Chapter 26 – Rebel
As Outlaw’s daughter, Rebel grew up under a microscope.
Sometimes, the bikers, old ladies, and club girls knew her business before she did, especially when she was a small girl and Momma and Daddy made certain plans for her.
Her enrollment in Ridge Moore, for instance.
The first old bike Daddy ever purchased for her to rebuild with him.
She was even congratulated on her first period. Not because Momma said anything. It was the cramps that Rebel herself complained about.
The first time she’d drawn a different type of attention, the kind that showed her as a rival to the club girls who were little more than jealous vipers, was Valentine’s Day when she’d gotten dressed up for her date with Kaia.
She’d felt awkward, watched, and judged, as much as she’d felt gorgeous and empowered, reinforcing her belief in the beauty she’d been gifted with and the jealousy of the younger club girls.
But she’d never been subjected to the cheers, whistles, and catcalls the moment Daddy guided her into the club and everyone spotted her.
She wanted to go home and crawl into bed because she was still in pain.
Her stomach had been particularly abused by those motherfuckers.
Without the sedatives, she felt each limp she made.
Yet, the attention uplifted her. She hadn’t tried to save Jana because she expected accolades.
She’d just reacted to a dire situation. Yeah, in hindsight, she should’ve minded her own business and let that ungrateful bitch drown.
Or get beaten to death. Except…she was proud of herself for standing up for Jana because it was the right thing to do.
“Speech,” Torrin called when the noise died down, flanking Diesel. He clapped again and whistled. “We’re so happy you’re home.”
“Yeah, Little Reb,” Narci said from Diesel’s other side. “How do you feel?”
Momma stepped beside Rebel and grabbed her hand. “Do you need to sit, love?”
Rebel started to speak, to nod, but then she saw Jana sidle to Diesel and give him puppy dog eyes. He bent and whispered to her. Jana nodded.
Oh, that bitch wanted to play, did she?
Rebel snatched her hand from her mother’s and hobbled forward, not missing Momma’s huff.
“I feel grateful that I was in the right place at the right time,” she said, needing nothing to make her voice sound so weak.
Smiling at the crowd and ignoring her pain, she met Diesel’s inscrutable gaze.
“Who knows what would’ve happened to poor Jana if I hadn’t been there?
I’m so happy I could help her with minimal damage to me. ”
Diesel glanced at Jana, and his lips thinned before he broke away from her and came to Rebel. He hugged her and she didn’t hesitate to return the gesture. Stepping back, he kissed her cheek.
“Welcome home, sweetheart. I owe you a great debt for saving Jana’s life.”
Those cheers went up again.
“Come on, love,” Momma said, reclaiming Rebel’s hand.
A big banner with the words, ‘get well soon, Rebel’, surrounded by stars, mini suns, and rainbows hung behind the bar, above a smaller banner that read ‘welcome home, Reb’, the letters and decorations also hand drawn.
Balloons hung throughout the club, awing her.
She couldn’t believe this was all for her.
Daddy led them through the crowd to his table.
Instead of her uncles occupying the chairs, CJ, Grant, Bishop, Ryan, Mattie, Harley, JJ, Rory, Devon, Mark JB, Lou, Axel, Ransom, and Ryder were there, along with Kayce and Kaia.
Daddy seemed to have temporarily taken CJ’s table where Aunt Zoann, Aunt Bunny, Uncle Val, Uncle Stretch, and Uncle Digger were.
It disappointed Rebel not to see Uncle Mort, Lolly, and Aunt Kendall, while she could’ve done a happy dance that Uncle Cash, Uncle Johnnie and Aunt Bailey skipped out.
She hoped Aunt Ophelia was okay but was glad she wasn’t there since Winnie would’ve demanded Rebel’s attention.
Food and paper plates sat in the middle of both tables. Fried fish and shrimp, French fries, toasted bread, salad, and chocolate cake made Rebel’s mouth water and her stomach growl.
Before she reached the table with her brothers and cousins, she went through a gauntlet of hugs and kisses from her aunts and uncles.
When she finally sat down in Daddy’s chair, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Somehow, Kaia finagled Momma’s spot. Rebel wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
She didn’t see Fia or any of the newer club girls, though she wondered if they’d show their miserable faces and pretend they didn’t wish she’d sank to the bottom of that fucking creek.
Momma kneeled next to Rebel. “If you need anything, love, I am right next to you.” She pointed to CJ’s table, at a ninety-degree angle from Daddy’s. It placed Momma’s back to Rebel’s. “Call me and I’ll come running.”
“Okay, Momma,” Rebel said, compelled to hug her mother, grateful to be alive and with her family. “Thank you for everything,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too, Reb.” Momma kissed her cheek and then got to her feet, joining in the renewed clapping.
“I’m starving,” Rebel started when everyone turned the attention to food and found places to sit. Each table had a similar set up with food and plates, though the smaller tables were incredibly crowded.
