Page 224 of Remiss

“Nope.” She popped the ‘p’ to emphasize her point. “But we weren’t talking about me.”

“Here, I was just thinking how much you’d matured.”

She waved her good hand. “Obviously not in every way.”

“Aunt Meggie forgave him.”

“Yeah, because she adores him.”

“You don’t?”

“I did. He was my daddy.”

“He still is.”

Rebel shrugged. “He pacifies me to get me out of his hair. He doesn’t care what I say.”

“Maybe you raised the bar so high, he was bound to fail.”

“Maybe he failed because he’d dropped the fucking bar too low.”

“Why are you still so fucking angry with him?”

“Why fuck with success?”

Diesel glared at her.

“Fuck, I don’t know. Okay? I don’t want to forgive him and then he fucks up again. Before I end up hating him, it’s just better to keep my distance.”

“What were you just saying about family and forgiveness?” Diesel said with disapproval.

She didn’t know why she didn’t want to talk to him other than surface level. The time she’d told him about Diesel, he blew up. She understood why, but it still hadn’t helped her. When he found out about Billy or Eric, whichever one of those dickheads she was going to be with, he killed them. Then there was everything else.

“Over the past few days, you’ve sworn you’d hate me for the rest of my life,” Diesel reminded her. “That you’d never fucking talk to me again. Yet, here we are. Uncle Christopher deserves the same consideration.”

“I was the only one who cared that you slept with Torie and Gypsy. When I finally accepted that you’re my brother and will never be anything more, I let it go, Diesel. It’s your life. As your sister, I will pass my opinions, but I just want you happy.”

Relief flooded Diesel’s face. “You’re going to love Jana.”

“Uh, no the fuck I won’t.”

“Yes, you will. Jana wants to meet you. Be your big sister, which she will be after she becomes my wife.”

Rebel shoved away her twinge of jealousy. He was herbrother. “I’ve been through one marriage with you. I reject your next. You’re only going to move out and forget I exist.”

“I swear I won’t—”

“Well, dickhead, your track record with promises to me is gutter level. Besides, you turned your fucking back on me because Tabitha didn’t like me.”

“I never said that was the reason.”

“It’s better than you being a fuck face fuckhead and a shitty big brother,” she retorted. “Especially since you kept in contact with the boys. Because I’m not a Caldwell son, I’m as expendable to you as I am to Daddy.”

The jackass had the nerve to look offended.

“Fuck off,” she said crossly. “I’m not befriending her, Diesel, and I don’t give a good fuck what you say. The minute she tells you to move away and stop talking to me, you will. I’d prefer not to even know her. What if I end up liking her? That would be wasted. My feelings would be hurt, blah, blah, blah. I’d have to get over that just so I could hate her. No fucking thank you.”

“Jana isn’t like that. She doesn’t give a fuck about other women.”