Rebel (Renegades 2)

“Wes…” Rubi twisted her arm in his grip. When he looked down, her brow was pulled in a grimace.

He eased the pressure on her hand as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Teeth clenching, he stepped in and didn’t release Rubi until the doors had closed. He didn’t expect her to go back into her father’s office; he just…needed to have a hold of her, as if that would somehow protect her.

But even after the doors closed, he couldn’t let go.

“Please, Wes. ”

He forced his hand open, then crossed his arms and pressed his back to one wall.

“Let me explain,” she said, her face a mix of misery and fear. “You have every right to be pissed. I overstepped. I shouldn’t have talked to my father about the rig. And I didn’t, really… I mean I—”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” He hadn’t been this mad since…oh, yeah, a few nights ago, when some stranger had plowed his fist into his eye because of that fucker Bolton. “I don’t give a shit about the rig. How could you let him talk to you like that?”

She stared, that confused vertical crease between her eyes, lips parted. Christ, she was so beautiful. Inside and out. And so much he hadn’t understood about her made sense now. After being raised by a pig like that, it was no wonder she wasn’t interested in a relationship. Not a fucking surprise she didn’t believe love could last. If Wes had been taught that love was bad, ugly, painful, he wouldn’t have believed it either.

“I…I don’t…let him talk to me like that, he just…does. Which is why I don’t see him. Why I hate him. Why…I’m never going to speak to him again after tonight. ”

Wes’s skin was on fire. His brain a twist of fury. He wiped a palm across his forehead. Before he knew it, the rage overtook him, and he slammed his hand into the mirrored wall with a feral growl. The reflective surface splintered, and pain shot through his hand. A strangled scream curdled in Rubi’s throat. In the cracked reflection, she jumped and tented her hands over her mouth.

“Stop. ” She sucked an audible breath. “Don’t. ”

Goddammit. He instantly regretted the show of insane frustration.

She pushed her hands through her hair, her gaze on the floor. “I knew I should have come alone. ”

Wes dropped his arm and shook out his hand. His fingers were dripping blood on the tan patterned carpet. “Because you don’t need anyone, right?”

His voice came out bitter. He was so angry—at Dolph for being such a bastard, at himself for letting Rubi convince him to stay out of it, at Rubi for… God he didn’t even know. Maybe for hanging on to this fucker as long as she had.

The thought made him lunge for her. He gripped her arms and gave her a little shake. “Are you living off his money? Is that why he’s still in your life? Because I have money. I have a million of racing money sitting around collecting interest. You can have it if you just get the fuck away from—”

“No. ” She lifted her hands and pressed them to his chest, her voice sure and steady, as if compensating for his imbalance. “No, Wes. My money is my own, and I have plenty. I told you the truth earlier. ”

“Then…why? Why have any contact with him when he treats you like that?”

The elevator doors opened, and Rubi’s expression closed up. “We’ll talk about this outside. ”

She turned away, stepping out of the elevator.

Wes looked down at his hand. Blood everywhere. “Fucking fantastic. ”

He fisted the mess behind his back and exited the elevator. Rubi was already in quiet conversation with Frank. He nodded, drew her into a hug, and saluted Wes over Rubi’s shoulder. She took Wes’s arm, leading him toward the main doors and down the front walkway toward the car. “Give me the keys. ”

“I’m fine, I just—”

“You’re not driving this angry. ” She repeated his own earlier words deliberately. “Give me the keys. ”

Wes shoved them into her open hand feeling defeated and strode to the passenger’s door. “You should be just as angry. ”

When the car chirped, he yanked open the door and slid into the seat, every muscle taut. He flattened his injured hand over his knee and stared down at the blood. He had a couple of good cuts over his knuckles. One he was pretty sure needed stitches. God, what a fucking dumb shit. His emotions had been strung out since he’d first kissed Rubi. He’d ignored them. Convinced himself he could deal. That he could handle her, handle himself, handle something between them. Now look at him.

Rubi shut her door but didn’t start the engine. “Listen for a minute. ” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “When I saw how amazing the rig—”

“I don’t give a fuck about the rig—”

“Shut. Up. ” She turned blazing green eyes on him. “Please, Wes. I need to tell you this. ”

He pushed pent-up air out of his mouth, clenched his teeth, and stared through the windshield.