Lexie took a deep, calming breath of fresh air as she looked up at Stephanie's bedroom window before she slipped through the broken fence in the backyard. She couldn't shake off the sense of doom that nipped at her heels. She prayed that she would be able to slip away unnoticed. She needed to be alone right now.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Jackson "Is all this s.h.i.t actually gonna help?" Jackson complained as Cherry grabbed items off the shelf and dumped them into the small grocery basket Jackson was holding.

"This isn't my first rodeo. This method is tried and true, baby."

"Can we just hurry up?" Jackson sighed.

Cherry tapped Jackson on the side of the face. "You're adorable when you're all stressed out, you know that, Duke?" she teased.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Jackson asked with a scowl.

Cherry tilted her head with a mock frown. "It suits you."

The basket got increasingly heavy with the water, grapefruit juice, and sports drink she added.

"Is that it?" Jackson asked impatiently.

"Almost," Cherry said, pursing her red lips and skimming the aisle with medication. She grabbed a handful of boxes of various drugs and tossed them in on top of the other stuff, then grabbed a bag of black licorice. "That." She pointed at the licorice on top of the basket. "Is for me," she declared like it was non-negotiable. "And I also need some red wine."

"Yeah, yeah." Jackson raised the basket. "Are we done now?"

"That should cover it," Cherry said. Jackson followed as Cherry led them toward the cashier of the convenience store. Her heels clicked loudly against the floor as she walked with an exaggerated sway of her hips.

Cherry was proving to be a vital part in getting Evan back home in one piece. Cherry had packed her bags and insisted on leaving town with Jackson, knowing that if any of Black's men survived, they would not be kind to her since she was involved in Evan's escape. From what Jackson could gather, Black had been holding something over her head and she was thankful to be free of him.

Jackson was grateful Cherry insisted she come along to Freyview and help Evan work through his withdrawal. She and Evan had formed a friendship, and she was genuinely concerned for his safety. Besides, the three of them had no clue how to get Evan back on his feet, and would've most likely wrung his neck before they got him home. Jackson knew Lexie and Stephanie were certainly in no shape for the task, being as they were barely holding their heads up themselves.

"Why don't you put your eyes back in your head and ring us through," Cherry demanded when the man behind the cash register openly gawked at Cherry's over-the-top appearance.

"Whatever, freak," the cashier mumbled before grabbing the basket Jackson had set on the counter. He tallied up the total before dropping everything in bags.

Cherry stepped back and waved Jackson forward when the cashier gave them the total.

"I'm just here as a pretty face. You're mister money bags," Cherry declared, flicking her wrist.

The cashier scoffed.

"Oh honey, don't get all frustrated because I make your d.i.c.k hard. Who would blame you?"

"f.u.c.k you," the cashier spat angrily. "People like you make me sick."

"People like me?" Cherry stepped forward but Jackson intervened.

"He's not worth it, Cherry," Jackson warned. He threw some bills down on the counter.

"Put your dog on a leash," the cashier said as he grabbed the cash off the counter and hit a few numbers on his register. He shoved the money inside the drawer while discreetly sliding a few bills into his pocket before grabbing Jackson's change and handing it to him.

Jackson allowed the coins to slip through his fingers. They hit the counter and rolled off, landing on the floor near the cashier's feet.

"Oh s.h.i.t, sorry, man," Jackson apologized. When the man leaned over to pick them up, Jackson reached over and grabbed the man by the back of the head and smashed his face down on the counter.

The man screamed in pain as he shuffled back, grabbing his face. "What the f.u.c.k!"

Jackson grabbed the bags off the counter and headed toward the door.

"I'm calling the police," he shouted after them.

"Good idea. I'll be sure to tell them about the money you're skimming from the register," Jackson challenged.

The man immediately ended his string of cursing and quieted, the look of guilt painted on his features as he held his b.l.o.o.d.y nose. "Get the f.u.c.k out of here." He pointed toward the door.

"Thought so," Jackson said.

Cherry raised her brow when Jackson made eye contact. A satisfied smile played on her lips.

"Look at you, Duke, defending my honor. This is the beginning of a wonderful friendship." Cherry pushed the door open for them as they headed out of the store.

Evan was fading fast and Jackson hoped that Cherry's plan was going to work to clean him up. Jackson was anxious to get back to Freyview-to Lexie.

