Page 174 of Ruptured

“You’re confusing me ‘causeyou’reso confused.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Nuh uh. It’s simple. A mom and dad’s not supposed to leave their children. If they do, you’re required to hate those motherfuckers for the rest of your life.”

“It isn’t so cut and dry. I loved my parents for fifteen years.”

“Well, they didn’t love you foroneyear if they left you, stupid. They didn’t just leave you, they left you by yourself and made you live on the streets.”

“I just want to know why my mom…Theresa…left. Maybe, if I knew that I wouldn’t feel so lost and unwanted.”

“You don’t want to know why your dad left?”

“I already do. It was because ofher.”

“He still could’ve stayed.”

“You’re a child. You don’t understand, so this conversation is done. I don’t know why the fuck I entertained you.”

“I understand better than you,” Axel retorted. “Moms and Dads supposed to work together. If a mom can’t do it, then a dad should. If they both don’t want you, then they’re both to blame.”

“A woman carries children and gives birth to them. It’s her responsibility to nurture and protect them.”

“Dad says a dude makes the babies. He puts his cock in a girl. Without a dad, a mom wouldn’t even have children, Diesel.”

Not wanting to lash out at Axel, Diesel gritted his teeth. “Do you still love Rule?”

“I don’t know. He hurt Mom and Reb, but he likes to pray and talk to invisible people. Maybe,theytold him to hurt our momma and sister.”

“You’re offering him the benefit of the doubt, why can’t I do the same for my father?”

“Did he like to pray and talk to people you couldn’t see?”

“No.”

“Then that law doesn’t apply.”

“It isn’t a law, Axel,” Diesel growled in frustration. “It’s a principle.

“You told me a principle was a law. Or a rule for law.”

Fuck. Uncle Christopher was right. Diesel needed to shut the fuck up about the legal profession to Axel. He scrubbed a hand over his face.

“It is—”

“Then you can use it in this case.”

“No—”

“You can’t get around this verdict, Diesel. You’re guilty.”

Diesel glared at Axel. “Of?”

Undeterred, Axel glowered back. “Of not blaming your dad when he was as guilty as your mom. No wonder you don’t like girls.”

“What?”

“CJ treats girls really nice. Even Harley. He tries to help them and he opens doors for them and he’s just nice. But all the club girls talk about how you just want to fuck them and drink with them. You don’t open doors for them or nothing. It’s ‘cause your mom left. Your dad did, too, bozo. No matter what you say.Andjust ‘causethosemotherfuckers left don’t mean you have to be so mean to Mom and Rebel and us. We never left you. You left us, even though we all love you. Even the club girls try to figure out how to soften you up ‘cause they think you’re beautiful.”