Chapter 49 – Meggie #2
Meggie pursed her lips and shook her head at Rebel, who was on the verge of exploding. Admittedly, annoyance surged into Meggie too, but it wouldn’t help Jana if she snapped at her.
“I’d like to marry you before you get into rehabilitation,” Diesel said.
“Really?” Jana breathed.
Tipping her head down, Meggie mimicked her daughter and rolled her eyes.
“Unless your motherfuckin’ ass wanna either kill that cunt you currently married to or go to fuckin’ jail as a bigamist, you ain’t able to marry Jana no time soon, assfuck,” Christopher barked.
“How many motherfuckin’ times you gotta be reminded of that fuckin’ peace agreement?
You gotta move in with Tabitha in January—”
“Uncle Christopher—”
“I ain’t fuckin’ told you to marry that cunt and I ain’t fuckin’ told you to get engaged to this one.”
Meggie sighed.
“You think Jana’s a cunt?” Diesel gasped.
“Look at her, Diesel,” Christopher snapped. “She can’t even accept fuckin’ help without your fuckin’ permission. If she ain’t a cunt, she something and it ain’t fuckin’ good.”
Meggie smiled and patted Jana’s shoulder.
“She’s respectful of me,” Diesel replied. “That isn’t a crime.”
“It’s a motherfuckin’ travesty. Open your goddamn mouth and tell her to use her own fuckin’ brain. Not yours and not Rebel’s.”
“I’m her safety net. Her protector.”
“No, you a lyin’ motherfucker. I asked you what the fuck was wrong with her and you said nothin’. You fuckin’ knew she was an addict. You shouldna proposed to her before you got her fuckin’ help.”
“That’s part of the reason I want to marry her! To use my resources and connections to help her.”
“And cuz you love her, right, Diesel? Cuz, motherfucker, you could help her as her fuckin’ friend. You ain’t had to fuckin’ propose to her. What the fuck you’ve done for her since she took her fuckin’ hostage?”
“She isn’t my hostage!”
“The fuck she ain’t. Does that fuckin’ bitch go anyfuckinwhere? Here? There? Up the fuckin’ stairs? Nope. She stay in the treehouse like a motherfuckin’ goblin. Come here when you allow her to or go to the clubhouse when you invite her.”
“I took her to Harley’s play. I don’t fucking stop her from coming here, Uncle Christopher.”
“LOOK AT HER!” Christopher roared, pounding his fist on the bar.
Gunner and Jana jumped. CJ picked up Gunner and walked into the hallway with him, while Meggie hugged Jana.
“Either she fuckin’ cryin’, hidin’ behind you, or about to jump the fuck out her fuckin’ skin.
I could carry her down the motherfuckin’ treehouse.
She’d hold onto the fuckin’ doorframe until you gave her permission to come in this motherfucker, Diesel.
Is that what the fuck you want? A girl too fuckin’ scared to stand up to you?
Too fuckin’ abused to make her own decisions? ”
Diesel’s silence said more than Meggie needed to know.
“You not going to be happy in the end, son,” Christopher said, gentler.
Instead of looking at Jana, Diesel glanced at Rebel. She glared at him. Meggie knew Rebel’s renewed anger and deep hurt would evaporate one day and the fallout concerned her.
Diesel bowed his head and drew in another deep breath before looking at Christopher again.
“We like Jana, boy. We takin’ care of her with you, doin’ whatever we need to help her. You ain’t got to marry her, if you ain’t wantin’ to.”
“No, please!” Jana wailed, starting to sob in earnest. “Please, Uncle Christopher—”
“Shhh,” Meggie consoled before really Christopher lost his temper with her. “Let Diesel talk to his daddy, love.”
“I want to marry her, Uncle Christopher,” Diesel said.
“Then act like it,” Christopher said. “Tell her you ain’t turnin’ your back on her if she show she got a backbone.”
“I told her to stand up for herself,” Diesel said. “To stand up to me.”
“You shouldna had to say a fuckin’ thing.
Any girl with motherfuckin’ self-respect would stand the fuck up to you, but she scared you leavin’ her if she do anything against what you want.
Whatever she envision for her future in your motherfuckin’ hands.
That’s a lotta fuckin’ responsibility. Help her for her.
Not for you. Give her the tools she need for herself. ”
“As long as I have Diesel, I have everything I need, Aunt Meggie,” Jana told her. “If he doesn’t want to marry me…I don’t want to go away to rehabilitation. He might forget about me.”
Diesel winced.
Axel snapped his brows together. Meggie placed a finger over her mouth so he wouldn’t add his two cents. This was a complete fail.
“Jana and I are going shopping next weekend, Momma,” Rebel said with a bit of enthusiasm. “I’ll make sure she knows we won’t let Diesel forget about her.”
“That isn’t up to you, Rebel,” Diesel snapped.
Jana started to raise her head.
“If you look at Diesel, not only aren’t we going, but I will knock you the fuck out,” Rebel said as chillingly calm as Christopher when he was at the end of his rope.
“You’re not helping, Rebel,” Meggie told her, although Jana lowered her lashes, her shoulders shaking.
“If you aren’t paying, Jana should look at me, Rebel,” Diesel said.
“I’m not the one having sex with her in a natatorium where you can arrange for anyone to walk in, am I?
” Rebel said coldly. “Excuse me. Anyone can accidentally walk in on you in the throes of passion. Neither am I the one setting up your sister’s ex-boyfriend to sleep with other girls.
