Page 11 of Reckless Rebel

I choke on my breath, is this asshole for real? “Listen you STD-ridden little man whore, your flirty bullshit will not work on me, so stop trying to eye fuck me into liking you, it will never happen.”

He shrugs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Riles, I’m just here to get to know Sofia.” The gleam in his eye remains and I fight the urge to punch him in his stupid, perfectly symmetrical face.

“My name is Riley,” I bite back, and he smiles even wider.

He leans in close until his mouth is a breath away from my ear. “This is gonna be so much fun, Riles.”

He pulls back just as my mom comes into the hallway. “Jace, would you like to stay for dinner?” She asks in her polite voice that she usually reserves for her patients, and I internally roll my eyes.

Jace looks between her and I before smiling sweetly, “I would love to stay for dinner, Mrs Decker, thank you so much for asking.”

My mom preens under his bullshit manners. “Now now, it’s Ava to you, dear.” My frown deepens, Rick has known my parents our entire lives, and not once has she ever offered him to call her by her first name.

I watch as he walks towards her and she links her arm with his, as they disappear back into the living room to play happy families, and I do nothing but let them go. How is it that I made it seventeen years with the perfect, normal, uninteresting life, where nothing new ever happened, and now in just one weekend a Rebel has ruined it all?

7

Jace

The dinner is actually great, I thought it would be awkward, but Ava and Gerry are making me feel right at home. It's strange, I only ever feel like this when it's family dinner night at the house, and Arthur and Helen come round. But that's only because Mama Helen doesn't tolerate any of my bullshit.

Yet here I sit, in a stranger's house, feeling exactly the same. If it weren't for the fiery, little redhead burning a hole into my skull, I'd be fully relaxed. I get her reservations, I do, but having met my little sister, nothing is going to keep me from her. She's amazing, perfect in every way. She's funny, smart, and beautiful, reminding me of Rachel in so many ways. She would have adored her, and if she were here I would definitely have been ignored in favour of my big sister. Our big sister.

The doorbell goes and Ava slips away to answer, before she comes back a minute later. "Rick is at the door," she says, and her voice has a weird edge to it, but Riley rises, leaving the room immediately, but not before giving me one last death glare and I smile wide.

"Boyfriend?" I ask curiously, and Ava nods, a tight smile lining her face. "You don't like him,” I muse, it isn't a question, the expression on her face makes it more than clear.

"Is it that obvious," she huffs a laugh, casting a look over her shoulder to ensure Riley can't hear her. "How could you tell?"

Now it's my turn to laugh, gesturing to myself. "I'm an eighteen year old who has no parents, a bad reputation, and half a body covered in ink. I'm every teenage girl's parent’s worst nightmare, it's not hard to pick up on when they don't like you."

Gerry smiles at that, looking between me and Ava. "Well, we've all been there," he says, pulling aside the collar of his shirt to reveal some ink of his own, and when I stare in shock he just winks.

Sofia yawns, and Ava swings her gaze over to her. "Come on Fia, time for bed."

She perks up right away, "What, no. I'm not even tired." She stares at me hopefully, and it hits me right in the gut, she's already looking at me like I mean something. I have to swallow down the emotion it evokes in me.

"I should be heading home anyway,” I reply, wiping my hands on my napkin and standing up, moving to clear my plate.

"Leave that, Jace, you're our guest,” Ava says, standing up and beginning to fuss over me.

I pause, "Erm, respectfully, I can't leave without clearing my plate, not after you made such a great dinner."

She smiles proudly, and again it hits me in the gut, I don't deserve the kindness they are showing me. If only they knew the things I've done. The things I've let happen.

Gerry stands, tapping Sofia’s shoulder, urging her up for bedtime, and she scowls at him, I have to hide my smile. I round the table until I reach her, and then bend down until we are eye level with one another.

"It's my bedtime too, don't worry." I soften my usual tone, smiling at her as she looks at me. Her eyes are the exact same shade as mine, and again it hits me that this beautiful little girl is my family, my blood, something I haven’t cared for, or about since the day Rachel died.

Those hazel eyes start to fill with tears. "You're gonna come back though, right?" Her sweet voice cuts into my empty, broken heart.

I glance over her shoulder and see her parents watching us with a smile, and then I bring my focus back to her. "Of course I am, I promise. You can't get rid of me that easily, I only just found you." I should not have said that. I'm not someone she can rely on, but the look in her eye has me making that promise before I can even think about it.

She smiles, before throwing her arms around my neck, squeezing me hard like she never wants to let go. It's exactly how I used to hug Rachel, and the expected stab of pain hits me everywhere. God I wish she were here.

She pulls back, a wide smile on her face, now more than happy to go off to bed. "Night, Jacey, I'll see you soon?"

I smile, stand up and ruffle her hair. "I'll see you soon Fifi." She preens under the nickname I give her, and then skips towards her dad. Gerry bends down and lets her jump on his back.

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