by Elle Casey
For guys like them, it can’t have been easy. It explains a lot, actually - the anger, the silence, the getting into trouble for no reason. They’re all hurting, and it makes me want to be stronger for them. I think it’s in that moment that my mother-instinct wakes up and becomes a permanent part of me.
He grits his teeth and his jaw muscle tenses over and over as he stares out the window.
When Mick comes out with a glass of water, Rebel finally speaks. “It was a long time ago, but none of us will ever get over it.”
“Never,” says Mick, holding the glass out for me.
I sit up and take it from him because there’s no way in hell I’m not going to respond to the pain I sense coming from all of them. To reject Mick’s water would be like ignoring what happened to them, acting like it doesn’t matter anymore.
I gulp the liquid down, knowing that somehow I’ve tripped into a whole other world, a whole other life. It scares me, but at the same time I feel like I belong here. I’m not their sister or the girl who they lost a long time ago, but I matter. I’m not just a nobody anymore, and maybe they actually need me here. Maybe I can make their lives a tiny bit better.
As I lie back down, Colin comes over and places a folded-up wet washcloth on my head.
“Thanks, guys,” I say, giving them a watery smile. “I feel much better already.”
“What else can we do?” Mick asks.
“Yeah, say the word,” Colin adds. “Anything.”
“You can clean the hallway up,” says Rebel, staring at me for a second and then at Mick.
“Aw, man. I knew I was going to get stuck with that shit.”
“You want her to do it?” Rebel asks, his tone strong.
Mick throws his hands up. “No. Geez, lighten up, man. Try decaf.” He leaves the room, but not before flashing me a devious grin. He knows exactly what he’s doing with his older brother. I’m so going to love baiting Rebel with him later when I don’t have a headache anymore.
“I told Dickson I’d go over to the station and give them a statement,” says Colin.
“Good, you do that,” Rebel says, bumping knuckles with Colin as he walks towards the door.
When we’re finally alone, Rebel shifts over to sit on the couch at my side. After re-adjusting the washcloth on my forehead he leans down and kisses me softly on the lips. I reach up to hold him around the neck but he resists me, sitting up.
“Rejection,” I say softly. “Ouch.”
He takes my hand in his and kisses my fingers. “Never.”
My mind is racing with possibilities. We could talk about the weather, about the men who dirtied up his hallway with their blood, or about the girl the three of them buried after she got beat up. We have probably more than fifty halfway decent topics to discuss besides those, but none of them holds my interest like the topic of us does. I really, really want to know what my future holds and whether Rebel is going to be in it.
“So, what’s the plan, then?” I ask, holding my breath as I wait for his answer.
“What do you want the plan to be?” he says, staring into my eyes. There’s vulnerability in his expression, and it gives me hope. His stern look is gone and all that’s left is a young man waiting to find out what I’m thinking.
“I’m not saying anything. It’s all up to you. I’m at your mercy.” It’s his turn to speak up. I have a headache and I’m on the injured list, besides. For once, I want him to be the one to say what needs to be said without me blabbing my head off first.
“The plan, huh?” he asks.
“Yep. The plan.”
The sounds of Mick cleaning the hallway and bumping into the door come into the room. Rebel and I ignore all of it.
“I want you to stay here,” he finally says.
“Here at your business? As the queen of files?”
“Yes.”
My heart sinks.
“And here in my apartment,” he adds.
“As what … ? Your ….?” I can’t say the words. I don’t know what the right ones are.
“As my girl. Be my girl, living here with me in my apartment.”
I try to smile, but it comes out more like a grimace as tears battle to come out at the same time.
“Or I could get a house if you’d rather,” he shrugs. “I know this place isn’t much.”
I put my free hand over our entwined fingers. “No, it’s fine. It’s really nice, actually. I don’t need fancy.”
“So you’re good?” he asks. “With staying here? With me?”
He looks so hopeful, I can’t mess with him. The teasing tone and the sassy words that were about to jump out fade away, and the girl I almost never let the world see comes out to share this moment with Rebel. “Yeah, I’m good. I want to be with you and not just as your employee. I want to be your girl.”
He smiles, and it’s not one of those half-smiles either.
“Damn. You have a lot of teeth,” I say, giggling when he smiles even harder.
“You make me happy,” he says simply.
And I know exactly how big a deal that is. I reach up and run my fingers through the hair at the side of his head. “You make me happy too.”
“So we’re going to do this,” he says, breathing out a big sigh.
“Yeah. Is that terrible?” I’m worried about his reaction. My eyebrows come together as I try to read his mind and figure out why he suddenly looks so serious.
“Nah. It’s good. It’s real good.” His smile comes back, but this time it has a hint of the devil in it. He leans down to kiss me, and when I lift my hand to bring him closer, he doesn’t pull away.
“Come on,” he says, getting halfway up as he slips his hands under my back and legs. His lips press against mine as he walks.
“Where are we going?” I ask as I’m lifted up into the air. I giggle into his mouth as his tongue comes out and licks my lips.
“To bed.” He puts his face into my neck and sucks a spot on my skin hard, making me squeal.
“What are we going to do there?” I ask, still smiling like a fool and praying he won’t say sleep.
“We’re going to sexty-nine, of course,” he says, taking long strides through the room.
I laugh all the way to the bed, my heart as light as a feather and totally belonging to Rebel.
Want more?
Want to know what happens with Teagan’s father’s business? The evil stepmother and her CFO brother?Wondering who Olga is? Curious about whether true love waits for Rebel’s brothers or Quin or maybe even Rat? I sure hope so!Look for resolutions to all of these issues in the two remaining novels of the REBEL WHEELS series, HELLION and TROUBLE.
I would LOVE to get your feedback on
Rebel (Rebel Wheels Book 1).
I read all my reviews!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elle Casey, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American author who lives in France with her husband, three kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.
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BOOKS BY ELLE CASEY
R
OMANCE
By Degrees
Rebel Wheels (3-book series)
Just One Night (romantic serial)
Just One Week
Love in New York (3-book series)
Shine Not Burn (2-book series), also available as an Audiobook
Bourbon Street Boys (3-book series), also available as an Audiobook
Desperate Measures
Mismatched
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
All the Glory: How Jason Bradley Went from Hero to Zero in Ten Seconds Flat
Don’t Make Me Beautiful
Wrecked (2-book series), Book 1 also available as an Audiobook
CONTEMPORARY URBAN FANTASY
War of the Fae (10-book series)
*Book 1, The Changelings, is a free ebook at most retailers*
Ten Things You Should Know About Dragons (short story, The Dragon Chronicles)
My Vampire Summer
Aces High
SCIENCE FICTION
Drifters’ Alliance (ongoing series)
Winner Takes All (short story prequel to Drifters’ Alliance, Dark Beyond the Stars Anthology)
The Ivory Tower (short story standalone, Beyond the Stars: A Planet Too Far Anthology)
DYSTOPIAN
Apocalypsis (4-book series)
*Book 1, Kahayatle, is a free ebook at most retailers*
PARANORMAL
Duality (2-book series)
Monkey Business (short story)
Dreampath (short story standalone, The Telepath Chronicles)
Pocket Full of Sunshine (short story & screenplay)
