Chapter Eight—CJ
Dad was hiding something.
CJ wasn’t sure what. He just knew it to be a fact. Dad said one thing, but his action pointed to something else. He said Reb was expected to make a full recovery, yet he didn’t allow anyone to see her.
Part of CJ wondered if paranoia guided his thoughts.
After all, Dad had no reason to lie. CJ also understood Rebel had been through a lot.
It stood to reason, she was traumatized and might not want motherfuckers inundating her as she recovered.
However, she wouldn’t answer CJ’s texts.
Bad enough. Not responding to Diesel, though?
Yeah, that pointed to sneaky fuckery. Backed up by Bishop’s actions yesterday evening.
Bishop refused to allow either of them in her room, even under threat of Diesel’s violence.
“Kill me then, Diesel,” he stormed. “You’re not the prez. Outlaw is and he’s Reb’s father. He told me not to let anyone in, so take it up with him.”
“That’s my little sister in there, motherfucker!” Diesel snarled, face red with fury.
“Fuck! I’m so glad I don’t have sisters if this is how they make you act.”
Diesel began to tremble from rage, and CJ snapped his brows together, speaking before a homicide was committed. “Motherfucker, you just told me about your pregnant sister. Or the one who just had a baby. I thought you had three or four.”
Hadn’t CJ met them?
“I told you around Christmas I just had brothers,” Bishop mumbled.
“Then who–”
“You fucking played us so you’d take Rebel on a date and fuck her,” Diesel interrupted, unravelling by the minute. He snatched Bishop’s collar and dragged him off his feet.
“I can explain!” Bishop cried.
Placing his hand on Diesel’s shoulder, CJ nodded at Bishop. “Let him explain, D.”
Diesel dropped him but still crowded him against the door.
“Hurry up,” CJ ordered. “Dad will return shortly from the cafeteria. We were hoping to see her while he’s downstairs. So tell me, do you have brothers or sisters?”
“I have both. Okay? I wanted to protect my sisters and keep their existence a secret to keep a target off their back. Then Billy and Eric happened. Made me really nervous and scared for them. When everyone was so against Reb going out, it’s like a mirror. Lola all over again.”
“The fifteen-year-old with the baby?” CJ asked.
Bishop nodded. “I haven’t always been the big brother she needed, but Mama demanded I lay down the law and tell her, all my sisters, they can’t date.
Do normal teenage stuff. Instead of listening to Lola, I listened to Mama and it turned into a disaster.
” He smiled sadly. “Lola and me are the cooks in the family. We take after our grandmother. From the age of ten, she told me she wanted to own a restaurant with me as the head chef.”
CJ shifted. “You enjoy cooking that much?”
“Yeah, C. Lola was five when our dad died. I was almost thirteen and instantly became the man of the house. I resented that shit, so when Mama told me put my foot down about the girls dating, I did. I thought it was easier than having to watch over them.”
“You still want to be a chef?” CJ didn’t know what else to say. He knew Bishop brought most of his earnings from the club to his mother. He’d thought it was to help with rent and utilities, but it was probably to help with his siblings and niece or nephew. “There are excellent schools around.”
“I don’t have money for that.” Bishop shrugged, then smiled, his carefree mask back in place. “It’s all good. I just want you to know I didn’t lie to you without good reason.”
“Are you sure a small part of your lie wasn’t because you want Rebel?” Diesel demanded, relentless in his miserable fuckery.
“I do want her,” Bishop blurted, and raised his hand at Diesel’s growl. “That came out wrong.”
“It’s okay,” CJ inserted, thumping Diesel’s shoulder. “She likes you too, so–”
“So you understand you and Rebel will never happen, correct?” Diesel said, his face a granite mask of fury. “When she’s released, back the fuck away from her.”
“Hey, fuckhead?” CJ barked, fed up. “She isn’t twenty-one yet. Remember our agreement.”
“Rebel almost died, CJ,” Diesel said, anger and despair combining. “I’m not waiting until she’s twenty-one. If she wants me when she turns eighteen, then I’m hers. We almost…I almost lost her.”
While CJ empathized, he still didn’t like Diesel’s words. “She didn’t die, Diesel. Her accident doesn’t change what you need to do for me to deem you worthy of her.”
“I resent that.”
“Resent it. Fume over it. Choke on it. I don’t give a fuck.
Stop with your fucking pity party and man the fuck up, asshole.
You almost lost her? Well, so did I. I want whatever she wants, except an asshole too stubborn and fucking arrogant to realize he isn’t only unworthy of himself but he sure the fuck isn’t good enough for my little sister, so fuck you. ”
Hurt flickered over Diesel’s eyes before they hardened; he turned and stalked off.
