Rebel Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

but a small house built by his father as a wedding gift to his mother. He called it “the place beneath the pines.” Somewhere she could go when she wanted to escape.
    It was where she had died.
    Slowly, it began to make sense to Stella why Kade looked so at home reclining on the brush covered steps. For the next hour, they talked about the things they loved, the things they wanted, and the things they didn’t. Stella learned that Kade’s anger was justified. That he felt robbed of a dream when his brothers were allowed to enlist as Marines and he wasn’t. But sometimes, Kade noted, that was just the way it went.
    On a lighter note, Stella began to open up about her love of music. It wasn’t something she spoke about very often. It made her feel vulnerable and on full display, but there was something about Kade that she could trust.
    He gave her a slight nudge.
    “What’s your favorite song?”
    Stella looked at him sideways. That was definitely a question with a thousand answers.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Like of all time?”
    Kade nodded and Stella thought it over for a moment before shrugging.
    “I don’t know.”
    “That’s a hard one.”
    Kade shook his head.
    “Come on,” he urged.
    “Just one song. The first one to come to your head.”
    Stella frowned.
    “Alright, alright.”
    “Probably Dreams by the Cranberries.”
    Stella blushed as Kade began to sing the song aloud, nailing the lyrics and the melody.
    Impressive.
    “So you’re a big fan?” she questioned with a laugh.
    “That’s definitely unexpected.”
    Kade chuckled and ashed his smoke, shaking his head.
    “Nah. My mom was though.”
    “That song, she listened to it all the time near the end...drove me and my dad nuts.”
    Kade paused and smiled in reflection. He looked at Stella out of the corner of his eye and swallowed hard.
    “You know, you kind of remind me of her.”
    Stella smiled to herself and remained quiet. Kade didn’t offer an explanation as to how Stella reminded him of his mother and she didn’t find it necessary to ask.
    The sentiment was enough.

    Chapter Four
    S tella nursed a beer to soothe her thirst and surveyed her surroundings, eyeing the crowd for Kade. For the past two hours she had been working as a volunteer in the stifling summer heat at Blessing of the Bikes, a yearly biker gathering in Northern Michigan. Hundreds of bikes rolled slowly down the gravel road, engines hot and revving. Muscular, leather clad men straddled the seats, some of them with their old ladies.
    This years festival was especially special. Four Marines had just returned home from Falls Creek from Afghanistan, all of them with club connections.
    Today, the festival attendants would be honoring their service, as well as the service of one Marine who had arrived home alongside his brothers in a body bag.
    Stella sat up straighter in the grass when she noticed Kade approaching on his Bonneville. He gave her his famous squint and winked at her, his sea blue eyes glimmering. She sighed when she noticed the blonde attached to his back, her long arms wrapped around his muscular center. She smirked at Stella and ran a manicured hand over Kade’s head and down his chest.
    It fucking figured.
    Kade was bold, there was no denying that, but Stella didn’t think he would be bold enough to arrive to the festival with another woman shortly after their date.
    It had gone so well.
    It just didn’t make any sense.
    But then again, Kade wasn’t exactly easy to understand.
    Stella sighed and turned her attention back to Mel. She had always been the smart, distinguished one. It was rare to see her without a book in hand and she could recite the most interesting facts right off the top of her head. She could also finish a Sudoku puzzle in record time. She nodded at Stella, noticing the look of betrayal etched across her friends face, and handed her a water bottle.
    “Hydrate! That beer isn’t going to do you any favors.”
    Stella smirked and thanked