Jana #2
“Stop being a fuckhead,” Grant said.
“Do you like music, Jana?” Rebel asked, sweet and calm, which was how CJ knew all the fuckery was going over her head.
Jana nodded. “I was dancing a lot when I first got here. I was finally happy.”
“You can’t be fucking happy locked in a treehouse…
” Rebel clasped her hands together and made a face, drew in a deep breath and started over.
“You know why you’re scared of your own fucking shadow?
Because you have no resources, no backup, no support, nothing to do, no one to talk to. I’d lose my fucking mind too.”
“Diesel is the nicest person I’ve ever met.”
Oh goddamn. Every motherfucker who heard that gaped at her. At first, CJ thought she was joking, but the earnestness on her face told him she wasn’t.
“If that motherfucker is the nicest person you’ve ever met, you’ve known fucking demons from the ninth circle of hell,” Rebel said.
“Maybe to you, but not to me,” Jana said.
“That’s all that matters, right, babe?” Kaia’s pointed look told Rebel to accept Jana’s answer. “How Jana sees the man she intends to marry.”
“K-Kaia’s right,” Jana said.
“No, he isn’t,” Rebel insisted.
“Are you being nice to her, Reb?” Kaia demanded.
Jana smiled at Kaia, then looked at Rebel. “As much as I appreciate your defense of me, Rebel, Diesel is a prince. He’s just been busy. So, um, I-I’ll find a table and wait for him.” She turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Rebel stared thoughtfully in the spot where Jana had stood.
“Babe–” Kaia started. “Ease up on her. She doesn’t need you breathing down her neck at the same time Diesel’s ignoring her.”
“All he ever does is ignore her,” Rebel said. “Now won’t be any different.”
“It’s your move then, Reb,” Narci said. “You following her to continue trying to clue her in?”
“Nope. Let her crash and burn. I’m fucking out of it,” she said, turned and lost herself in the crowd.
Two hours later, the party was in full swing. Uncle Christopher and Meggie had made the rounds and greeted everyone. Diesel’s other family members had arrived as well as more club girls, brothers, old ladies, wives, and children.
There were so many people that the party spilled into the parking lot, the side of the building between the clubhouse and the parking garage, and into the backyard.
Whenever Diesel found her, Jana noticed his distraction.
She’d try to talk to him, but he’d walk away mid-sentence, drawn by his friends.
Meggie brought Jana to Uncle Christopher’s table, where everyone was friendly to her.
Uncle Mortician gave her his cell phone number and said to call him anytime.
Uncle Val said the oddest things, even though Jana thought he was funny, especially when he asked if he held in a fart would he explode.
Aunt Zoann playfully slapped him. Jana liked Uncle Christopher’s sister.
She also liked Aunt Bunny. Lolly offered to take Jana shopping the next day, but she declined because Diesel had promised to do it.
Whenever Rebel came to the table, she ignored Jana. Maybe because of the moment between her and Kaia. She didn’t think Rebel noticed or would care, especially because Jana didn’t want him. She just wanted acknowledgment and kindness.
Meggie and Uncle Christopher allowed Rebel one beer, which seemed to satisfy her.
The ebb and flow of the crowd inside the clubhouse allowed Jana to watch as Rebel went to the pool tables where CJ, Kaia and the other boys played at one table and Diesel and his friends played at another.
It didn’t escape Jana how the club girls gave Rebel a wide berth.
Then, the crowd picked up again and she lost track of both Rebel and Diesel.
When Meggie, Lolly, Aunt Zoann, and Aunt Bunny returned to the kitchen to get more pans of food to set out, Jana got up and trudged to the sunken pool area.
Rebel had her back to Jana, dangling a hundred-dollar bill in front of Ryan.
CJ tugged her hair, then handed her his cigarette.
The other boys watched her every move. Even Kaia was mesmerized.
If Jana could’ve caught his eye, he would’ve helped her to insert herself into their circle. Alone, and with Reb at the center of attention, she didn’t know how.
Morose, she turned toward Diesel’s table and found him bending his head to hear the blonde girl who’d pushed her.
Narci, the biker who reminded Jana of a particularly vicious john, made out with another girl.
Torrin and Huck held pool cues, surrounded by pretty girls, some wearing just a thong, others barely dressed.
The thought of going to Diesel and he rejected her, embarrassed her, or physically hurt her, panicked Jana. He’d never hit her, but he’d never acted as if he hated her either.
“Well, well, well,” Tabitha sneered, stepping next to Jana, but glaring at Diesel. “Of course you have sluts around you. It’s your birthday. Cock suck heaven.”
“Hey, Tabitha,” Jana said, ignoring her words, just relieved to see a friendly face.
Tabitha started and snapped her brows together. She drew in a deep breath. “You’re still here?”
Why did the music and talking stop all of a sudden?
Jana glanced over her shoulder and found everyone staring their way. Uncle Christopher guided Meggie through the crowd and halted at the railings.
