Rebel: Enemies to Lovers Bully Romance

by Savannah Rose

  “He’s still doing those crazy hours, huh?”

  I shrug. “Yeah... I don’t blame him. Allison is crazy. I’d stay out of the house as much as possible if I was married to her too.”

  “You’re not wrong,” Cori laughs, “but then that leaves you to deal with her all on your own.”

  “I’ll be okay...I’m actually thinking about taking on a new project of sorts.”

  “Please tell me you’re not bringing more strays into the house?”

  I blush into the phone, happy that she can’t see me. “In a way...but I wouldn’t call him that.”

  “He? Wait...wait!!!” I can hear her bouncing up and down which makes me half regret mentioning it to her. That doesn’t stop a smile from spreading across my face, though. Plus, getting Kace off my chest definitely can’t hurt.

  “An actual honest to God he? Like a person he? Oh my gosh, Janey Arielle Bradshaw do you FINALLY like a boy?”

  “Okay, okay settle down.” I chuckle at her exuberance, rolling my eyes for the umpteenth time.

  “Leave it up to you to call a love interest a project.”

  “Well he’s not a love interest, but I do want to help him.”

  “Uh Huh. Has he kissed you yet?” she asks jokingly, but I can hear her gasp in genuine surprise when I hesitate.

  “Not a love interest, my ass! Janey! I’m so proud of you. You really are a woman now.”

  “Slow down, Cori, oh my gosh. It wasn’t even like that.” I feel my face going red just thinking about the kiss. Not that I could explain to her how it happened without raising an alarm.

  “I’m sure it wasn’t,” she snorts.

  “It wasn’t. I think he was trying to save my life.”

  “Wait...Were you drowning? Was he giving you CPR? Janey that doesn’t count as a kiss, I’ve told you this before.”

  “Jesus, Cori shut up and let me explain.”

  Even though I know I shouldn’t, I start to tell Cori about my trip into hell. I can hear her progressively getting quieter and quieter and soooo much quieter. When I’m done, there’s a pause and I’m pretty sure it’s the longest I’ve ever heard Cori silent.

  “It was stupid, I know,” I mumble trying to fill the silence, but there’s still no response.

  I check my phone to see if I’ve lost connection, but she’s still on the line. I think I just broke my chatty sister.

  “Hello?” I whisper after a few more moments of silence.

  “Janey, what the hell? Seriously! Have you lost your actual mind?”

  I brace myself for the diatribe.

  “You do know that you can’t fix everything, right? You are not Bob the freaking builder, Janey.”

  “I know,” I groan, and I do know, but that doesn’t seem to be enough to keep me from trying.

  “Who else knows about this?” she asks.

  “Just you.”

  “Good because if dad finds out, you and Mr. Badboy are both dead as a fucking doorknob,” she groans, and I cringe. “Geez Janey, you finally mention a boy to me, and this is how the story goes?”

  “Well, mother dearest has always told me that no guy would be attracted to me and I’m destined to be alone forever, so I’m not surprised about their lack of interest or my seemingly poor choices in men.”

  “You’re still listening to a word that bitter bitch has to say?”

  If anyone dislikes mother more than I do, it’s definitely Cori.

  “No, but her words resonate. They were all I heard for so long, I know all her chart-topping hits by heart.” I aim for light-hearted but there’s an undertone of resentment that we both know quite well.

  “Don’t listen to her. You’re a total babe. Enough of a babe to not have to go to literal hell to collect your first kiss.”

  I snort and make a turn unto the clinic street. “Sure.”

  She sighs. “Where are you headed? I can hear the morons of Philly honking at you.” When I pause for too long, Cori hurriedly fills the silence. “Seriously, Janey!!! Tell me you’re not headed back there.”

  “Chill out, Cori. I’m on my way to the Clinic. I’m started volunteering at the animal clinic in town.”

  “Of course you are, Mother Teresa,” she groans and I can hear the sigh of release beneath it.

  “What’s with the name-calling today?”

  “Just promise me you’ll be careful. Kensington is no joke. It’s not the worst place in the world, but it can become your biggest nightmare really quickly. Especially for someone as sheltered as you. No offence.”

