“No, bae,” CJ said. Diesel looked ready to blast her, on edge because of Rebel. “The quickest way to stir up more bullshit is to confront my mom. Not only would Dad take issue, but Rebel, too.”
“Aunt Meggie wasn’t mean to me,” Diesel pointed out. “She was protecting her daughter.”
“She was so unfair to you,” Jana protested.
“She was quite fair to me. We all know not to fuck with Rebel. We just have to do a better job of covering it up.”
“I have an idea,” Ryan sneered. “Don’t fuck with Rebel.”
“No one asked you, Ry,” Devon said again. “Seriously, dude, you’re turning into a spoilsport. What Rebel doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”
“When’s our flag football starting?” Rory finally piped in. “Both Mom and Dad are gone. Mom and her games. Dad left because Mom announced yesterday that she was going on a business trip and leaving today.”
“How is that Aunt Kendall playing games, cuck?” Ryan asked, frowning.
Axel raced in, heading toward Kaia. “Reb’s coming,” he said, grabbing Kaia’s elbow. “She’s looking for you. Get up and tell her you were going to pack.”
“Uh—”
At Rebel’s arrival, tension filled CJ. Her skirt and top bared too much fucking skin. Bishop and Grant merely nodded to her and pretendednot to noticeher. Torrin, Diesel’s bestie, eyed her with appreciation. Narci lowered his lashes, then turned his head. Miserable fuckheads.
Ryan smiled. “Hey, Reb.”
“Hey, fuckface,” she greeted, the words infused with fondness. “What’s up?”
“A game of football,” Diesel answered. “Go put some clothes on.”
Axel frowned.
“We’re leaving in like, an hour, Kaia,” Rebel said, ignoring the fuck out of Diesel.
“You’re dressed like a fucking hooker,” Diesel continued.
CJ applauded Rebel’s dedication to not talk to Diesel, but she was making the situation worse.
“Hey, Reb,” Jana greeted, smiling.
Rebel gave her an exaggerated wave. “Yo.” She nodded to Kaia. “Come on. I’ll help you pack.”
“Absolutely not,” CJ said. “I’ll help him.”
“How does what you say hold more weight than what I tell him?” Rebel demanded.
“Because we’re your big brothers and he’s him,” Diesel spat. “He listens to us or he suffers.”
“That isn’t how that works,” Rebel said with a snort.
“I think it does,” Rory said.
Folding her arms, Rebel narrowed her eyes at Rory. If CJ wasn’t mistaken, shame crossed Rory’s face. What the fuck was CJ missing?
“Oh no,” Devon bit out. “She’s about to give you the talk, cuz.”
“Oh no, it’s better I give him the talk than anyone else,” Rebel retorted.
Devon smirked. “Newsflash, Uncle Christopher already talked to us.”
“Newsflash, I’d tell Momma, Aunt Kendall, and Aunt Zoann.”
