Page 26 of Relentles
Diesel drank half the beer from the bottle Rebel opened.
Tossing her hair so close to Diesel that it brushed his arm and chest, she smiled. “Thanks for your concern, big brother, butDaddy allows me to drink. His rules trump yours.” She leaned over and grabbed another beer.
Christopher turned over the words in his head, studied his daughter’s expression. He saw no artifice and heard no deception. Still, he prickled with unease, almost certain he was missing something vital.
She guzzled the beer and set the empty bottle on the table, then frowned at Rule. “Where the fuck’s your shirt?”
“I’m waiting for my fifty lashes.”
Her eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve been bad, and now I must be punished. With a belt.” He almost sounded breathless.
“Oh my god!” Rebel screeched, grabbing Rule’s ear and twisting. She dragged him to his feet and shoved him away, so forcefully she fell onto Diesel’s lap, hopping up without missing a beat. “You sound excited!”
“Enough, Rebel,” Christopher said severely. “You’re not embarrassing your brother.”
“I’m not finished with you, Rule,” she whispered, although the warning carried to Christopher.
Rule glanced away. How fucking interesting. Maybe, because they were twins she had some sway over him?
“Why are you here, Reb?” Ryder inserted, momentarily preventing Christopher from reprimanding her.
“Momma sent me to check on you little assholes and my twin.”
“She’s mad that I summoned them?” Christopher said.
“Nope.”
“She hasn’t called me. Shemustbe a pissed lil’ motherfucker.”
“She hasn’t called because she’s with Lolly. Which is where I was until CJ arrived. I carried Gunner for Mom.”
“Megan should be in bed—”
“She’s back home now, Daddy. CJ is with Molly. Grant’s at home, looking after Gunner. That’s how I was chosen to check on the boys. I think he wanted to FaceTime his girlfriend.”
She wrinkled her nose and sniffed, then folded her arms.
“Are you crushing onhimnow, Reb?” Axel asked.
“Goddamn, Dee,” Ryder said, shaking his head. “Thrown over for a younger man. How does it feel to be old and washed up?”
“Do you have to remind me how pathetic I was?” Rebel asked quietly, her eyes filling with tears. Bowing her head, she sniffled. “I…I’m s-so s-sorry.”
It horrified Christopher whenever Megan cried, and he went out of his way to see her smile again. Watching a tear slide down one of Rebel’s cheeks and seeing her trembling lips broke his fucking heart. Her brothers were not only shocked but visibly upset, standing in horrified silence.
Diesel jumped to his feet, embraced her, and kissed the top of her head. “Sweetheart, don’t cry. You weren’t pathetic,” he said gruffly. “You were just a young girl with misguided feelings. I could’ve been more sympathetic.”
“Yeah, baby,” Christopher added. “We all could have. I ain’t sorry I beat your fuckin’ ass cuz you deserved it, but I could’ve listened a lil’ better when you first told me how you felt.”
“Reb, don’t cry,” Axel said. “I can make hot chocolate for you. I promise I won’t spit in it this time.”
“What?” Rebel yelled, yanking herself out of Diesel’s embrace.
If Rule hadn’t grabbed her, Christopher was sure Axel would’ve been fucked. Just as hermostly drycheeks registered and he remembered he wanted to ask her about confronting Bash, Johnnie staggered into the main room from the hallway. His shoulder was bandaged, his arm was in a sling and his shirtwas gone, though he still wore his cut, currently ruined with a bullet hole. Rory rushed ahead and pulled out a seat.
Grunting, Johnnie sat down heavily and leaned his head against the wall.
