“Boys my age are stupid.”
“And girls your age are illegal. Especially for a grown man. Which KaiaandDiesel are.”
“There isn’t a me and Diesel, and there won’t be because he’s about to get married. So stop worrying about that.”
“If he wasn’t a moron, I’d gladly stop worrying about it. My main concern is you. You have no idea what you’re doing by playing with that type of fire. You are not equipped to handle any grown man.”
“Were you equipped to handle Daddy? When you turned eighteen did that magically give you wisdom about life and men?”
Momma glared at Rebel. “I was legal. Period. The end. You are not. For Diesel to even entertain you is disgusting. And let’s not talk about him being your adopted brother. Let’s put that aside. If he has sex with you while you are still a minor, he will have problems. You cannot consent to something like that with a grown man. He’sgrown, Rebel.Grown. Thirty years old.”
“You asked me how I feel. Now you’re angry.”
Momma tipped her head back. “I’m worried. Diesel does not care when he wants something. Whatever it is. Consequences don’t matter. He thinks he snaps his fingers and whatever he wants comes to him. You don’t want that in your life.”
“I’ve let him go,” Rebel insisted. “He’s my brother and nothing more.”
“Then forgive him.”
“How can that make a difference?”
“We both know what he did was because he was jealous. It wasn’t anything brotherly about it. He was vile for what he did, especially knowing…” She waved her hand. “He set you up to see him and Jana having sex because he knew it would get to you. He used the natatorium because that was the easiest place to lure you to. He told you to come and you went.”
Rebel glanced away, and allowed herself to think about his kiss behind her ear. The way he’d nosed her hair. She’d kept those thoughts at bay because of Kaia.
God!
Maybe shewasusing him as a crutch because he was who she could have so she satisfied herself with her new reality.
“I don’t want to forgive Diesel because I hate him.”
But she didn’t. She really, truly didn’t. “Don’t take Kaia…don’t send him away. Whatever he did…please? If he ruined some of your clothes, I’llpay for them. Don’t take him from me. He’s all I have.”
“Don’t settle,” Momma said, sighing. “This is so hard for me, trying to steer you in the right direction. Trying to show you there’s a world beyond Diesel or Kaia.” She made an arc of her hand, indicating the beautiful restaurant with all the gorgeous people. “I know you’re isolated because of how your brothers protect you. But CJ’s graduating next year. You’ll be sixteen next year. You can meet boys your age then.”
Rebel thought about the date Diesel promised her and wished with all her heart he hadn’t lied to her just to have his way.
“Prom night is a rite of passage.”
Surprise crossed Momma’s face. “And…” She gasped and leaned forward, her chest and neck flushing. “Diesel did not say he’d take your virginity on prom night?”
“No,” Rebel said slowly. “He just promised to take me on my first date after I turned sixteen.”
Momma’s mouth fell open.
“Then he backed out. He didn’t want me to sign up to the teen dating site and told me if I didn’t go out with anyone else, he’d take me on my first date.”
Momma narrowed her eyes. “He’s careless, reckless, inconsiderate, manipulative, and an idiot. What he’s not is the man for you.”
“But—”
“Your birth control works because you haven’t had sex. Mine failed me a couple oftimes. So what then? What if that idiot slept with you and you ended up pregnant? Babies are demanding little creatures—”
“Please don’t tell Daddy or confront Diesel. Please, Momma? You said to always be honest and that’s what I’m doing. Nothing’s going to happen between us. He’s about to be married.”
Momma nodded. “I have to remind him that Jana’s parents are coming over in a few days to discuss his wedding.”
Rebel’s stomach flip-flopped. “I didn’t…know,” she pushed out.”
