Page 139 of Rebellious

“Aunt Meggie isn’t marrying you. I want you to have a more intensive treatment. I don’t want to worry that my wife will meet with a drug dealer every time she goes to a fucking mall.”

“I want outpatient.” If she was gone for three months, there was a high probability that she would lose him. “Suppose I tell you I don’t care what you want?”

“Then I’d tell you goodbye and throw you the fuck off premises. Don’t fuck with me.”

“But…but…” She covered her mouth to hold in her sob. “Please, Diesel. Please!”

“No.”

She face-planted on the sofa and wailed, hoping it moved him, praying he wouldn’t abandon her. “C-can I talk to Aunt Meggie?” she finally asked, long moments later.

“I’m counting to three. If you haven’t made a move to follow my orders, our engagement is off.”

“No!” she screamed, jumping to her feet and rushing to one of the bags on the kitchen table. “You were so tender with me—”

“You’ll be gone for three months. I needed a last fuck for the long dry spell facing me.”

Hope unfurled inside her and she whirled to face him. “You aren’t going to be with another girl?”

“I told you I wouldn’t betray you in that way and I won’t.”

“I thought that only meant if I was here.”

“I’ve paused our wedding plans,” he said irritably. “I haven’t broken our engagement. If you make up with Rebel, complete rehab, and stay clean, we’ll marry next year.”

“Thank you.” Rehab meant a break from Rebel and Diesel’s determination that Jana make up with her. It would allow Jana to explore her unwarranted resentment when she wasn’t even sure where it, or her extreme jealousy, came from. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.

“You’re what’s best for me. I can’t have anyone else.”

“You could have anyone you want.”

“Not anyone, sweetheart,” he said with a sad smile.

She shrugged. “I guess no one can have everyone.”

“I guess not,” he said politely.

She thought of her birth mother. By the time she left rehab, Hopper would be gone. Besides, seeing her would keep Jana in Diesel’s company a bit longer. “Do you know where Hopper is?”

“I do.”

“Can we stop at her place before you take me to wherever?”

“I suppose I can.”

“Thank you. I love you.”

“I’ll be in my car,” he said, turned, and walked out.

Walking into the home where the DNA tests took place surprised Jana. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t expect Hopper to have access to the house when she thought it belonged to Celia.

The kitchen was bright and airy, surrounded by windows with gray walls, white cabinetry and yellow accents. Jana hoped she’d have a kitchen as nice as this to one day call her own. She’d run a house where Diesel came home every night to her.

“Miss Jana,” Bash greeted, bringing Jana back to the present. “The woman of the hour.”

Startled, Jana blinked. Bash, Cleaner, and Tio, sat at the kitchen table, reminding her of Alex, Chuck, and Ron, looking ready to pounce on her at any moment.

Jana eased closer to Diesel. She didn’t know them very well, but they all had mean eyes, despite how handsome Tio was. He was an older, harder version of CJ. If she hadn’t met them that night or if Diesel wasn’t with her, she might’ve run away.