Page 53 of Arrow: Riding Rebels MC

Cecilia and Jalanea had taken over and were hosting some cooking class for the guys.

“All right, guys. It’s time to take our casseroles out of the oven. Now, this is something you can make on Monday and it get you through the week.”

“What I tell you about cooking for them?”

Cecilia jumped and sucked her teeth.

“Teaching grown men how to cook for themselves is not the same as cooking for them.”

Instead of responding verbally, I smacked her ass, then went looking for little dude.

Every Rebel that she encountered since she arrived in the Mills had fallen in love with Cecilia. That was why I couldn’t understand Gideon’s viewpoint. Cecilia was an asset and made things happen. If she loved you, then she poured into you, making things better. Cecilia felt like God had blessed her, but it was really me who was blessed.

The guys treated her like a little sister, and they showed that when they helped me eliminate her biggest problem.

“Hendrix!” His little ass jumped, spun around, and started crying. “Aht, aht. Don’t start that shit. What were you doing?”

“Dada, no.”

I didn’t want to, but I chuckled.

“Don’t tell me no, little boy.”

Hendrix ran over to me and lifted his arms.

I picked him up and looked at the damage he caused. There was Vaseline all over the walls, him, and the couch. His play area was nowhere near the Vaseline, yet he managed to escape and occupy himself.

Boss came around the corner, looked at Hendrix, and burst out laughing.

“Yo! Cecilia is going to kill you.”

My head snapped back, and I asked, “How? She left him unattended. Sitting there trying to emulate Gordon Ramsey, she should have known that this little boy had turned into an escape artist.” I scoffed.

“I did know that—” It wasn’t my proudest moment, but I jumped at the sound of her voice behind me. “And because I knew that, I told you to make sure his diaper bag was closed all the way so he couldn’t get into the stuff.” She smiled at me, but I didn’t miss the smirk on her lips. “If memory serves me correctly, you told me you had it. Isthisyou having it?”

She motioned toward Hendrix, and his response was to screammama.

Cecilia bumped her side against mine and took him from my arms. I looked at Boss who was still laughing, so I hit him in the chest. He went into a coughing fit, and I took off behind Cecilia. I knew I could take him. I just knew it wouldn’t be right to embarrass him in front of the guys like that.

Izzy walking into the living room stopped whatever Boss was about to do.

“Hey, guys. Arrow, can I talk to you for a second? I want to apologize for so many things.”

Boss spoke, but I only looked at her.

“You back for good or passing through?” Boss asked after an uncomfortable amount of silence.

“Oh. Uhm, passing through. Daddy found me a place in Atlanta. I leave in the morning.”

Since coming to my office trying to accuse Cecilia of playing me, I hadn’t heard from Izzy.

It was no sweat off my back because not hearing from her was a great thing, and Tech not finding a connection between her and my father solidified that even more. Prez had come to me to apologize, but she was grown and needed to be held accountable. Around the clubhouse, somebody said her disappearing act was because she went on a grippy sock vacation, but I didn’t care to find out if that was the truth. Prez was about to step down, so her leaving made sense. Boss would soon be stepping up, and I was proud of him.

For years, he carried the Rebels, so it was only right his loyalty be rewarded.

“Hendrix needs a bath, and since this is your fault…” Cecilia’s words trailed off as she came around the corner. “Oh, hi, Izzy.”

“Hey.” Her tone was dry, and I chuckled.

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