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Her breath hitched as we walked to the door, but there was a relaxed happiness about her, despite the things we’d done that night. That fire had joined us. Bonded us in a way that we hadn’t been before it.
I held her secrets now, and she held mine. That knowledge seeped its way into my chest and squeezed.
The feeling was foreign. I’d felt it only once before.
I was falling for her and I needed to tell her. The feeling was too big not to.
On my mother’s porch, I pulled her to a standstill, the two of us bathed in a circle of yellow light from the bulb above our heads. She tugged at her clothes distractedly, nervously pulling at threads that weren’t there.
I needed her eyes on me. Needed her full attention. I put my fingers beneath her chin and tilted it up, forcing her to watch me.
Her hands fell to her sides at the look in my eyes.
“Rebel. I think I—”
The door flew open.
“Vaughny!” My ex-wife stepped out onto the porch. “Hey, baby. I missed you.”
26
REBEL
I stumbled back, shoved out of the way by Vaughn’s long-legged wife, who towered over me like she’d been bred from giraffes. Nearly as tall as him, she threw her arms around his neck and rubbed her nose all over his.
Stiffly, he extracted himself from the prison of her arms, but if she was insulted by his lack of return of affection, she didn’t show it. “Your mom and I have made our famous lasagna. We’ve been working on it all afternoon, and the house smells amazing. Come on.”
She grabbed his arm, digging red fingernails into it and tugging him toward the door without so much as a peep in my direction.
He shook her off, his expression sharp with anger. “What the hell, Brooke? Get off me.” He looked past her to me, his gaze searching me from head to toe. “Are you okay?”
My fingers brushed the back pocket of my jeans, wishing my knuckle-dusters were in there. Though punching out Vaughn’s wife might not be the best way to impress his mother. But what the fuck?
“Fine,” I grumbled.
Brooke glanced over at me, staring at me blankly like she’d only just realized I was there. “Who are you?”
Vaughn answered before I could. “Rebel. This is Brooke.”
“His wife,” Brooke practically purred.
“Ex-wife,” Vaughn spat out.
She shot me a smug look. “I don’t remember signing any divorce papers.”
Oh, fuck this shit. I didn’t need to be here in the middle of one of their lovers’ quarrels. “I’ll go.”
“See ya, Rachel,” Brooke called gaily.
I shook my head at the name. It was clear she’d gotten it wrong on purpose.
Vaughn ground his teeth in her direction, but when he turned to me, his face was all puppy-dog eyes, and a little of my anger faded.
He picked up my hand, threading my fingers between his. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea she was going to be here. My mom didn’t tell me. Let’s go.”
I blinked, shocked he was picking me over his mom and wife.
Clearly Brooke had similar feelings, if the flash of fury in her eyes was anything to go by.