Kaia
Standing in the hallway outside Reb and Aunt Meggie’s room, Mattie only had a minute at most to think of something to say before her cousin stormed off.
She’d seen CJ angry before but never vicious.
Understandably, considering all that had happened, but she hated his suffering, though she didn’t want to overstep her bounds and alienate him.
“What do you need to talk to me about?” he demanded at her continued silence.
“Uh—”
Mattie glanced at her feet, then over CJ’s shoulder toward the nurse’s station.
“If it’s about Kaia and how much Rebel likes that stupid motherfucker, then fuck him.”
“She does like him,” Mattie said carefully, seizing CJ’s words and running with it.
“I’ll kill that motherfucker first.”
Mattie nodded, drew in a deep breath, and dove into what she really wanted to know. “Why are you so angry with him?”
“If I tell you, don’t let it go any further.”
“Okay,” she said, concerned he’d say something she didn’t want to hear.
“There’s a rumor that Kaia hooked up with Fia last night.”
“No way!” Perhaps that idiot didn’t know the history of the club girls versus the wives and daughters of the officers. That still didn’t excuse him if the story was true. “Why would Kaia…how could he…?”
“Exactly, Mattie. I’m at a loss for fucking words too.”
“It might not be true. Who told you?”
“Diesel.” He sounded even angrier.
“I, uh, Diesel…I mean I know it isn’t good timing and I agree we can’t tell Rebel right now, but he’s just looking out for her.”
“No, that motherfucker is playing games with Rebel’s life. This entire situation reeks of that fuckhead’s interference. I’m almost certain he set Kaia up because he’s a selfish, heartless fuckbag.”
Diesel’s motivations escaped her. True, Rebel had a crush on him, but he was a grown man who respected those boundaries.
CJ paced. “I told that motherfucker to back the fuck off.” He slammed a fist into his palm. “I told him to wait until Rebel was twenty-one. That was the only way he’d get my goddamn support.”
“Wait, what?” Mattie pursed her lips. “Diesel wants, er, Rebel? Like now?”
Scowling, CJ scrubbed a hand over his face just as chiming filled the air. He unclipped his phone from his belt, then shoved it back into place. “It’s Bishop,” he grumbled. “He needs to talk to me.”
“What does he want?” Goofing off with the cute biker might redirect CJ’s attention. Mattie smiled brightly. “Why don’t we go and see?”
“Come on,” he said grudgingly, turning on his heel and stalking toward the double doors, completely oblivious to the way some nurses ogled him.
Mattie hurried to catch up, grateful for her long legs, but the moment he left the unit and crossed to the waiting area, his manners returned.
He halted and waited for her, then nodded to where Bishop sat with Narci and Huck.
Bikers crowded the area. Some days were easier than others.
That didn’t mean there were times when she didn’t feel watched, leered at, or judged.
Billy and Eric hadn’t only been Potter’s friends, but they’d been pals with several of the guys.
Weirdly, when she went to the cafeteria and a sea of bikers also met her there, she found it easier to ignore them. Maybe this was a more confined space and she had only them and their attention to focus on, while downstairs she could stare blankly at the food and drinks until she got her bearings.
“Hey, Matt,” someone purred.
Mattie’s face flamed, but she lifted her chin and carried on, walking the gauntlet with the same dignity Momma would.
She was so focused pretending their behavior didn’t creep her out, she ran into CJ, not realizing he’d halted.
He turned and steadied her, glared at whoever stared at her, grabbed her hand, and dragged her to where Bishop stood.
“What’s up?” CJ greeted, not releasing her hand, but squeezing reassuringly.
Bishop, Narci, and Huck nodded to her, a distinctly uncomfortable look on their faces.
“Uh, we need to talk to you, C.,” Narci said, giving her a pointed look.
“Ouch, Matt,” Ryan remarked, breezing into view with Rory, Devon, and Grant following. “I’m glad I’m not a girl.”
“So’s the entire girl world,” she retorted, her equilibrium rebalancing itself at her cousin’s assholery.
Snickering, Rory kissed her cheek. “Hey, little sister. Problems? You’re holding CJ’s hand tight enough to break a few bones.”
“I’m fine. CJ just needs a distraction from seeing Kaia with Rebel.”
“Yeah, well, we’re here to distract him, Matt.” Ryan pointed toward the direction she’d come. “Go back to the room.”
“Smooth, Ry,” Devon said with a shake of his head, and smiled at Mattie. “Come to the cafeteria with me—”
“What the fuck’s going on?” CJ asked suspiciously and released her hand. “Mattie needs a break, too.” His phone beeped and he snatched it again.
