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Vivienne waved her hand around, pushing cool night air across her tear-streaked cheeks. “Come on. We’ll have time for crying at the airport later. Party first.”
I let her lead the way back inside the house, where music thumped from speakers and the kitchen table was practically heaving with more types of alcohol than I’d known existed.
Rebel twirled by on her way to the drink table but stopped abruptly when she caught a glimpse of the five of us. “What happened? Which of these assholes made you cry?”
She pulled her favorite set of knuckle-dusters from her back pocket and fit them over her fingers, glaring at Hawk who was pouring drinks.
He raised one eyebrow at her. “Why are you looking at me? Damn, shorty. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?”
“Doesn’t apply when you’re always guilty.” She ran her knuckle-dusters over the edge of the table. “You’re well known for making women cry.”
He scowled at her and then at me. “Please tell your sister to back down.”
I squeezed Rebel’s arm. “It wasn’t him. We were just having a moment because this is our last night together.”
Her shoulders fell. “Oh. I see.”
“Can I get an apology?” Hawk asked.
“No,” Rebel and I both told him in unison.
She smiled softly at me. “I’m rubbing off on you.”
“Maybe a little bit.” I would never be as bold or outgoing as her. But she was also brave, and strong, and those were qualities I wanted my daughter to have.
Which meant I needed to find them within myself so I could be a good example for her.
Even though we were going back to the commune where I would be expected to follow the rules, I really hoped Rebel’s influence stuck around. “Please tell me you’ll come visit me.”
Rebel rolled her eyes. “I’m going to visit so much you’ll get sick of me.”
“Not humanly possible,” I told her, and it was the truth. Horrible events had brought me to Rebel’s door, but finding out I had another sister was the light in the dark. Watching her be aunty to Hayley Jade was another. The baby was currently strapped to her chest, her head nestled over Rebel’s heart. I already knew I was going to have problems retrieving her to go to the airport later.
Rebel shifted her weight, rocking Hayley Jade from side to side. “I don’t know. I’m not sure how I feel about living at the Slayers’ compound until we find somewhere else to live. I might be searching for any excuse to get away.”
I glanced around my sister’s almost empty house. There were still a couple of couches to be moved out, and the table, but other than that, it was mostly bare, the removal company putting all the furniture into storage. “I can’t believe you don’t get to live here anymore.”
She lifted one shoulder, gazing around. “It’s a beautiful house. I would have happily lived here for the rest of my life,” she admitted. “But everything I really need is coming with me.” She looked over at Vaughn, Kian, and Fang playing beer pong on the back deck with some of the guys from the MC.
I didn’t understand her relationship, but I didn’t need to. All I needed to know was clear for everyone to see.
Those three men loved Rebel.
They made her happy.
That was all anyone needed to care about.
Rebel picked up a tray of cupcakes from the table and offered me one. I took one of the little cakes with blue frosting, peeling off the wrapper and taking a bite.
The delicious butter and sugar exploded on my tongue, and I enjoyed every bite a tiny bit more because it would be the last one I got to eat for a while. I was sure that once I got back to the commune, there’d be talk of my weight and losing it so I could attract a suitable husband.
My mother had already alluded to as much when I’d called to tell her I was coming home. She’d gone on a twenty-minute rant about how I’d need to be picture perfect for any of the men to consider taking on both me and my child.
I knew she was right, but I took a second cupcake anyway. I didn’t want a husband. I just wanted safety for me and my daughter. That would always be enough.
A dark-haired woman a few inches taller than my sister and I wandered over, and Rebel offered up the platter of cakes in her direction.
“Sasha! You made it! Here, have a cupcake.”
