“I’m fine,” Mattie insisted.
“Do you just not want to talk about it?”
“I’ve moved past it. I always do. For me, there’s no time to dwell on that stuff, Reb.”
“Okay.” She dropped her arm. “If you need to talk, I’m here.”
“Same,” Mattie said quietly. “You aren’t alone.”
“Okay,” she repeated and pursed her lips, thinking of someone who was alone. “Have you talked to Harley?”
“She’s inside,” Mattie said. “I asked her to come outside with me, but she knew where I was going and figured you wouldn’t want her company.”
Rebel didn’t necessarily want Harley around but they needed to band together to help eachother. “The idea of death…I never considered it. I’m young and healthy, which is a completely wrong way to look at life. You let dumb shit interfere with forgiveness, kindness, and fairness. I’m human, though. I loved Harley as much as I love you. We were friends. More than cousins, we were sisters. I don’t want to trust her again and she stops caring.”
“The three of us have been through so much. I know how much Harley hurt all of us, but we need each other now,” Mattie insisted, echoing Rebel’s thoughts, just as she once did. So had Harley because they’d been so in sync with each other. “She needs us now. She looks so, so sad, Reb.”
“Fine, Matt. Text her and tell her to come outside.”
“I left my phone at home.”
“I want a cigarette, so I’ll get her and borrow one from CJ or Ryan.”
She started to stand but Mattie grabbed her hand.
“I’ll go. Winnie is looking for you and if she sees you, you’ll have to bring her with you. This is big cousin talk.”
Rebel groaned. “Just more evidence that I shouldn’t have children.” Besides her fear of pregnancy. “Boys are monsters and girls are crybabies.”
“That isn’t true,” Mattie disagreed, standing. “Your brothers arecreativeand Winnie is, uh, emotional. We weren’t crybabies.”
“Wehave strong mothers, Winnie has Aunt Ophelia.”
Laughing, Mattie shook her head. “Be right back,” she said, darting back into the house and leaving Rebel alone with her thoughts.
A guy using forearm crutches limped from around the side of the house. The outside was well-lit, allowing Rebel to see his face. He was handsome with black hair, a swarthy complexion and hazel eyes. Something about him reminded her of CJ, although she thought her brother was much better looking, even as attractive as the stranger was.
Grunting, he walked closer, halted, and stared at her, his gaze touching upon every point of her face, then studying her lips. She lifted a brow.
“You’re Rebel.”
“Am I?”
A small smile tipped his mouth. “I’m almost certain you are. There’s a blonde inside and you look just like her. Meggie. She has a daughter.”
She had daughters, but Rebel wouldn’t correct him. “Who the fuck’s asking?” she snapped, tired of the game.
Anger swept over his face. “Tio.”
“The moment I saw your broken ass, I should’ve known,” she responded. “You’re my cousin and the dickhead Diesel beat to within an inch of his life.”
“You’re very fucking reckless with your words,” he barked. “I don’t like disrespectful cunts, even if yours is so pretty.”
Rebel recoiled. He’d seen one of her videos. That knowledge stole her voice and deepened her shame, until it became a dull ache, low in her belly.
He grinned, but it was mean and evil. He wanted to make her cry and to humiliate her. “Willard showed me. Do you want me to tell you my favorite video?”
Before Rebel responded, Mattie guided Harley outside, but they both halted at the sight of Tio and the anger marring his face. He stared at Mattie and his breath hitched.
