Diesel
She’d always been equal parts vulnerable victim and manipulative addict. It hadn’t mattered. He’d wanted to protect every iteration of her, knowing one day she’d be clean and sober, the best version of herself.
What he couldn’t overcome was her almost costing him Rebel.
He wanted her gone—dead. Sooner or later, he’d conquer his anger, and he’d get back to where he wanted to see her on the straight and narrow.
Although some part of him would always hate her for this, he’d remember she was the representation of his conscience.
That she deserved more than a man whore drug addict.
She deserved a man who cherished and protected her, who laid the world at her feet.
For now, though, he wanted to stay as far away from her as possible. He couldn’t risk losing his temper and strangling the fuck out of her.
Once he closed the front door as quietly as possible, he rushed down the east hallway where the sound of laughter floated from the kitchen.
He paused and listened.
“Throw another piece, Kayce,” Kaia ordered.
A moment later, something pinged. Diesel frowned, while the Riggs brothers roared with laughter.
“Your mouth has never been big enough to catch ice, bro,” Kayce chortled.
“Whereas yours is overly big. Every time I throw a piece, you catch it,” Kaia complained.
“Are you sure it’s okay if you bring me home?”
“I already asked Meggie,” Kaia said. “She’s letting me borrow her car. That’s why Outlaw hasn’t locked up yet.”
“Then, we should probably get going. I have school tomorrow—”
Diesel paused in the doorway, and Kayce snapped his mouth shut.
Puddles of water and cubes of ice were all over the kitchen.
“You’ve made quite the fucking mess, emo boy.”
Kaia stiffened and glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll clean it as soon as I drop my brother off.” He turned, his gaze landing on the bags in Diesel’s hands. His jaw clenched.
“Don’t think I don’t know Aunt Meggie put money into the presents you bought for Rebel.”
“And you just couldn’t wait to upstage me,” Kaia said with a shake of his head.
“I do that by breathing, motherfucker.”
Kaia’s nostrils flared. “You really want to do this, Diesel?”
“What might this be?”
“Compete for Rebel.”
“If she were older, there would be no competition,” Diesel sneered. “She loved me first. That won’t go away with your stupid words and roaming cock.”
“I don’t intend to fuck another girl again. Meanwhile, you have a fucking fiancée.”
“Who isn’t your concern,” Diesel said flatly.
“Is she yours?” Kaia demanded. “You’re so hung up on Rebel, you forget Jana exists.”
“What I do or don’t do with Jana is not your goddamn business, Kaia. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it is.”
“Whatever, dude. Just know that whatever hold you think you have on Rebel is as tenuous as the one I have on her. She does what she wants.”
“Something you should remember as well.” Diesel threw him one last glower and went on his way.
At the last minute, he remembered the additional fucking cameras Uncle Christopher had installed. Sighing, he redirected his steps once again and bounded up the grand staircase. His room was not far from the landing.
Inside, he put the packages on the bed and considered his options. He wouldn’t rest without seeing Rebel tonight, but he wasn’t in the mood to have his cock blown off either.
He halted, took his phone out of his pocket, and opened the camera app. Sure enough, there was an end-to-end view of the hallway, along with separate screens for his and Rebel’s doors.
“Motherfucker.”
Growling, he thrust his fingers through his hair. He wouldn’t take long to see her. He’d just give her the presents and return to his room, but there was no motherfucking way this day would end with Kaia being the only one to have given her gifts.
If he went to the control room, he could turn off the cameras. Unfortunately, that would show the time. If Uncle Christopher happened to be looking and saw him leave his room, he was fucked.
He growled again, wanting to rip his hair from his scalp, and began pacing. Rebel was his…little sister. She—
A knock interrupted his racing thoughts.
“Come in,” he commanded.
Axel stuck his head in. “Are you taking a shower in my bathroom tonight? Cuz a man got to rest. He’s been waiting for you forever.”
Diesel scrubbed a hand over his face and stepped aside, nodding to the gifts. “I was buying presents for Rebel.”
“If they’re for Reb, why are they here?” Axel asked, opening the door fully and walking into the room.
“Cameras,” he said in frustration. “Uncle Christopher might get the wrong idea if he sees me at Rebel’s door.”
Squinting, Axel rocked on his feet and hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his Batman pajamas. “If I help you, you just want to visit Reb as her brother?”
“What? Of course! How else would I visit her?”
“Please, motherfucker. You got perv written all over your head.”
Diesel pursed his lips, considered Axel’s words and still couldn’t make sense of those motherfuckers.
“I want a thousand dollars for my help and a year of free law stuffs.”
“Fuck no!”
“Okay, then, D.” Axel shrugged and turned, starting out the door.