They had stayed at a hotel the night before. Evan was in need of a shower and something substantial in his stomach. It had been almost a week of one high to the next for him, and the effects of it were about to show their true colors. He had already begun to break out in cold sweats. It was only a matter of time before he s...o...b..lled, and this time he was not feeding the habit. Evan was going cold-turkey this time whether he wanted to or not.

When they returned to the car, Evan was lying down in the backseat. Teddy and Dane were arguing about something Teddy had up on his phone. They both stopped and perked up when Jackson and Cherry neared.

"Got what you need?" Teddy asked, pushing off the front of Jackson's car.

"I f.u.c.king hope so," Jackson said.

No one questioned his call to allow Cherry to accompany them home. They all knew she would be at risk if she stayed in Belhaven, and they couldn't leave her behind knowing she would have a target on her back for what she had done for them. Cherry insisted on picking up her car that morning before leaving. Jackson immediately suspected that Cherry lived between her car and the club by the amount of belongings she had already packed in the trunk. Her eagerness to flee filled in the rest of the blanks for his suspicions. It was only the details that were left to be discovered.

"Teddy and Dane, you take Cherry's car." Jackson nodded toward her red '69 Camaro.

"I'm driving!" Teddy blurted.

"Oh, come on," Dane complained.

"Are you serious?" Cherry glared at Jackson. "Do you know how much money I put into my baby? That was my grandaddy's car. The one person in my entire family that didn't disown me, and you're just gonna let these clowns drive it." Cherry's hands were placed firmly on her hips.

"I need you to ride with me and help Evan," Jackson insisted.

Jackson had barely spoken the words before Evan stumbled out of the backseat and threw up, barely missing Cherry's shoes.

"Oh Jesus f.u.c.k." Cherry darted away. "Give me those f.u.c.king bags." Cherry walked over to Jackson and grabbed the bags from his hand. She rummaged around inside and pulled out a bottle of water and a box of something she must have thought would help. Evan looked horrible, and Jackson wasn't looking forward to the rest of the ride back to Freyview.

Cherry slapped the water into Evan's hands and tore open the box and popped out a few pills before holding them out for Evan. "Swallow these, Country," she ordered. Evan didn't argue as he took them and shoved them in his mouth.

"If you so much as put a scratch on my car I will claw your eyes out, Teddy," Cherry threatened as she rummaged through her purse and pulled out her keys.

"Don't worry, I believe you," Teddy confirmed as he held his hands up for them.

Cherry looked down at her keys sadly before she tossed them. "Why do I get the overwhelming sense that something bad is going to happen?" Cherry asked when Teddy flashed her a smile.

"What could possibly go wrong?" Teddy winked.

"Oh G.o.d. Is he for real?" Cherry looked at Jackson.

"I don't know what he is." Jackson shook his head. "Let's go. Evan, get your sick a.s.s in the car."

Evan moaned in response as he propped himself against the car, clutching his stomach.

Jackson slid behind the wheel and waited while Evan crawled pitifully back into the backseat. He didn't even bother trying to sit up as he sprawled out along the entire width of the back. His coloring was various shades of grey and spoke greatly of the misery that was beginning to claim him. They all knew he was just starting to scratch the surface of what lay ahead.

Cherry shut the back door and slipped in the pa.s.senger's seat. "Do you mind if I smoke? It calms me down."

Jackson gave her a nod as he pulled out of the parking lot. Once Cherry lit her cigarette, she sighed in contentment and melted into her seat. "Do you want one?" she offered.

"No, my life is at risk enough as it is. I don't need anything else to build a case against me," Jackson declined.

"I believe that," Cherry said with a smile. She leaned closer to her open window to cut down on the smoke in the car.

"You all right?" Jackson asked when he watched Cherry get lost as she watched the scenery go by. Cherry had not been quiet once since he met her, it seemed out of character.

"I've been dealing with s.h.i.theads like that..." Cherry nodded back toward the direction of the store, "...for as long as I can remember. I just need a moment."

"Our world is full of arrogant s.h.i.theads," Jackson said, glancing between Cherry and the road. "I usually just a.s.sume everyone is a piece of s.h.i.t until they prove me wrong."

"Look at you, Mr. Optimistic. Sounds like you had a colorful childhood too." Cherry frowned before taking a long drag and tossing the rest of the cigarette out the window. "Sadly, out of all of the f.u.c.ked up things that people have said to me, my family has said worse."

Jackson could tell Cherry was struggling with inner torment. It was one thing they had in common. They both had a hard outer sh.e.l.l but the inside was a mess.

