Chapter Twenty-Two—CJ
CJ sat in the room with Mom, Reb, and Mattie, bored out of his fucking head. There were only so many mobile games to play and so much hospital food he could endure. Since finding out Rule was taken out-of-state, his little sister wouldn’t smile and she barely talked. Mainly, she cried.
Rule had broken her heart. CJ worried their brother had also broken her spirit.
Scrubbing a hand over his face, he shifted on the window seat. He’d refused to go to school today like Dad ordered. He wouldn’t concentrate worth a shit, so why bother.
CJ couldn’t endure much more before he needed a mental evaluation. He wanted to cry and kill and scream.
He wanted to fucking rage.
Nostrils flaring, he stood, feeling as if he’d jump out of his skin.
The door opened before he escaped to any place other than a room where his mother, sister, and cousin languished so silent and sad. Usually, they lit up any room, whether it overflowed with people or was mostly empty.
A throat cleared. CJ focused enough to see Kaia Riggs standing just inside the door, holding a bouquet of flowers.
CJ narrowed his eyes and pointed to the door. “Out.”
Earlier, Diesel took CJ aside and claimed Kaia hooked up with Fia. If it got back to Rebel, that would be one more thing to devastate her, rumor or not. She didn’t need more betrayal and heartache.
CJ was madder than a motherfucker at Kaia for a variety of reasons.
One, the motherfucker lost his fucking brain cells, spouting fucking nonsense.
Two, fuckface had absolutely no fucking sense of survival. Three, that miserable poetry he spouted.
Four, CJ offered that braindead motherfucker money, which Kaia declined then didn’t have fucking bank to pay for his date with Rebel.
Five, that fucked-up poetry. He didn’t need a motherfucking brain if that was what the fuck it thought up.
Six, he wanted to fucking spend the evening watching ‘SpongeBob’ and kissing Rebel.
Seven, eight, nine, and ten, that motherfucking poetry that Rebel thought was goddamn deep.
Eleven, if he wanted to fuck, he should’ve chosen a girl unconnected to the fucking club.
Twelve…
“Kaia?” For the first time in hours, Rebel spoke. She raised her bed into a sitting position. “Hey.”
CJ scowled, wishing he’d dragged that motherfucker out, instead of losing himself in anger. If Kaia had slept with Fia, the punches CJ had delivered the day after Kaia and Rebel’s date wasn’t enough. He needed fucking stomping.
“Just the person I wanted to talk to,” Mom said.
Mattie sat in the rocking chair between Mom and Rebel’s beds. She waved at Kaia, then returned to her eBook.
Kaia shifted the bouquet of flowers and glanced at CJ.
“What are you doing here?” Smiling, Rebel pointed to the flowers. “Are those for me?”
“I didn’t know your mom was a patient, too.”
Tears pooled in Rebel’s eyes, and CJ growled.
Kaia took a step back.
“Bro,” Mattie said with disapproval, shaking her head at CJ.
“Mom…Uh, short version. Rule attempted to kill Mom after she pulled me out of the pool to save me,” Rebel said, tears streaming down her cheeks, her despair like a bucket of water over CJ’s anger. His entire body tensed, and he clenched his jaw.
“What…what do you mean?” Kaia pushed out. “Who…isn’t Rule your twin?”
Covering her face, Rebel nodded. “Yes.”
“But—”
CJ growled, and Kaia shut the fuck up.
Mattie stood and went to Rebel, then bent and hugged her. “Get better, Reb. Rule is fine. No one will hurt him.”
Kaia shifted again. Dressed in his usual black attire with motorcycle boots, he wore the same earrings and silver rings that he had at the house. He glanced at CJ.
Drawing in a deep breath, CJ nodded, and the motherfucker finally walked to his little sister’s bedside.
“We can split the roses, Mrs. Caldwell.”
Mom smiled. “No, it’s fine, but I do need to talk to you,” she reiterated.
Sweat beaded on Kaia’s brow. “About?”
“A job.”
“A job?” CJ and Kaia chorused.
“If I didn’t have so much to do, perhaps I would’ve heeded Rule’s decline,” Mom said in a steady voice, though her chin wobbled.
“Or, maybe, I would’ve still thought we would be fine until summer.
” Her nose reddened and she blinked. “Whatever the case, my plate is overflowing. I want to offer you a position as my house cleaner.”
CJ stared at his mother, wondering if the hit to her head rattled her brain. Offering Kaia a position at their house was like telling Diesel he could have a slumber party with Rebel. It made no fucking sense.
“Also, free room and board,” she continued, unaware of CJ’s growing outrage, still focused on Kaia. “We have enough rooms on the first floor to convert to your bedroom. Bishop has already accepted the position as cook.”
Bishop and Kaia would work for Mom? Didn’t she realize their proximity to Rebel? His little sister already knew Bishop, as a biker, fucked the club girls. But Kaia would also be in proximity to them and CJ foresaw a disaster.
“Axel tried to knock this motherfucker out, Mom,” CJ said angrily.
Mom pasted a smile on her lips, unaware of Kaia’s supposed fuckery. “He used a Styrofoam ball, potato. It was a show of love.” She looked at Kaia again. “You don’t have to answer today.”
“I’ll help cook and clean,” CJ offered.
“No, son. I want you back in school. The more responsibilities you have, the less inclined you’ll be to return.”
“But—”
“My decision is made,” Mom announced.
The finality in her tone hurt CJ. Usually, she considered what he had to say.
Mattie stroked Rebel’s head. “Does that cheer you up, Reb?”
Rebel shrugged.
Kaia laid the roses in her lap. “I earn five hundred a week at my current job, Mrs. Caldwell.”
Mom, as well as CJ, knew because they’d been listening in on Kaia’s date with Rebel.
“I can give you fifteen hundred a week for now. My assistant usually arrives at 6 in the morning. Normally, I’m down by 6:30. Your hours will be from 8 to 5 with an hour’s lunch break. During our family get-togethers, you will have extra work, but I’ll compensate you.”
“I’ve never earned fifteen dollars an hour before, Mrs. Caldwell.” Kaia sounded awed. “Even now, I earn about ten dollars an hour.”
“You won’t be earning fifteen dollars an hour if you accept the position, Kaia,” Mom said in exasperation.
“I won’t?”
“Closer to twenty-seven an hour,” Mattie said. “And if you get five hundred a week now, you’re earning about twelve dollars and fifty cents an hour, bro.”
Kaia contemplated that for a moment. “Oh.” Digging in his jacket pocket, he pulled out a cigarette and lighter. “What’s the catch?” he asked, jamming the cigarette in the corner of his mouth.
Alarm crossed Mattie’s face.
CJ stormed to his feet and rushed to his ex-friend. “Motherfucker, if you’re suicidal, I’ll gladly fucking kill you,” he snapped, snatching the cigarette away and crushing it in his hand. “You don’t see the fucking oxygen? We’ll blow the fuck up.”
“CJ, can I talk to you in the hallway?” Mattie asked.
Gritting his teeth, CJ nodded, not wanting to hurt her feelings. If he declined, she’d believe she’d done something wrong instead of realizing CJ was angry with the fucking world.