Rebel (Renegades 2)

Still, she didn’t move forward.

This wasn’t where she wanted to be. Or who she wanted to be with.

This was all wrong.

Thirty-One

When Wes came out of the Renegades’ bathroom after a quick shower, Courtney Marshall was already waiting for him. He’d never seen her, only spoken with her on the phone, and she wasn’t what he’d expected. She was far younger than he’d guessed from her voice, maybe early twenties. Blonde and pretty, and dressed down in jeans and a light sweater, both of which hugged well-proportioned curves.

She turned from all the attention the other Renegades were showering on her and smiled. “You must be Wes. ”

“Uh, yeah. ” He ran one hand through his hair and reached to take her extended hand with the other. “Sorry, just cleaning up. ”

“Great. Ready to go?”

“Let’s talk outside a second. ”

“Hey,” Troy said. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Courtney, the guys,” he said, glaring at Troy. “Guys, Courtney. Let’s go. ”

“We know her name, dorkweed,” Keaton threw in. “How about a relation? Friend? Date?” He paused. “Girlfriend?”

Thank God she hadn’t told them why she was here. “None of your business. ”

She said her good-byes to the crew, and Wes held the door open for her but didn’t miss the scowl Rachel leveled on him on the way out. He followed Courtney down the steps, calling himself all kinds of stupid for the nerves making him awkward.

With his hands stuffed in the front pockets of his jeans, he glanced around, making sure no one was nearby. “So, I’m not real good at this. What’s the plan?”

She grinned and flipped her sleek cut off her forehead. “I take you to lunch, and we talk. ” She slipped her arm through his and tugged him toward the parking lot. “We’ll go from there. ”

He glanced down at his jeans, frayed threadbare in too many places to be decent. “I didn’t expect you to call this morning, so I’m not exactly prepared for—”

“I was thinking casual,” she said, perky, relaxed. “How does Casey’s sound?”

Rubi parked along the street in front of the Renegades set location for the day—a steel scrapyard in an industrial area of the city. She spotted the Renegades trailer alongside a warehouse where film crews, cameras, and lights had been set up. She also spotted Wes’s truck parked several cars up from hers.

Rubi pulled off her sunglasses and pressed a hand to the tight ache in her chest. She could do this. If he rejected her, he rejected her. She’d know it wasn’t meant to be. But she had to try.

She picked up the present in the passenger’s seat and stood from her car, smoothing her skirt—one of Wes’s favorites. On a deep breath, she started up the sidewalk. A few wolf whistles sounded from the industrial buildings near the site still in use, but she ignored them. She glanced at Wes’s truck as she passed, not sure what she was looking for, but found no real changes. No panties hanging from the rearview. A good sign, right?

Crossing her arms, Rubi continued toward the action and scoured the site, but found no sign of Wes. She heard laughter from the Renegades trailer before she was within a hundred feet. The sound hit her with a bittersweet sensation. She’d missed the guys. Missed the flurry of energy and activity that hovered in and around the trailer like a beehive. But most of all, she missed Wes. Missed his laugh. Missed his humor. Missed his love.

“I can do this. ”

She took the stairs and opened the door. Before she’d stepped in, everyone went silent. Their shocked gazes held on her for an extra second, then darted to each other with concern.

“Gee, good to see you too, guys. ”

Troy pushed out of the sofa and took one giant step, crossing the trailer. He pulled her off her feet in a bear hug. “Where the fuck you been, Russo? Just ’cause Lawson’s a prick doesn’t mean you can’t come see the rest of us. ”

“Troy,” she said, voice strained, “you’re cutting off my air. ”

“Wuss,” he said, setting her down.

Someone’s phone rang, and Jax, somewhere behind Troy, said, “Yeah? Be right there. ” He stood. “Ready on set. ”

Troy ruffled Rubi’s hair like an annoying brother. She swatted at his hands. “Hey. ”