She hasn’t moved and is barely breathing, and the dark-haired little girl in Rebel’s arms is staring at me with the same wide eyes as the woman holding her.
Carmello lifts his hands, knowing I’m pissed. “Hold up,” he says quickly, heading my way. “What are you doing here?”
I run my fingers through my hair, trying to calm down—and failing. “You told me she was going to be here.”
“You said you were busy,” he reminds me.
“I got unbusy. Now, what the fuck is going on?”
He rolls his eyes and grunts. “Rebel’s in trouble. She can’t stay here, so I was going to take her home with me.”
He’s taking her home with him?
“Wanna say that again?” I ask, cocking my head.
I couldn’t have heard him right.
Carm doesn’t get involved in drama, and there isn’t a woman outside our family he gives any shits about.
“She’s in a bind, Roc. I figured I’d give her and the baby a safe place to stay.”
“Not a baby,” mini-Rebel says.
Rebel’s blue eyes flicker to me for only the briefest of moments before they move back to my brother. “I’m fine here,” she argues. “I don’t want to go anywhere else. We aren’t your problem or cross to bear. You two can go. Please…just go.”
I’ve heard those words before and the last time I listened, but this time, that shit isn’t going to fly.
If she is in trouble, I won’t walk away like I did ten years ago, having regretted that decision ever since.
“Stay here,” Carmello tells her, pointing to the ground where she’s standing.
Rebel’s face goes from pale to bright red at the way Carmello spoke. She opens her mouth to say something, but she quickly snaps it shut when the little girl in her arms pulls Rebel’s face down to her level and whispers in her ear.
“What’s going on?” I ask him, turning my back to Rebel and taking a few steps away from them with him.
He grabs my arm, moving me farther away and drops his voice. “She’s running from an ex. She had her phone on and didn’t turn off the GPS.”
“Fucking dumb,” I mutter.
“Yep. She has nowhere else to turn, so like I said before…I’m taking them home.”
I stare at him, letting his words sink in. There is so much to unpack in that long-winded sentence. “Someone’s after them?”
“She hasn’t given me many details, but she’s not in the mood to be found. I think that’s why she wanted to stay at the cabin. We can’t leave her out here alone, though, man. It’s freaking desolate up here.”
Anger bubbles in my veins, not only because Rebel’s in trouble, but because Carmello didn’t even think of me and how I’d feel about him bringing her home with him. “So, you were just going to take her home without calling me first?”
A small smile creeps across his lips. “Why would I call you about Rebel?”
My throat tightens, but I shake off the unfamiliar feeling climbing up my insides. “You know why.”
“No,” he says, shaking his head, smile still firmly planted on his lips. “Explain it to me.”
I lift my chin, glaring at him. “Do we have time for this shit?”
“Not really, but I find it fascinating that you don’t care about any chick, but you’re territorial about this one.”
“We have history,” I remind him.
“You had a night.”
While Carmello is technically right, we had way more than that. The words spoken and the soft touches we exchanged in those hours before and after the accident are things I can’t shake. Hell, I’ve tried every day to get her out from under my skin and have failed miserably.
“We had more than that, and you know it,” I growl, curling my fingers into fists at my sides.
“So, you want me to leave her here?”
“No,” I snap, my fingers clenching tighter. “I’ll take her.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “And the kid?”
“Her too. They’re not going with you. I’ll take them with me. She and I need to talk, and I’ll find out exactly what’s going on.”
“One night of being in her pussy ten years ago doesn’t mean she’s about to open up to you about her entire life, Rocco. It’s been ten fucking years since she laid eyes on you.”
I lean forward, getting into his space. “I know that, asshole, but she was mine and not yours.”
He jerks back like I coldcocked him, but there’s a smirk hanging from his lips. “She’s yours?”
I close my eyes and sigh. “You know what I mean. Carrie was yours, and Rebel was mine.”
“Was,” he reiterates, dipping his chin.
“Whatever. I’m taking them,” I tell my brother, pushing past him, and stalk toward her.
Her eyes widen for a moment as I move her way, and then her face softens. “Rocco,” she whispers, backing up like I’m going to do something bad to her.
“Rebel,” I say softly, trying to rid myself of the agitation my brother and the entire situation have stirred up inside me. “You’re coming with me, sugar.”
“Sugar?” she repeats on a whisper, wrinkling her nose. Her eyes move over my shoulder to Carmello, and I ready myself for what I know is going to come out of her mouth next. “I think it’s best if I…”
“No,” I tell her. “It’s not best. You’re getting in my truck and not his. We need to talk, and it can’t wait any longer.”
She lifts her chin, defiance in her deep-blue eyes. “Then maybe you should’ve answered the phone the numerous times I’ve called you in the last ten years.”
Guilt floods me.
She’s right.
I should’ve answered her calls, but I couldn’t bring myself to hear her voice again…no matter how much I wanted to.
“I’m sorry.”
“You should be,” she throws back at me.
“Mommy,” the little girl whispers.
Rebel glances down, shifting the little girl in her arms. “What, baby?”
“Be nice.” The little girl smiles up at Rebel, blinking her big blue eyes, looking all innocent and sweet.
“I am, Adaline.”
“No.” Adaline places her tiny palms on Rebel’s cheeks, moving her face closer. “You are not.”
“I’ll be nicer to the bossy man, sweetheart. I promise.” Rebel peers up at me, cutting me with her blue eyes.
“We need to leave,” Carmello says as he makes his way to his car. “I’ll switch the car seat, and I’ll drop your things off at Rocco’s when we get back to town.”
“No. Don’t. We’ll go with you,” she tells him, completely going against my wishes, and starts to move in his direction. “I’d rather we go with you.”
My arm shoots out, capturing her by the wrist and stopping her from taking another step. “Rebel, please,” I beg, knowing we have words that need to be said, and if anyone can get her to open up, it’s me.
Not him.
They have nothing together.
No shared history.