Page 4 of Rebellious

A hand settled around his shoulder. Derby was kneeling next to him. Rory glanced up, surprised to see the tears sliding down his cheeks.

“I wouldn’t have been able to hold my shit together, kid. The minute Meggie and Bunny cried, I would’ve lost it and remembered all the times I should’ve been nicer to Gypsy…” He sighed. “Emotions are so fucking…” Another sigh. “Fucked. It was years since Gypsy and me got along, where I wanted to show her off or…anything.”

“Gypsy said you always cheated on her.”

He nodded. “I did. That’s why Meggie hates me.”

Rory swiped his cheeks. “No, she hates you for always trying to make Uncle Christopher cheat.”

“It’s a combination,” Derby conceded. He stood and held his hand out to help Rory to his. “Outlaw protects her pussy as much as she polices his cock. I didn’t want Gypsy around Meggie because she’d come back with ideas of love and romance in her head. Outlaw didn’t want Meggie around Gypsy because of the way Gyp pitched pussy. He thought it might rub off on Meggie.”

“My aunt will never cheat.”

Walking to his seat next to Gypsy’s cut, Derby nodded again. “I’m sure he knows that, but when a man loves a woman as much as Outlaw loves Meggie, rationality goes out the fucking window.”

“I love Gypsy like that.” At Derby’s smile, Rory flushed. “Loved,” he amended. “Did you ever love her at all?”

“I didn’t realize my feelings for her until Outlaw called and said Wally, Jr. killed her.”

Rory sniffled and wiped his cheeks. “That motherfucker attacked my little sister, too.”

“He wanted any girl or woman associated with the Death Dwellers, Rory,” Derby reminded him. “How would you have felt if your mom or your sister was killed? Meggie or Rebel? Bunny?”

“It doesn’t make Gypsy’s death any easier—”

“No,” Derby agreed. “But she didn’t die in vain. Her death protected two women, Meggie and Bunny, who loved her and would’ve given their lives to protect her.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know Meggie,” Derby told him quietly. “I…she would’ve stood up to Wally, Jr., and tried to get Gypsy away. Bunny would’ve, too. Then that motherfucker would’ve shot the fuck out of both of them…all three of them if they were together. Would you have preferred that?”

“Of course not, but I didn’t want Gypsy dead.” Rory set Gypsy’s boot next to the other one and made it to a seat at the table, close to Derby’s chair. “You sound as if…as if…” He didn’t know. It just wasn’t something he liked.

“As if what? I don’t care? I’m brushing off her death and going on about my life? Gypsy and I were apart more than we were together in the last year and a half. She wanted what I couldn’t give her. Monogamy.”

“Because you didn’t want to,” Rory said bitterly. “I’ll bet you didn’t even think she was pretty anymore.”

“Not compared to what she once was,” Derby said. “She was so busy trying to police me, she forgot about herself. Who wants a fucking woman like that?”

Rory started to cry. “You didn’t deserve her.”

“And you were too young for her. I couldn’t believe she stooped that fucking low.”

“Why do you care?” Rory sobbed. “Uncle Christopher slept with older women when he was my age—”

The news startled Derby and he widened his eyes, but not for the reasons Rory thought. “Outlaw knew about you and Gypsy?”

“Yeah. Everyone does.”

“Everyone?” Derby scoffed. “I doubt that. Kendall certainly doesn’t know. She would’ve tried to burn this motherfucker down.” He twirled his finger around. “Meggie would’ve wanted me burned at the stake.”

“Especially since Gypsy propositioned CJ.”

Derby grunted.

“I doubt my mom would care, but none of the women know. Harley knows, so she probably told Mattie and Rebel, since nothing is sacred between those three.”

“How did Mortician’s daughter find out?”