REBEL, a New Adult Romance Novel (The Rebel Series) (28 page)

Quin snorts.
 
“Maybe she had him killed so she could own it.”
 
She laughs after she says it, but that doesn’t stop my blood from running cold.

“That’s not funny, Quinn.
 
Seriously.”

Her smile disappears.
 
“Oh, shit.
 
That was horrible.
 
Why did I say that?
 
I’m sorry.”
 
She runs around the desk and grabs me in a tight hug as her purse swings around and hits me in the back.
 
“I’m an asshole.
 
I wasn’t thinking. I’ve been watching too many movies.
 
He’s your dad, not just some CEO guy we don’t know.
 
He died way too young, but he wasn’t murdered.
 
He just ate too much saturated fat or something. Ugh, I’m an idiot.”

“Yeah,” I say, patting her hand.
 
I’m not crying; I don’t have any tears left.
 
“Don’t worry about it.
 
Go to your yoga class, would you?
 
I need to work so I don’t lose this fabulous job and I can’t do anything with you here.”

Quin stands.
 
“You do have a fabulous job.
 
You’re the queen of the entire office.
 
And honestly, Tea, I don’t think all is lost with that boss of yours.
 
If you like him, fight for him.
 
What’s the worst that could happen?”

“I could become homeless?”

“Poo.
 
You’re not going to be homeless.
 
This isn’t the only job in the world.”

I’m not going to say the lame, pitiful response I have on the tip of my tongue out loud, but I sure am thinking it.
 
I’ve been around for over twenty years and met a lot of people from the lowest to the highest levels of society, and I’ve never met a guy like Rebel before.

Quin leaves and I stare at my computer screen, lost in thought.
 
She asked what the worst thing that could happen is, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
 
My answer is that I could never get to see Rebel ever again, and as sorry as it sounds, I would rather see him every day with my bruised ego riding side-saddle than never see him again.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

I NEVER WANT TO SEE Rebel ever again.
 
After the rest of the week goes by without a single signal from him good or bad, I’m ready to explode with self-pity.
 
This is so not how I usually roll. I’ve never been a walking sack of sorry assitude like I am now; I can’t even stand to be in the same room with myself.
 
Something has got to give.

Rebel moving into Colin’s apartment to be his brother’s temporary roommate has only made things worse.
 
Maybe it was supposed to be kind and chivalrous, but all it feels like is more rejection.
 
At this point I know that no matter what he does, short of standing in front of me and getting completely naked, I’m going to take it as a bad sign.
 
I just need to leave.

When five o’clock on Friday finally rolls around, I’m ready for a major break. I’m straightening my desk and gathering up my purse when Colin walks in.
 
He’s maybe said five words to me since I met him, so I’m a little shocked when he stands only a few feet away and starts a deep conversation out of the blue.

“So, I hear you lost your dad recently.”

“Uh, yeah.”
 
I put my strap over my shoulder and jingle my keys.

“Sorry about that.
 
I lost my mom.
 
I know how much it sucks.”

I ignore the lump in my throat.
 
“Thanks.”

“So I was going out for a drink and thought you might like to go with me.
 
We could talk.
 
If you want.”

My mouth drops open, but words won’t come out.
 
I’m not even sure what words
should
come out.

“Not like a date or anything.
 
Just to talk about your dad or whatever.”

I feel like I might be walking into a trap, but he’s standing there looking as sincere as a guy possibly can, and I can’t help but be drawn to him. Maybe this is what Rebel was talking about when he called him Trouble.

The words fly out before I can think to stop them.
 
“Rebel warned me to stay away from you.”

Colin scowls.
 
“Fuck him.”

The smile on my face starts out small, but by the time I respond, it’s blazing its glory all over the room.
 
“Yeah, okay.” I nod in respect. “Fuck Rebel.
 
I’d love to go out for a drink.
 
Where?”

“You can drive.
 
Just give me a sec to clean up.”

He disappears into the bathroom with a backpack over his shoulder, and the sound of running water comes through the closed door.

I sit down and fiddle around with my pen.
 
My stomach has butterflies or something equally unsettled inside it.
 
It feels like a bad idea to take Colin up on his offer, but logically-speaking, the misgivings make no sense.
 
It’s just one beer with a person who is nice enough to want to talk to me about my deceased father.
 
And I know Colin’s mom was important to him; Rebel told me that much.

What could go wrong with a simple conversation about people we loved who have passed away?
 
Nothing.
 
Nothing at all.
 
I don’t find Colin remotely attractive and I’m sure he feels the same way about me.
 
That blonde girl is definitely more his style.

He comes out dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and his hands mostly free of engine oil.
 
I’ve learned from working here that none of them can completely get rid of it.
 
He’s passably handsome, but nothing like Rebel.
 
I hate that I’m comparing them like that.
 
It’s pitiful how Rebel is now my measure of all things guy-like.

“Ready?” he asks, gracing me with a superstar smile.

“Yep.”

“Let’s take your car.
 
You can either bring me back after or I’ll just walk.”

“Where are we going?” I ask, following him out the door.

“Brewskies.
 
Just a few blocks south.”

Following his directions, we arrive at what I would consider a skid-row kind of place, but one that Colin knows well.
 
He waves to different people as we enter.

The interior is really dark, the only illumination coming from neon beer signs and the lights over a couple of pool tables in the back of the room. We sit at the bar and Colin orders us each a beer after exchanging greetings and playful barbs with the grizzly bartender.

He turns to face me on the stool.
 
“So, what’s your name, where d’you come from, what’s your sign, what are your goals, are you seeing anyone …?”
 
