Page 120 of Relentles
“I had no intentions of hurting your mother, Rebel.”
“Rebel—”
“No,” Torie said with a shake of her head. “We need to talk woman-to-woman, Outlaw. I can make her understand.”
Daddy’s nod didn’t surprise Rebel. It was why she hated Torie. To her, it seemed as if the nurse had gotten under Daddy’s skin.
“There are things you don’t understand, Rebel,” Torie started. “Men and women can have a platonic friendship.”
“Okay,” Rebel said meekly.
“That’s what your father and me have. It’s strictly platonic. I’ve been an ear to listen while your mother recovers. He gave me money, as a friend, to buy something to eat. He gave me gasmoneyonce. He lent it to me, but I haven’t had enough to pay him back yet. You think you know it all. You don’t. Especially about a man and woman having a nonsexual friendship. You’re making a mountain out of a molehill because you’re a child.”
Rebel threw the cloth aside, folded her arms, and rocked on her feet. “Ummmmhmmmm,” she said, sing-song.”
“As you mature, you will gain a better grasp of life,” Torie continued. “A wife who denies her husband a friendship with the opposite sex is not a woman secure in herself or her marriage.”
Oh, this was going to be good.
Smiling serenely, Rebel took her phone and searched for the number of the financial advisor. He looked like a world-class athlete and always tried to get Momma to have lunch or coffee with him. He couldn’t fucking see straight for his attraction. The dummy even gave Rebel his phone number in case Momma ever needed anything.
He used to follow her and the photo of his bare chest was gross. At the time, Rebel wanted to tell Daddy. Instead, Momma told Uncle Mort, who advised Brett to back off and be a “nice motherfucker” by doing Momma’s tradingorcontinue fucking with Meggie and set a date in the meatshack.
Brett chose Option A. Rebel thought he’d wised up. But nope.
Fuck him, too. He deserved fucking up.
“Daddy, I have a call to make,” she announced.
“A call can wait—”
“No, it can’t. I want you to promise me, you will only listen. No matter what you hear.”
“I don’t have fucking time—”
“You cannot ignore our conversation by calling one of your friends,” Torie said, as if she had the right. “Weare finishing our discussion.”
Daddy frowned at her.
“Youare shutting the fuck up,” Rebel said, before her father told the nurse anything. “The call is about Momma, Daddy. I want you to heareverything. No matter how infuriated you are.”
“Her games are ridiculous, Outlaw,” Torie complained.
“Enough, Torie,” Daddy warned, then nodded at Rebel. “This better not be a fuckin’ game.”
“I disagree with this,” Torie said.
“She’s not your kid,” Daddy snapped.
“I assure you it isn’t.” She found that asshole’s number and pressed send. He answered on the first ring. “Hey, Brett.”
“Hi, Rebel.”
Rebel hit the speakerphone icon.
“Is everything okay, sweetheart?” He had a nice baritone for such a fuckhead. “How’s…how’s…your mother? Meggie…I haven’t talked to her in weeks.”
The shock on her father’s face tickled her, although Uncle Mort’s glower didn’t. She would protect him, but her father needed a demonstration and Brett just needed to fucking die.
