Page 79 of Rebel's Fairytale
The little brick house had a small square stoop and two steps. The one-stall garage wasn’t much smaller than the house itself. It was the perfect home for a single woman with no kids. Allie had finished the basement and turned that into her bedroom, leaving the bedroom on the main floor to be her office. Working from home, that was essential. It allowed her to shut the door on her day when she was done and give her some separation in her life.
They were halfway up the front walk when the front door flew open, and her bestie was standing there with her hands on her hips.
“Bish,” she breathed and stared at Ruby with wide eyes. “I freaking told you!”
Ruby giggled and nodded. “You did. I guess we’re official now.”
“Ruby, we were official the second I saw you,” Rebel said and shifted his arm up to her shoulders. Leaning toward her, he kissed her cheek, causing Allie’s eyes to bug out, and her lips moved in anawwwas she met Ruby’s gaze.
“I had no say in it?”
He chuckled. “You had say. Your red cheeks told me everything I needed to know.”
Ruby rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help the smile that grew on her face. “You gonna let us in, Bish?”
“Oh! Right!” Allie moved back and motioned for them to come in. When Ruby went to step past her, Allie stopped her and gave her a hug. “I’m so happy for you, Bri.”
“Thanks, Allie.”
“You think you can set me up with one of those Claws?”
Rebel burst out laughing as he stepped around the two of them. “I can make sure you’re invited to some events, but the rest is up to you… and them.”
“Fair enough.” Allie’s gaze locked on Ruby’s. Then she mouthedHe’s hot. Way to go!
They spent the next hour hanging out at Allie’s. Ruby was grateful to Rebel for humoring her best friend and answering her questions. It seemed to Ruby that he felt the same way about her friends that she felt about the Howlers and the Claws — They were important to her, so they were important to him.
As they climbed back on his bike, Ruby hugged him tight and told him, “Thank you. I love you.”
Looking at her over his shoulder, he replied, “You never have to thank me for treating our family the way they deserve. And I love you, too.”
Then he faced forward again and started his bike.
Chapter twenty-four
The Next Day… Niles
Afterbeingdischargedfromthe hospital with only bumps and bruises, Niles was brought to jail, it took a day for him to get himself released from there. He had a court date for the vandalism and another for the reckless driving, but he managed to weasel out of the evading charges, claiming he was just in a hurry to get home and hadn’t seen the cop. He wasn’t sure they believed him, but he didn’t give a damn.
Niles had shit to do. First stop, he had to check on his kids. Since they were now living in that fucker’s house, he needed to make sure they were being treated right. After that, he had to meet up with Stella and plan what to do next.
Climbing into the passenger seat of his sister’s car, he told her to take him to the fucker’s address, but his damn sister started pitching a fit. She took him, but she yapped the whole time about responsibilities and getting his life together. Then, she started harping about replacing their mom’s car. He wasn’t replacing shit. The woman was his mom. It was her job to let him use her shit.
He just ignored his sister until they arrived. Having her stop down the street, he ordered her to wait for him, and the bitch better or he’d teach her the lesson her husband should have — Women are meant to do what they’re told.
After giving her a look that clearly emphasized his point, he got out of the car, jogged down the block, and snuck up to the fucker’s front window. Looking inside, he saw pillows, blankets, and furniture rearranged in the living room. It looked like someone had built a fort.
A few seconds later, his little Jenna came into the room with a smile on her face and a bowl of popcorn in her hands. She was followed by another little girl and Mary. They were all laughing.
He made his way around the side window and looked in, where he saw Miles sitting at the table with another little boy and the fucker. It looked like they were playing some kind of board game.
Niles really wanted to take that fucker out, but it wasn’t the time. First, he needed to get his kids and his woman out of the house. The need to get revenge was growing ever stronger with the passing days, though.
As he made his way along the side of the house, back toward the road, he tripped on a rock and just barely missed banging into the side of the box truck. When he looked at where he tripped, he noticed that lying next to the rock he tripped on was a pocketknife.
He picked it up and examined the handle. The nameHunterwas etched into the end of the grip. With the knife in hand, he rounded the box truck and approached the fucker’s bike. Without hesitation, he slammed that blade into the side of the back tire.
With a grin on his face, he jogged back to his sister’s car and got in. “Let’s fucking go,” he ordered.