Chapter Forty-One #4
“By the way, there was a microphone in my purse, which is why I sent it with Bishop.”
He went white. “Fuck. ”
“Don’t panic. All that stuff about kissing me and me being a fuck doll might piss them off, but we can tell them you were joking.” She smiled at him, her hurt disintegrating as Kaia’s words settled completely into her. “Let’s just enjoy the rest of the evening.”
It took several minutes before he calmed down, but his color slowly returned.
“Enough about me,” he said finally. “What are your dreams?”
“I know fuck all about you, sir,” she said with a laugh. “You’re very good at evasion. Or distracting me with your overly flowery nonsense.”
He chuckled. “I’m a very boring guy, Rebel. I’d much rather hear about you and your plans for the future.”
“I want to be the club’s special enforcer.” She thought of Uncle Johnnie and Willard. “There are two dude bitches in particular I want to torture before I kill.”
“I wouldn’t mind earning my patch.”
The announcement pleased Rebel and she beamed at him.
“The Dwellers are famous. But I need a Harley and free time. What I do know is you shouldn’t discuss club business. Especially shit about torture and murder.”
She pursed her lips and nodded. “You’re right.”
“Nor does it seem fair to your mom to lose your brother to club life and her daughter. From what I saw tonight, that lady loves you a lot. It would break her heart to have to lose that connection because you’d have to keep a lot to yourself just like CJ.”
Not only CJ, but all her brothers.
“Look at you, Reb. So delicate and gorgeous. Being an enforcer, even a special one, can’t be easy. You could always pick a profession where you offer services as needed to the club. ”
Exactly what CJ wanted. But she’d always been so busy defending herself against some of her brothers and competing against all of them, she’d been determined to become a part of the club.
She changed the subject. “My mom took me to the club tonight to tell Daddy we were leaving. I think she was hoping he’d change his mind about whatever .
Or at least ask about his presents. She bought him a new fucking pickup.
Over a hundred grand. And despoke cologne that she paid thirty-five grand for—”
A barstool slammed. The pudgy handyman had tipped it over.
“It’s bespoke,” Kaia corrected.
“What the fuck ever.” Rebel turned her attention back to him.
“I still don’t understand what it means.
Anyway, she got my dad some type of subscription to luxury T-shirts.
Five grand per fucking shirt and he’s going to get three a month.
He didn’t even fucking look at the stuff.
I think it was because it was Nyx’s unofficial coming out, and CJ probably wanted to go.
Of course, introducing him to club life is more important than a day that’s really important to my mom.
” She snorted. “It doesn’t help that I can’t stand that fucking bitch.
Nyx ,” she added for clarification. “If my dad looks at that heifer wrong, I’m beating that bitch’s ass and moving out. ”
“You can’t move out—”
“I’d prefer to live in the fucking forest than to stay under the roof of a man who won’t honor his vows to a woman who adores him.”
“That’s between your parents,” he said harshly. “And I don’t think you really believe your dad is fucking over your mom. Whenever you talk about him, even over text, it is always with admiration.”
“Momma doesn’t believe it and that’s the most important thing. He doesn’t care how I feel as long as she believes him. That’s the way it should be. ”
“You’re his daughter, Reb. I’m sure it would crush him if he knew how shaken your faith in him is.”
“Ignore me,” she huffed. “I’m still salty over the way that bitch talked to me. Momma is a very smart woman and she has a lot of self-worth. After she punched Daddy, she would’ve left him if he had cheated.”
“You’re salty over Nyx?”
“That bitch Bishop was talking about? Nope. Another bitch. But Nyx prances around the clubhouse like she owns it. I don’t have the patience for the politics and balancing act my mother engages in. I’d prefer to beat that bitch to death and be done with it.”
Kaia snickered. “What am I going to do with you?”
“What do you want to do with me?” she retorted, the words natural and normal.
Naughty .
Quick retorts had always been a part of who she was. Right now, though, they hit different because of the context.
