“I will fucking kill you if you apologize.”
Nodding, he pressed his lips together.
“Ryan needs someone to lean on, twerp,” she said. “If you’re too chickenshit to confess, at least find the backbone to listen to what he’s going through.”
“I will.”
“In the meantime, get fucking dressed. You’re going to the play becausehe’sgoing.”
“Suppose everyone figures out my role?”
“My good deed is done for the day, Devon. If you’re exposed, you’re on your fucking own.”
“Okay,” he muttered.
With nothing more to say, she left. Although slipping through the gap in the fence was a shortcut, she risked running into that slab of bacon. Fucking bitch.
Several minutes later, she buzzed herself in at the front gate of her family’s home and headed up the walkway, the breeze lifting her hair and washing over her face.
The entrance door swung open and Jana lumbered outside. When she caught sight of Rebel, her shoulders slumped even further. They halted a few feet from each other.
Jana’s moans, her words, rose in Rebel’s head, and she balled her hands into fists, considering if she should ignore Jana and use the entrance to the mudroom, so she wouldn’t have to say anything to her. But since Diesel was a motherfucker, he’d probably flaunt Jana at the play.
Might as well rip another fucking bandage away. “Have you chosen your outfit for tonight?” Rebel asked with as much enthusiasm as possible.
“Diesel said I can’t come.”
“Do youwantto go?”
“Only because I’m so lonely in the treehouse.”
The scene from the natatorium rose in Rebel’s head again. She couldn’t bring herself to contemplate everything that jackasssaid after he broke into her room.Again. His stupid knife fucked up the mechanism.
“He ordered me a pizza for my dinner,” Jana said, breaking into Rebel’s thoughts.
“He’s just a big old bastion of romance,” Rebel responded with a disgusted snort.
Every time before that she’d seen Jana, Rebel wanted to cry. As much as she cared about Kaia, Jana’s presence felt like the final nail that sealed away all hope of a future for Rebel and Diesel. Yet, it couldn’t compare to her pain at Diesel showing how little he cared about her. He didn’t even understand why he’d hurt her so deeply.
“Diesel’s my hero,” Jana whispered.
“Yeah, no. Diesel’s no one’s hero, Jana. Not in the sense you mean. He’s a fucking asshole.”
Jana hung her head. “You don’t think I’m good enough for him, do you?”
“That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I think you’re too good for him. Much better than me. If that motherfucker fed me fucking pizza and sent me back to my fucking kennel while he went out with his family, he’d have to keep me tied up forever if he wanted to live.”
“I don’t want to make him mad.”
“So you’ve said. All you’re doing is helping him to disrespect you.”
“I didn’t lie when I said no one’s ever treated me as kind as him.”
“Then, babes, you’ve been hanging out with unimaginable fuckheads if they treated you worse than King Fuckhead.”
Momma opened the door and stuck her head out. “Reb, there you are, love. We have to get ready.”
Rebel pointed to Jana, who’d backed into the evening shadows. “I’m talking to Diesel’s fiancée.”
