Page 59 of Outcast

"Not a fucking chance." He planted a hand in my chest and knocked me back.

At first, I didn't acknowledge him, dead set on getting to Rita. Making sure she was okay, and letting her know once and for fucking all that I was here to stay.

I wasn't going to run. I wasn't going to leave her behind. Not again.

Never again.

Dodging to the side, I tried to get around Esteban but he stepped in my path again. As the door slammed behind Rita, I moved my attention to Esteban. His brows were dark slashes over his eyes as his top lip peeled back from his teeth.

"Did you hear what I said?"

All of the despair and regret that stretched inside me like gum, filling up even the darkest crevices, started to recede as my body vibrated for a different reason.

Like the other night, all my thoughts turned to putting this kid on his ass. She wasn't meant for him. She was mine.

"If you don't get out of my way, I'll make you." It was low, but a gasp from a girl close by meant it wasn't as quiet as I thought.

"Threaten me all you want, but you're not going to chase after Rita when she doesn't want you." He shook his head.

His words only threw fuel on the fire raging in my gut. My instincts said that this man was the reason she didn't want to see me. He was why she ran out on me.

Logically, I knew that wasn't it, but his face was right there.

"That's not your call." I sidestepped again.

He followed.

"I will fucking lay you out. You're in my brothers’ business. You don't have anyone to back you up. Move."

He laughed like I told a joke. Then he spit on the floor. "Doesn't matter if I have my club here or not. Rita's a Dirty Dog before she ever worked here. I'll protect her to my last breath."

"Because you want her. Not because she's a Dirty Dog," I said bitterly.

His mouth kicked up at the corners. He enjoyed this. Delaying me. Every second that Rita got farther away, singed my mind. Yet I craved to put Esteban in his place.

"Okay. We'll say it's both."

"She's not yours," I spat. Fuck, she wasn't mine either. But she was going to be.

His smile started to die. "Keep telling yourself whatever lies you want, but she isn't yours."

Again, I tried to get around him and he blocked my way. I made an agitated sound in the back of my throat. "What the fuck do you want?"

"What do I want?" His voice rose and he crowded me. "I want you to disappear like you did before. I want you to fuck off to another country and leave Rita alone. She doesn't deserve your brand of fucked up. You want to make her happy? Do what you always do, you fucking coward, andrun."

I reared back, but before I could let it loose, Parker caught my fist. "Not in front of the children." He tutted. "Take it outside, boys."

Spinning toward him, I threw an arm out toward Esteban. "You're not going to kick him out?"

He eyed Esteban. "Unfortunately, no. Rita's fond of him and Little Love is fond of Rita. As much as it pains me, this is a lover's spat you'll have to figure out on your own. I will however ask that you both leave." He raised his brows.

"Fuck this," I muttered and pushed past Esteban. He didn't try to stop me. Probably because Parker told us to leave and no matter what club he was part of, you didn’t ignore one of the Bastard Brothers on their property.

As soon as we went through the side door, which dropped us into a back hallway, he gripped my arm and spun me around.

"What is your problem?" I yelled in his face. "I'm not running. I'm not letting her go. You can fuck off! You're just a kid who doesn't understand anything."

"I understand plenty! I know you care more about your brothers and their woman than Rita. I know you had more fear for your father than you had love for Rita. It all comes down to that, doesn't it? Everything matters more than Rita!"

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