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I sure as hell hope he doesn’t have someone in the car with him.
There had been one time she’d walked in on him about to have sex. It had been her own fault, though, because she hadn’t knocked before going into his room. But God, that vision would never leave her, and neither would the pain she’d felt afterward.
You can’t be upset when he doesn’t even know how you feel.
About to turn and head back to bed, because she didn’t want to see if there was someone else in the car with Rebel, she stilled when she saw his car door open. He climbed out of the car, braced a hand on the hood, and just stood there.
For long seconds he didn’t move, and she felt her brows knit in confusion. But then he shut the door and started making his way toward the back of the house where the walkout basement door was. He was swaying pretty badly, and she knew he was drunker than shit.
But then again he wasn’t nicknamed Rebel because he liked to stay at home and follow the rules.
After about five minutes she heard banging around downstairs, and as much as she told herself to just go to bed, Rebel was the only person she was close with. She wanted to make sure he was okay, and at least didn’t fall asleep on his back and choke on his own vomit.
Walking to where the basement door was on the other side of the house, she grabbed the doorknob and slowly turned it open. The lights were off, and she couldn’t even see the steps that descended, but then a light was turned on and she blinked back from the sudden brightness.
More banging, some cursing from Rebel, and she found herself shutting the door behind her and going downstairs. Once on the bottom landing she looked around the corner and saw Rebel in the bathroom.
Rebel had a nice setup down here, with the basement being fully finished, having its own bathroom, and even a little kitchenette off to the side. But whatever her stepfather and mother were thinking when they agreed to let Rebel have this as his room, including the private entrance, was unknown to her.
And then she heard Rebel throwing up, and she sagged her shoulders, hating that he allowed himself to get like this. Whatever was going on with him he’d never tell her, no matter how close they were.
He kept this wall up around him, and it was so high that even if she wanted to break it down it would be one hell of a feat.
Rosie headed toward the bathroom and stopped when she was standing in the doorway. Rebel was standing over the toilet, one hand braced on the wall, the other holding onto the back of the tank.
“Are you okay?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
He turned just his head and looked over his shoulder at her. His short darker blond hair was a mess around his head, and his eyes were bloodshot. The scent of vodka also came from him strong enough she probably could have gotten drunk from the fumes alone.
“What are you doing down here?” he asked just as softly, and gave her a half grin. Even hurling after a night of partying he still could look so charming.
“I hope you didn’t drive this way.”
He shook his head and straightened before turning and going to the sink to wash his face and mouth. “You know me better than that.”
Yeah, he may have a beer or two, but if he was drunk he never drove home.
“I got shit-faced sitting in my car in front of the house.” He chuckled, but it didn’t sound very humorous.
“How about I help you get to bed? You know if your dad sees you like this he’ll probably be pissed.”
Rebel shrugged. “He doesn’t give a shit, Rosie. You’re the apple of his eye.”
She felt her face heat, knowing that wasn’t true. His father, Lawson, was a good man, took care of her when her biological father had skipped town on them, but she also knew he loved Rebel deeply.
Rosie reached out and took his hand in hers, pulling him out of the bathroom, but she went slowly. Having Rebel, all six-foot-three, and two hundred pounds of muscle falling over on her was not how she wanted to end the night.
He braced a hand on the wall to steady himself as they moved toward the bedroom. Pushing the door open and letting him go in first, she heard him start to grumble.
“I should have taken a shower, but unless you want to wash my back and see me butt ass naked, I’ll just do it in the morning.”
She felt her face heat even further at his words. Yes, she actually would have helped him shower, but it wouldn’t have been because she was doing a good deed. No, she loved him, and seeing Rebel with nothing on was obviously a huge turn-on.
He sat on the bed and sighed, and for a second she just sat there, not sure if he was really okay to be left alone. Then he turned his head and looked at her. “I’m sorry you have to see me like this, Rosie.” He gave her that half smile again, and her heart sped up.
God, I love this guy, and I don’t think I could ever tell him.
He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes, throwing an arm over them and groaning. “The room is spinning. I shouldn’t have drunk so much.”
