Page 54 of Outcast

Joel raised a finger. "I can work with Rita on a plan. If she's voted in, I'll still be her VP. If I'm voted in, I'll know everything that's gone down."

"Fair enough." Ricco pounded his fist on the table twice and the room started to clear out.

Rita stood, and I tried to touch her arm. "Rita."

Esteban knocked my arm away and I raised my fist, ready for another fight.

"Stop."

I glanced down. Rita placed her hand on my chest, almost over my heart. Could she feel how fucking hard it beat for her?

"We need to talk."

"We don't. I need you to get out of my sight." Then she walked off the platform with Esteban two steps behind her.

"Matías," Ricco said next to me. "I'm glad you're back."

"I came back for her." I wanted there to be no doubt about my intentions. I didn't spend my life fucking up for all the wrong reasons to give up when I finally had the right one.

"Matías...." I glanced at him, and he too was watching Rita and Esteban.

She glanced back right before she disappeared through the door. Her expression was blank like she didn't give one fuck about me.

I pulled in a long breath through my nose. "Did I miss that? How could I have fucking missed it?"

Ricco must have known exactly what I was talking about because he sighed and scratched his bearded chin. "No. He's always had a thing for Rita, but he never let it show when you were around. She never acted on it until you broke things off."

I whipped toward him. "She acted on it?"

Even though Parker insinuated he knew things I didn't, I had hoped he was wrong. This confirmation hit my chest like a ton of bricks, forcing the air from my lungs.

"Fuck," Ricco groaned. He took in the now empty room and stepped closer to me. "She fucked him one night as far as I know. We saw them disappear together, and that was the only time we saw it...Until this morning."

Spinning on my heel, I started walking away.

"Matías!" he called.

I didn't answer. I couldn't. I needed to destroy something and if I stayed here any longer, it'd be Ricco.

Grey was getting a sparring partner after all.

How could Rita go to bed with him after we'd fucked?

13

RITA

Itapped on the keyboard of my computer, outlining a ridiculously boring email. I wasn't sure why I even bothered. It wasn't like Amorette wasn't going to go over it and legalese it anyway.

There was a knock at the door. Instead of yelling for the person to come in, I rolled my chair out and stood up. Smoothing my dress down, I walked to the door.

It was a cop out for more time. It didn't matter who it was, I just needed more time.

The last few days had been exhausting and I was running out of fucks to give. Why did I even want to be President of the Dirty Dogs? It had never crossed my mind beforePapádied. Yet, as soon as he was gone, I knew I had to take his place.

My brain and heart were in agreement. They demanded it.

"Yes?" I placed my hand on the doorknob and waited. I didn't always lock it, but I did today.

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