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I’m not trying to sound desperate, but I think I am.
I put my phone on the couch next to me and wait until it vibrates. After a couple of minutes, it is, so I check it.
From: Rebellion
Yeah, that sounds nice. To be honest, I need a fucking break. It’ll be a good distraction.
To: Rebellion
Then come on over. Promise I won’t ruin your day.
I’m trying to be playful with my text message, so hopefully, she’s taking it that way. I send another text message with my address and let her know to text me when she gets here. While I wait for her to show up, I get up off the couch and take a quick shower. It’s already pretty late, but I just have this feeling that we both need some downtime. When I get out of the shower, I put in an order for two pizzas, some mozzarella sticks, some jalapeño poppers, tiramisu, and cheesecake. I don’t really know what Rebellion wants to eat, but at least she’s going to have options.
About twenty minutes have passed by since I’ve gotten out of the shower when my phone vibrates beside me. I check the phone, and it’s a text from Rebellion.
From: Rebellion
I’m here.
I get off the couch and leave my apartment, heading down the stairwell, and the sun is already set, so I don’t see her very well. She gives me a brief hug, and just as we’re letting the other go, the pizza delivery car pulls up. I give the guy one-hundred bucks in cash and tell him to keep the change, and then he’s on his way. Rebellion and I head upstairs, and we’re both putting everything on the counter. She hasn’t said a word to me, really, and now I’m starting to get a little bit anxious. Why is she being so quiet? She’s never quiet. Granted, I know she must have had some sort of bad day.
“You okay?” I finally end up asking her. I don’t want to beat around the bush anymore. It’s obvious as fuck to me that something’s going on with her.
Rebellion turns to look at me in the light, and to say I’m taken back is a complete understatement. Her left cheek is swelling near her cheekbone, and on that same side, her left eye is turning a deep shade of blue. “What the fuck happened?” I’m careful to make sure my words don’t scare her, but I’m pissed. I’m furious. Not at Rebellion, but the pathetic son of a bitch who did this to her.
Rebellion swallows hard, and I realize she’s holding one of her arms against her stomach. She glances down at the floor and doesn’t say anything at first. I need to coax this out of her, so I need to choose my words carefully. “I want to know what happened, Rebellion. You know you can trust me.”
“Do I, though?” She snaps at me out of nowhere, and I don’t know what to expect. All I’m trying to do is help her, and she’s getting an attitude with me . . . really?
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I’m not normally the kind of person who goes from zero to one hundred, but right now, I’m having a really hard time not doing that.
“I’m not an idiot, Leon. I saw an old photograph of your father, and I must say the resemblance is uncanny.” Rebellion’s staring right into my eyes. I can tell she wants to scream at me, but she’s keeping her tone low. She’s furious with me for hiding who I am, and I think she might be searching for answers.
Here’s my dilemma. If I’m honest with her and confess this, it jeopardizes everything I’m doing for my club. Fuck, I’m not sure what to do. I’m not sure where to go from here.
“Don’t you dare try to lie to me, either. I want answers.”
“And so do I. I want to know who put their fuckin’ hands on you.”
Rebellion shakes her head in frustration. “You can’t actually expect me to believe that you give a shit about me. Come on. You only did this for some sort of undercover op your club sent you on. Right?” Man, the sass is coming through thicker than ever as she continues speaking. I can’t blame her for being mad. I’d be mad, too, if I was in her position.
“I shouldn’t, but I do. I actually give a fuck about you. The truth is if I weren’t here for the reason I am, I’d still be pursuing you because you’re one cool-ass chick. You’re real, Rebellion. You’re not one of those fake women I see parading around the streets in Birmingham. You are one-hundred percent authentic to who you are and don’t try to change for anyone, nor would you.”
Rebellion shakes her head in denial. “I knew it. You are here to screw with my father’s club. They’re my family, Leon.”
“Yeah, they might be your family, but I can guarantee they did this shit to you. If you ask me, that’s pretty fucked up.” I’m not holding back anymore. I’m going to shoot it straight with her.
“Maybe we’re both blinded by our family and what they want. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” I know what she’s trying to do. She wants me to talk to her about the reason I’m here, probably so she can run back and go tell her father.
“I have an idea. One that will give us both what we want. One that will require a lot of fuckin’ trust on both of our parts. Are you open to hearin’ it?” I proceed to get plates from the cupboards because my stomach is growling, and I’m not going to let what we’re discussing ruin my appetite.
“Sure,” Rebellion says.
I begin opening all of the boxes and put a little bit of everything on her plate, then hand it over. She furrows her brows in surprise as I hand it to her, and I begin making my own plate. “We both want answers, so you tell me what happened that caused all this, and I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
Rebellion sucks in a deep breath and takes a bite of the Margherita pizza I ordered. Once she’s done chewing, she finally answers. “Fine.”
“Ladies first.” I take a bite of my own pizza and wait for her to speak.
