Chapter Thirty-Three – CJ
Following Diesel into the clubhouse, CJ expected to find the same old shit—Dad moping at the table, Fia and crew flitting around, afraid of their own fucking shadows, Uncle Mort…
He wasn’t sure. Mattie and Grant called CJ late last night and told him Uncle Mort wouldn’t be able to handle the news about Harley right now because Aunt Bailey was still spiraling.
Mattie thought it was best just to monitor the situation and not speak up until they had absolute proof.
She didn’t think it was good to light a match to the powder keg without knowing the real reason Harley was acting so strange.
Grant himself acted strange, deflecting answers to CJ and Mattie’s questions during their three-way call. Pop had been there the entire time, so he’d know the full story. Grant pretended ignorance, though CJ suspected he knew it all.
It didn’t matter. He didn’t ever have to open his fucking mouth. CJ’s plate was already overflowing. Whatever other fuckery was going on, they could fucking keep to themselves.
As for Harley, he’d called her three times but she hadn’t answered. He understood why once he talked to Mattie and Grant. Aunt Bailey sent her back to Aunt Zoann. That had to devastate Harley.
A shove brought CJ back to the present.
“Move, boy,” Thumper spat. “Standing in the fucking way like a dolt.”
Diesel was already on the other side of the room, at the bar talking to Narci and Torrin, his back to them. The snickers crescendoed through the crowd.
CJ just wanted to go home. Instead, he backed out of the way and indicated the path. “Free and clear for you, Thumper.”
“I said get the fuck out of my goddamn way,” he boomed so loud that it caught everyone’s attention. “You annoy me.”
Sunlight streamed in as the door opened, and his brothers and cousins flooded in. CJ hoped the momentary distraction calmed the situation. It didn’t. Thumper shoved him again, and he stumbled back.
“Hey!” Axel called, though Diesel remained quiet.
Potter gaped like a fish out of water. Fia, Tauriel, and Tennysee stared in horror, at a table of girls, some CJ recognized and others he didn’t.
“I don’t want any fucking trouble, Thumper,” CJ said.
Smirking, Thumper hocked a wad of spit that CJ darted out of the way to escape.
Axel ran to CJ’s side; Diesel did nothing.
CJ dragged Axel behind him and faced Thumper. “Listen, fuckhead, I don’t know what fucking gerbil gnawed on your goddamn asshole, but leave me the fuck alone. I’m not your fucking punchbag.”
“Are you calling me a butt buster?”
“No, of course not. I’m calling you a motherfucking menace that can’t shut the fuck up and keep your fucking hands to yourself,” CJ snapped, so over these motherfuckers.
Thumper was a big, mean fuckhead, who CJ never particularly liked. He was one of many brothers that looked at CJ as a pathetic Nepo baby, who didn’t deserve his place in life. Thumper’s punch to his mid-section hurt like a motherfucker but it didn’t surprise CJ.
When Diesel, Narci, Torrin and the other brothers stood stoically by, CJ knew they’d set him up. Who better than Thumper to have CJ sink or swim? That motherfucker had never liked CJ.
Before he got his bearings, Thumper swung again. It didn’t land. Axel had gotten a pool cue and used it like a fucking bat. Thumper snatched it—and Axel—but CJ pulled his little brother away.
“Go by Diesel, Ax,” he said.
“But—”
“Let me do this.”
Fear rose in Axel’s eyes and his lower lip trembled. CJ hoped Diesel would step in before Thumper killed him, but he had to do this. Diesel might’ve been a motherfucker for the setup. However, CJ understood his motives.
“Come over here, Axel,” Diesel instructed.
Sniffling, Axel ran to the bar and buried his face against Diesel’s side.
Thumper threw his fist again, but this time CJ bobbed, weaved, and uppercut that motherfucker’s chin, then punched him in his fucking mouth.
“I am Outlaw’s son, fuckhead,” CJ snarled, punching the fuck out of him again.
“He taught me to fucking fight.” He slammed his fist into his overgrown fucking nose, big and pasty like everything on him.
The spurt of blood didn’t bother him. He was ready to rip his fucking head off if that’s what it took to have fucking peace.
Fuck respect. He just wanted harmony. Structure. To be seen as his own person, whether he stayed in school, played football, dropped out of school, or became a biker.
“Fuck you,” he spat, punching again, blindly. Not coordinated like Diesel and Dad taught him. “Fuck all you motherfuckers,” he roared, completely broken, thinking of Mom, of Molly, of Harley, of Rebel, of Jo. Rule. Dad. Wanting them home and safe and happy. He hit Thumper again.
Motherfucker’s nose was bloody and broken, but he was still on his feet. He threw another punch. “Fuck us, CJ? Fuck you, you disrespectful fuckhead. Always knew you wasn’t no real biker. Don’t fucking have it in you. You’re just a rich, pretty boy that dropped out of the right twat.”
CJ gasped.
