CJ
“Reb’s going to be okay, right?” Ransom asked, the words trembling and unsure.
Polished terrazzo floors reflected the soft, warm light from overhead recessed fixtures rather than the harsh fluorescent tubes found in other parts of the hospital.
“Why do people keep trying to hurt Reb?” Ryder asked, needing reassurance though he was the next oldest among the four of them.
It all looked and sounded the same, but an instant changed his life again. He couldn’t fucking imagine what the fuck had happened for a shopping trip to turn into another fucking hospital stay.
“Rebel wants us to perform Little Red Riding Hood,” Axel reminded him, still a sad little boy instead of the little monster who planted bombs and made threats. “It’ll cheer her up.”
“You said so,” Ransom said, the words skirting accusation.
“I did,” CJ responded. Full awareness hadn’t hit him until he walked into the hallway and realized they could’ve lost Rebel again.
Scowling, Axel marched to CJ. “If you don’t got the brain to cheer Reb up, get to fucking stepping cuz we do.”
CJ snapped his brows together, Axel’s sudden anger catching him off-guard.
He’d changed from a frightened kid to a belligerent little nightmare in an instant.
Not only wasn’t he in the mood to argue with Axel, CJ did want to cheer up Rebel.
He’d made the suggestion. Stewing in his hodge podge of emotions achieved nothing but more heartache and fucked him up more.
“We can go in the waiting room to practice,” Ryder suggested still leaning against the nurse’s station next to Ransom.
Glancing down the hall toward the big double doors separating the private wing from the waiting area. CJ came to a quick decision. He was certain chaos awaited them on the other side as everyone once again assembled for an emergency.
“I don’t got much rehearsing,” Axel said, straightening his scrawny shoulders and standing taller. “I know just what I’m saying.”
“We can rehearse in a room.” CJ glanced behind the mahogany desk, glad to realize Aislynn was on duty.
She was one of the younger nurses and always smiled the brighten and perked up the most when she saw him. If she was aware of his presence, she didn’t show it. She sat next to an older nurse, tapping on a keyboard.
“Give me a second,” he said, going around Axel and putting enough distance between his brothers that they wouldn’t overhear him.
“Hey, CJ,” Aislynn greeted, the moment he cleared his throat. She was girl-next-door cute with big brown eyes and medium length brown hair. Her friendly smile always perked him up. “What can I do for you?”
“Do you have an empty room we can use, bae?”
The other nurse lifted her gaze from the telemetry monitor. CJ didn’t know her name, but she always showed a cool reserve that most of the other staff members, especially Aislynn, lacked. “May I ask why?”
Aislynn released a high-pitched nervous laugh. “It doesn’t matter, Justine.”
“Uh, it was hard on my little brothers seeing our sister injured again,” he explained.
“What’s taking so fucking long, CJ?” Axel blared.
Justine blinked and Aislynn laughed again, surprise on her face.
CJ heaved in a breath and gritted his teeth, unsure if he should just demand the room because of who he was or continue to try to appeal to their care and concern. Or, maybe, he should ask Dad for help.
Axel stalked to him and thumped his side. “I want to practice Rebel’s play!” he wailed, bursting into loud, headache-inducing sobs.
Ryder and Ransom rushed over, snatched Axel into their arms and—joined him, their cries almost bursting CJ’s eardrums.
“Right this way!” Justine said, jumping to her feet and rushing from behind the desk. “Follow me.”
Pulling himself away from Ryder and Ransom, Axel turned to CJ, flashed him a dry-eyed glare, and fell against him so hard, CJ stumbled back.
“Carry me!” Axel cried.
Ransom and Ryder held onto each other and staggered toward the room Justine stood in front of, while CJ lifted Axel into his arms.
“You owe me, motherfucker,” Axel whispered, wrapping his wretched little arms around CJ’s neck and leaning his miserable little mouth against CJ’s ear. “You can’t even fucking flirt right.”
“Shut up,” CJ gritted, walking into the room and slamming the door shut.
He released the little monster, expecting him to drop out of his arms. Instead, Axel held on, and they tumbled to the floor together.
“A basic bitch move,” Axel spat, jumping to his feet. “If I got to do war against you, I will, but first, we cheering up Rebel.”
Ryder held out a hand to CJ. “Can you two stop arguing long enough for us to rehearse?”
“Yeah, this is about Rebel.”
“Thanks, men,” Axel said, sighing. “You’re right.”
They were, so CJ swallowed his anger, accepted Ryder’s help and stood. He pulled his cellphone from his back pocket. “Let me find the story, then we can start our rehearsals.”