Page 211 of Ruptured

Daddy and Diesel drummed it in Rebel’s head not to go toward danger, so she’d waited. A minute later, sobs had reached her, followed by a raised male voice.

One of her panic buttons was right next to her door. Before sounding the alarm, she’d cracked open her door and peeped out, verifying her father’s fuckery. Axel, Ransom, and Ryder were already in the hallway, so Rebel knew it was safe. At the end of the hall, Diesel stood with a gun in his hand. He must’ve come out, ready to defend home and hearth against invaders.

Except the marauder was the fucking head of the family. CJ walked into sight after descending the staircase, also drawn from his room. Diesel backed away long enough to put his gun away.

No one knew what to do as they listened to that unhinged motherfucker. Axel ran to Rebel, and she forced her anger away to hug her little brother. It was Ransom who moved toward Rule’s room first. His posse wouldn’t let him ride alone, so Axel pulled away from her and joined Ryder to back up Ransom.

Despite not wanting to go anywhere near her twin’s room, Rebel couldn’t stay in the hallway. Momma needed defending against all that fucking testosterone. Now, after escorting Momma to the room she shared with the man she married andpreparing her bath, Rebel didn’t want to return to her room. She especially didn’t want to see Rule’s room. Or his door. Or anything that reminded her of him. She thought about covering his doorway with a sheet.

Nothing would help, though. He was a part of her—her twin. They’d shared a womb together, came into the world together, grew up together. Rebel had protected him as much as possible.

But not enough.

Sniffling and swiping at her tears, she took the back staircase and halted. A left turn would take her to the scene of the crime. Right, and she could go anywhere. Even outside. She could go to the swings. The treehouse.

She could run and run and run, until all her pain and trauma went away. Until her Rule came back.

Except he might never return.

She dropped onto the second to last stair, leaned against the wall and sobbed. How had things fallen apart so completely?

For months, her parents had been at each other’s throats. Her brothers were lost in the idea of club life. And Rule…Rule was the casualty. He’d always been gentle and fragile and…not like them. Instead of ridicule, he’d needed help and understanding.

“Reb?”

At the sound of Kaia’s voice, she lifted her head. She’d forgotten he was somewhere in the house.

Kaia sat next to her and drew her into his arms. She sobbed harder. “Hey, sweetheart, it’s okay.”

“It isn’t,” Rebel said, gutted. “Nothing’s okay. Rule isn’t here. Daddy’s a fucking psycho and Momma is suffering.”

“Let’s go outside and get some fresh air.”

“If Daddy sees us together, he might kill you with the mood he’s in.”

Kaia scratched his jaw. “Does the house have any cameras?”

“They are everywhere.” She glanced up, but not seeing any telltale signs they’d already been installed along this staircase. “Not here yet.”

“What about in my room?”

“They might be. I don’t know.”

He shifted. Rebel realized he only wore frayed plaid boxers. His hair was untethered and messy, as if he’d been asleep.

Sighing, he scratched his stubbly jaw. “I had a cousin once,” he started. “I was closer to him than I was to Kayce, since Zane and me were born two days apart.”

Sounded like Uncle Johnnie and Aunt Ophelia. Cousins, born two days apart. Well, if you didn’t count theirdecadeage difference.

“When I was ten, we snuck out of the house to go swimming. We could basically do as we pleased. Most rules were lax. Except the ones for the pool. My aunt and uncle didn’t fuck around there. We broke every one, Reb, and he drowned. I was teasing him for not wanting to jump in with me. The pool lights were out. If we’d turned them on, it would’ve alerted his parents. To this day, I don’t know what the fuck happened. We were both good swimmers.” Elbows on knees, he leaned down and glanced over his shoulder. “To this day, my aunt and uncle blame me. I’m an outcast to everyone except my parents and Kayce.”

“You were a kid! They should’ve had a fucking alarm on the pool.”

“They almost divorced because their grief and guilt was so overwhelming.”

“Do you think my parents will separate because of this?”

“I don’t have a crystal ball, sweetheart. But I think you’re just like your dad. Hot-tempered, impulsive, and fearless.”