Page 77 of Rebellious

“Apparently, from within,” Torrin told him, not in a disrespectful way but with the latitude of a best friend. “None of this would’ve happened if Jana hadn’t gotten Tabitha involved.”

“Don’t remind me,” Diesel said, barely civil, snatching his tequila and tossing it back. “I hate that cunt.”

“You hate Jana?” Narci asked. “You’re speaking in the present tense, when Tabitha is decidedly in the past. Hating a dead woman is a wasted emotion.”

Wishing he could kill Tabitha again, Diesel gritted his teeth, then beckoned Kenny. “Leave the fucking bottle,” he ordered.

“Powder’s better. I got a special shipment in just for you, Big D.”

Diesel didn’t care. Staying away from coke hadn’t done any good. Jana was still addicted, he was still him, and Rebel was still unattainable. He’d wanted to stay clean so Uncle Christopher and Aunt Meggie would be proud of him. Yet he was just a fuck-up, everything his father ever accused him of being.

If he’d done what he should’ve, Jana wouldn’t have had the need for powder. Fuck. No. If he’d kept her away like Aunt Meggie wanted, Rebel wouldn’t have been in danger.

“Bring me a beer, Kenny,” Narci said, lifting a brow at Diesel and waiting for his response.

“I’ll take one, too,” Torrin added.

Diesel grabbed the half-empty bottle of tequila and gulped.

“Did you shoot up Tabitha with all the drugs Torrin brought to you?” Narci asked.

Setting the beer cans down, Kenny lifted his brows. “Wait. You killed her, Diesel?”

“What do you think?” Narci said. “She got Rebel fucked up—”

“Bro, shut the fuck up.” Torrin glared from Narci to Kenny. “If you repeat what the fuck you heard, I’m snapping your fucking skinny neck, Kenny.”

The kid gulped and raised his hands. “I’m not repeating it. It’s just that I know Diesel’s marriage was tied to the peace agreement.”

Diesel swigged from the bottle again. “What’s it to you?”

“It’s nothing to you, Kenny,” Torrin answered. “That cunt had Scorpion ties. She was Diesel’s wife but she wasn’t loyal to us. Understand, boy?”

Eyes bulging, Kenny nodded and swallowed.

“Good,” Torrin said. “We protect our women and girls. Not sluts who suck the cocks of enemies. Remember that and get the fuck out of our faces.”

Once Kenny scurried away, Torrin leaned forward and glared at Narci. “What the fuck is your problem, asshole? Blabbing that shit in front of the wrong motherfucker can get back to Bash.”

“I didn’t realize he was there,” Narci said defensively.

A text message alert came through, followed immediately by another one. Blowing out a heavy breath, Diesel scrubbed a hand over his face. It was either Rebel or Jana. They’d both been blowing up his phone the entire night.

“Can I ask you something, Diesel?”

“What, Torrin?”

“A few weeks ago, when Outlaw called out your drug use, he also accused you of wanting Rebel. We all thought he might’ve been exaggerating.”

“I found it amusing.” Torrin cocked his head to the side. “But is it true?”

What could Diesel say? He was trying so hard not to be like his father but failing miserably? He was a sex addict who loved fucking a beautiful body? Rebel got under his skin like no one else ever had? What? He couldn’t defend the indefensible and unlawfulness, so he shrugged with careless disregard. A pretense. He was torn and twisted inside.

“We have nothing in common. She’s a child. I’m a grown man.”

“She hasn’t been a child in a very long time,” Narci countered. “Maybe by her age, but she’s seen and heard things out of the realm of most children’s imaginations. Neither does she act like a child or dress like one.”

“It doesn’t take away the fact that she is,” Diesel said flatly as another message came through.