Page 202 of Rebellious

He’d made a promise to Rebel, and she expected him to honor it.

Gazing out of his window, Rory watched as the newly rebirthed leaves rustled gently. He should go outside and allow the light wind to blow on him. Perhaps, they’d cool his racing thoughts and ease his loneliness. He’d never been religious, following in his parents’ footsteps despite how Mom forced him to endure Mass whenever she knew Aunt Meggie was going with her kids. But to Rory, the breeze was the breath of a higher power.

He leaned his head against the cool pane and tipped his chin down so he could look at the photo he held. The stolen one of Gypsy, taken during one of the last times he’d been at her apartment. Her earrings were in his drawer, safe until he got his ears pierced. Then, he’d wear them for the rest of his life.

Derby had yet to give him Gypsy’s LP collection or her ashes.

Damn it!

Rory almost broke down again. He missed her so much. She gave him a different perspective than Mom, Mattie, Aunt Meggie, and Lolly. Or, maybe, Rory just heard it differently since it came from a woman outside of his family.

Now, she was gone and he’d ruined his relationship with Mom, alienated Mattie, and infuriated Aunt Meggie.

Then there was CJ, the cousin he’d long idolized. The one he still worshipped, who wanted nothing to do with him because he felt so betrayed.

Rory wasn’t sure how it came to this. His original mission was to save his father and Aunt Meggie. Somehow, it morphed into involvement in Ryan’s bullshit where he was forgiven and Rory was ostracized.

Somehow, too, what started out as a much simpler mission—despite its complicated nature—turned into a nightmare with Gypsy dead, him and Mom barely talking, and Rory his father’s only ally.

Just a few weeks ago, he loved his father but hadn’t liked him at all. No, he’d hated that motherfucker. That turned into the constant reminder of ‘that’s my dad’. He didn’t know what else to say when violence simmered just beneath the surface toward Dad. Everyone hated his father. No, despised him. Their feelings weren’t layered like Rory’s.

Even Mom seemed to have stopped loving him. Mom, who Dad stuck by through her worst moments. Mom, who claimed to need Dad but then sent him back to the clubhouse.

And Ryan was still foul. He’d sucker-punched Rory a couple of days ago. Luckily, that punch wasn’t CJ level. It hurt but didn’t break any ribs.

The bells of Westminster Abbey rang through the house. Mom’s stupid doorbell.

Glowering, Rory straightened, turned, and threw Gypsy’s photo on his desk. He didn’t want to stay under Mom’s roof. She didn’t like him anymore either. She’d disappointed him and Dad. If she’d turned her back on her biggest champion, Rory didn’t stand a chance. Yeah, Dad hadn’t treated her the best these last few weeks and Rory feared for her mental stability. However, she was stable enough to go on sudden work trips and forget her maternal duty. She was stable enough to become the club’s attorney and forget her wifely loyalty.

“Mr. Rory,” Ella called, knocking on his door at the same time.

“What?” he snapped, in no mood for Mom’s sycophant. If Mom told Ella to jump, she did it without question. “I’m busy so make it quick.”

She opened the door, disapproval written all over her face. Drawing herself up, she kept her hand on the doorknob and remained in the hall. “CJ, Ryan, and Grant are here to see you. Sir.”

He could’ve done without her sneer.

“Send them away, or will you grace them with your charming presence, Mr. Rory?”

Shame settled into Rory, and he glanced away. He’d known Ella most of his life. She didn’t deserve his foul behavior.

“Can you send them up?” he asked, losing the attitude.

She gave him a curt nod and started to turn away.

“I’m sorry, Ella. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. Forgive me?”

Pursing her lips, she lifted her chin. “Of course. Sir,” she added with that same sneering tone, and stomped away.

CJ and his psycho brothers had already abused him, so he wasn’t sure why the guys were coming to see him, but he refused to reveal how much he missed them. They wouldn’t care. He’d begged for forgiveness and they’d ignored him. He hurried to his knapsack and removed his tablet, then sat at his desk.

He’d just opened an eBook when another knock came on his door. “Come in,” he called and stared at the words on the screen, not processing them, so nervous he wanted to throw up.

The door opened, but Rory refused to turn. He hunched deeper over the tablet, air squeezing in and out of his lungs. At any moment, he might faint.

“Yo, incel,” Ryan barked. “Are you fucking greeting us or what?”

Or what.