Page 212 of Ruptured

“You heard?”

He nodded. “I came up, but Diesel saw me when they were leaving and told me it wasn’t my fucking concern. CJ called himout, thanked me for coming up, and invited me in the mancave. Diesel probably would’ve poisoned me.”

She was too exhausted to broach the topic of Diesel. “I’m not apologizing to my father.”

“Didn’t think you would.”

“He’s so unfair to her.” Rebel leaned her head on Kaia’s shoulder. “Is that how it was with your aunt and uncle?”

“They blamed each other. Someone intervened, I suppose. Or, maybe, they came to their senses on their own. One tragedy tests the strongest marriage. Piled atop each other and, sometimes, the odds are insurmountable.”

“I don’t want my parents to divorce,” Rebel sniffled. “Momma loves that man so much. A fucking demon has invaded him. He’s been so sweet and kind to me while we were in the hospital—”

“But the initial catastrophe is over. You and your mom are home and Rule has been committed. Now, the hard part starts. Picking up the pieces. Do you know the five stages of grief?”

“Why would I know that?”

He grinned at her. “Right, babe. I thought it was common knowledge.”

“I’ve never had to grieve anything,” she admitted, and shrugged. “What are the stages?

“Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.”

“I suppose we’re in the angry stage. Denial is why we failed my brother.”

Taking her face between his hands, he thumbed her tears away. “You’re a strong girl, Reb. Believe that Rule is coming back. Your parents will work through this.”

“But Daddy was so mean,” she whispered.

“He’s so angry.”

“And fucking guilty.”

“A combination,” Kaia amended. “While mental health professionals are working on Rule, you recover and heal.”

“Momma needs—”

“She’s a grown woman. She’ll figure out what she needs, although one thing isyoubetter.”

He leaned toward her. Rebel thought he’d kiss her, then he pulled back, dropped his hands, and stood. “I have to get back to my room.”

“Okay.”

He stared at her mouth, groaned, and left her there without a backward glance.

Leaving her on her own, still with a broken heart.

He hadn’t been gone five minutes when a voice cleared at the top of the stairs. Diesel. She didn’t bother turning. She’d recognize his cologne, his presence, anywhere. Even in her dreams.

“What?” she demanded, in no mood forhisfuckery.

“Come with me.”

Unlike Kaia, Diesel knew how to bypass all the security measures on the first floor. Ordinarily, Rebel could sneak through the house anywhere. Tonight, only Rule’s absence and her mother’s heartbreak filled her mind.

Rebel followed Diesel without question. Her turmoil even extinguished her anger at his treatment of Kaia. His pajama bottoms rode low on his hips and outlined his firm ass cheeks. She flushed at the idea of squeezing them.

They skirted the area with the home gym, natatorium, and rose garden, taking a circuitous route to the opposite side of the house where the laundry room and a handful of other rooms were located. The hallway was long and dark, grabbed from a gothic novel where ghosts and madmen roamed.