“Ain’t sure if you really here or not. Diesel too fuckin’ drunk to do something fuckin’ stupid, so I ain’t lookin’thistime. But if you fuckin’ here make this the last motherfuckin’ time you come to Diesel’s room in the middle of the goddamn night.”
The door slammed so fiercely, Rebel swore the entire room shook. In the ensuing silence, she didn’t want to move, afraid he’d return.
A light flicked on and a chair squeaked.
“I have to shower, Reb,” Diesel murmured. “He’s back in his bedroom by now, so it’s safe for you to leave.”
Rebel slid out from under the bed, got to her feet, and dusted herself off.
Diesel threw his shirt on the floor, revealing his muscled chest, marred with welts, scratches, and…bite marks? She didn’t understand how he’d gotten so injured. Weren’t there restraints in the meatshack?
He unbuckled his belt and snapped it out of the loops, though his fingers paused at his fly. “Commando,” he warned her. “I had to dress in haste and didn’t bother withunderwear again.”
“Wh-why?” she stammered, torn between wanting to see his cock and heeding her father’s warning since dummy didn’t intend to.
“Go, Rebel,” Diesel said harshly.
“You wanted to talk.”
“I don’t anymore.Go.”
She gave him a tentative smile. “You’re divorcing Tabi Cat.”
“To marry another woman. Jana. She deserves more than just my cock down her throat and up her pussy.”
Rebel recoiled and tears rushed to her eyes.
“I thought—”
“You thought wrong. I want to do better, Rebel. You, Aunt Meggie, Uncle Christopher, CJ, Jo, all the boys, are important to me.”
“But I love you,” she said on a small sob.
“And I love you. As your brother. I promise I won’t ever desert you the way I did a few months ago. Uncle Chris is right, sweetheart. You deserve the sun and the moon. Real, true love, and I cannot give that to you. I don’t believe in that type of love. You do. Instead of years of misery where you try to change me and subterfuge so our parents won’t find out about an affair, let’s agree to be friends. Sister and brother.”
“Is it because of Daddy’s harsh criticism of you and his threats?”
Diesel squeezed the bridge of his nose. “I don’t remember if this was hearsay or if I was there, but Digger said the signal for therealOutlaw is how he talks.” He swayed and gave her a goofy grin. “Well, sweetheart, you heard therealOutlaw. The man was dead ass serious. Do you really wish such a gruesome death on me?”
Sniffling, she shook her head.
Stumbling toward her, he bent and kissed her cheek, then held outhis hand. “Friends?”
She hesitated for a moment before she placed her hand in his and shook. “Friends.”
Chapter Thirty-One
February 4th
Pressing the pause button on her music app, Mattie smiled at CJ. He’d been home for three days and the updates from her parents and her brother no longer appeased her. She wanted to see for herself that he was okay. After she finished her homework and helped clean up the kitchen, she asked her mother if she could visit her cousin. Of course, Daddy said no because it was a school night and Rory said yes because it was an excuse to visit CJ again. Luckily, Momma told both of them to go hang and allowed her to go.
Now, two hours later, she was still with him. They’d started out playing games on his Nintendo Switch. Tired of losing, she’d suggested songs.
“As long as I can choose them,” he’d said.
“You’re the patient, soof course you can.”
Nearing ten at night, it was time for her to leave. Except she didn’t want to until she figured out how to express how scared she’d been and how grateful she was he hadn’t died. Yet no words came. Outside of Rory, CJ was the closest male member of her family. She and her father were making slow, painful strides toward reconciliation but he still had his moments.
