Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

He shook his head.

“But that is the worst-case scenario. I know our kids need us both. Now stop, and hug me, and know you will help me every single day.”

Devil held her close. He’d never considered himself a praying man, but whenever it came to Lexie, he always begged for her to live.Chapter TenLexie had been sick.

Tabitha was used to the vomit but each time, she caught Simon looking terrified. Like always, he’d help, make some excuse, and disappear. She’d wait for Devil to arrive home and then she’d go looking for him.

This had happened every single day this past week. Now, she found him on the edge of Piston County, right at the welcome sign.

“Shit, is he going to be okay?” Eddie asked.

She’d called Eddie as Dean was going through his emancipation and could no longer afford a car. He had to prove in the next month that he was capable of holding down a job and also taking care of himself. Devil had to make sure his family didn’t interfere, and to guarantee it, Dean was working for Devil.

“Yeah, he’ll be okay.”

“I’ve never known him to be like this.” He sighed, running a hand over his head and down to grip his neck.

“I know. Something like this, it can change a person. It’s hard to explain.”

“You’ve gone through this before?”

“Not me, but I have a friend back home. She struggled as well, but she got through it.” Just thinking about Darcy always reminded her of home and how much she was missing it.

After climbing out of the car, she walked several steps. Simon was on the welcome side while she stood on the side that asked them to come back soon.

Gripping the cuffs of her jacket tightly, she stopped a foot away from him.

“Where are you going?”

Simon spun around, wiping at his face. “Tabby, what are you doing here?”

“You’re here.”

“I know. I’ll be home soon.” He turned his back on her.

“You know, I came here to help you. Not to do all of this for you.” Devil had warned her she’d need to practice tough love with him. She hated the very idea of it, but if it would help, she’d do it.

Simon chuckled. “You’re cute when you’re trying to play a role.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“I know it’s not funny. You think I’m laughing?”

“Don’t fucking yell at me.”

“I don’t mean to.” He slammed his foot to the ground. A hand went to his mouth, and he shook his head. “I don’t … fuck, I don’t know what to do.”

“There’s nothing you can do, Simon. This isn’t something you can plan or rationalize. It happens. You move on. You get shit done.” She shook her head. “You think Lexie wants this?”

“I know she doesn’t.”

“She’s fighting every single day. For her kids, for you, for Devil. For the entire freaking club. I see it. What she doesn’t need right now is this. If you can’t handle this, then you need to come back to Fort Wills with me, and we will hang out, you’ll go to school, and when it’s all over, you come back, pick up the pieces.”

Simon stared back at her, tears in his eyes. “You’ll think less of me.”

She pressed her lips together. Folding her arms, she glared at him. “You know what, yeah, I will. I was going to give you the pansy answer, telling you it would all be okay and I’d be fine with you walking away from your parents but you know what, that is a horrible idea, and I don’t think you should do it.”

“Tabby?”

“No!” She slashed her hand across the air. “No! You don’t get to say my name as if I’m nagging, or if this is too much of a hard decision. Stop whining about it. It is what it is and we can’t change it. What we can do is be strong. If you run away right now, I guarantee you’ll regret it and not just because of me being pissed at you or whatever, but because for the first time in your life, you’re being challenged and you can’t take it. You talk to me all the time about wanting to take Devil’s place when the time is right, then prove it. Be a man. Even now. Be a fucking man.” Tears spilled down her eyes and Simon shook his head.

“Don’t cry.”

“I can’t help it. I’m right here for you and you’re there. You’re on the opposite side of this sign.”

“You don’t know what this is like,” he whispered.

“Are you crazy? You think I don’t know what this is like? How this all feels?” She laughed. “You think I’ve never not wanted to run? That I’ve never not wanted to hide? To be as far away as possible?”

She licked her lips. spinning in a couple of circles, looking around them. “Simon, for a long time, I didn’t even want to be an MC girl. I wanted nothing to do with The Skulls. My very future was about getting out until I talked to my grandpa and he convinced me, so yeah, I get that you’re struggling. Really, I do. I probably understand you now more than ever.”