“Fuckhead!” Axel screamed. He would’ve rushed forward if Diesel hadn’t grabbed him. “That’s my mom. Respect her or fucking die.”
CJ just had time to note the fury on Diesel’s face as he swept Thumper with a violent look. Thumper swung and would’ve broken CJ’s jaw if he didn’t bounce back and kick the motherfucker’s knee with all the force and the fury in him.
Thumper howled, teetered, and staggered back. Balling his fist, CJ delivered a final punch to Thumper’s jowl, felling him like a fucking overgrown tree.
His hand fucking stung and he could barely catch his breath, but he’d won. Judging by the silence, he’d shocked most of the motherfuckers in there.
“I win the bet,” Diesel announced, studying Thumper’s unconscious frame with a murderous gleam. “I told you fuckheads CJ would beat Thumper.”
Groans met the words. Axel ran to CJ and threw his arms around him.
“I was so scared, C. You didn’t have no weapons or nothing.”
“I know—”
“What happened in here?”
At first, CJ thought he imagined Rebel’s voice and he froze, afraid Thumper had fucked up his brain.
“Reb,” Diesel breathed.
“REB!” Axel hollered, forgetting his sadness and abandoning CJ to run to their sister, who was leaning on Kaia, still in her casts.
Axel launched himself against her.
“Oomph,” she gasped, pushed against Kaia, who tightened his hold on her so she wouldn’t fall.
“You’re back!” Axel said happily. “But Mom said your flight was at 8.”
Wait, what?
Straightening, CJ shook his hand and ignored his swelling eye. “You knew they were coming home today?”
“You didn’t tell them?” Rebel asked with disapproval.
Axel grinned. “Nope. Trust me. It was better this way. But you’re back, so it doesn’t matter. Where’ve you been?”
“We got home at 11,” Rebel said. “Aunt Kendall picked us up. Momma no longer needs her boot. We left her with Jo. Momma said she’d spend the afternoon with her and come home this evening. Aunt Kendall took me to my doctor’s appointment and another x-ray. The casts should come off in two weeks.”
Thumper groaned and she glanced at him, then lifted a brow at CJ.
“What happened, brother?”
“A fucking fight, Reb,” Axel blared. “What the fuck do you think happened?”
Rebel rolled her eyes, then smiled at Kaia and nodded toward the table that had once been reserved for Harley, Mattie, and Rebel as well as Winnie, Brynn Mason, and Ava Baptiste whenever they were around.
Brothers now regularly occupied the tables.
Today, it was three prospects and a hangaround, and they didn’t seem inclined to move.
Diesel rushed to her and blocked her from moving. Thumper groaned again.
“I’ll help you to the table, Rebel,” Diesel said.
“Kaia can do it.”
“We need to talk.”
“Jana’s in your life. Congratulations. I’m happy for you. We’ve fucking talked, now move. Let my boyfriend and soon to be driving instructor get me to the fucking table.”
“I’ll ignore the boyfriend part,” Diesel sneered, “but there’s no fucking way he’s teaching you to drive.”
Rebel made a face at him. “Joke’s on you, fuckface.”
“I will see you fucking dead before I let you get in a car with her alone. CJ, myself, or Uncle Christopher can teach her.”
“If I wanted one of you. I don’t. I asked Kaia on the drive here. Deal with it. Die over it. I don’t give a fuck, Diesel.”
“Diesel, can you just back off for now?” Kaia asked, shaking his head. “We get it. She’s yours.”
“In his fucking dreams,” Rebel snorted.
CJ treaded forward, in pain. He’d won the fight, but Thumper had gotten in a few good hits. “Diesel, stop it. Okay? You’re losing it.”
“She’s acting like a spoiled brat.”
“And you’re acting like a pervy pedo,” Axel said with disapproval, stomping to Diesel and grabbing his hand.
“Mom’s home. I’ve warned all you motherfuckers not to fuck up again.
That means you, too. I was going to talk to you and ask you to talk to Dad.
I have a list of things he needs to explain to CJ. ”
“How the fuck did I get into this conversation?” CJ asked.
“Talk to him yourself, Ax,” Diesel said irritably.
“I’m tired of talking to that motherfucker. He’s worked on my last nerve. It’s your fucking turn.”
“Oh my god,” Rebel said dramatically. “I forgot all the terminal testosterone polluting the fucking air here. Use all the masculinity for something positive like gentlemanliness and let me sit the fuck down!”
“I’ll be a gentleman when you become a lady,” Diesel snapped.
“Dude, that’s so fucked up,” Kaia said. “Never mind. Just leave her alone. She needs to sit down. Have some fucking compassion for my girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?” Diesel said, his tone chilling, insanity flickering in his gray eyes, a motherfucker on the verge of turning into a fuckhead.
Kaia stepped in front of Rebel. “She’s my girlfriend. Jana’s your fiancé. Remember her?”
“Mom!” Axel screamed, drawing everyone’s attention to the doorway where his mother stood, looking healthy, happy, and content.