Snapping his brows together, he opened the message.
“It’s a video,” CJ announced, not revealing the sender. “It’s almost downloaded.” Another second passed before he pressed the screen and…and…
The sounds of sex, a woman’s moans and a man’s grunts, rose around them. Although Mattie’s face flamed, she was like a moth drawn to the flame and peeked over CJ’s shoulder.
Gasping, she covered her mouth with her hand, wishing she’d never seen Kaia fucking Fia.
Since the injury that ended his dreams of an NFL career, Kaia’s life had been on a downward trajectory. His family put their hopes and dreams on his skills on the field. He’d promised his parents he’d get them out of debt and ease their lives.
Thankfully, his family didn’t hold his injury against him or expect him to break his back helping out.
Kayce was on track for the football scholarship Kaia had coveted.
His mother still worked as a teacher’s aide and his father still drove garbage trucks.
They wanted what was best for him. It was his dad who suggested he find his own place after he graduated from Ridge Moore.
“To light a fire under you and pull you out of your funk.”
Kaia hadn’t been interested in much. Not even his poetry, which, coincidentally, was the only thing his family held against him. A chick here and there liked it, but it wasn’t until he met Rebel that he’d met a kindred spirit.
She got him.
When CJ called and asked him to meet Rebel, Kaia hadn’t been really invested.
He saw it as a favor to a friend who hadn’t deserted him when he’d been injured.
He intended to shower CJ’s little sister with attention, then ghost her when the time came.
He hadn’t thought her his type. Though he hadn’t known her, he’d known of her.
CJ was so fucking proud of her and even more protective.
Hearing the whispers about Rebel Caldwell’s beauty and ferocity and experiencing it firsthand couldn’t compare.
She was the most stunning girl he’d ever chatted up.
Who’d ever liked him back. She was the first girl he didn’t see as a dollar sign or an easy lay.
As he’d told Rebel on their date, girls paid his way.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t met a rich chick willing to pay all his expenses.
Now that he had found one—Rebel—he had no interest in playing that game.
Besides, not only wouldn’t she do it, CJ, Diesel, and Outlaw would fucking kill him.
Mrs. Caldwell swung her legs over the side of her bed and grabbed her IV pole. “I’m going to visit Jo,” she announced, lumbering to her feet and adjusting the robe draped one shoulder because of the IV. She wore the other side as she should.
Kaia pretended not to notice her beauty. He’d flirted with her once before he realized she was his friend’s mom. She didn’t look her age.
“I’m texting Bishop,” Rebel called, “so he can meet you at the door with a wheelchair.”
“Thanks, love,” Mrs. Caldwell said, limping along, making decent time despite her cumbersome cast.
“I must look at wreck,” Rebel said, the moment her mother left.
“Actually, you’re still amazingly gorgeous,” Kaia said honestly, his heart pounding at her nearness. He wanted to call her his with frightening intensity. “Tragically,” he added, nodding to her sad face.
“The whole fucking thing is tragic.”
“It is, but you’re alive and he’s alive. Once he gets help, things can be corrected.”
“I’m so angry with him.” Rebel sniffled and swiped at the tears once again slipping down her cheeks. “I don’t want to beat him up all the time though,” she confessed. “Just half the time. That fucking doofus. I would’ve haunted the fuck out of him if he’d drowned me.”
Kaia smiled.
“I’m so mad at what he did to me, but I’m furious that he almost killed Momma. Just because she was trying to help me.” Her lips and chin trembled and Kaia almost fell to his knees in worship. “I don’t know how I feel actually.”
“Don’t talk,” he told her.
Before Diesel and Fia left this morning, Kaia asked if Rebel really wanted to see him. Diesel assured him she did and promised he’d call to allow Kaia entrance onto the unit.
Before sitting on the edge of Rebel’s bed, Kaia dug into the interior pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small notepad.
“Poetry. Written especially for you.”
“I love your poetry.”
“I know, sweetheart. You’re my inspiration. I’ve written more than I ever have.” He met her blue eyes and words flowed to him. “Your eyes are like the bluest ocean. I can jump into them and drown myself.”
“You have pretty amazing eyes yourself,” she whispered, her radiance dimmed.
He thought of Fia’s red nipples and wondered how Rebel’s looked. Except he didn’t need to see them to offer her a compliment. He studied her mouth. “Your lips are like the reddest nipples that I want to suck on.”
She giggled.
“You like that?”
“Definitely,” she said without hesitation.
“Do you want more? Can you handle it?”
“You’re so sweet,” she said. “I like you so much, Kaia.”