Chapter 34 – Jana #2
Bash sipped from a glass of amber liquid, his eyes mocking her.
Hand at the small of her back, Diesel urged her forward and nodded to an empty seat. “Where’s Hopper?” he asked once she sat.
“You disappoint me, Dee Dee,” Bash said, setting his glass down and belching. “No manners. What is my little brother teaching his boys?”
Diesel gave Tio a look of dislike. “I can ask the same thing of your sons.” He smiled at Bash. “Uncle.”
Bash’s smile faded. “You’re an arrogant motherfucker.” He looked at Jana again, his pale green eyes filled with anger and hate. “You must be jumping for joy at Tabitha’s death.”
Jana gasped, hands flying to her mouth.
“She didn’t know,” Diesel gritted.
“Oops,” Bash said, joining Cleaner and Tio’s laughter.
“Tabitha’s dead?” Jana cried.
“As if you didn’t know.” Bash drained his glass and crunched on an ice cube. “You probably ordered her death.”
“I didn’t!” Jana wailed.
“What fucking reason would Jana have to do that? She would never do such a thing.” Diesel patted her head. “She’s too kind.”
“Is she a fucking puppy, Dee Dee? That’s how you’re treating her.” Bash smirked at Jana. “You like his cock down your throat that much?”
“Hate me, but respect her,” Diesel spat. “Jana didn’t do you a fucking thing.”
“Watch your fucking tone, adoptee,” Cleaner replied, getting to his feet, a mountain of a man with a gun at each side.
“Adoptee?” Tio laughed. “Good one, Cleaner.”
Diesel reddened. “Actually, rather basic,” he said coldly, killing the men’s amusement.
Jana knew how sensitive he was about his place in the Caldwell family.
Standing, Tio walked to Diesel’s side, crowding his space. “Maybe I should shoot you and fuck your bitch. Is anyone here to save you?”
Jana turned and grabbed Diesel’s hand, frightened at Tio’s brewing violence and accurate assessment. They were in enemy territory with no backup.
“Kill me then, fuckhead,” Diesel said, truly not caring about his life. “I’ll die knowing all three of you fuckheads will join me in hell soon.”
“You’re bluffing,” Tio sneered. “Outlaw wouldn’t let you come alone.”
“I go where the fuck I please,” Diesel replied. “With or without Uncle Christopher.”
“Ooooo, Uncle Christopher, huh? It must hurt being the only one of Outlaw’s sons who can’t call him papi.”
“None of us call him that, so shut the fuck up. If you aren’t shooting me, get the fuck out of my face.”
“No! I want you to beg me. I want you to cry and plead for your fucking life.”
“Like you did?” Diesel asked as if he lacked the gene that allowed him to be scared. Or care that he might die. “Do you remember that night, Tio? How you cried like a fucking bitch?”
Tio made a sudden move as if he’d attack Diesel. He didn’t flinch and Tio froze, snapping his brows together.
“Sit, Tio.” Bash commanded.
Storming to his chair, Tio sat and glowered at Diesel.
Jana wanted to leave. She didn’t have to talk to her birth mother.
The longer they stayed, the greater the danger.
She wanted to cry in the car at news of Tabitha’s death.
Even if she’d set Jana up, Tabitha had once been her only friend.
Until Jana met Rebel and started bonding with her.
With Tabitha, however, she understood her place in Diesel’s life.
Tabitha was his wife, so Jana had little chance of ever having him for herself.
Then she’d met Rebel and admired her beauty and confidence.
Somehow, in the span of hours, all the rules had changed and it left Jana floundering, scared, and uncertain.
“You know, Dee Dee…?” Bash paused to light a cigarette. “I don’t know if you’re insane or brave.”
“Maybe both,” Diesel decided. “But I don’t sit around and catalog my traits.”
“Maybe you should. It might do you a world of good.”
“Are you really advising me how to live, Bash?” Diesel laughed and nodded to Tio. “Save your wisdom for that motherfucker. If he fucks with Rebel again, I will kill him.”
“If you kill him, it’s war,” Cleaner said.
Bash flicked ashes into the ashtray on the table. “Would you care, Dee Dee?”
“Would Uncle Christopher? Is this a club matter or a family matter, uncle? I can blow it up today. All I have to do is call him and tell him what the fuck Tio did to his precious daughter and it all ends if you deem it club business. Everything. That peace agreement. Your perks. Your money. You want to “advise” me? Get your fucking son in order and keep him away from Rebel.”
“Are you honestly letting him talk to you like that, Papi?”
“He’s right, boy.” Bash settled the cigarette in the ashtray and folded his arms. “Christopher wouldn’t take kindly to you confronting his baby cunt.”
At Diesel’s glower, Jana got to her feet and hugged him. “I want to leave.”
“I have a few more questions, Miss Jana. For you and Dee Dee. Because he might’ve done something himself to blow up the peace agreement.”
