Chapter 46 – Rebel
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 was she supposed 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 picked her, 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. A tiny bit. 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 fucking great aunt and my father’s aunt. Your daddy was a raging lunatic. Not that you would’ve done much better with Uncle Johnnie.”
Swiping her cheeks, Jana bowed her head. “I don’t know what to do. Do you think I should tell Mom and Dad that I know the truth?”
“How the fuck do I know that answer? Do I know those motherfuckers?”
“What would you do?”
Maybe Jana liked abuse, because she left herself wide open with that fucking question. “First, I wouldn’t have showed my fucking ass to you by taking up for a man who doesn’t regard me at all.”
“I’m—”
“Don’t fucking apologize! Do fucking better. You hurt me really bad and that is a major dealbreaker. But since I’m in the fucking forgiving mood, I’ll give you one more chance. Fuck over me again and I’m smothering you.”
Jana nodded.
“As for what I’d do, let me ask you are your parents racist, misogynistic, hypocritical, homophobic, homosexual psycho killers?”
“Homophobic and homosexual?”
“It’s a long story, overheard in bits and pieces about a very traumatizing video. Answer the fucking question.”
“They aren’t. They’re a little neglectful and see me as a disappointment—”
“I know nothing about your biological mother, but you have to weigh what fuckery is worse. Logan’s or theirs? Personally, I’d tell those fuckheads to kick rocks too. You don’t need that type of negativity in your life.”
“But I love them—”
Of course she did. Rebel patted Jana’s shoulder. “They trained you to feel worthless. Now, I understand. You need counseling.”
“I only need Diesel.”
“Jesus Christ.” Refusing to believe Jana’s words, Rebel shook her head.
“Nope, sure don’t. You don’t even believe that.
He leaves you alone too fucking much for that to be true.
Even if he didn’t, you need your own circle of friends.
” She tugged on her threadbare T-shirt. “Your own fucking clothes.”
“We can go shopping?” she suggested timidly.
“A week from tomorrow,” Rebel said firmly. “We can leave early. CJ’s science fair is later that night.”
“Can I go?”
“I don’t see why not,” Rebel said with a shrug.
“Will you come to the volleyball tournament tomorrow night and sit with me?”
“Sure. I’ll ask Harley and Mattie—”
“Ready, babe?” Kaia called as he rounded the corner. He nodded to Jana. “What’s up, girl?”
“Hey, Kaia,” Jana said in a voice that reminded Rebel of the way the club girls talked to the bikers. A little breathless and a lot flirty. “What are you up to?”
Rebel had been upset when they got home from Aunt Celia’s.
Tio had both creeped her out and icked her out.
Kaia had spent half the night on the phone with her.
Even though they were in the same house, Rebel didn’t want to go to his room, especially that night.
He’d been so kind, calm, and patient, which she’d sorely needed.
But something was off between him and Jana. Rebel wasn’t sure what though.
She lifted a brow at him.
He swallowed. “Uh…y-you okay, Reb?”
“Are you?”
He shifted and laughed. “Why wouldn’t I be?” He clapped his hands together, his complete focus on her. “Ready, babe?”
“Can I come?” Jana asked.
Ordinarily, Rebel wouldn’t care. She’d even encouraged Kaia to look after Jana at Diesel’s birthday. But Kaia was acting weird and Jana was batting her fucking eyelashes and giggling like Fia and those fucking bitches.
“Sure—” Kaia started.
Rebel glared at him and Kaia gulped.
“I-I mean, uh, it’s up to—”
“What’s going on out here?”
Diesel’s question interrupted whatever Kaia was trying to say.
Drawing in a deep breath, Rebel stormed to Kaia, grabbed his hand, and started to drag him away. Diesel planted himself in front of her and she crashed to a halt, releasing Kaia.
“I asked you a question, Rebel.”
“Kaia is taking me for a driving lesson,” she said sullenly.
“Is that why Aunt Meggie’s Lexus is parked right in front the fucking door?”
“I didn’t steal the SUV,” Kaia said defensively, right behind Rebel, sandwiching her between him and Diesel. “Meggie gave me the keys and the route.”
“Ahhh.” Scratching his jaw, Diesel stepped aside and waved toward the parking lot. “Go then.”
Rebel wasn’t questioning Diesel’s easy acceptance. Once again, she grabbed her boyfriend’s hand. As she rounded the corner and saw Diesel’s Mercedes angled in front of Momma’s SUV, she realized he was dogging her and Kaia’s steps.
“We can take my car or Aunt Meggie’s,” Diesel said as they reached his front bumper. “Which do you prefer?”
“You to fucking stay here,” Rebel said crossly. “With your fiancée.”
“In your fucking dreams.” Diesel smirked at Kaia. “Why don’t I take Rebel and you go amuse yourself some other way in the club?”
“You’re—”
“A fucking asshole,” Rebel cried, not giving Kaia a chance to speak. She thumped Diesel’s shoulder. “I’ve just fucking forgiven you and you’re still fucking with me?”
