Page 199 of Restless
“You’re not showing me your di—”
“Don’t you fucking say it, Rebel,” he ordered. “I refuse to listen to you talk like you’re a grown woman.” Especially while she fuckinglookedlike one.
“Never mind. Shop talks to me and answers any questions I have. I think I’ll give him my virginity,” she announced as if she spoke of the fucking Christmas decorations.
“I intend to have a talk with that stupid motherfucker,” Diesel snarled. “Talking to you about sex warrants the removal of his goddamn tongue. If he fucks you, we hack off his cock and allow him to bleed to death. Sex is a big step.”
“Yeah, whatever, dickhead,” she grumbled, popping to her feet, not as affected by his threat against Bishop as she had when Uncle Chris issued his warning. She must not have believed Diesel. She reached ground level and turned to him. “Maybe, I’ll give it up to Grant.”
He shot up and barreled to her, furious. She’d had the audacity to abandon childhood. Before long, she’d be a woman. Like Tabitha.
Like his mother.
Both untrustworthy for different reasons. The only women he truly trusted were Roxanne Harrington and Megan Caldwell. One kept it real and the other one…divided the fucking club. Megan Caldwell was either loved or loathed. Diesel had never found anyone with a gray area.
It was much the same for CJ. Sometimes, Diesel envied his little brother’s position, but mostly he empathized with him. He was solidly in the camp that loved Aunt Meggie, yet Rebel was nothing like her.
Rebel was cutthroat and ruthless, ready to annihilate anyone standing in her way, no matter what she might want. “Same principle applies to Grant, Rebel. He will get beaten, castrated, killed, or all three.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure he’s on Momma’s No-Kill list.”
“Aunt Meggie doesn’t have a No-Maim list.”
“What does it matter to you, Diesel? Weren’t you fucking by my age?”
“What applies to me doesn’t apply to you. I was a child of the streets.You’rejust a child. And children don’t have sex.”
“Give it up, dickhead. You’re spouting double-standards that I have no interest in hearing.”
“How about I tell your father?”
“You’d do that with what he’s going through?”
“I’d do it to protect you.”
She cocked her head to the side. “How old were you when you lost your virginity?”
“Why?” he asked, suspicious. He didn’t want her to use the information against him.
“Because I want to know. Why else would I ask the question?”
He debated for a moment. “I plead the 5thamendment.”
“Overruled.”
“You can’t overrule my plea, Rebel. You have no basis.”
“You have no basis for your fucking plea, Diesel.” She squinted. “Oh, but you do, huh? You were younger than me. Weren’t you? So your song and dance about me being a child is a crock of shit.”
Diesel gnashed his teeth together. “Hindsight is twenty-twenty. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have had sex at thirteen. It’s a big responsibility, sweetheart. As your big brother, it’s up to me to protect you.”
Irritation slid into her eyes. Diesel waited for her to remind him he wasn’t her brother. Instead, she released a breath. “Then don’t be Daddy’s son, Diesel. Help me protect myself and tell me what to do. Don’t snitch on Bishop or Grant or whoever. Don’t look at me as your little sister.”
“Sex is nothing special, Rebel.”
“Make up your fucking mind,” she said crossly. “It’s either a big step or nothing special. It isn’t both.”
“Goddamn, you’re the most argumentative little piece of baggage I’ve ever met.”
