Page 5 of Rebellious

Breck’s words are teary sobs that have me groaning and turning around so I can console her. “Cade’s going to be fine,” I assure her.

“I don’t know what he’d do if anything happened to you.”

What?

I push Breck back and hold her by the shoulders. “Have you been drinking?” She chuckles, but I’m serious. “Seriously, B. Did you get some sort of premonition or something? Should I be praying?”

I try for a light tone, but unlike Cade, Breck doesn’t respond to humor in tense conversations.

“He worries about you,” she finally admits. “He worries aboutallof you.” She buries her face in my shirt, and I let her. “Do you know he checks your doors at night? That he waits at the tree line for Aspen, following behind her until she’s safely in Bennett’s room?”

That fucker. This entire time Jameson could have intercepted Aspen and shoved her back through the window. If he were a decent neighbor, he would have nailed it shut from the outside.

“He thinks he’s some kind of superhero,” I joke.

“I’m serious, Theo. If something ever happened between you two, I don’t know if I would get him back.”

See what I mean? Fucking neighbors.

I sigh and squeeze Breck to my chest. “Nothing is going to happen between us. Trust me, I’ve tried to get rid of your husband more than once.”

Breck punches my arm and chuckles sadly. “I used to think it was me who brought him out of the darkness, but it was you.”

I shake my head. “No. Don’t give me credit I don’t deserve.”

She looks up, meeting my gaze. “Whether or not you believe it, your friendship healed parts of Cade’s soul that I could never mend.”

“I think you’re tired, B.”

“And I think you’re a good man, Theo Von Bremen.”

I squeeze her to my chest. I don’t want to look her in the eye. I’m not a touchy-feely guy. I’ve gotten better since I’ve had my own children, but I’m still known as the resident asshole.

“Help me pry my kid out of your son’s bed,” I beg. Pausing, I think about what I just said. “If I need to say that in ten years, we’ll have a problem.”

Breck laughs and pulls away. “I’ll get her shoes.”

I head to the bed, tugging down the blankets.

“No, Daddy!” Little feet kick my hands away. As tired as I am, I smile at this tiny version of myself.

Leaning in, I slip my hands under her body; cute or not, her ass is coming home. “Come on, Angel. You can see Bennett in the morning.”

“No!” She scoots closer to Bennett and locks her arms around his. “He needs me.”

Heaven help me. “I’m going to kill your husband,” I say to Breck, who hovers at the foot of the bed, enjoying my struggle.

She sits down on the edge, scooting closer to Aspen and Bennett, rubbing her palm over their arms. “Can I take over?” she asks Aspen.

Aspen clutches Bennett tighter. I wonder how upset Anniston would be if I just put a lock on Aspen’s door? It’s basically like a big kid baby gate.

“No, Daddy! I don’t want to leave!”

Bennett finally rouses from Aspen’s theatrics and levels me with a flat look.

That look doesn’t faze me, kid. Ask your father. I give no fucks.

He holds my gaze for a moment, finally dropping our stare down, and sighs heavily, annoyed. Cade should be proud; he’s like an old man already. “I’m fine, Asp. Go with your dad.”

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