"How did you get caught up with Black, anyway?" Jackson asked curiously.

"My sister called me up one night out of the blue. I hadn't spoken to her in over five years at that point, so I knew she was in trouble. She had asked me to meet her at her place and I went without thinking better of it. When I arrived, she was long gone, and Black's men were there waiting. She had stolen money from Black and took off. She had set me up to take the fall for her. Black was all too happy for me to work off my sisters debt. It wasn't long before I found out why. Black had certain fetishes that I was forced to play a part in. My sister knew and she f.u.c.king threw me under the bus. Black took everything from me and I never heard from my sister again. I have nothing but my f.u.c.king car." Cherry glanced in the side view mirror at Teddy and Dane in her car.

"I promise your car will be fine," Jackson a.s.sured her.

Cherry pulled a compact and lipstick out of her purse. She powdered her nose before touching up her lips. "Let's just say I'm not sorry that sick f.u.c.k is dead."

"Let's just say I'm not sorry I killed him," Jackson said with a smile.

"Thank f.u.c.k for that." Cherry slapped her thighs.

Jackson's phone rang and he picked it up from the console. Nate's name lit up the screen.

"Yeah?"

"Lexie's gone," Nate said in a rush.

"What the f.u.c.k do you mean, gone?" Jackson said angrily. Fear coiled around him.

"I mean she's not here. She must have just left. There's no sign that anyone else was here. The f.u.c.king cops outside said they didn't see anything and they're useless as f.u.c.k. I just turned my back for a second, Jacks. I didn't know she would leave. I already checked her apartment and her mother's house."

"G.o.ddammit," Jackson cursed.

"I found an opened envelope on the floor with her name on it, but no letter or anything else. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Yeah, we're on our way," Jackson said before disconnecting the call.

Evan sat up and grabbed one of the bags by his feet and dumped out the contents before he threw up in the bag.

"What's wrong?" Cherry asked Jackson after wrinkling her nose at Evan.

"Hopefully nothing," Jackson said, speeding up. "Where would Lexie go if she was upset about something, Evan?" Jackson hated that Evan knew Lexie better than he did.

"Her mother's?" Evan suggested. "What's going on?"

"She's not there. Where else?"

Evan was quiet for a moment before he spoke up. "I know where she is."

CHAPTER NINE.

Lexie Taking a deep breath of fresh air, Lexie let the heat of the day soak into her skin. The sun shone brightly overhead, broken only by the brief shadow of a pa.s.sing bird. Being here always gave her a sense of peace, and now more than ever, she needed it. Her eyes skimmed over the endless rows of headstones, all marked with names of people who had come and gone. All of them left their own mark before they returned to the earth.

She and Alex used to come here on occasion and wonder who the people were that were written on the intricate memorials. They would take turns coming up with wild and beautiful stories about their lives. She never imagined how soon he would become one of them and she would be visiting him. When she saw his name carved into stone, she didn't have to imagine anything. She already knew the exceptional person he had been. The familiar ache filled her stomach when she thought of him.

"Hi babe." Lexie smiled sadly. "I know it's been awhile. I'm really sorry." Lexie dropped her purse and knelt down in front of his marker. She ran her fingers over the letters in his name and took a deep, shaky breath. "So much has happened I don't even know if I understand it all. I really need you right now."

Lexie sat down and leaned back against the cool stone. She rubbed her thighs and looked up at the sky, suddenly feeling a chill despite the sun. "Mom died." Tears started running down her face. "She's gone." Lexie wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"I remember when you said everything happens for a reason. I'm trying to hold onto that, but it's so hard when the people you love keep leaving." Lexie tilted her head up to the sky. "I'm starting to think you were full of c.r.a.p," Lexie said affectionately. "There is no reason good enough to justify both you and Mom being taken before you were able to grow old and grumpy. Remember when you said you were going to get us a tandem wheelchair when we were too old to walk everywhere? I thought you were so ridiculous and it made me fall in love with you more."

Lexie reached in her purse and pulled out the letter. "I have a horrible secret, Alex," Lexie whispered. "One that might have made even you see me differently." Lexie ran her fingers over the paper, willing herself the strength to unfold it.

"I'm glad my mother never knew for sure. I would have been terrified to see the look in her eyes when she realized what I am. I think in her heart she was convinced I was really the daughter of the man she loved. I wish I could've been." Lexie closed her eyes and listened to the gentle breeze rustling the leaves in the nearby trees.