  “None taken. I didn’t even know what a Kensington was until I followed him there.”

  “Well, you’re pretty brave, I’ll give you that. Stupid, but brave. He sounds like a good guy in a tough situation though, so I get why your crazy fixer Virgo ass is drawn to him, but seriously Janey, please be careful. I’m not trying to come home anytime soon and if anything happens to you, I just might have to.”

  “Awww you care,” I tease, and she gags.

  “You’re such a pig,” I laugh.

  “Have you heard from Jason?” she asks as I park in front of the clinic.

  “Nope. Last I heard, our dear brother and his new boyfriend were backpacking through Europe.”

  “Ew,” she cringes and I laugh. “Sounds like Jason. I’d never be caught dead backpacking anywhere. Sex is my cardio. I get a good worko-”

  “Okay! That’s enough out of you Ms. Corrine Bradshaw.”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll understand one day. Just be sure to tell me about it and make sure your trainer knows what he’s doing and wearing protection. And make sure you’re not in Kensington when you lose your virginity.”

  “Okay, I’m definitely ending this call now.”

  “Wait!” she calls after me, but I hang up anyway.

  Seems like the Bradshaw kids are all on track. Crazy lives, weird decisions and secrets by the dozen. As long as our secrets are safe with each other, it’s all fine with me.

  When I enter the clinic, I’m greeted by Doctor Harding. She is such an amazing woman. She stands at about 5 ft 10” and she looks like the type of person who could go from ballroom to operating room in one smooth glide.

  Her way with animals warms my heart and it’s rivalled only by her love for people.

  “Hey, Janey. On-time as usual.” She beams at me. She has a kitten in her hands and is holding him close to her chest, stroking the silky, grey fur.

  “Who is this dashing fellow?” I whisper, moving closer to stroke his ear.

  “I can’t believe I’m jealous of a kitten,” I hear a familiar male voice behind me.

  When I turn around CJ is smiling down at me. “CJ!” I shriek, jumping up, almost knocking him over.

  He laughs as he catches me mid-flight. “Okay, not so jealous anymore.”

  “What are you doing here?!”

  CJ is Dr. Harding’s youngest son and a very good friend of mine. He’s a year older and currently in Stanford doing what Cori should be doing. He looks so much more mature than he did last year and it’s fascinating to see his transformation. His face still seems to be the same, though it’s slightly more rugged than before. His eyes are still a shimmering grey, and surprisingly he has ditched his glasses for contacts and his bangs for a classic pompadour. He looks pretty good. And older with the filled out hair on his cheeks and jaw.

  “I see you finally managed to grow it out,” I tease, stroking his beard and I’m surprised by how smooth it is.

  He smiles down at me. “Yeah. You like?”

  “It’s not bad. You look very distinguished Dr. Harding.”

  His mom clears her throat. “I’m the only Dr. Harding here at the moment,” she teases, and I shrug in response.

  “Where do you need me today?” I ask her and she tells me that CJ will be doing some mandatory hours with her for the next two weeks so I should just shadow him until he heads back to college.

  “To the stables,” CJ declares, and I grab a pair of gloves and slip
on some boots before heading out behind him.

  “What are we doing out here?”

  “Well, we’ve gotta help a mare deliver a foal.”

  “Really?” I’m trying hard not to seem overexcited, but this is kinda fucking cool.

  “First delivery?” CJ asks, trying not to make it too obvious that he’s laughing at me.

  “Yes. Come on!” I grab his sleeve and start running towards the stables.

  “I have to warn you, Janey, I don’t think it’s as precious as you’re imagining it.”

  “Hey! Hotshot. Focus,” I scold teasingly, pointing at the mare in visible distress.

  We’re about to give birth! Okay, maybe not us, but we’re about to help! I wish I could take a photo of the moment.

  “Ready?” CJ asks. He’s grinning up at me and I feel like nothing more than a little kid who just hit the big prize at the country fair. Not that I mind. CJ can laugh all he wants, I know he’s excited too.

  “Where do you want me?”

  He pauses and his expression darkens a fraction before he chuckles and shakes his head. “What is it?” I ask, itching to welcome the new foal.