“Axel, goddamn it, are you really shaking me down for a fucking grand?”
“And a year of legal stuffs. I will need your services immediately, by the way.”
“What the fuck do you intend to do?”
“That’s a client privilege. I can’t share.”
“It’s attorney-client privilege. As your attorney, you have to tell me, so I know what I need to do.”
“Dad’s about to do a big project. We don’t think he’ll want to spend a lot of money on another surveillance system if this one’s suddenly down for the numbers.”
Diesel didn’t bother correcting Axel, too intrigued by his plans. “I’m not so sure about that. He wants to watch me.”
“Because of Rebel. But she’s recovering. Dad’s about to go away with Mom. Jo’s coming home next week. Trust me, Diesel. That man is disprac, uh, distracted.”
“Fine.”
Axel held out his hand.
“I’m not fucking paying you until you deliver the goods.”
“I require a first payment.” He wiggled his fingers. “Or I’m not doing it.”
Glaring at Axel, Diesel dug in his pocket and came out with his billfold. He took out his last ten Bennies. He carried cash on a daily basis. A lot of it. He never knew who he had to bribe. “It’s all I have left in cash.”
“That’s not my fault.”
He slammed the money in Axel’s hand.
“And free legal stuffs. Remember.”
“I fucking remember, goddamn it.”
“Okay, give us an hour. We were going to do it anyway.”
“What?”
Axel grinned. “My men and me hate those fucking cameras. We’ve figured out how to break them. You’re paying us for what we were going to do for free. Thanks, big bro.”
“You little asshole, you scammed me.”
“I didn’t, cuz you had another fucking choice: wait ‘til morning to see Reb. You weren’t boozled, motherfucker. Don’t fucking say that lie.”
“Bamboozled,” Diesel gritted, “and I certainly was.”
“Whatever, fuckhead. Whatever. Remember give us an hour before you go to Reb’s room.” Axel left with Diesel’s money and his fucking pride.
He’d been swindled by a ten-year-old.
***
Axel: Good to go.
That message arrived sixty-one minutes later; Diesel paced the entire time. Now, relief filled him and he grabbed the packages. His phone chimed again. He almost ignored it but something told him he shouldn’t.
“Fuck!” he snarled, setting the bags down and grabbing his phone from where he’d thrown it on the bed.
Axel: Dad’s locking up. He might hear you. He has x-ray ears.
X-ray ears weren’t a thing, but whatever.
Axel: the least you can do is answer a man, motherfucker. My men and me did a lot of stuffs tonight.
Diesel: Erase these fucking messages. Incriminating evidence. Never leave a paper trail.
Axel: I knew you were senile. This isn’t paper, stupid.
Diesel growled.
Diesel: It IS motherfucking evidence, you little asshole.
On the rare occasions Diesel videotaped club business, he used burners and then destroyed them once he showed the appropriate people.
Axel: Tisk, tisk. You’re salty cuz of the money.
Diesel: No shit. And it’s tsk, tsk.
Axel: Nuh-uh. I hear an i when that word is said out loud.
Diesel: Spoken, you mean?
Axel: Stop being painful loser. It looks bad on you.
Diesel: Sore loser. Who likes to lose?
Axel: Rory, cuz he likes Uncle Johnnie, and that motherfucker was born a loser.
Diesel laughed.
Diesel: How is Rory catching strays and he isn’t even here?
Axel: Cuz he’s a stray, mangy mutt just like Uncle Johnnie.
Too wound up to entertain Axel, Diesel didn’t respond. Another chime came through and he gritted his teeth, wondering if Axel bamboozled him and there would be another delay.
Axel: Coast is clear. Dad is in his room
Diesel: R u sure
He couldn’t bother with punctuation.
Axel: Trust me. I wouldn’t get u n trouble. I love u.
Diesel: I luv u 2 Ax
Throwing his phone aside, Diesel snatched the bags and rushed out of his room without further delay, praying he wasn’t walking into a trap.
He expected to find Rebel’s door locked.
Thankfully, he turned the knob and it opened without hindrance.
Her beautiful suite, with its pale blue, cream, and gold décor, had become a refuge of sorts for him.
When his world was chaotic, he’d come in and watch her sleep.
Until Uncle Christopher decided to have the cameras installed.
He rounded the corner where her bed, nightstands, and dresser were situated. She lay on her back, an angel in slumber, her lashes sweeping down, her lips sweet and inviting.
He set the bags on her dresser, aching to crawl into bed…
he halted that thought before it fully formed.
When he used to babysit her and read her bedtime stories so she’d settle down and give him some peace, they would lay side-by-side.
Back then, he only wanted her to close her eyes, so he could take the baby monitor and call whoever he was dating.