She flinched at his contemplation and thefury blazing in his gray eyes. Anger directed toward her.
“Jana?” Rebel called weakly, her cold, damp fingers touching Jana’s ankle. “You’re okay?”
Immediately, worry replaced Diesel’s rage and he dropped next to his sister, tenderly slipping his fingers through her hair. “Rebel, sweetheart,” he croaked. “What the fuck happened?”
“I was trying to save Jana,” Rebel said with a pitiful sniffle.
Stiffening, Diesel assessed Jana’s state. She was dirty and bleeding, her clothes torn. Instead of the concern he showed Rebel, his rage returned.
“What happened?” he barked.
Jana jumped at his harsh tone. “Tabitha set me up,” she wailed, unable to stop the tears from streaming down her face and settling for a half-truth. “She…I’m sorry!”
“You should be, trusting that bitch again. What the fuck were you thinking?” he roared.
Jana sobbed harder, barely able to catch her breath, only wanting a hug.
“How the fuck did Tabitha set you up, anyway?” Diesel demanded.
“Rebel needs a hospital, Diesel,” another man said, drawing both of their attention.
The Channing Tatum lookalike was dressed in a simple leather cut with the word ‘Prospect’ as opposed to Diesel’s, adorned with patches and emblems on the back and the front.
“I fucking know that, Easton,” Diesel snapped.
A scary lunatic had replaced her Diesel, the man Jana adored. She’d give anything to see a glimpse of the old Diesel, who she needed so desperately right now. Maybe a little more than Rebel. Jana only had Diesel always in her corner.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated, swiping at her eyes, wanting Diesel to sweep her into his arms and tell her everything was okay. “I-I just wanted to see Tabitha her again. I’ve been so lonely.”
Another half-truth. She was lonely, especially after Kaia ghosted her too, but Tabitha had turned on her as well. However, the promise of coke was enough for Jana to forgive Tabitha’s meanness and overlook her hostility.
Diesel roared to his feet, the wind sweeping through his hair but not cooling his temper. He still looked enraged and unrecognizable. “If you had to fucking choose between loneliness and seeing Tabitha, I expected you to have some fucking sense, Jana. No, excuse me. I forgot who the fuck I was dealing with. You claim you don’t want to upset me when you know I despise that cunt. Your problem is motherfucking manipulation.”
“It isn’t!” Jana said wildly, clutching handfuls of his T-shirt. She threw her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I love you. I would never do anything to hurt Rebel.”
Instead of yelling at her anymore, Diesel didsomething far worse: ignore her. Yelling meant she had his attention. Turning his back on her as if she hadn’t spoken meant he was forgetting about her.
“I’m sorry!” she wailed again.
Rebel moved and began to lift herself into a sitting position. Easton bent to help her but stopped when Diesel crouched down again and cradled her against him, assisting her. Tears slipped down her pale cheeks and her lower lip trembled. Her hair was plastered to her head, a few leaves sticking from the strands. She wrapped an arm around her middle, cradling herself. She looked so young, worsening Jana’s guilt.
“Diesel?” Rebel said.
Immediately, he kissed her temple and pressed her head against his chest. “I’m here, sweetheart.”
For the first time since she’d met Rebel, jealousy swamped Jana and she felt more alone than ever.
Diesel kissed Rebel again. “What, Reb? I’m here. You’re safe.”
She nodded. “Okay,” she said hoarsely. “Don’t be mad at Jana. S-she was attacked, too.”
Rebel’s concern, her defense, made Jana feel guilty for her jealousy. But she just wanted a fraction of the concern from Diesel that he was showing to Rebel directed.
Surely, that wasn’t too much to ask. She lovedDiesel and needed him so desperately right now.
Instead of answering Rebel, he scooped her into his arms.
“Please, Diesel?” Rebel said tearfully, groaning and beginning to gasp. “I know you’re angry because of Tabitha, but none of us have spent a lot of time with Jana this week. She probably was lonely. She was hurt, too. That guy was beating her really bad.” She started to cry. “I thought he was going to kill her.”
