Page 3 of Ruptured

“You’re not me, Ax,” Diesel reminded him. “Besides, I only started likingSpider-Manbecause CJ was obsessed with him. When I babysat him, he loved that movie and watched it a thousand times. It grew on me.”

Axel shrugged.

Diesel took Axel into his arms and stood up. “Lay your head on my shoulder, Ax. Close your eyes. I promise you Reb and Aunt Meggie’s safe.”

“Where’s Rule?” Axel mumbled, his eyes already drooping closed as he followed Diesel’s order. “I want to see him, too.”

“He’s fine,” Diesel said gruffly, wishing he was so innocent. Clearly, Rule was ill. No motherfucker in their right mind did what he did. But Diesel couldn’t get past him trying to kill Rebel. Take her away. For all Axel’s blustering and fighting, he was a little kid who loved his family.

Diesel didn’t have the best singing voice. He certainly wouldn’t win an award, but in quieter times—lonelier times—he recalled his mother’s lullabies, then he dismissed it as the fantasies of a brokenhearted boy. More than likely what hesang to his little brother came from Aunt Meggie. He walked the length of the room several times over the next ten minutes, crooning to Axel until the boy let out a small snore.

Smiling, Diesel walked to the empty bed and laid Axel in it. He tucked him in, then kissed his little brother’s cheek and straightened.

“No!”Ransom screamed.

Spinning around, Diesel saw him shoot into a sitting position. Tears streaking his face, he trembled.

“What?” Axel mumbled.

Ryder sat up and blinked.

Drawing his legs up, Ransom bowed his head and rested his cheek on his knees, sobbing.

Axel’s stirred, but before he awakened fully, Ryder yawned, got out of his bed, and went to Axel, climbing in next to him. “Go back to sleep, Ax.”

“Okay,” Axel said, turned toward Ryder, and followed the order.

Ryder pulled Axel closer, settled the covers around them, and closed his eyes.

With Axel taken care of, Diesel went to Ransom and kneeled next to him. “Get it out, Ran,” he told him softly, rubbing his back. “It’s been a rough few hours. Fall apart if you have to. We’re family. Brothers.”

Not answering, Ransom turned and hugged him as if he never wanted to let go.

“I’m here to pick you up. Hold you up until you’re strong enough to stand on your own.”

He spoke the truth, but the words felt hollow.

“I can’t go back to sleep, Diesel,” Ransom said, his voice muffled against Diesel’s shirt. “I just keep seeing her and all the blood—”

“It’s a nightmare,” Diesel said with certainty. “Aunt Meggie was bleeding, but she’s fine.”

“No—”

His phone beeped with an incoming text message from Jana.

Swiping his eyes, Ransom sat back and frowned, distracted from what he’d been about to say. “Why do you have flutes for a tone?”

So he could distinguish Jana from everyone else. He shrugged. “It’s a gentle sound. I know who it is immediately.”

“It’s a girl?”

“A very special girl,” Diesel revealed.

Dejected, Ransom laid down again, turned his back on Diesel, and curled up.

While he read Jana’s message, Diesel would give Ransom a moment to collect himself, so he got to his feet, walked to where his phone lay on the window seat, and read.

I’m in Camas. Mom and Dad allowed me to move back after I told them I wouldn’t be there long. I didn’t mention we’re moving in together. Call me.