Page 51 of Outcast

That look in her eyes...

Damn. I rubbed my chest.

"Why is he glaring at the table salt like it spit on his toothbrush?" Parker stage-whispered to the others.

"I think he's realizing just how bad he fucked up by faking his death." Lafe touched the feather-soft curls on Cossette's head.

"No. I'd do it again." No matter how many times I argued with them, I couldn't make them see that what I'd done had been the right decisionat the time. Except for Rita.

There went my fucking heart squeezing again.

"I should have contacted Rita, or come back sooner." Or taken her with me. That was the kicker. I'd been so messed up and down on my own worth, I hadn't ever thought that would be a possibility. "I need to go."

"What? To take your pound of flesh out of Esteban for fucking Rita?" Parker asked slyly as he leaned back in his chair.

"They haven't fucked." I waved a hand. "He's just a flirt." It had just been bad timing for me when he put his hands on her.

The guys exchanged looks.

"What?" I narrowed my eyes on them.

Grey shrugged. "Not our business."

"That did not answer my question." I leaned forward, tossing the icepack on the table. My eye and jaw were swollen and mottled. Holding the ice on it any longer wouldn't make it heal any faster.

"Look," Parker started, then Cossette added her opinion in a high-pitched babble. "Shhh...Let Daddy slap some verbal sense into your Uncle 'Tias."

This time, my chest twinged with warmth. I'd never had this kind of connection before. It was alien and welcome.

"I'm not saying they fucked..." Except he raised his brows like that was exactly what he thought. "And if I knew they had, I wouldn't tell you." I gritted my teeth. That was as good as a confession. "But Estebanhatesyou, according to Amorette. And when I've seen them together, there was a familiarity there."

"Esteban did hold her like he knew herverywell," Grey added in his two cents.

That was enough. I couldn't sit here any longer and listen to their theories. I needed to see Rita and get some things straight. She needed to know I was here for good. For her.

Esteban needed to know that I was back in the picture.

"I'm going."

My pocket vibrated and when I pulled my phone out, I had a text from Ricco.

Ricco: Club vote in twenty. I'd like you to be here. Javier would have wanted it.

Closing my eyes, I breathed through my regret. I hadn't come running back when I first found out about his heart attack. This time, I would go.

"What's wrong?" Lafe asked, leaning against the counter.

"I need to be at the compound." Not opening myself up for anymore conversation, I booked it out of the kitchen. I grabbed a set of keys from the keyring by the door, and left. They'd have to fight me later if they were pissed I took one of their cars.

The shouting was loud.The compound wasn't built like the mansion, but the insulation was decent. I shouldn't be hearing them this much outside.

With the Dirty Dogs, especially after last night, this only meant trouble.

Picking up my pace, I slammed into the front door to the main hall. It banged against the wall, but only a handful of people noticed.

Ricco and Esteban were in each other's faces and the Dirty Dogs in the metal chairs were yelling obscenities and pumping their fists. There was even a fight breaking out in the corner.

Rita sat at the table, glaring daggers at Ricco. Her mouth set and her brow furrowed like she was trying to figure out how she wanted to jump in. Her fingers were curled on the table like she wanted to claw someone's eyes out.

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