Page 77 of Outcast

He'd never been good with words. He'd been better with threats and deranged smiles when he felt threatened. And this new side of him was getting to me. I couldn't trust it.

The quick reminder helped me focus back on the more important issues for the day. Making sure Ricco and Joel knew exactly where I stood and that I wasn't going anywhere.

I climbed in my car and revved the engine. I'd driven this sweet girl for five years. It was hell on wheels and sentimental. Esteban had actually been the one to oversee it.

It was everything a Lamborghini Veneno should be, but he'd souped it up in all the best ways. Matías got in his car parked on the street and when I pulled out, he followed.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, I floored the pedal and left him in the dust.

Cranking the music, I smiled during the short drive to the compound. It was only when Matías pulled in behind me and got out that my short stint of happiness burst.

"What are you doing?" I faced off with him.

"Attending the meeting." His own sunglasses were black tinted lenses so I could only see my own reflection in them.

"Why? You're not a Dirty Dog."

Another sly smile that was there, then gone. "You see, that's the thing. I'm figuring myself out and there's only one thing I want, outside of you."

His brothers. But that wouldn’t be what he was thinking to lay it out like this between us. If he did, he knew I’d claw the shit out of him. That left something he thought was romantic. Or something I had once wanted.

I didn't know whether to melt into a puddle of goo or burst into flames at how he kept pushing me into a corner. He thought he was cunning.

"What's that?" I asked as a form of torture I apparently loved to inflict on myself.

The smile lines deepened on one side as he gave me a crooked grin. "To be a Dirty Dog. I'm here to put in my official application."

"You've got to be fucking shitting me!" Esteban stormed around the side of the compound, grease marking his hands and shirt.

I should have stepped between them, but I was shocked. I knew what he would say, yet I was still shook to my core.

He wanted to be a Dirty Dog? Fuck.

19

RITA

Dirty Dogs started pouring out of the compound. Ricco and Joel coming right behind Esteban.

Esteban was on a mission. He couldn’t be stopped as he stormed straight for Matías.

Except Ricco somehow got in front of him and knocked him back. Grinning so wide, Ricco’s face was going to split. Joel on the other hand looked like he'd sucked on a lemon.

"Matías! It's about damn time!" Ricco pulled him into a tight hug. Matías seemed mildly uncomfortable as he waited a beat before he patted Ricco on the back.

Shooting a quick glance at me, Esteban seemed to think better of starting another fight and came to stand slightly in front of me, crossing his arms. His T-shirt stretched over his muscles and sweat glistened on the back of his neck.

He was so worked up, the muscles in his arms were spasming. "Don't trust it,” he growled.

Joel glanced at Esteban, then at me. I'd been standing there mesmerized but his attention jump started my brain.

"What do you mean you want to be a Dirty Dog?" Myvoice was shrill at the end, all of my shock and outrage slamming into me like a semi-truck.

He'd hadyearsto make this decision. I couldn't get over the fact that he'd let so much time pass andnowhe wanted to change everything?

"Why shouldn't we trust him?" Joel asked loudly.

Several of the men patted Matías on the back, trying to engage him in some wasted-ass, small talk. Absolutely none of them cared about what Joel had to say.

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