“Ain’t I told your motherfuckin’ ass to handle her, Diesel?” Uncle Christopher snapped.
“I didn’t invite her,” Diesel said blandly.
“Come with me, Jana, love,” Aunt Meggie said. “Let Diesel and Tabitha talk.”
“No, Aunt Meggie,” Diesel said. “Tabitha’s leaving.”
The club girls giggled.
“You promised Bash you’d give me six months!” Tabitha wailed.
Diesel gritted his teeth. “I’m going to talk to him about that. Tell him not to let it interfere with anything.”
“Your ma about to get the cake and I gotta get your fuckin’ present, Diesel,” Uncle Christopher growled. “You got ten minutes to straighten this the fuck up or Ima fuck you up.”
Meggie returned to the kitchen while Uncle Christopher and the guys who’d been at the table walked outside.
Diesel threw his pool cue aside and stalked to Tabitha, grabbing her arm and shoving her. “Get the fuck out of here, cunt. You didn’t get a fucking invitation for a reason.”
“I can’t see what that is. I’m your wife. I should be in that treehouse. Instead, you’re fucking this pathetic slut.” Tabitha nodded to Jana.
“You both want me. Only one of you has me. Jana. I think that makes you the pathetic slut,” Diesel said.
Tabitha ignored Diesel’s insult. She didn’t even flinch. “When are you moving back to the condo? I want a baby.”
“You can want what the fuck ever,” Diesel sneered. “You have a baby, it won’t be mine.”
“You’re going to regret humiliating me,” Tabitha said coldly.
“The only fucking thing I regret is laying eyes on your miserable fucking face. I fucking loath you. My cock couldn’t even get hard to make a baby with you.”
“Your cock could get hard if you were in minus fifty-degree water,” Tabitha said bitterly, jabbing her finger at the girls lined up and watching the spectacle. “That’s why you fuck all these sluts.”
Diesel gripped Tabitha’s hips and yanked her close. Seeing the way he held her turned Jana’s stomach. “The only slut I’ve fucked is you.”
“I never sucked dick for twenty fucking dollars like Miss Pussy Licker.” Once again, she nodded to Jana. “Now, you take me somewhere and talk to me like you have fucking sense, Diesel, or I’m humiliating her a little more.”
“Pssst, Reb,” Axel called before Diesel responded. “C’mere.”
Tabitha turned and curved her mouth into a cold smile as Rebel passed by her, heading for the steps to go to where Axel stood next to the jukebox.
“Well, Little Rebel.”
Rebel smiled as coldly as Tabitha. “How much do you value your fucking life?”
“Diesel can’t kill me, Rebbie.”
“Am I Diesel’s daughter, bitch? You want to see how fucking fast I can have your goddamn brain on the wall if you keep fucking with me?”
“Are you a murderer now in addition to a homewrecker?”
“I couldn’t wreck what was already fucking destroyed, Tabi Cat.”
Axel stomped to Rebel and pulled her to the jukebox.
“Go away, Jana,” Tabitha ordered. “Diesel’s only with you out of pity.”
Jana’s face burned with humiliation and tears pricked her eyes, but Diesel finally walked to her and tucked her against him.
“I’m with Jana because of how I feel about her, Tabitha,” he barked. “And it definitely isn’t pity.”
“You don’t love her!” Tabitha argued.
Rebel and Axel ran to Kaia. While Rebel whispered to him, Axel bounced up and down. Jana wished she could be with them.
Tabitha curled her lip. “You don’t love anyone, Diesel.”
Diesel tightened his hold on Jana, while Kaia headed to the jukebox and Rebel lifted Axel onto the pool table, then tapped CJ’s shoulder.
“I care about her, Tabitha,” Diesel said, so focused on Tabitha that he missed CJ lifting Rebel next to Axel. “More than I ever did for you—”
“Tabi Cat, this song’s just for you,” Rebel purred. “Hit it, Huahua.”
Red Neck Hoe by Insane Clown Posse suddenly blared from the jukebox. Rebel and Axel focused on Tabitha, singing and dancing. Axel was adorable, but Jana didn’t think he was the main focus with the way Rebel’s hair flew about her as she jumped, shimmied, and shook.
Some of the bikers and club girls howled with laughter. Not wanting to offend anyone, Jana clapped a hand over her mouth to hide her giggles. Tabitha stormed out, though Rebel and Axel danced until the song ended and then they high-fived.
CJ swung Axel down as Bishop did the same with Rebel. She bowed at the applause.
Diesel heaved in a breath, his looked unreadable. “Did you have to, Rebel?”
“Sure did.”
“It got her to leave, Diesel,” Axel said. “And it was my idea. The Blonde Viper just helped me. Say ‘thank you’ and get back to your party.”
“Thank you, Ax,” Diesel said.
Axel narrowed his eyes. “Reb helped, too.”
“Good for her,” he said, kissed Jana’s cheek, and walked away.