“Babe? Chi?” Kaia amended when Rebel didn’t answer him. “I…we usually don’t do much on Saturdays. I-I didn’t think you’d care…mind…uh…”
She caredandminded, but what was she supposed to say in front of all those fuckfaces? If she showed her true feelings, it felt as if she’d give them a victory. Yet, maybe, if she didn’t, her nonchalance would hurt Kaia.
Instead of walking down the pathway, she faced Kaia again, unable to read all his emotions.
“You have a choice to make, Kaia,” she said evenly. “You’re my boyfriend or their flunkey because you can’t be both.”
“A flunkey?” Kaia asked uneasily. “Wh-what does that mean?”
“Figure it out,” she growled. “I care about you. I think you’re amazing and I enjoy hanging out with you. But you aren’t playing me anymore than you already have and I’m not going back and forth. I’ll give youonegoddamn motherfucking chance. My life is more valuable than to spend it trying to fix a fucking relationship. Make your fucking choicenow. We break up and you can attend all the fucking orgies you want to, or we stay together and you go at my pace. Which is my junior prom, two weeks before my sixteenth birthday ball.”
“I don’t want to break up with you, babe,” Kaia said, ignoring Diesel’s outraged growl. “I-I’ve never had a girl like you. You’re exquisite, outspoken, and amazing.”
“I also have real fucking feelings. Don’t hang onto me because of what I am. Do it because of who I am. Because you care about me.”
“I do. I swear. But I haven’t participated in any organized games since my injury. I thought it would be fun.”
Rebel thought of Fia. “To go without me and showboat for that bitch?”
“What are we talking about here?” Momma asked, finally walking outside with Daddy and Axel hot on her heels.
“A volleyball game that my boyfriend’s attending and Diesel’s organizing,” Rebel said, not quite able to keep her annoyance at bay.
“I want Rebel to attend,” Jana piped in, “but Narci and Torrin said she’s too young.”
Momma and Daddy exchanged glances.
“Do you like working for me, Kaia?” Momma asked.
Kaia nodded. Swallowed. “Yes, ma’am.”
“What do you prefer? Working for me and not even looking at Rebel? Working for me and getting to know my daughter? Or being tossed from this roof for hurting her?”
“M-m-middle. I adore Rebel.”
“Remember that before you listen to idiots.” Momma smiled at Rebel. “Come on, love. We need to get to the airport.”
Daddy looked at Diesel. “I guess this the first PG-13 club party you ever fuckin’ hostin’ if Reb decide to go, boy.”
Narci and Torrin groaned.
Diesel nodded. “Yes, sir,” he said.
“Megan and me goin’ on a date Saturday night,” Daddy said.
“A win for me,” Rebel said, happy that she was ruining the fucking party for those fuckheads. “It’s safer for me and Kaia to be at the club than for us to be alone in the house.” She beamed at everyone, standing a little taller at her father and Ryan’s snickers. “Right, Daddy?”
“Yeah, baby,” he said, then took Momma’s hand so they could get on the road and head to the airport.
April 1st
Meggie missed Christopher terribly. Her annoyance over his idiocy regarding her birth control pills floated away sometime during cruise level.
When she called Mort and asked him to talk to Q for her, he offered his house instead. Meggie was more than grateful to Mortician because she hadn’t wanted to stay in one of the LA chapter bungalows. However, before Mortician came to the rescue it was either the clubhouse in LA or cancelling the trip altogether. Because of a bigfestival going on, she hadn’t been able to find rooms for the four of them.
After the mad rush to make the travel arrangements, talk to her husband and children, and get to the airport she was exhausted. Except her longing for her husband left her a little lost and very much awake.
The household staff had a delicious meal of spicy buffalo cauliflower, grilled scallops, and Mexican corn, waiting for them, even though they arrived at the estate near midnight. Now the kitchen was clean and the house silent. Bailey’s staff ran like a well-oiled machine. The cook loved to discuss her food and preparation technique. The four house cleaners were efficient and thorough. And the house manager ran interference. He was the only one who lived on premises but had respected her wishes during her last visit that all staff stay away. There were also several groundskeepers and a pool guy.
