They rode in silence and she thought about what Randall said. Would he tell Preacher about her conversation with him?
She honestly didn’t know. She knew he was good friends with Preacher as well. They had a trust.
“You’re quiet,” Bear said.
“It’s nothing.”
“How was work?”
“Fine. I enjoyed it. I want to do more.”
“I was thinking I could get in touch with the principal if you’d like. Find your old records and you could finish off your exams. You know, graduate.”
“I told Preacher I would wait until all my memories returned. I don’t know how much I remember from my high school days.” She seemed to be repeating herself today. “I went to the cemetery today,” she said.
“You did?”
“I was waiting for you. I got a little bored and so I went for a walk. There’s no stone with mom’s name on it. Where did you bury her?” she asked.
“You sure had a lot of spare time on your hands to go to the cemetery.”
“I finished early. I was wondering why Mom wasn’t there.”
She stared at her dad and he didn’t answer right away.
They arrived at home, and she went straight to the dining room. Opening up the pizza box, she grabbed a large slice and took a bite.
“I can’t tell you what happened to your mom,” Bear said.
“Why not?”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.”
She frowned. “You’re not making any sense.”
“Your mother … she’s gone and she’s not coming back. You’ll never find her body, and there’s no way of you ever … knowing where she is. Ever.”
“But if she’s dead then that means there’s a body somewhere.”
Bear sat down and took a slice of pizza.
“This is club business, Robin. When Preacher’s ready for you to know, you’ll know. Don’t ask anyone about your mother. As far as anyone is concerned, she skipped town and never returned.”
The knot tightened in her stomach as she stared at her father. A part of her wanted to be horrified by what she knew he wasn’t saying, but another part, she knew, she got it. She accepted it. That wasn’t normal.
Gritting her teeth, she tried not to think about everything she didn’t know. “So … what you’re saying is, I can’t talk about it, not to anyone?” she asked.
“No.”
“That doesn’t exactly seem fair.”
“I know it’s not fair, but that’s just the way it is. There’s nothing we can do. You’re going to have to accept it.”
She nodded. “Have you heard from Preacher?” she asked, wanting to change the subject.
“Yes. He was the one who called me and I saw the message on my phone to come and pick you up.”
Silence fell between them.
She finished a second slice but now she’d lost her appetite and just wanted to go to bed, to do something other than sit with her father.
“I really need to have a shower. I’m kind of tired.”
“Robin,” Bear said. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, I need … I’m sorry,” he said again.
“I know. I’m going to go and have a shower.” She gripped his shoulder, trying to offer him comfort.
Leaving him alone, she headed up to her room, removing her clothes after she closed the door. The silence was peaceful.
Once she was naked, she walked into the bathroom and stared at her reflection. The ink on her body was another mystery. Turning to the side, she tried to look at the possessive ink across the base of her back. What did it mean?
Shaking her head, she tried to clear the fog from her mind, but no matter what she did, it didn’t work. There was nothing there. Her mind was a constant blank. Turning on the shower, she let out a little gasp as the cold seeped into her skin. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back and letting the water run across her body.
In the back of her mind, she felt another time. Another body. A man? He was larger than her.
His arms coming around her.
When she opened her eyes, the sensation was gone. There was no fear and she quickly closed them again, wanting the memory to stick.
The arms, they didn’t feel scary.
Were they Preacher’s?
She couldn’t see clearly. There were no distinguishing marks. Just the feeling.
She wasn’t afraid, but … content. Those arms, they didn’t do any harm. When his lips brushed across her neck, it felt right.
Pressing her palm against the tile, she opened her eyes. Her body was on fire with need, but the image in her head didn’t disappear. The man, whoever he was, he had to be real.
None of it made any sense to her. She was slowly and surely losing her mind.
Chapter Twelve
Her time with Reaper
Jealousy?
There was no way she could be jealous.
Robin took a bite of her pancake and stared across the table. All the men were gathered around several tables. Reaper was beside her, his large, muscular body imposing. She couldn’t not look at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him, waiting for him to lose control or to do something that scared the crap out of her.