Page 49 of The Rebel's Guide to Pride

“James—”

Mom stopped herself and spared a smile as Cohen appeared in his waiter uniform. I could feel the rage boiling in my chest while he refilled her glass of sweet tea.He refused to let me?Like he can still control me? Fuck him. I’m eighteen years old now.

“How are we doing this evening?” Cohen asked. “Have you decided on your entrées yet?”

“We’ll still need a few minutes, thanks,” my father replied curtly.

“Are you sure?” Cohen pressed, cutting his gaze toward me.

The thoughtful tilt of his head let me know he’d heard the entire conversation. Heat seared my cheeks as I nodded once, hoping he hadn’t seen the check. Because I couldn’t accept it. Wouldn’t accept a bribe.

“Thanks, Cohen,” I said under my breath, and he patted my shoulder once before moving to his next table.

We sat there for a moment in silence. It was as though all the air had been sucked out of The Cove. The feeling that I was suffocating was back, the shoebox lid threatening to seal me inside. I couldn’t take it anymore and tossed the check on the table.

“Why would I thank you?” I asked, my words daggers.

He leaned forward with a lowered voice. “Anthony, do you know the town square has video surveillance?” he asked, andmy eyes went wide.The donkey statue.“Mayor Buchanan turned over the footage to the law firm for me to go through. The city was prepared to press charges against the culprit, but fortunately for you there was no footage to be found of that night.”

My heart dropped into my stomach as Mom swiveled toward me. “You vandalized that statue?” she asked in disbelief.

I dry swallowed and gave her a nod. Shit, shit, shit.I was in so much trouble. She would ground me, and then there went the speakeasies—

“Good,” Mom said, surprising both my father and me. “Because Mayor Buchananisa jackass, and I’m glad there’s a chance he’ll get voted out of office.”

“Katherine,” Dad warned. “Keep your voice down. There is no way in hell he’ll lose. A vote for Bedolla won’t amount to anything, and it looks bad for Chapman Law if you’re—”

“I don’t give two shits about Chapman Law.” She cut him off. “And I’ll be damned if I let you tell me what to do.” He opened his mouth, and she pointed a finger at him tersely. “Don’t you dare interrupt me while I’m talking. You’ve been so focused on Family First that you forgot to putyourfamily first. You can’t play both sides now to get what you want.”

“I’m doing what’s best for our son,” he retorted.

“What’s best for Zeke,” she began with an eerie calm in her voice, “is making his own decisions about the future. Youwillrespect that.”

They both locked eyes in a stare down, and the fake politeness slipped from his face. “And what do you want to do,Zeke?” he sneered, glaring at me.

It was the first time he’d ever asked me that. I’d beenthinking about the answer to that question since that first day I worked in Roaring Mechanics. How it felt to hold a tool in my hand while Zelda Fitzgerald watched over me. To take charge and be proud, live my life and not give a shit about what other people thought was best for me.

My glare met his as I began ripping up his check. Because I knew what I didn’t want, and that was to meet him halfway. I wouldn’t accept his conditions.

My birthday officially sucked.

Mom and I stormed out of The Cove before my father could object. She’d tried to make up for it by taking me out for burgers and ice cream in West Point. The entire time I kept wishing I could tell Mason about the JACass’s audacity. So, in a moment of weakness, I’d messaged him back. No response had come by the time we arrived home. I’d been so gutted that all I could do was crawl into bed and pull up my favoriteDoctor Whoepisodes.

Not even the terrifying Weeping Angels storyline could distract me, though. I was too hollowed out from too much thinking, too much regret for messaging Mason despite myself. With a sigh, I exited the streaming app and closed my laptop.

I knew the speakeasy needed planning, but I wasn’t feeling it. Not with the doubt pulling at me or the anticipation that kept me checking my phone. Mason still hadn’t replied to the too-honest message.For real, though, who would blame him?I thought, unlocking my phone to reread what I’d sent.

8:43PM

zekechapman

sorry a lot has been going on

zekechapman

no I’m not okay bc some stuff went down with my father and my friends and my birthday sucks majorly and yeah

9:02PM

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