“Please, motherfucker. I’m the one that asked the question. Why would I ask a question like that if I don’t got the answer?”
Fuck, he had a point.
“Diesel’s a perv with Reb,” Axel said. “She can’t be happy with nobody else if thatmotherfucker do stuffs to keep her upset. That also keeps him on her mind. He’s revved it all up since you and Jana came, especially since Reb seems to like Jana. That makes himdislikeJana. I wish I could teach her to stand up to him. That’s the only way to act-counter Diesel. He don’t like girls who give in and lets him do whatever he wants.”
Kaia remained silent. He’d always been paid to do whatever a girl told him.
“I’m going to lower my slingshot. My fucking arms are tired. Don’t make me regret my decision. Diesel said sometimes you got to de…de…not be comfortable—”
“Deprive,” Kaia supplied.
“He used another word.”
“Deprivation?”
“That’s the one,” Axel said, lowering the slingshot.
Kaia closed his eyes in thanks, releasing the breath he’d been holding, anticipating Axel’s shooting that rock off.
“Let’s talk man-to-man,” Axel said, his face as serious as his voice. “Because I willkillyou if Mom ends up leaving because of you. You’re nothing to me. Not even my friend, so I’m not going to give you a punishment that saves your life.”
“We’re going to hang out together the next couple days—”
“Don’t matter.” Axel climbed onto the bed and plopped next to him. “I gave you threechances. Strike one was that fucking poetry. Strike two was you calling Rebel half a dog. Strike three is this. You’re out of chances. If you do something else, you won’t survive.”
“You’re a kid. You can’t kill anyone.”
Axel shrugged. “Maybe, but Diesel’ll do it for me.”
That motherfucker sure would. A chill went through Kaia.
“This is what you’re doing. Whenever we have dinner, you’re asking Reb about that school, then you’re accepting Mom’s offer.”
“Rebel might not want me to leave.”
“Rebel might be upset now, but she’d be really hurt if she found out about Fia. AndFiais going to make Rebel find out. Mom might think she’ll keep it to herself, but those girls aren’t nice. Most of them, anyway. Well, the younger ones. They’re jealous of Mom and Reb cuz of Dad and Diesel. You can’t go higher than being on the back of the president’s bike. That’ll never happen cuz of Mom, so they don’t like her cuz they think she’s not letting them get to Dad. And Diesel? Look at Rebel wrong and he goes psycho. None of them will ever have his loyalty like Rebel, and that’s saying a lot cuz that motherfucker isbarelyloyal to her.”
“You know all this how?”
Axel glowered at him, then pointed to his eyes. “Cuz I can fucking see. I grew up in the club and I hear a lot of stuffs. Maybe if you stoptrying to be Chi and just be Kaia to her, you’ll open your fucking eyes too.”
“Those our pet names.”
“Cringe all around. You aren’t actual fucking pets, fuckbag. I would tell you to find new ones, but Rebel’s attached to that one.Igave her a bunch of new ones and she wouldn’t change Chi and Huahua.”
“I’m not following your advice. You’re confusing me.”
Axel slapped his palm against his forehead. “Oh, brother. Do a man got to doeverything, even lend you my fucking brain? Rebel likes you, dickbreath. She will be sad you’re leaving but she’ll be happy Mom is paying for college for you.”
“You think?”
Axel rolled his eyes. “That’s why Mom told you to talk to Rebel,” he said irritably. “She knows Rebel.”
Kaia frowned. “Meggie played me?”
“You don’t get to be butt-hurt. You played Reb. Mom might’ve played you, but not too much since she’d be paying for your tuition and all your fucking expenses. Don’t be stupider.”
Fuck, Axel was right, but it still stung. “I don’t think she wanted me to know her game.”
