“Always knew you were a genius.”
“I mean don’t you take forever to get dressed?”
“When I want to enhance my beauty or drive everyone crazy to make them wait on me.”
“Enhance your beauty?”
“I’m already gorgeous, Ryan. I don’t need to do much to myself.”
“That’s for a dude to decide.”
“In your fucking dreams. I have a fucking mirror. I don’t need a man to validate what the fuck I see right in front of me, fuckface. Besides,theman said it to me all my life.”
“Diesel,” he said, shaking his head.
“Ha!Daddy. My father always said how pretty I was and he thinks Momma is a goddess. He—everyone—says I look just like her.”
“I suppose that would make an impression on you.”
“It did. Anyway, get dressed. Drive Aunt Zoann to the play and then find me. I’ll let you sit next to me and Kaia.”
“Everybody hates me.”
“Exactly, dickhead. No one can show that in front of your mom. Crawl from under your rock and use family situations to your advantage.”
“Are you sure?”
“Even if you can’t convince any of us to ever truly trust you again, step up and take care of Aunt Zoann. That’ll bring your dad around quicker than anything else.”
“Thanks, Reb.”
“Later,” she said with an exaggerated wave.
She didn’t see Aunt Zoann or Uncle Val when she reached the first floor, so she headed down the hallway toward the front door. Crashes and revving cars filled the air, growing louder as she approached the living room. She peeked in. Devon sat on the sofa, engrossed in a video game. Deciding not to disturb him, she started to turn but he glanced over his shoulder and their eyes met.
“Guilt doesn’t look good on you, asshole,” she hissed.
“I-I don’t know what you mean,” he mumbled.
“You knew what Ryan was doing, so shut the fuck up.”
“I can explain.”
“Nope. Sure can’t. There’s no fucking explanation in the world that’ll suffice, but it’s so shitty that you’re letting him take all the fucking heat.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You hid the fucking truth. You’re an accessory to his fuckery.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“If you can’t tell your mom and dad that you knew Ryan had sex with Harley to get back at CJ—”
His gaze flew to hers and his nostrils flared.
“At least go to your partner in crime and help him through this.”
“I’m so—”
