Huffing, Meggie realized she’d been searching blindly, not focusing on anything in particular. Just rifling through cabinets and drawers, her mind wandering.
She was just about to head to her office and search when a knock came on her door. At first, she ignored it, lost in her emotions. She took her pill early in the morning, so she never brought her prescriptions to her office. Meaning if they were there, Christopher put them there.
That foolish, foolish man!
Growling, she thrust her fingers through her hair and huffed.
The knock came again. “Come in!” she ordered.
Rebel peeked her head in. “Is this a bad time, Momma?”
Meggie narrowed her eyes. Her daughter looked as if she hadn’t slept a wink, although she knew that wasn’t true. As soon as she got home from Diesel’s party, she’d gone to check on her, but Rebel was asleep.
Or had she feigned sleep to escape talking to Meggie? Maybe she needed space. Whatever drove her behavior last night at Diesel’s party…
“I-I can come back.” She started to back away.
“No, love,” Meggie said quickly and waved her daughter in. “I always have time for you.”
After closing the door, Rebel barreled to Meggie and threw her arms around her, almost knocking her off her feet with the force of her movements. It didn’t matter that Rebel was taller than Meggie by seven inches. She leaned into her, silently asking for a mother’s comfort.
“Talk to me, love,” Meggie encouraged, rubbing Rebel’s back and stroking her hair. “What happened?”
“Oh, Momma,” Rebel said, not in tears, but very despondent. “I don’t know where to begin.”
Meggie heaved in a breath, bracing herself for whatever Rebel would tell her. “Start with what Diesel did to you.”
“Oh, Momma,” Rebel repeated again.
Meggie’s heart sank. Taking Rebel’s hand, she led her to the sofa and sat down, then pulled Rebel next to her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Whatever you have to tell me.”
Laying her head on Meggie’s shoulder, Rebel shuddered. “I trusted him so much.”
“I know,” she said, keeping her dark thoughts at bay to help Rebel. Once she got the entire story, then she’d plan Diesel’s murder. “Talk to me. You can tell me anything—”
“Diesel—”
“Mom!” Axel yelled, pounding on the door, interspersed with a few kicks. “We’re hungry. MOM! Open up. A man needs to eat.”
“Hungry, MegAnn,” Gunner called.
Rebel’s shoulders slumped. “It’s okay, Momma. I shouldn’t have bothered you—”
“MOM!” Axel screamed. “Click up, men. Let’s storm Mom’s room.”
“Get dressed, Mom,” Ryder said. “We’re about to come in.”
Rebel recoiled, so Meggie jumped to her feet and ran to the door, throwing it open. Ryder, Ransom, and Axel stood in front of her door with their arms linked, preparing to kick. Gunner was just behind them, screaming happily.
“Give me twenty minutes,” she said, glad she’d showered and dressed. “I’ll be down to start breakfast.”
“You’re already late,” Ransom said.
“What happened to learning how to cook?” Meggie asked irritably, when she always tried to have patience with her children, but Rebel needed her. Yes, she was late preparing breakfast. However, they could’ve gotten yogurt or fruit to tide them over.
“Stand down, men,” Axel ordered, and unlinked his arms from his brothers. “What’s the matter? Why haven’t you come down?” He narrowed his eyes. “Did Dad do you something?”