“I want to do a lot with you,” he murmured. “More than I should if I don’t want my cock hacked off. CJ didn’t set you up, but he is fiercely protective of you. We should talk about Sesame Street.”
“I’d fucking punch you.”
“Or leave.”
“Or punch you and leave.”
Kaia smiled, genuine and almost as heart stopping as Diesel’s.
“Do you know something?”
He lifted a brow.
“I’m very fickle.” The realization startled her.
“Fickle? You’ve never been in a relationship.”
“From the age of ten or eleven, I’ve dreamed of marrying Diesel.
” She glanced away. “He’s my adopted brother.
Anyway, you don’t have to comment on the weirdness.
Everyone screams it at me. He swore he’d take me on my first date when I turned sixteen, but I saw you and—” She shrugged.
“It doesn’t help that I thought about his invitation and stipulation that I don’t go out with anyone else before then.
That’s why I didn’t believe him. I knew he was just doing what Daddy wanted.
Even if Daddy didn’t know and wouldn’t approve, he’s firmly on his side and thought he’d found a way to achieve what my father wanted. ”
Kaia didn’t respond, so Rebel continued.
“You can’t fault his loyalty, but I would’ve waited until my sixteenth birthday, then he’d brush me off. He’d tell me we’d go out when I was eighteen. Then, he’d say twenty-one. Then, twenty-five…It would be endless.”
“How are you fickle? I’m not following you.”
“Less than a month ago, I still wanted to marry Diesel. Now, I like you and hope we can date. With stipulations.”
“Such as?”
“The most you’ll ever get from me in terms of money is half.
I’ll pay my way and you pay your way, but don’t ever expect me to give you money or lend you money.
Get your own fucking money or go broke. And, if we ever seriously date, and I discover you’re going out with other girls, I will kill you. ”
“I don’t fuck with jealous girls.”
She cackled, then glared at him. “Please, motherfucker. I’ll kill you for humiliating me.”
“Most girls would go after the other chick.”
“And leave you alive for more humiliation? No fucking thank you. If I fuck up a girl for your cheating ass, you’ll live to do it again.”
“You’d give me another chance?”
She frowned at him. “No, you’d live to do it to another unsuspecting girl.”
“What do you consider a serious relationship?”
“If we spend the evening kissing, that definitely counts. ”
“Good to know.”
“By the way, I’m on birth control, so if we accidentally have sex I’m protected.”
He groaned and stared at her mouth. “Rebel—”
“Also, I’m starting to believe you really did happen on me by chance.
Just thinking CJ wouldn’t have come to me and said there’s a guy he wanted me to meet would tell me everything I need to know.
They have freedom. I’m little more than a girl who should be locked in a cage with a chastity belt on. ”
Kaia rubbed his chin. “I doubt that. You smoke and drink.”
“Only because my momma fought for me to have the same rights as the boys.”
“You must resent them. Not CJ. We already went over your adoration of him. And…Diesel?”
She nodded. “Nope, I don’t hate them. I love my brothers and adore my daddy.
Even if I still have moments of anger toward him.
Like tonight when he brushed off Momma. The woman is gorgeous.
If a man can look at her and say, ‘fuck off, go out by yourself,’ I have no fucking chance. Despite that, Daddy’s so badass.”
“Like Uncle Mortimer?”
Peals of laughter escaped Rebel. “Mortician. Uncle Mortician . That’s his road name, but, yeah, like Uncle Mort.” She thought of one brother in particular. The one who once followed her everywhere. “I have a twin. Rule. We used to be very close.”
“I’ve heard twins have special bonds.”
“We did.” She tried to show the world an I-don’t-give-a-fuck facade and face Rule with the same anger he showed her.
But inside his treatment tore her apart.
“We’re both…we belong to Momma and Daddy.
I don’t want to tell them how mean he is to me and how crushed I am and have them choose sides.
He needs them. As long as I know they love me, I ca n step into the shadows while they take care of him.
