Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

“You heard the good news about Lexie?”

Simon recognized Curse’s voice.

“Yeah, I did,” Mia said. Simon didn’t move from where he stood. The couple hadn’t heard him there. “I’m so glad she was able to fight it. Leaving all of those kids behind.”

“I know.”

“I mean, I know the truth about Simon, but still, he’s hers.”

Simon tensed up.

“I know, she’s been more of a mother to him than her sister ever was.”

Simon’s heart raced. What the fuck? What were they talking about?

“What was her name again? The sister?”

“Kayla. She got knocked up by Devil and dumped Simon on Lexie’s lap. She ended up stripping to take care of them both. Devil, of course, took one look at Lexie, and well, the rest is history. Devil never wants Simon to know the truth.”

There was no way he could unhear this shit.

Stepping away from the wall, he rounded it to look at Curse.

“Oh, shit,” Curse said.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Simon, man, we’re talking about someone else.”

“No, you don’t get to lie. Lexie’s not my mom? I had a different mom?”

“You don’t know what you heard.”

“Oh, I know what I heard all right.” He turned on his heel and got on his bike. He heard Curse and Mia screaming at him. There was no way he was stopping.

The pictures.

He recalled his question about the pictures. How could he have been so damn stupid? Coming to the edge of the driveway, he looked at his home.

All of his life had been one big fat lie.

Devil opened the door, a phone to his ear.

Rain started to pour.

After climbing off his bike, he stormed into his home.

Lexie was a few feet away from Devil. His father put a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Son, I don’t know what—”

“You were never pregnant with me. That’s why there are no pictures.”

“This is not the time or the place,” Devil said.

Tears fell down her cheeks, but Lexie didn’t say anything. “You were never supposed to find out this way.”

“I was never supposed to find out at all.” He turned to his dad. “All this time you’ve been lying to me. You fucked her sister and what, she wasn’t good enough, so you moved onto the next one?”

“Do not even demean what is between your mother and me.”

“Which one? Lexie or Kayla?”

Devil’s hand clenched into a fist. “Kayla was never your mother. The moment she could, she dumped your ass and Lexie had to pick up the pieces.”

“Do you two even care about each other or is that a lie too?”

“Be careful,” Devil said.

“Of what? You’re my dad but she’s not my fucking mother. You both lied to me. I’m not part of this family. I don’t have a place. There are no pictures, no memories, nothing.” He shook his head. “Fuck you both.”

He took off.

Devil chased after him as Lexie’s cry of his name echoed in the air.

“Son, don’t do anything stupid.”

“You lied to me. Not once did you tell me the truth. I shouldn’t have had to find out this way. You should have always trusted me. Given me a chance to understand, but you didn’t.” He pulled out of his father’s arms. “Stay the fuck away from me.”

Climbing onto his bike, he took off, knowing there was only one place he was going to go.

****

“Devil, what are we going to do?”

“You’re going to go back inside, call Lash.”

“Why?”

“We both know there is only one place that boy is going and I need to make sure Lash can handle him. He’s going to Tabitha. The only person he feels hasn’t lied to him.”

Lexie’s hand went to her mouth as she tried to contain her sob. “I can’t believe he found out this way.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll fix it,” Devil said.

“Did you see the look in his eyes, Devil? He’s angry.”

“Of course he’s angry, but don’t you feel any kind of guilt.”

“We lied to him.”

“I lied to him. I was the one who told you what to do. None of this is your fault and I won’t let you take the blame, not for any of it. This is all on me and I’ll deal with it.” He went to her, cupping her cheeks and kissing her lips. “I’ve got to go and take care of this. I’ll be back. You rest.”

“Devil, don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t. Call Lash.”

Devil left the house, being careful not to slam the door. After climbing onto his bike, he took off, going right to the clubhouse. No one was around. The moment Curse called him, he’d known shit was going to hit the fan. His boy, he’d asked about Lexie’s pregnancy and shit like that. Whenever they talked to Elizabeth, Josh, their kids, Lexie would say what she was craving, or how tired she was. Devil always changed the subject when it came to Simon’s memories. Lexie had nothing to give because she’d never been pregnant with him. She wouldn’t just make shit up either as she hated lying to him. Devil always said he’d deal with this.