When Diesel sat, Jana followed suit, although she wanted to be anywhere else.
Bash smirked at Diesel before setting his scary gaze on her. “Tell me what happened to land you and Rebel in the hospital, Jana.”
Sudden tension stiffened Diesel’s shoulders. Jana supposed he didn’t want the truth getting back to Uncle Christopher. She squirmed in her seat, hoping she kept the lie straight.
“Rebel and I went shopping—”
“I don’t give a fuck if you went skinny dipping,” Bash snapped. “What led up to your attack?”
“You don’t have to answer that, Jana.”
“The fuck she doesn’t, Dee Dee. I make the rules in this house. Shut the fuck up or I might decide to seek my own revenge.”
“You’d never. You like the money too much.”
“Try me. Celia is devastated. I don’t give a fuck about that fucking money.”
“You’re implying I killed that cunt—”
“Respect the dead,” Tio called. “Don’t talk about my cousin like that.”
“Your cousin was my wife,” Diesel growled. “A greedy cunt, a flaming whore, and a stupid bitch. I despised her, but I did not kill her.”
“Cleaner, isn’t it a coincidence that my niece overdoses the same day Rebel and Jana are attacked?”
“Was that Tabitha’s fault?” Diesel snapped. “And Rebel is your niece, too.”
Yes, the attack was Tabitha’s fault. Oh my God. Diesel did kill her! Jana bit her lip to keep from gasping.
“Was it?” Bash asked, looking between her and Diesel. “You tell me.”
“I already have,” Diesel said. “I’m not repeating myself.”
“Suppose I tell you if you don’t repeat yourself as many times as I require, I’m killing both of you?”
“Then I’ll die happy, knowing my death will undo the fucking peace agreement.”
“Outlaw wouldn’t know—” Tio started.
Bash held up a hand. “I think he would. “This motherfucker is probably tracked. He might not find his body, but he’d know it was us and no one would be safe.” His pale eyes took in Diesel, sitting unafraid and undaunted by the scrutiny.
“Christopher released Tabitha’s body to me, but I wanted to talk to you about that.
Get your take on it. See if you’d like to tell me when Celia should fly down for the services. ”
“Never,” Diesel said. “If you don’t want Tabitha, I’ll have her cremated.”
“What if I told you that isn’t good enough? That I want you to plan her goodbye, Dee Dee?”
“Then I’d tell you tough shit,” Diesel retorted. “That wasn’t part of the plea agreement. I hated that cunt then and I hate her now. I don’t give a fuck if she’s dead, so it’s your choice if you want her body or not.”
Pursing his lips, Bash studied Diesel, then nodded. “I guess I take her then, so Celia can say her goodbyes and have a place to mourn her.”
“Glad to know that’s settled,” Diesel said politely.
Bash looked at Jana. “But…” He smiled again, though Jana found nothing amusing and everything scary. “Before I make a final decision on if I’m killing you and Dee Dee, I want you to tell me in your words what the fuck happened at the creek.”
“I-I went there to g-get fresh air,” she squeaked. “I-I can’t shop the w-way Rebel does.”
“It runs in the family. I heard her Uncle Snake had a shopping addiction,” Bash interjected. He sniffed and wiped his nose. “I could do with another line. Can you get me more powder, Cleaner?”
A shiver went through Jana and she almost asked if she could do a line with him.
“You’re spending your money on blow?” Diesel asked in outrage as the sound of a car gunning down the street and screeching to a stop reached them.
“Shhh, Dee Dee.” Bash placed a finger over his lips. “Recently came into some money. Couldn’t resist a little fun.”
Cleaner and Tio laughed, but before Jana continued footsteps rushed toward the kitchen.
“Oh, thank goodness,” Hopper said, setting grocery bags on the counter. “I thought I’d missed you, Jana.” She glanced at Bash who was staring at Hopper with a look that was almost tenderness. “Is something wrong?”
“You came back,” Bash said.
“I have your car. You let me drive it from Salt Lake City. I have a responsibility to get it back there, Bash.”
Bash dropped his gaze. “Is that the only reason you’re back?”
Pursing her lips, Hopper glanced away, swallowed, and looked at him again. “I came back for you, too. But once we get back to Salt Lake City, I’m leaving. I can take the whores. I expect them. It’s part of your life.”
Diesel glanced at Jana and her jealousy shamed her.
If Hopper wasn’t concerned about Bash actually fucking other women, why was Jana stressing over some random kid like Rebel?
She didn’t want Diesel sleeping around, but, at the end of the day, he would come home to her.
She’d get to call him hers. She’d wear his ring, share his bed, receive recognition as Mrs. Diesel Caldwell.
Everyone else, anyone else, was just a fling.
She was ashamed that she lost sight of that and his concern for Rebel blinded her faith in him.
“Your drug use is where my boundary is,” Hopper continued.
“You have nothing to say to what the fuck he does, cunt,” Cleaner barked.