My cousins, especially Rory and Ryan, are afraid of him.
It would be so funny to think those two fear anything , especially Rule.
” She forced a smile, although her stomach hurt at Rule’s desertion.
“He doesn’t like me anymore.” She shook her head.
“I think I know what I did, although I didn’t single him out.
I was a bitch to everyone. I’d give my right arm to fix it.
Or to reach through the voices in his head and his derision, so he’d remember how much I love him. ”
“It’s his loss, sweetheart.”
Kaia’s gruff tone snapped Rebel out of her sadness. She stiffened her shoulders and tossed her hair.
“I live in the same house with that fucking dickhead. It won’t be anyone’s loss until he fucking joins a seminary and fulfills his murderous priest destiny.”
His contagious laughter lightened the mood and she broke into her own giggles.
“Tell me about yourself.” If she looked at Kaia as someone to get to know rather than a potential boyfriend, then she could act normally with him. “Start from the beginning.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Plans. Aspirations. The usual.”
“I can’t afford college and my dream of going pro football shattered with an injury. I’ve thought about becoming a welder or an electrician. My dad’s a contractor.”
So boring and ordinary. “You’ve also thought about becoming a biker.”
“That’s a pipe dream, babe. I’d need a sponsor and a Harley.”
“Start coming to the club,” she advised. “Become a hangaround. I’m not sure how long you have to do that before you move to Probate status. You can earn money from the club some kind of way. Diesel did.”
“You know a lot.” Admiration filled his voice. “Your mom schools you.”
“Nope. Whatever Daddy tells Momma, she reveals to no one. Hopefully, it isn’t too much. She cannot lie at all. If an enemy ever got her, she’d be fucked. If the police interrogated her, Daddy might be fucked. I listen and I observe. That’s how I know so much.”
Before he commented, D. Elliot finally returned, carrying a tray with rolls, calamari and marinara sauce, bread and butter, and iced tea.
“It’s about time,” Rebel grumbled, snatching a roll before he sat the basket down and biting off half of it. “Did you have to fish for the squid yourself?”
Kaia stared at her and cocked his head to the side.
She grabbed the butter knife and butter dish, slathering a hefty amount over her remaining bread. “Taste the bread,” she ordered. “It is still warm. It’s delicious. Honestly. Although D. tried to starve me, I’ve had it before when I wasn’t half as hungry.”
D. Elliot smiled as she snatched two more rolls. “Sorry, Reb. I was called away a minute.”
Placing one of the rolls on a small plate, she slid it to Kaia, then nodded to D. Elliot. “It’s fine. As long as you don’t throw us out before closing and call my mom to tell her I will miss my curfew unless she wants me to die from hunger because you couldn’t get to our orders immediately.”
“I’ll be sure to mention that to her, Reb.”
“I want the Greek couscous salad,” she said.
“And you?” D. Elliot asked, looking at Kaia.
“Oh, uh, lettuce and tomatoes with a dollop of mayo.”
D. Elliot nodded politely. “I’ll try to be quicker. ”
“I’ve never had calamari,” Kaia admitted once D. Elliot walked away.
Rebel placed her napkin in her lap, picked up her fork, and stole several pieces of fried squid from the serving plate. She stuffed one into her mouth.
“You do realize most girls would pretend they aren’t hungry or at least wait until I try some?”
She couldn’t detect his underlying meaning. He wasn’t just saying that to hear himself talk. “According to you, most girls would pay for your fucking dinner.”
“ Everything ,” he stressed. “But they’d wait to see if I liked something—”
“Then they’re fucking stupid. I’m starving. Nor am I responsible for you eating. If you don’t like calamari, oh-fucking-well. I love the dish.”
She put half the portion on her plate. Kaia watched her every move. “They get very rubbery if they’re overcooked.”
He popped a piece into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “A cross between chicken and shrimp.”
Rebel wouldn’t have described the fried squid in such a manner, but whatever.