Page 203 of Restless
“Beauty and brains,” Rule echoed. “Beauty and brains. That’s what Bash said about Rebel. Beauty and brains.”
“What?” CJ and Diesel chorused.
“You’ve met Bash?” Mattie whimpered, starting to tremble.
“Dinner’s ready!”
Diesel thought Bunny yelled the announcement, but he wasn’t sure. He was too busy watching Mattie.
“Bash is bad,” Rule said.
“Where did you meet him, Matilda?” Diesel asked.
“I’m starving!” Ryder yelled, racing in front of the archway with Axel and Ransom close behind.
“I had to stab Bash,” Rule continued, unperturbed by the noise of his younger brothers or the chaos ensuing at the call to head to the dining room. “They said not to slit his throat.”
“You did what, you little asshole?” CJ demanded.
“Bash was strangling Ryan,” Rule admitted. “I had to stab Bash and knock him out to save Ryan.”
“Does Dad know?” CJ asked.
“They said don’t tell him.”
“Fuck them!” CJ yelled. “I’mtelling you to ‘fess up.”
“Rory!”
The closeness of Uncle Johnnie’s voice made an appearance imminent.
“Oh god, oh god, oh god,” Mattie cried.
“Come on, Mattie.” Not giving her a chance to respond, Grant hurried to Mattie and jerked her toward the entrance hall, dashing out of sight just as Uncle Johnnie walked in.
“Did I hear my princess?” he asked.
“Not in here, uncle,” CJ answered.
“Have you seen Rory?”
“No,” Diesel answered, reeling by Rule and Mattie’s confessions. “I can call him for you.”
“No. Thank you, though.” He walked out, leaving through the archway that led to the entrance hall.
When there was no fury erupting, Diesel knew Grant helped Mattie elude her father.
“You’re telling Dad about Bash, Rule,” CJ ordered the moment they were alone. “You left him alive, didn’t you?”
Rule nodded. “He could’ve bled out, though. I don’t know.”
“Fuck,” Diesel said.
“Jesus Christ,” CJ breathed. “You have to tell Dad as soon as possible. Maybe, ask to talk to him while we’re eating salad.”
“When I checked the next day, Bash was gone. I don’t think he died, so I don’t have to tell Dad immediately. It’ll ruin dinner because he might lose his temper.”
“No shit! But he has to know.”
