Page 175 of Restless
“Fuck all,” Dad snapped.
Ryder turned to Ransom and whispered to him.
“Listen up, Tabitha. Me and Megan gonna talk about goin’ away, then Ima look into shit. Don’t bring that motherfucker up again. Because you’re Diesel’s woman, I’m givin’ youonefuckin’ warnin’. If you’re tryin’ to fuck over Megan some kind of way, Diesel will kill you. Normally, I take care of those special cases, but since you’re his bitch, he’s with you or with us. If you eventhinkabout betrayin’ my wife and I find out, either he fucks you up or I fuck up both of you.”
A pause followed Dad’s words, presumably to allow Tabitha a chance to respond. But she stared at him, eyes wide and face chalky. She gave the barest nod, frozen silent.
“I can fuck up Tabitha, Daddy,” Rebel offered, removing the focus from Diesel’s nonreaction and Tabitha’s shock.
“Girls can’t join the fuckin’ club, Rebel.”
“The club doesn’t hurt women,” Rebel said. “I don’t have to be a club member to fuck up any bitch who gets on the wrong side of the Dwellers.”
He squinted at her. “You’re not eighteen. And how the fuck you know about what the fuck the club do?”
“I’ve been talking to some of the members,” she said calmly.
“Rebel, I think I know who that might be,” Mom said with disapproval. “If you don’t want him killed, stop prying.”
Rebel’s eyes widened. “Killed? But we’ve only been talking. He answers my questions.”
“It’s club business, sweetheart,” Diesel told her, finally finding his fucking voice.
She looked at CJ.
“He’s right, Reb,” he said softly, pitying the horror on her face. “Bishop shouldn’t fuck with you at all, but he needs to keep his fucking mouth shut about anything to do with the club, past, present, or future.”
“I never said it was Bishop,” she said faintly.
“You call himShop,” Mom said. “It isn’t hard to guess.”
Dad’s icy eyes concerned CJ. He liked Bishop, but the motherfucker was past stupid for entertaining Rebel.
“Don’t hurt him, Christopher.”
“This club business, baby.”
“That has to do with our daughter. Rebel won’t ever forgive herself.”
“I’ll talk to him, Dad,” CJ volunteered.
“I’m givin’ himonepass, Megan,” Dad said. “Cuz you still not all better.” He looked at Rebel. “I’m givin’youone warnin’, baby. You my daughter. Whether you eighteen or eighty, if they fuck you, they disrespect me. They die. Don’t give Bishop no fuckin’ ideas that’ll get him killed quicker than him openin’ his fuckin’ mouth about shit you don’t need to know.”
“I’m not a wilting flower, Daddy. CJ knows.”
Dad guided Mom back to her seat, then returned to his. “When you turn eighteen, I’ll think about sendin’ you on special assignments, but I need to make sure you can handle it. I gotta do it in my own time.”
“Putting a gun in Rebel’s hand is as bad as giving Rule an aviary,” Ryder said. “Both ideas are terrible. She’ll fuck up anyone who angers her, and he’ll sacrifice every bird he gets his hands on.”
Mom squeezed the bridge of her nose.
Ryder beamed at her. “Aren’t you glad to be home?” he asked. “Didn’t you miss us?”
“I did,” Mom agreed without hesitation, resting her elbows on the table. “I’m ecstatic to be home. I can’t wait until Jo is here with us.”
“Yeah, her,” Ransom said with a frown. “Babies cry a lot. I watch videos online and they are so noisy.”
“Her nursery’s on the third floor,” Rebel said, much more subdued after the sobering conversation about Bishop. “You won’t hear her.” She glanced over her shoulder, then at Mom. “Do you want me to check on Axel?”
