Page 103 of Ruptured

Alarm raced through Rebel. “Then why did you let her help Rule?”

“Kendall oversaw the entire process. ”

“Aunt Meggie, can I talk to Rebel for a moment?” Diesel asked.

Momma considered Diesel and scowled. But Rebel wanted to talk to Diesel, too. By the time she returned home, she andDiesel would never get the chance to talk alone again because of Daddy’s stupid cameras.

“Please, Momma?”

“I don’t want to repeat the same old song and dance for the rest of my life, Diesel Caldwell,” Momma spat, her blue eyes narrowed. “There’s a reason for those new cameras, son.”

“Aunt Meggie, I can explain.”

“You cannot,” Momma retorted.

Rebel’s tears started again. “I know why you wouldn’t want Diesel and me together now. I’m underage. But why not when I’m eighteen? He’s a good man. Is it because he’s fifteen years older than me?”

“Diesel is a fine man,” Momma agreed without hesitation. “Since the family connections don’t matter to you two, perhaps this will. How would either of you feel if you took a child in, adopted him, raised him as your own, allowed him to babysit your little girl, only for that same son to want her in his bed? It would feel like a grave betrayal.”

“Diesel never touched me, Momma. I swear.”

Momma continued staring at Diesel, the promise of murder gleaming in her eyes. Rebel didn’t know how her mother would take the confession lounging at the tip of her tongue. Yet, she couldn’t allow Diesel to take the fall when she was as much to blame for his behavior as she was for Rule’s.

“Don’t be mad at Diesel, Momma,” she croaked. “It’s all my fault. I-I-I undressed in front of him.”

Overwhelming silence followed her announcement. They gaped at her, then regarded each other warily.

“I’m sorry,” Rebel continued. “I was selfish and just wanted my way. He changed toward me because ofmyactions. He’s innocent.”

“Yeah,no.” The word landed like a shard of ice. Anger reddened Momma’s face. “He’sthe adult, Rebel. He could’vewalked away from…? I assume the pool house, when you both were in there changing?”

The last time they’d had a pool party was for Ryan’s sixteenth birthday, the morning she and her father drew the lines on her future relationship with Diesel.

Rebel shook her head. “It was in my room,” she admitted. “Recently. He turned his back to get a beer, and I undressed, then cornered him.”

“You’re a jackass,” Momma hissed to Diesel, accusation burning in her eyes.

Diesel raised his hands in supplication. Though unbandaged, his recent stab wound still hadn’t healed completely. “I know, and I’m sorry. I should’ve left.”

“It hasn’t happened again.” Rebel swiped her cheeks. “I promise. It won’t happen again. I like Kaia. I truly do.”

Diesel stiffened.

Fuck him. He’d already told her of his intention to divorce Tabitha and marry some girl named Jana. He had the audacity to dislike how she felt about Kaia? Fuck. Him.

She thought of Rule. Seeing her with Diesel always triggered her twin. Maybethatwas what sent him over the edge? She’d had Kaia over the night before and…and…but he didn’t seem to care about Kaia, only her and Diesel.

Any way she looked at it, she blamed herself for Rule’s state. The realization flushed away her anger and fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. She was livid and despondent, worried and afraid. Diesel kissed her forehead again, his gray eyes unreadable. He gave her a half smile. “As long as Kaia is worthy of you, Reb.”

“He writes poetry for me.”

“Youlikehis poetry?” Momma asked, appalled.

“Did you likeBrett’sbullshit?” Diesel spat. “Kaia’s poetry has that motherfucker’s energy.”

“One of you explain to menow,” Momma ordered.

“The day I called him Brett said your eyes were like a deep blue ocean and your hair was like fields of wheat,” Rebel confessed.