“May I fix you a plate?” Kaia asked quietly, so only she could hear.
She started to decline, but she was tired and hungry, so she nodded. “I want a little of everything.”
He smiled at her. “Coming right up, my lady.”
“Lolly and me cooked, Reb,” Harley announced. “I-I hope it’s good.”
“You cook as good as Roxy, Harls,” Grant said. “I’m sure the food is delicious.”
“Yeah, bae,” CJ said, nodding. “You have nothing to worry about.”
Rebel wasn’t sure if the food was a collective effort or if Lolly prepared some dishes and Harley others, but CJ was right. It was all delicious, from the summer green and citrus salad right down to the chocolate cake.
After scraping his plate clean of every bit of icing he could manage, Daddy got to his feet and whistled, ushering in almost immediate silence.
“Thank all you motherfuckers for showin’ up to welcome my girl home,” he said. “This mean a lot to her, Megan, me, Jo, and her brothers. But my daughter still healin’ so Ima take her home and—”
Kaia standing interrupted Daddy, who growled.
“S-sorry, Outlaw,” Kaia said, raising his hands, dodging Kayce’s attempt to grab his elbow. He snatched it away when Kayce managed to catch it, and scowled. “Stop it.” He looked at Daddy again. “Aren’t we…aren’t we giving Rebel get well gifts?”
“No,” Daddy, Diesel, and CJ chorused.
Momma cleared her throat. “Yes.”
“What the fuck you talkin’ about, Megan?”
“Mom, that’s not fair!”
“When, Aunt Meggie, was that decided?”
“All you motherfuckers shut up,” Axel warned. “Mom said it’s okay. It’s not her fault you senilities didn’t think to get Reb a present.”
“What the fuck is a senility, boy?”
“This isn’t a fucking celebration, Ax,” Diesel gritted and glared at Kaia. “Something emo boy should know.”
“Did you get her a fucking present, Axel?” CJ demanded.
“Uh-huh.” Shoving back from his chair, Axel stood and ran to Rebel’s seat. He dug into his pocket and came up with a roll of cash. “I just got a big settle.” Beaming at her, he opened her hand and plunked the money into it. “Get whatever you want, big sis.”
“Settlement,” Rebel blurted, ignoring the laughter floating around and removing the rubberband. He’d given her a combination of twenties and fifties that amounted to three hundred dollars. “Where’d you get this from?”
Axel gave her a disapproving look and wagged his finger. “Don’t question a man when he gives you his hard-earned money from all the good in his heart.” He smirked at Daddy, then returned to his seat.
“Christopher gave you money to give to Rebel?” Momma asked, wiping away Axel’s satisfaction.
He and Daddy exchanged glances, then looked at Momma warily.
“Dad owed me money and forgot to pay me,” Axel said. “I charged him interest.” He pointed to the money Rebel still held. “It was that, and I wanted Rebel to have it, Mom.”
“Oh, Sweet Pea,” Momma said as Rebel laid a hand over her chest then blew her little brother a kiss.
“You are so sweet, Axel,” Mattie complimented.
Grinning, Axel looked at Harley.
She smiled. “You’re the best little brother.”
“He is!” Momma gushed, holding her arms out to Axel. He got up and ran to her, returning her tight hug.
Ransom and Ryder whispered to each other, then laughed like little lunatics. But it was CJ’s outrage that told Rebel there was more to the story. She wouldn’t give Axel’s game away.
Axel stepped away from Momma, then indicated Daddy step away with a nod of his head. Daddy crouched and listened to Axel, then shook his head and chuckled.
“I don’t fucking believe this,” CJ grumbled as Axel skipped back to the table and Daddy stood.
“Kaia?” Momma called. “If you have something to give to Rebel, do it so we can get her home.”
“Thank you, Meggie.” Kaia cleared his throat, walked around the table and met Rebel’s gaze before dropping to his knees and grabbing one of her hands. “I am so sorry for hurting you, Rebel. You will always be my Chi. Please forgive me and give me another chance—”
“Kaia—” Rebel started.
He kissed the back of her hand. “Rebel, your lips are adorable, like tiny Chihuahua teeth.”
Gasping, Rebel used her free hand to feel her lips, checking if they were dry and gross. They felt fine.
“Your hair is like a bridge of bullions, flowing like a river of gold from fairyland.”
“Uh—”
“Your skin is like a piece of ivory just culled from a poor dead elephant.”
“Oh brother,” Axel said.
Kaia grabbed her other hand and squeezed both of them. “Your nose is as twitchy as a Chihuahua’s tail and just as adorable.”
Momma cut off her giggle by biting down on her lip, though her shoulders shook and her eyes watered.
“Your eyes are as glassy as buttons, bright and blue and beautiful. Like a stuffed doll from Coraline.”