Nor am I the one who helped the other bozos to set me up to meet Kaia. Of course, you’re paying, fuckface.”
“I’ll see who can be on your detail, Rebel,” Meggie interjected before Christopher attacked Diesel, though she felt like doing so herself.
“But if no one’s available next weekend, you have to wait.
I don’t want any unforeseen threats to pop up.
Two guards a piece, with you the entire shopping trip, and ready to shoot to kill. ”
“Jana doesn’t have any outstanding drug debts,” Diesel said.
“We cannot be too careful, son.”
“Your ma spoke,” Christopher said flatly. “Case fuckin’ closed.”
“Fine,” Diesel gritted.
“Rebel, I’m so fuckin’ sorry you so hurt,” Christopher told her.
“We never should’ve done what we did. I ain’t likin’ how much you like him or he like you.
If I had my fuckin’ way, I’d just fuck him up, but your ma would be mad at me.
It’s okay to stand your fuckin’ ground when a motherfucker hurt you or wronged you, but you got to take all the fuckin’ facts into consideration.
So if you think you can even be his fuckin’ friend, ease up on him and listen to his side. ”
“He’s a fucking idiot and Diesel’s a motherfucker. The end. That’s his side, Daddy.”
Christopher glanced at Diesel, who had the good sense to keep his mouth shut. “Baby, you can’t blame Diesel for—”
“He set Kaia up the first time, so don’t even try to take up for him,” Rebel interrupted. “If it wasn’t for him, Kaia never would’ve met Fia or me.”
Her eyes watered and her lips trembled.
“I’m sorry, Rebel,” Diesel said.
“You don’t know the meaning of the word, you fucking psycho. You can’t fucking play with my life to amuse yourself. A broken fucking record as much as Jana’s ‘I love yous’.”
“Why the fuck do you have to be so fucking frustrating? Why can’t you fucking behave, Rebel?”
“Your idea of me behaving is what exactly, Diesel?”
He opened his mouth.
“Oops. Sorry. I just remembered I don’t give a fuck, so save your miserable breath.”
“Find new fucking words. Miserable and evil are old.”
“Find a new fucking brain,” Rebel replied. “Motherfuckery and sadism are tired.”
“I fucking told you to stop having a response for everything. It isn’t a crime to concede.”
“If it means letting you win, it sure the fuck is.”
“I’m your fucking brother. I want the best for you. I want you to be happy that I have a woman who loves me. That I adore, but you are so fucking frustrating. Goddamn you. Can you not let me be happy and love Jana without your bullshit?”
Leaning against the counter, Christopher winked at Meggie, although she was certain Diesel wasn’t even listening to himself. His guard was down. It wasn’t necessarily a good thing that Rebel was the only one who could push his buttons, but this was a step in the right direction.
“This shouldn’t be a fucking competition, Rebel.”
“Nor should your fucking feelings be a revelation based on me, Diesel. You’re happy with Jana? You love her? Let it be because of her, not because I fucking despise you.”
“You don’t,” he insisted. “You could never and will never. I’ve been your big brother for too long for you to turn your fucking back on me.”
“Are you two finished?” Meggie asked when Rebel didn’t respond.
“Aunt Meggie, talk to her,” Diesel started.
Rebel whispered to Axel and he slid over so she could stand. Refusing to look at Diesel, she walked to the door and halted.
“Do you need me anymore, Momma?”
“No, love.”
The moment she walked out, Diesel stood.
“Sit the fuck down,” Christopher ordered.
“I want to talk to her.”
“Sit,” Christopher repeated. “You lucky I ain’t choppin’ your fuckin’ cock off for what the fuck you did.”
Diesel sat down and yanked at his hair. “I’m sorry, Uncle Christopher. I really am. I shouldn’t have…I know how deeply I hurt her. I didn’t think something else would blow up in my fucking face where Rebel is concerned.”
“Cuz you don’t fuckin’ think. Live with the fuckin’ consequences. You got a good woman. Focus on her.”
Meggie waited a beat, then looked at her watch. “Your parents will be here in about an hour, Jana, so we have to wrap this up.” She got to her feet. She’d see to Gunner and then check on Rebel
Rebel decided against attending the dinner, so Meggie didn’t push her. Instead, she went to Kaia’s room, where he’d been hiding most of the door.
Once she knocked and he opened the door, his eyes widened and he stumbled back.
“I’m not here to stab you,” she said darkly, although the idea had merit.
“I’m so sorry, Meggie. I—”
“Shut up,” she snarled, stomping past him. “I don’t want your stupid apologies. You’re still here, and alive, because I’m complicit, too. Which I hate. I’m not here to discuss your relationship with Fia.”
“It isn’t a relationship. It’s only sex—”
Meggie heaved in a breath. “I want to see your portfolio.”
“I-I don’t have one,” Kaia confessed, explaining he’d thrown his drawings away when he moved to his own place.
“Find some drawing paper and sketch something. Whatever comes to mind.”
His head hung, Kaia loped to his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper and several pencils, then sat in his chair and got to work.
“All done, Meggie,” he announced, a few minutes later, interrupting her pacing.
She wiggled her fingers. “Bring it to me.”
Guiltily, she was expecting stick figures and crooked houses.
After all, he’d compared his drawing to his poetry, but he drew Rebel sitting at her daddy’s table with the clubhouse in the foreground.
The background was the archway with the grim reaper on the wall beyond in fine detail.
It was just a rough sketch because of his limited time, but he could actually draw.
“This is brilliant,” Meggie said in awe.
Maybe, Kaia had finally found a calling.