Rain “Rebel” Crawford #3
“I’m over this, Rebel. Every time you drink, you change your perspective.
One minute I’m not to blame, then the next you’re acting like a bitch and finding a different reason to be mad at me.
You’re the godmother to my youngest child, and we’ve still got history together and do business.
But if you really don’t fuck with me anymore, then why are you still around?
Why do you keep showing up? Why keep holding on to something you claim you don’t want?
I’m tired of going in circles with you,” Dice said.
“Don’t confuse my anger with indifference. If I truly didn’t give a fuck about you, I would’ve disappeared a long time ago. I know you’re family. That doesn’t change the fact that your children calls me Auntie. The truth is, I miss my sister and wish she could still be with us. Just give me grace.”
No more words were exchanged between the three of us.
The grief was too heavy. But I still had something for my sperm donor.
Before anyone could stop me, I stepped toward Titan and slammed the butt of my Glock across the side of his head.
The crack echoed through the cemetery. Titan stumbled sideways and nearly lost his footing before catching himself against his firstborn daughter’s headstone.
Blood immediately trickled from the fresh cut above his eyebrow.
“Rebel!” Dice shouted.
I put my gun away and turned my back on everyone.
Nobody tried to stop me. As I climbed onto my motorcycle and fired up the engine, the roar echoed through the cemetery before I pulled away from Rose’s grave.
The ride home was a blur. I couldn’t tell you a single thing I saw on the way back to my house.
Hell, I was so drunk and angry that it was a miracle I didn’t end up wrapped around a tree.
When I finally pulled into the driveway, I parked my bike and glanced over to see Kash and Dice.
We might’ve had our moments of frustration, but they had still followed me home to make sure I got there safely.
That was club law. We looked out for our own.
No matter what was going on between us, sisters didn’t get left behind on the road, in prison, or in the ground.
I killed the engine and climbed off my motorcycle. The rain had finally eased up, leaving the pavement slick beneath my boots. As I started toward the building, Kash’s voice stopped me. I turned to face them both to show my respect. Rule number one: you never speak to anyone with your back turned.
“We love you, Rebel,” Kash said.
“Yeah,” Dice added with a nod. “Don’t ever forget that. We’re sisters. Blood couldn’t make us any closer than what we’ve been through together.”
“Love you both.”
Once I got inside the house, I was just all over the place.
The only person I knew who could handle me in my emotional state was my best friend, Crow.
I quickly sent him a text message telling him I needed him before heading off to take a shower.
Twenty minutes later, my doorbell rang. When I opened it, Crow stood there with a bag full of unhealthy snacks.
He flashed me a smile before stepping inside.
“I come bearing gifts.”
I glanced inside the bag and let out a soft laugh.
“You bought half the damn snack aisle.”
He shrugged. “Today’s not a day for healthy choices. Besides, you know I had to grab our girl’s favorites to celebrate.”
The smile on my face faded. Of course he remembered.
Today was Rose’s birthday. Although she was a little older than us, the three of us used to stay turning up together.
Rose was always the daredevil, always the loudest one in the room, and somehow always the one convincing us to do something we probably had no business doing.
“You remembered.”
He gave me a look like I’d asked the dumbest question imaginable.
“Rain... how could I forget? It’s Rose’s birthday.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and stepped aside so he could come in.
“Thank you for coming. You were probably busy.”
He walked past me and gently bumped my shoulder.
“I was. Then my best friend texted me saying she needed me. Whatever I was doing stopped mattering.”
My eyes burned as I looked away.
“I’ve been trying to keep it together all day. It’s been years since she died, and I still act like it happened yesterday.”
Crow nodded knowingly. “Time doesn’t stop grief, Rain. It just teaches you how to carry it. I know today never gets easier. I know every year you pretend you’re okay when you ain’t. And I know Rose would’ve whooped my ass if I let you sit here by yourself.”
A watery laugh escaped me.
“You always know what to say.”
“Nah.” He smiled softly. “I just know you. And I wanna make sure you’re good. We’ll eat these unhealthy snacks, laugh about all the crazy shit Rose used to do, and celebrate her the way she’d want us to.”
I smiled through my tears. “She would’ve definitely stolen half these snacks.”
“Nah,” Crow chuckled. “She would’ve stolen all of ‘em and blamed it on me.”
I laughed a little harder, the heaviness on my chest easing just enough to breathe.
“Thank you, Crow.”
“Always, Rain. Always.”
Crow pulled me into a quick hug, resting his chin on top of my head.
I truly appreciated him coming to my rescue.
Even though it had been years since my sister was killed, that shit still haunted me deeply.
The part that hurt the most was accepting the one thing I couldn’t change. She was never coming back.