opened her eyes.

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