  “You have no idea how adorable you are, do you?”

  The compliment doesn’t quite hit the way he expects it to. With him looking at me the way he’s looking at me, I shift uncomfortably under his gaze. I swallow hard and look away, bringing my eyes back to the scene we’re meant to be focused on.

  “Not as adorable as the foal, we’re about to welcome into the world,” I say, bringing the conversation right back around to where I want it to be.

  9

  Kace

  “That’s bullshit!” Sal slams his hand down on the old table the gang leaders have gathered around, almost breaking it in half.

  “Is it?” Eli grunts, eyeing him. He’s got a cigarette twirling between his lips, and a scowl wrinkling more than just his brow. “Top Dogs have surveillance territory. If someone is snitching on the gangs, then it makes sense that it’s a top bitch that’s behind it,” he continues.

  “Somebody come get this fool before I pop a cap in his ass!”

  Sal, leader of the notorious Top Dogs, stands up and starts pacing the room. “You better watch yo’ mouth, Eli,” he threatens, and I can almost see the tension that’s quickly building in the room.

  “It could just as easily be someone from Crushers,” Reuben speaks up from his side of the table, staring at Eli accusingly.

  “The fuck we gotta do with the five-o, Reuben?” Eli is visibly annoyed at the suggestion that Crushers could ever produce a Nark from inside their camp.

  “Our girls aren’t snitches and they do better neighborhood watch than all y’all clowns,” Eli continues, and I can see the vein in his shoulders pulsing as he speaks.

  “And your boys? Extortionists are known to be greedy motherfuckers. What’s to say one of your own didn’t turn to make an extra buck?” Cain chimes in, taking a jab at Reuben, leader of SKB.

  “Yeah, because you DC cunts aren’t still carrying a grudge about the cross-lining that Reuben’s crew did last month, stepping all over yo Fenty toes,” Sal snarls at Cain who looks like he’s about to throw a chair across the room and go for someone’s head.

  “We have rules, Sal. You don’t see any of us selling cocaine so why the fuck was SKB out here selling anything with fentanyl? They don’t sell guns and we don’t sell bullets. Those are the rules. You step into another man’s territory, you’re asking for trouble, but cops and curfews are a pain in all our asses so, no, bitch we didn’t snitch because of a grudge...we beat the shit out of Reuben’s lackey though.” Cain smirks and I can see Reuben tense.

  Cain hadn’t just beaten Marcus, he had put him in the hospital for days. Long enough for the cops to find him and he’s been in lockup ever since.

  “Who knows, maybe he’s the snitch,” Cain smirks, rubbing salt into the gaping wound. “Maybe he expected you to run to his rescue so he could gladly suck your dick.”

  That doesn’t just capture Reuben’s attention, it pisses him the fuck off. In an instant, he’s on his feet, a chair in his hand. Point five seconds later, he’s hurled the chair across the table, slapping Cain in the face. I knew someone was going to throw something at some point. All these gang leaders are so sensitive and offendable, it’s a miracle we all survived this long.

  Gabriel is on his feet in seconds and had it not been for the no-weapons rule, I’m sure there’d be bodies lying everywhere.

  Our criminal ancestors were obviously more civilized than we are.

  I hang back in the room, watching all the heavy hitters go at each other’s throats for at least ten minutes before the one person in the room allowed to have a gun fires three shots into the air.

  “Everybody sit the fuck down!” Abe shouts and the noise starts to die down slowly. “I said sit down!”

  Abe is one of the oldest clansmen in Kensington and easily the most respected. He was around when the original Peace Treaty between the rival gangs was drafted, and he’s worked to ensure that it stays intact. As the only remaining member of his gang, he’s impartial to all the bullshit and has one main goal and that is survival.

  “I ain’t got time for all your whiney punk-ass bullshit. That is not why we’re here. Nobody is gonna own up to having a rat in their house. Pretty sure you don’t fucking know if you have a god damn rat in your house. That’s how rats work, you fucking idiots. So instead of wasting my damn time with all this pissy sissy bullshit, how about we figure out how to end this damn curfew so we can go back to living our normal lives and hating each other? How about that?”