He grins and cocks an eyebrow up at me.

I roll my eyes.
 
“Oh boy.”
 
I’m probably in over my head at this point, but I push through.
 
Screw the rules and being worried.
 
I’m going to have a beer and have some fun too.
 
I deserve it after the week I’ve had.

“Okay, so my name as you know is Teagan Cross, I’m from California, I’m a virgo, and my goal is to not be homeless.
 
Is that everything?”

“You forgot the best part.”

“Oh yeah?
 
What’s that?”

“Whether you’re seeing anyone.”

I press my lips together, trying to figure out the best way to deal with this.
 
“I’m not, but that’s not relevant.”

“Not relevant to what?”
 
He grabs the beer that was just set on the bartop and takes a long drink.
 
He easily drains half the mug before I even get mine to my lips.

I take a sip and grimace as it goes down before I answer.
 
“To why we’re here or to our relationship.”

“What if I want to set you up with someone?
 
I’ll need to know if you’re spoken for or not.”

I laugh, imagining the mess he’d hook me up with.
 
As if I couldn’t find one of those on my own.
 
“I’m pretty sure I don’t want you to do that.”

“Why?
 
You think I don’t have nice friends?”
 
He finishes his beer.

I’m afraid of where this might go, so I decide being blunt is my best defense. “I thought we were here to talk about dead relatives.
 
What happened to that?”

He signals the bartender for another drink.
 
“Nothing.
 
Just breaking the ice a little before we get to the heavy stuff.”

I breathe a little easier with his explanation and smile.
 
“You’re seriously aware of the power you have over women, right?”

“What’s this now?”

I wiggle a finger at his forehead. “Your eyebrows are all scrunched up and you’re doing a good job of looking lost and innocent, but we both know it’s an act.”
 
I take another swig of my beer. “Cut the crap and fess up.
 
You’re trying to work your magic on me.”

He attempts to hide his grin behind his fresh beer mug.
 
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re not called Trouble for no reason.
 
Let’s not play that game, okay?
 
I’m still grieving over my dad or whatever, and I’ve had a hell of a week at work, and I’m just not in the mood to be some guy’s meal.
 
I’m liable to go all Fatal Attraction on the next dude who shows any interest, so trust me, you don’t want to go there.”

“Wow.”
 
He puts his beer down, and for the first time, I think he’s really looking at me and actually seeing me.
 
“That was a mouthful.”

I take a few big gulps of my beer and burp out the carbonation.
 
“Yeah.
 
I’m on a hair trigger tonight.
 
Don’t piss me off.”

“I like you.”
 
He grins big.

I smile back.
 
“I like you too.
 
As long as you’re not trying to make a move on me.”

He holds up his hands in surrender.
 
“I promise, I’ll keep my hands to myself.
 
Scout’s honor.”

“Were you a scout?”

“Hell no.”

“I didn’t think so.”
 
I hold up my beer.
 
“Here’s to honesty, beer, and forgetting things that suck.”

He bangs his mug against mine, making some beer spill out of both of them.
 
“Here, here.”

We both gulp down the last of our beers and slam the mugs onto the bartop, grinning and burping like fiends.

Two beers later for me and five later for him, things go from happy, giggling, goofing around smartassery to a big hairy belligerent mess, all over a single look.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

“YOUR DAD SOUNDS LIKE HE was a real dick,” says Colin, his words not slurred in the least.
 
I can’t say the same for mine.

“You know … you’re right.
 
He was a dick.
 
He ignored me.
 
He never listened to me.
 
He basically told me to jus’ be seen and not heard.
 
D’you know how annoying that is?”

“I can imagine.”
 
He’s answering, but I can tell I don’t have his attention.

I look over my shoulder.
 
“What?
 
Whass over there?”

“That guy is staring at us.”

I giggle.
 
“He’s probably jealous.
 
You’re here with the hottest girl in town, you know.”
 
It’s not saying much considering most of the women in here look like they get paid at the lower end of the scale for BJs in the back alley, but I’m drunk enough to be proud anyway.

“No, he wants to fight.”
 
Colin sits up straighter.

I look again. “What guy? That fat guy over there?”
 
I’m pretty sure he could just sit on Colin and that would be the end of things.

“No.
 
The one in the corner.”

I turn more fully on my stool, but I can’t see the guy’s face.
 
“You know him?”
 
As I squint to get a better look at the stranger, he turns around to almost look at the wall.

I smile at Colin.
 
“D’ya see that?
 
He’s scared of me.
 
I jus’ looked at him and
BAM
, he turned away.
 
I fucking rock.
 
I’ve got this aura, you know?
 
Like back the fuck off kind of aura.
 
It scares people.
 
I’m street like that.”

“He’s looking for trouble.”
 
Colin gets up off his stool and bumps into my legs.

I grab him by the arm and hold him back from leaving me at the bar. It almost causes me to fall off my stool. “Where are you going?
 
You can’t leave me here.”

“I’ll be right back.”

“No!” I yell a little louder than I mean to.

At least it gets Colin’s attention.
 
His expression says he thinks I’ve lost my mind.

“I mean, please sit here and have another beer with me.
 
I want to talk about dead people some more.”

“In a minute.”
 
Colin pulls his arm from my claws and makes his way around the pool tables.

“Oh, fudge buckets,” I say, sliding down from my perch and following him over.
 
I take my mug with me since I paid for this round with my own money.
 
No way am I not drinking every last drop in that glass.
 
I stop right behind Colin, just in time to hear him throw down his challenge.