Page 187 of Relentles
“Out of everyone, Rule might be the luckiest,” he said quietly.
“Yeah, no. I doubt that. Trust me.”
Diesel smiled at her words but wouldn’t burden her with his problems. He certainly didn’t have Tabitha. If he went home tonight, hewouldkill that fucking cunt. If he went to her precious meeting and Outlaw found out, they were both dead anyway.
Rebel cocked her head to the side, using the back of her hand to swipe at her wet cheeks. “You don’t like her either, do you?”
“What are you talking about?” he demanded, releasing his hold on her.
“Tabi Cat,” she said flatly.
Rebel’s rapidly fading sadness irritated Diesel. He preferred her in that state, rather than the little hell-on-wheels who gave him the fucking blues and tested his fucking patience. “You call my wife Tabi Cat?”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re lucky I’m only calling her that. None of us like her, Diesel. Momma, Daddy, CJ,me. Aunt Kendall. Matilda. We put up with her for your sake, but there’s something mighty fucking suspicious about that bitch. For instance, her trying to get Momma on her own in a fucking cabin in the middle of nowhere.”
When Rebel was older, she would be formidable. Understatement, if there ever was one.
She’d been allowed a childhood, shielded, as much as possible, from the darkness of life. She knew a lot about sex but hadn’t given herself to anyone. She’d had the luxury of innocent crushes and infantile nonsense. Unlike Uncle Chris and Diesel.
He'd had sex the first time at a young age, a prospect he couldn’t imagine forher. Despite her filthy mouth and her disrespect to everyone, even her elders.
“My wife’s a grown woman. Respect her as the adult she is.”
He thought of Torie. Rebel preferred to fight than follow orders. Her hot head would get her killed or hurt.
“I don’t give a fuck if you’re a child or an adult, if you’re a fuckhead, I’mtellingyou you’re a fuckhead. Momma doesn’t like that view, but she was an only child. I had to fight my way to the place I have amongst my brothers.”
“With the exception of me, they are children like you.”
“Motherfuckers, the lot of you.”
“Uncle Chris was always beating their asses. Rule, CJ and I defended and protected you.”
“Are you just landed from another planet? There were repercussions for themafter.If I hadn’t learned how to defend myselfin progress, I would’ve been fucked years ago. You, CJ, Daddy, Aunt Bunny, and Momma weren’t always around. And Rule had his moments,” she grumbled.
“You need to learn to listen to advice and instructions. You especially need to learn to obey orders.”
She threw him a sullen look.
“That’s how life works, sweetheart. You need to know your fucking place.”
“I’ve heard that so many times in the past fucking week, I want to scream. From Momma. From Daddy. From CJ.”
“You’ve heard it all your life. It was cute when you ignored it, but it isn’t anymore.”
“I don’t care what you say to me. Tabitha is a conniving, devious fuckhead.”
“Rebel—”
“Youmarried her, dummy. Not me. If you like her, you shouldn’t give a fuck how anyone else feels about her. I understand why you do, though. You can’t stand that bitch, either. To alleviate your guilt, you expect everyone else to adore her.”
Diesel gritted his teeth. “That isn’t true.I’mmarried to Tabitha. We’re trying to have a baby together.”
“I intend to nameourdaughter Julia.”
Julia? Why Julia…fuck!OUR DAUGHTER?
“You can nameyourdaughter whatever you please, Rebel,” he snapped as the words sank in. “I’ll love my niece regardless.” He shrugged, determined to get the upper hand.Needing it, to keep Rebel in her place. “I like the name. I might suggest it to Tabitha forourchild.”
