Page 223 of Rebellious

Ryder snorted. “We just did what Rebel told us to do.”

Axel backed away, still looking everywhere, nodding to CJ, Ryder, and Ransom. Gunner was spending the night at Bunny and Rule had called earlier. Axel waved at their cousins and, surprisingly, acknowledged Kaia and Kayce. He looked from Easton to Torrin, frowning at his arm in a sling and his bandaged cheek. When he looked at Diesel again, Axel’s disappointment was hard to miss.

Diesel realized he’d hoped Aunt Meggie would make it after all. Rebel placed her hands on Axel’s shoulders, then nodded to the DJ, who played Cocky AF by Megan Thee Stallion, pulling him into a dance. Instead of watching her, Diesel headed to the bar, which both Potter and Kenny manned.

“A mock or cock?” Potter asked, snickering.

“Asshole,” Diesel said with a laugh. “I’ll take a cocktail.”

He slid Diesel a handwritten drink list with a list of five mocktails. There was the Wipe Out, Nitrous Boost, High Octane, Broken Chain, and Smoking Oil.

“She couldn’t come up with better names?”

“I think Mattie came up with the names, brother,” Potter said.

Fuck, that explained it. She was trying to manifest her father’s death.

“I’m a little disappointed Axel hasn’t asked about the food,” Potter commented as he began preparing a High Octane with tequila for him and a mocktail for Axel.

“Or the cake,” Diesel said. “When he gets hungry, he will.”

“Yeah, I think he was looking for Meggie.”

“I think so,” Diesel said.

“I’m surprised he didn’t want Mortician to come.”

“He told me it would make him miss Uncle Christopher too much.”

For the mocktail, Potter mixed a combination of cherry and lime juices, and a small bit of ginger syrup. He used tongues to drop two pieces of dry ice into the combination, making it bubble and creating billowing smoke. Diesel snapped a photo of the drink, then recorded a video of Potter preparing. Once he poured tequila in Diesel’s, he dropped the dry ice, then added lemon wedges to both glasses.

Once Potter handed him the drinks, he went to where Axel stood with Ryder and Ransom, talking amongst themselves.

There was chatter and bursts of laughter, but something definitely was missing. Axel’s energy. In spite of his initial enthusiasm, he was quite low-key. Even when Diesel brought him the mocktail, he smiled and said, ‘thank you’, and left it at that.

Narci, Torrin, Seven, and Easton sat in a grouping of the leather seats, so Diesel found a spot, hoping Axel’s party wouldn’t be a bust. Not only for him, but because Rebel went through a lot of time and effort.

“What the fuck are we going to do for the next two hours?” Narci grumbled.

“Amuse Axel,” Diesel responded.

Torrin swiveled his head in all directions, then sipped his beer. If he felt any pain, he gave no indication. “A part of me is happy I don’t have to involve myself with this bullshit. Another part of me misses my daughter.”

“I’m not sure I ever want kids,” Seven announced, and twirled his finger. “This shit is boring.” He looked at Easton. “What about you, DeLuca?”

“Can’t see myself as a father.” Easton left it at that and punted the question to Diesel. “What about you?”

Once again, he thought about Rebel’s announcement, months ago, that she wanted his baby and she’d name her Julia. “Children are my worst nightmare,” he said, and clamped his jaw shut.

Rebel got to her feet, drawing the attention of almost every guy there. She said something to Harley and Mattie, and they all laughed. Glancing around, she spotted Ryan and crooked her finger at him, then did the same to CJ. When they reached her, she pointed to the racing simulators and pushed them toward it.

“You and CJ made up?” Torrin asked, watching as Ryan put an arm around Rebel and dragged her with them.

“We were friends again before we left the clubhouse.”

“If he sees the way you’re watching her, he might pluck your fucking eyes out,” Torrin said, looking over his shoulder as Ryan halted so Rebel could talk to the DJ, while he and CJ went to the racing simulators.

“The ratio of men to women suck,” Narci growled, draining his beer.