Even if he didn’t know it.
April 5th
Rebel’s school day had been long and boring. Worse, she had a stupid project to complete for digital art, her life in a poster that included a letter to her future self.
How the fuck wasshesupposed to know what to tell her future self when she could barely figure out her current self? It was the most annoying project she’d ever been assigned.
Luckily, she had an excuse to put it off for the night.Driving lessons.
During lunch, Kaia texted her and asked if she was game. He’d already gotten approval from Momma and everything. Rebel couldn’t wait. After Aunt Ophelia pickedher, Mattie, and Harley up, Rebel went home and changed into a cute outfit, took her hair out of the ponytail, then hurried back to the club. She didn’t go in because she didn’t want to run into Narci or most of those fuckheads. Instead, she’d gone to the side of the building that faced the parking garage, forgetting the chair that had once been there was gone.
Oh well. She’d just have to stand. She still wasn’t going inside. However, she was getting so impatient. At least a half hour had gone by. Kaia wasn’t answering her texts or—
“Hey, Reb.”
Heaving in an irritated breath, Rebel turned toward Jana’s call. She was in no mood for Faintheart. She’d avoided her and almost everyone else since Wednesday night. She didn’t want anyone to ask her questions about why she’d froze when she’d seen Tio.
She might tell the truth and then that stupid peace agreement was fucked. Daddy or Diesel would kill Tio and Uncle Johnnie would win.
Rebel had thought long and hard about that. If someone broke the agreement between the Dwellers and the Scorpions, she didn’t want it to be a member of her immediate family. Even if fuckface John Donovan seemed regretful of his traitorous behavior once he realized Bash was a worse cretin than him, he’d never admit it. He’d lord it over Daddy, Diesel, and CJ, and crucify them for putting the Dwellers at risk when his entire fucking existence risked humanity.
He especially wouldn’t like if they did it because of Rebel.
Neither would she so fuck Tio and fuck—
“Talk to me, Rebel. Please.”
Jana had gotten closer, within smacking distance. The thought was so fucking tempting.
“I’m sorry,” Jana croaked pitifully. “But…they were so mean to me just now.”
“Tell Diesel. You defended him. Quid pro quo. He’ll defend you.”
“You don’t even know who.”
“Were you in the club?”
“Yes.” Jana scraped her fingers through her hair, in serious need of a decent shampoo and conditioning. “Fia and Cricket and—”
“I don’t care,” Rebel snapped, although she did. Atinybit. Jana didn’t deserve the cruelty of those heifers. On the other hand, Rebel hadn’t deserved Jana’s betrayal. “Again, tell Diesel.”
“He’s not here yet.”
Huffing, Rebel glanced at her watch. Diesel should be arriving at any moment. “So sorry.” She started around Jana, intending to return to the house to find Kaia.
The only reason she’d left was because she didn’t want Daddy or CJ to discover their plans and somehow intrude. She’d already texted Momma to confirm the lesson. According to Momma, Kaia would drive to the road that led to the old Donovan farmhouse and start her lessons there.
Jana caught Rebel’s wrist and then hugged her. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I miss you. You were supposed to come to the volleyball game tomorrow night, and we were supposed to go shopping. You’re my only friend. No one else wants to talk to me.”
“Diesel will talk to you,” Rebel griped, but she felt herself softening, though she wasn’t sure why.
Jana hugged her tighter. “I miss us talking.”
Annoyed, Rebel yanked herself away. “It wasn’t as if we texted on the regular,” she snapped. “I talked to you when I saw you.”
“But we could,” she said hoarsely. “Like sisters.”
“Yeah, about that. We aren’t sisters. Apparently, you’re my fuckinggreat auntand my father’saunt. Your daddy was a raging lunatic. Not that you would’ve done much better with Uncle Johnnie.”
