Page 75 of Rebellious

But Kaia pretended to be something he wasn’t, crushing her when she discovered the truth from one of Fia’s friends. He hadn’t even cared enough to make sure Rebel never discovered his betrayal or tell her himself. So, yes, Diesel was the man she wanted, especially for her first time. She deserved someone honest. She deserved Diesel…the man of her dreams, the person she’d wanted from the moment she became aware of what romantic love really meant.

Diesel was handsome, sexy, and badass, sneaking in her room to talk to her and watch her sleep. All she had to do was send a text and he’d run to her. Diesel was the only man who was willing to defy Daddy for Rebel.

That proved he was the one for her. Despite everyone’s warnings, if his life was truly in danger, Diesel wouldn’t be so bold.

Jo began to whine, so Momma released Rebel, got to her feet and rushed to the baby. Once she picked her up, Momma returned to Rebel’s side and sat next to her as she rocked and comforted Jo.

“Do you think Diesel will take care of a baby while you rest? Christopher did for me, especially with CJ. But he still had club duties, so I was alone a lot and had to figure it all out. Do you want that for yourself?”

“But I thought Daddy was making the house a compound? If that’s the case, you’d be there to help me.”

“Love, I’ll never turn my back on you. I will always love and support you, but if you bring a baby into the world, you have to be ready to step up as its mother.”

“You wouldn’t help me?”

“Of course, but I don’t expect you to end up pregnant for years to come. I also expect you to be able to stand on your own two feet and take care of your baby with or without me. What if something happened to me? Then what? How would you or the child survive?”

“I don’t know,” Rebel whispered.

“Exactly. And what about Gunner and Jo? I have two young children myself. Suppose I end up pregnant again?”

“Then my sister would be the same age as her niece?” Rebel posed it as a question because she didn’t know what else to say to that.

“Her fatherless niece,” Momma snapped. “When you go in for prenatal care, you will have questions about that baby’s father. If Christopher doesn’t kill Diesel, the hospital will report him.”

“Then I won’t receive prenatal care, Momma.”

“A child isn’t a check to mark off on your list of life’s goals,” Momma said in a hard voice, clearly losing her patience. “It’s a real person. A flesh and blood human being that you’d have to mold and prepare for the world. That starts when that baby is in the womb. It would be irresponsible and selfish of you not to have prenatal care to protect a grown man who would deserve whatever he gets from the law or from Christopher.”

“I thought you’d be happy at the prospect of a grandchild from me. If I died, you’d always have a reminder of me.”

“Oh, Reb, my darling girl, that child wouldn’t be you. There’s no one that could replace you. You cannot lose yourself to the what-ifs, sweetheart. That’s the quickest way to ruin your life. You’ve been through a lot these past weeks and I understand why this is weighing on you.”

“It is weighing on me, but I’ll be okay. I went to a stupid mall to shop and ended up almost drowned. If you hadn’t gotten that lesson for me, I would’ve died. If Diesel hadn’t come, I don’t know how much longer I could’ve fought. It was all chance and happenstance, Momma. Suppose it had gone the other way? I would’ve died only having been kissed twice. When Kaia asked for sex, I told him I wasn’t ready.”

Momma growled and got to her feet, stalking to Jo’s crib and settling her in. The baby had fallen asleep.

“If you aren’t ready for sex, you aren’t ready for it, Rebel. Not only with Kaia, but with Diesel, too.”

Rebel didn’t respond.

“How many ways do I have to say Diesel will die if he touches you? Christopher will kill him. How many times have I told you that in the last few weeks?”

“A lot, Momma, but I don’t believe Daddy would ever hurt me like that.”

“If you turn up pregnant and you’re eighteen, that’s bad enough. Maybe I’ll talk your daddy down, and that’s a big maybe. But if it’s in the next three years? Diesel. Will. Die. Do you want that for him?”

“I don’t believe—”

“Then don’t. Just heed my words for Diesel’s sake and your own.”

“Did you heed your mother’s words about Daddy?”

“Christopher isn’t Diesel, Rebel. Diesel isn’t Christopher. However you want to look at it. They are two different men.”

“Yeah, but on the same side of the coin. For you, Daddy’s an older, dangerous man. Diesel’s an older, dangerous man, too. The only difference is I’m not legal and you were, but age is just a number. No big deal.”

“It’s a very big deal when you’re a minor. Get that through your head. He would be a predator and you would be a victim.”