“You’ve forgiven me?”
“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”
“Grudgingly, but that doesn’t matter. Your driving lesson does. You need a chaperone and someone with more experience than an inept driver of a basic secondhand car with high mileage.”
“Apologize to Kaia, fuck face. Otherwise, I’ll stop talking to you again.”
“Oooooo,” he said in a low, deep voice that mocked her. “Such a loyal little girlfriend.”
“Babe, why don’t you let Diesel teach you?” Kaia’s disappointed voice drifted over Rebel’s shoulder. “I know you want to learn.”
“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Diesel said.
“Me, too,” Jana piped in, somewhere behind Kaia. “I can keep Kaia company.”
“No,” Rebel said, not liking the weird vibes.
“Yes,” Diesel inserted. “A win-win all around.”
“Except for me,” Rebel said. “I’m the fucking student and I’ve already chosen my teacher. Kaia.”
His nostrils flaring, Diesel’s gaze dropped to her lips. She licked them in reflex. Immediately, his eyes darkened.
Rebel averted her eyes, remembering what that lab guy had said about legalities and genetics for blood relatives. Yet Diesel’s life was so complicated. He was complicated, still tied to Tabitha, still planning to marry Jana.
Still friends with Narci, whose main goal in life was to torment Rebel.
Diesel was one wrong perception away from destroying Rebel completely. He’d come to her the moment she texted the other night, but she didn’t want to live her life always at war with her significant other. She didn’t want to be bored, but she wanted peace. Most of all, she wanted respect.
“I’ll just go home. I want Kaia to teach me, Diesel. Not you.”
“Should I be insulted?”
“Why fuck with your normal state? You stay fucking insulted so go for it.”
“This is important to you.”
“It is.”
Diesel dangled his keys in front of her. “You’d prefer to deprive yourself than to humor me? I’ll sit in the fucking back seat. I just want to chaperone.”
“I’ll be fine with that, Huahua.” Kaia rubbed her shoulders, ending with a friendly squeeze. “This is about you.”
“Doggie boy is right,” Diesel told her, dropping his arm to his side.
“Then I’m doggie girl, right, fuck face?” she asked, unable to believe how Diesel pulled off being juvenile, assholish, and overbearing.
“If that’s your heart’s desire, sweetheart.”
If she allowed it, Diesel would make Rebel spend most of the night exchanging barbs and throwing her off-balance.
“We can all go,” Jana said.
Tired of having her voice rise from behind, Rebel moved to the side and turned, so she could see Jana, Kaia, and Diesel.
Jana twisted her hands together. “I know how to drive. We can take turns teaching Reb, Kaia.”
Why was Jana addressing Kaia instead of Diesel? And why was Rebel reading something into the way Kaia and Jana interacted?
“You aren’t invited, Jana,” Diesel told her. “Go back to the treehouse. I’ll meet you there later.”
Flushing, Jana’s shoulders slumped. Rebel almost invited Jana to tag along—until she lowered her lashes and gazed at Kaia through heavy lids. Once again reminding Rebel of Fia and Tennysee and Tauriel and all the bitches she hated, including Nyx. Especially Nyx, dead though she was.
Maybe Rebel was still emotional and tired and annoyed.
She wasn’t properly reasoning the situation and being overly sensitive.
Maybe she hadn’t even fully forgiven Jana and remained suspicious of her.
It didn’t matter. She’d figure it out later.
Right now, she just wanted Jana to stop making googly eyes at Kaia.
Grabbing Diesel’s hand, Rebel snatched his keys. “Two handsome men all to myself?” She blinked like a fucking airhead. “How can I resist?” She smiled at Jana. “I’ll text you, sister, and tell you all about it. Enjoy the treehouse.”
Kaia’s amusement pleased her as much as Diesel’s surprised laughter.
“Did you have to, Reb?” Kaia asked as they reached the Mercedes.
Did she? Probably, but she wasn’t sure. What Rebel took as flirting by Jana because she was so used to competition and treachery even when it wasn’t warranted could’ve simply been Jana’s way of communicating.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I didn’t like the way you two were acting.”
“You were jealous?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
His relieved grin confused Rebel and he hugged her. “Babe, you have nothing to be jealous of. You’re my Chi. No other girl matters to me. Now or ever.”
“Okay,” she said, suddenly feeling scared and vulnerable. “I’m not ready for sex.” And she still had his texts where he’d asked her for more. “If you want that, tell me. We can be friends. Just don’t cheat on me. I will never fucking forgive you. No, I’ll have you fucking killed.”
He laughed. “A step in the right direction. Usually, you say you’ll kill me yourself.”
She shrugged. “Suppose I chicken out? If I told Diesel or Daddy to kill you because you hurt me, I’d guarantee your death.”
He hugged her again. “Then, babe, you’re stuck with me forever.”