“Fuck!” CJ hadn’t meant to go off on his brother. “Diesel, wait,” he called, though he didn’t leave Bishop’s side. “I’m sorry for my delivery.”
“But not the words, huh, little brother?” Diesel called. He was already near the nurse’s station, almost to the double exit doors. “They tell me how you really feel about me.”
“I love you, Diesel, but no I’m not apologizing for the message.
Take Reb out of the equation. You need to explore the words to help yourself.
You’re a good big brother, a good son, but a shitty boyfriend and husband.
Even if I don’t like it, it’s your business.
You want Rebel? It’s my business now, motherfucker. ”
Diesel transferred his glare from CJ to Bishop. “Don’t get any fucking ideas. The only reason CJ can talk to me like he does is because he’s my little brother and I love him.” He left.
“Is Dad paying you extra to watch Reb’s room?”
Bishop lifted his eyebrows, but CJ wouldn’t address any of what transpired between him and Diesel. He’d just gotten Mom onboard–kind of–with the possibility of Diesel and Rebel, and now that fuckhead was changing shit. It was complicated enough with Bishop adding his two cents.
CJ mimicked Bishop and lifted his brow.
“No,” Bishop relented, seeing CJ wouldn’t budge. “This is part of club duties.”
“Babies are expensive.”
“Yeah, bro. Lola isn’t breastfeeding, so formula and diapers alone is ridiculous.”
“Mom likes to give some of the club girls who end up pregnant a bunch of shit. I don’t think she knows about Lola and I want Mom and Reb back home.
” He rocked on his heels. “I don’t carry cash like Dad and Diesel, but if you send me the links to some shit the baby needs, I’ll buy it as a belated gift. ”
“Thanks, but no.”
“We’re friends,” CJ argued. “It isn’t charity. It’s a gift from your friend’s family. Formula and diapers are essentials.”
“Are clothes?”
“Clothes?” CJ echoed. “Fuck, dude, clothes are a given. What are you talking about?”
“Nothing, bro. Forget I said that.” Bishop sighed. “Lola would kick my ass if she discovered I turned down formula and diapers, so I’ll send you the links.”
“Bet.”
Hours later, CJ still hadn’t seen Rebel, and half the morning was already over. Not long after CJ left Bishop, he’d gotten two links, so he’d ordered the diapers and formula, happy he could help.
“CJ?”
At Gypsy’s call, he glanced up and realized he’d stepped off the elevator at some point and stood in the hallway.
He looked up. Immediately, the ivory mounds of her twin peaks greeted him.
She wore a bustier top with long-sleeves and a low neckline, one deep breath from exposing her nipples.
Her tight leather pants not only revealed her lush figure to maximum effect, but exposed she wore no panties. She had a camel toe.
When he saw her at the mall in December, her hair was flyaway and frizzy. Today, the top half was scraped back. The bottom half cradled her neck in silky curls.
“You make an old woman blush, boy,” she said with a little giggle.
CJ smiled. “I didn’t mean to stare. Sorry.”
“If only.” She wagged a finger at him. “My tits are right in your face, there for viewing pleasure. We both know you aren’t sorry.”
He wasn’t touching that one, even if she was right. “I was on my way to the cafeteria. Would you like to join me?”
“I came to check on Meggie and Rebel. I saw Meggie briefly, but your daddy sent me away. He told me to come back later.”
“Yeah, bae, I’m sorry,” he said, then realized what he’d called her. Whether she was suddenly styling herself like a fuck doll didn’t matter. She was his mother’s friend. “I mean Gypsy.”
Grinning, she batted her eyelashes at him. “I can’t be a bae?” She held out her arms and spun, then thrust her tits at him. “Are you sure?”
CJ snickered. “You definitely can be. Just not mine.”
She poked her lip out. “Derby fucks girls your age. He needs a taste of his own medicine.”
“Nope. He isn’t worth it if you have to do that to try and make him jealous, although that’s your business.”
For a moment, her facade dropped and sadness stole away her flirtatiousness. “All young guys need an experienced older woman to teach them about fucking.”
“Maybe, but I think you’ve already chosen Rory for that.”
She flushed and dropped her gaze, all the confirmation he needed.
“Aunt Kendall will fucking kill you if she ever finds out.”
“You aren’t…you aren’t t-telling her, are you?”
“If you’re thinking to use Rory to make Derby jealous, you’ve marked my cousin for death, Gypsy. Derby will castrate him. And if he doesn’t find out what you’re doing, then this is an exercise in futility.”
“It’s just something to do, CJ. I was helping Rory with a project. It’s done, I think. I probably won’t see him again.”
“See that you don’t. I’d hate to have to tell Dad. The only reason I’m not opening my mouth now is because he’s preoccupied. Lucky you,” he drawled. “It gives you the chance to remember how old he is.”