Rodeo isn't surprised that Teagan has the reaction she does. One of the things that's so comforting about T is this, the fact that she's always ready to defend him and his actions, biased perhaps but more loyal and steadfast than anyone. Most folks would listen to him and agree that what he done was wrong, that the woman was right to leave his lying ass, that he ought to be more honest and forthright next time. Not Teagan. She takes up both his hands and spits some vitriol about Lita's qualifications for casting stones, and Rodeo feels relief that he knows he doesn't deserve as he talks to the first person that hasn't scolded him for his actions or tell him they told him so. When she asks if it was the wanted poster, he shakes his head and looks down at his hands as guilt turns his stomach over.
"No, it was... worse." He takes a breath, and it hitches slightly in his chest. "We were out on a date in that old gym on Lamar, It was goin'... real nice. She really... she really liked me a lot, mama. She did. But then some o' the Gestapo pigs showed up. Held us up. One of 'em was gettin' rough with her, and they were sayin'... shit that made me see red, shit that made me sure I was gonna kill 'em all. And then they started callin' me Dog King. I... I saw her when she realized I been lyin' to her the whole time. Like all the lights went out. She really liked me, she really did, but she sure don't no more. It ain't 'cause she's without sin. It's 'cause I manipulated her. I know you wanna be on my side, but I didn't let her make the choice for herself whether to get in bed with the goddamn Dog King. I took that right away from her. I kept it up for months, her never knowin' what she was really gettin' herself into until a bunch o' pigs showed up and shoved guns in her face and threatened to do worse. She shoulda known. I shoulda told her. She ain't a saint, but she's got a right to know who she's kissin'. She never agreed to kiss the Dog King, and she sure as hell never agreed to get shot down on a date with him."