  Spoken like a true sage. All of a sudden, all the cell phones go off and everybody is back on their feet again. Abe asks what’s going on and Reuben shows him his phone.

  “All the main headquarters were just raided by cops,” Reuben informs his lackey across the room who takes out his phone and steps aside to make what seems to be a very urgent phone call.

  “They knew we wouldn’t be there,” Sal growls, and the messages go off again.

  This time, I think the air leaves the room and an eerie silence descends, wrapping itself around the table, pulling the rivals apart, then together like a maniacal accordion. I glance around at Milo who looks equally clueless but more on edge. Gabriel is fidgeting to see a phone screen, as Cain’s jaw flexes and his nostrils flare.

  Sal’s free hand forms a fist on the table, and I can tell he’s gritting his teeth.

  “What is it?” Abe asks, his tone steady, though he knows something major just went down.

  Sal slides his phone across the table to Abe without taking his eyes off Cain and he rocks back in his chair with a look of utter defeat on his face.

  Something tells me that whatever just happened, has somehow managed to void the treaty.

  “Not in here boys.” Abe’s voice is low and stern. As he stands, I can see his arms shaking from age and I think he’s getting ready to leave.

  “What the hell is going on?” someone else shouts and I hear a slow, guttural laugh start somewhere in the room.

  “It seems the cops have just narrowed down our little nark situation,” Abe informs the rest of us and you can almost hear years of violence and cunning slowly coming to a grinding halt in his voice.

  “Two homes were hit just now by cops.” He pauses, and my breathing picks up. “It was a blood bath,” he continues.

  Shit!

  No!

  Abby?

  Oh God, Mom?

  I look over at Cain and I’m not sure he’s breathing.

  “Top Dogs and SKB.”

  Oh, thank God.

  “That leaves us with two options,” Abe continues, “Crushers and DC. The Nark has to be from one of those guys...or both.”

  Oh.

  Shit.

  Cain lifts his eyes slowly as Sal stands and walks over to him.

  “Nothing to say now?”

  “You’d better back the fuck up out my face, Sal. I�
�m not warning you again.”

  “Oh, I hope we find out that the Nark is on your side. I’m gonna enjoy dropping you and your sissy brother over there like an old horse.”

  Cain is on his feet and in one swift motion he has a forbidden knife at Sal’s throat and he’s pinning him to the table. “Come at me. I dare you, Sal.”

  I can hear Sal breathing heavily even from here.

  “You threaten me or my brother again and I’ll gut you and whatever is left of your family.”

  Too soon Cain. Far too soon.

  I can see my thoughts reflected in Abe’s shoulders as they sag.

  “I suppose this means our treaty here is void.” Reuben looks over at Abe questioningly before Abe suddenly falls back into the chair after a loud explosion.

  “Sniper!” Someone from outside shouts and everyone starts moving to the secret exits and backdoors, leaving Abe, slumped down in the chair.

  Yeah, that Peace Treaty ain’t shit now.

  I keep looking over my shoulder as I haul ass to the car. Cain is close by and I see Gabe pushing people out the way.

  Even after we clear the hot zone, Cain is still speeding down the freeway and I can tell he’s pissed off.

  Gabe is on his phone, talking to the babysitter, making sure that Abby and mom are okay. I don’t bother asking Cain where we’re headed. I can almost hear his raging thoughts from the back seat.

  Someone had gone to extreme lengths to make it look like we were behind the latest cop activities. This isn’t just a minor annoyance anymore. I know Cain...this is war.

  As the buildings zip past us, it becomes clearer to me where we’re heading. I mean, it makes sense, but it’s the last damn place I want to be.

  I’d rather trade places with Abe than go see Rick, but I know when things get rough, Cain turns to dear old dad to solve his problems. It seems like a risky move given the current situation. Isn’t Cain known to be a “criminal element” in Kensington? Why the hell would he just walk into a prison of his own free will in a time like this? Cain is many things, and while I often call him an idiot, I know he isn’t one, but this right here is an idiot move.

  “Cain, what the heck are you doing?” I ask and he doesn’t answer. “Where are we going man?” I continue, even though I already know the answer.