Page 46 of Rebel

I nodded. “Yep. My mom used to make them whenever I won a football game or got a good grade. They’re perfect. I promise.” I laughed at the skeptical expression she sent my way and dropped down, so we were eye to eye. “Let’s have a contest. We’ll make one batch of each and see which one is better.”

“More cookies, yes!”

***

It took us a few false starts, a lot of fucking flour—all over the place—and a lot of eaten chocolate chips before we finally got two dozen cookies baked and cooled and ready for us to eat.

And Nikki was still up in her room. I knew she was upset but I doubted she was that upset. “Hang on kiddo, I’m gonna go make sure your mommy didn’t fall in the toilet.”

Livvy laughed and then frowned. “She’s too big to fall in the toilet.”

I laughed and handed her one cookie, peanut butter. “Eat it and tell me what you think when I get back.”

She frowned. “Do I have to?”

“No, but it’s a free cookie that your mom doesn’t need to know about.”

“Okay.” She snatched it from the cooling rack, smiling.

“Be right back.” I took the stairs two at a time, suddenly worried that something was wrong because the clock said more than an hour had passed since we started making cookies. “Nikki,” I knocked before twisting the knob and opening the door. She was curled up on the bed, half undressed, sound asleep. “Hey Nikki.”

She groaned and stretched before her eyes fluttered open and the smallest—so small you blink and you miss it—smile on her face. “Hey.”

“Good nap?”

“Funny,” she grinned bigger and then sat up. “Seriously?”

“Been more than an hour. Livvy wants you to test our cookies.”

She laughed and pushed off the bed. “Let me wash my face and put on some clothes. Five minutes,” she promised.

“Feel free to come down just like that. I don’t mind.”

“I’m sure you don’t, but I have a rule about eating cookies with my stomach exposed.”

I shrugged. “Weird rule, but okay. Five minutes.” I made my way back to the kitchen just as the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Livvy said.

I scooped her up before she made it past me, lifting her with a grunt. “No you don’t. No more answering the door for a while, okay?”

She pouted and nodded at the same time. “Fine.”

“You want to wait in the kitchen, kiddo? Maybe test one of those chocolate chip cookies too?”

“Yay!” Livvy said and skipped off. After the drama of earlier I was pleased she seemed like her normal self. She was one resilient kid.

I pulled out my piece and checked the window beside the door before I opened it to find my brothers on Nikki’s doorstep. “Aw, you fuckers missed me.”

Gio grinned wide and shoved a black duffel bag into my chest. “You gotta free ball it, brother. I’m not touching your dick covers.”

“Real mature Gio.”

“Right?” He flashed a smile and stepped inside, followed by Sniper, Maverick, Hawk, Rocky, and Diesel.

“Where’s Slate and Dagger?”

“Where else? Slate’s looking into some shit, and Dagger’s at the tattoo parlor. You get a good look at any of the Blood Fangs who attacked?”

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