Page 90 of Rebellious

If Bash could try to turn a new leaf, Johnnie certainly could. Taking Kendall to Colombia to remind her of how much he loved her wouldn’t do any good, if he returned to the same old bullshit.

“Thank you, Bash. I think you’re right.”

With a grunt, Bash disconnected, but the call lifted Johnnie’s spirits and gave him hope for the future once he won Kendall back.

Rebel’s impending release from the hospital later that day lifted a weight from Kaia’s shoulders. Knowing she’d be home, under the same roof as him, comforted him, and ratcheted up his determination to win her back. He’d make up for his fuckups and not repeat them in the future.

However, winning Rebel and her forgiveness needed a plan, one requiring immediate execution. He had no time to spare. When she got home, the smear campaign against him would intensify. He accepted Diesel as his op. However, Kaia had the advantage: age. As fucked up as that motherfucker was, Kaia still believed Diesel wouldn’t cross that final line and sleep with a girl so young. The close-in-age law, however that went, might not protect Kaia, though he didn’t understand all the particulars. But it definitely wouldn’t save Diesel from serious jail time.

Still, Rebel had feelings for Diesel first. If Kaia wanted to come out on top, he had to even the odds in their competition.

Step one: setting up a savings account.

The only issue? He had no clue how.

He glanced at himself one final time in his mirror, smiling at seeing the hair pushing through his scalp evenly. He was so happy he didn’t have patchy regrowth after Axel’s revenge.

Turning to the side, Kaia smoothed out his white T-shirt, wondering if he should leave the hem out. He wanted to look neat and someone worthy of Rebel. He even had another new pair of black jeans on. He looked conventional with his only splash of color in his neon yellow hi-tops.

A final time, he checked himself, then grabbed his billfold and room key. He pretended nervousness didn’t almost make abandon his entire idea. It was a shot in the dark that might not work.

Clicking his tongue, he made his way to the kitchen with the sole purpose of putting his plan into effect. Meggie was already in there, preparing breakfast by herself.

Kaia’s brows snapped together. “Where’s Bishop?” he asked as he entered the room, once again marveling at its size. And what about that sick table? It was huge.

“Gunner wanted to swing,” she explained in curt tones.

Kaia flinched. He hadn’t seen her since he left the hospital Saturday night with Outlaw and feared for his life the entire ride home.

His silence and evil looks had unnerved Kaia more than a litany of threats.

Unfortunately, his transgressions were known throughout the Caldwell clan. Throughout the entire club. It only solidified his status as an outsider. He was familiar with isolation and loneliness. Rebel had given something back to him, and he’d fucked it up massively. He couldn’t lose her.

He hadn’t lied about how the attention of Fia and the club girls made him feel, but Rebel liked him before her mother hired him when he’d been just Kaia, working at the minimart.

Deflating, Kaia stared at Meggie, who looked so much like her daughter, just tinier, even after all the babies she’d had. His mother never lost all of her weight when Kayce was born, a fact she still lamented.

Kaia wasn’t even the tallest dude in the house and he still towered over Meggie. Though petite, she was a force of nature.

Like mother, like daughter.

Not saying anything more, she turned back to her task, and he wondered if she’d ever give him her blessing to pursue Rebel. She had been in his corner. Now, even after their conversation in the hospital chapel, she barely tolerated him.

“What can I help with?” he asked, wanting to make himself useful, to win back Meggie’s favor.

Maybe if her mother softened toward him, Rebel would. And suppose Meggie didn’t? Would Rebel dig her heels in and never give him another chance?

“Start the bacon,” Meggie said as she whisked a bunch of shit into eggs. “Biscuits are already in the oven.”

Nodding, he went to the fridge and took out two packs of bacon. Fried pork was a hot commodity in the Caldwell house, one they’d devour before anything else.

The undercurrent of tension made his skin prickle, anxiety swirling in his gut.

“I’m sorry,” Kaia blurted, too nervous to immediately ask for help with setting up his savings account.

Meggie paused pouring the eggs into a pan. Heaving in a breath, she continued her task before slamming the bowl onto the counter and finally responding. “Talk is cheap, Kaia,” she said without looking at him.

“I care about Rebel.”