Chapter Seventeen #3
Remembering Mrs. Harris’s headless body sent a wave of nausea through CJ. So many times, he imagined Molly meeting a similar fate. He vacillated between acceptance that he’d eventually receive word of her gruesome death and rejecting the idea that was to be her end.
“Do you need help finishing the science project?” Rebel asked softly.
CJ glanced at her. Her eyes were gentle, her smile kind. He didn’t want to worry her, so he forced a smile of his own and shook his head.
“If I’m wrong about you, Ryan, I’m sorry,” CJ said. “But I swear to Christ if I ever find out you’re the reason she’s gone, I’ll kill you.”
Ryan met his gaze. Smirked. Nodded.
Harley made a noise, drawing both their attention.
CJ raised a hand. “Not a motherfucking word, Harley. Molly was my friend. Believe me. Don’t believe me.
I don’t give a fuck. If Ryan used her vulnerability to get back at me out of jealousy or dislike or whatever, that’s a step too fucking far.
” He glared at Ryan, not believing him. Or, maybe, not wanting to believe him.
“If that day ever comes, run, motherfucker.”
The sneer didn’t leave Ryan’s face. “Ember sucking your cock swelled your nuts, huh, incel?”
Mattie and Rebel burst into a fit of giggles again. Harley looked apoplectic .
“Ember’s a cool name,” Axel piped in. “We got a teacher in Middle School named Ember. I can’t wait to get in her class.”
The girls screamed with laughter, while the boys snickered, including Ryan and CJ. It reminded him, however, they needed to get back on course. Axel would get the woman fired.
“Back to the professions,” CJ said.
“Diesel is a lawyer.” Axel’s eyes lit up. He loved the law. “Grant is studying to become a lawyer. I don’t know if they’re going to be the same type. We’d have too many then.” He sounded so disappointed.
“Grant wants to be a corporate attorney,” Mattie volunteered in control of her giggling, although amusement lit her brown eyes. “Diesel is a defense attorney like Momma.”
“The club is big, Ax,” Ryder consoled. “You can still be a defense attorney. Or what about a finance lawyer? Mom does her trading stuff. You can help her and save her money.”
“There’s also worker’s comp attorneys, mergers and acquisitions, real estate…” Rebel’s voice trailed off. “There’s many types of lawyers to choose from.”
“Nuh uh! I want to be the type that puts people in jail. The defense kind,” Axel added.
CJ shook his head, ignoring the laughter of the other boys. “No, big head. You have to choose something in the club’s favor. Not try to throw us in fucking jail.”
Axel frowned.
“You’re thinking about a prosecutor,” Mattie told him. “They prosecute criminals. Defense attorneys try to keep them out of jail by arguing in favor of their innocence.”
Axel looked at Rebel.
“If Daddy ever went to jail and was tried for anything, Diesel, Aunt Kendall, and Brooks would defend him. He’d plead not guilty. A prosecutor would try to prove he did the crime to convict him and send him to jail.”
Harley leaned forward. She hadn’t cried once that evening. CJ considered that a win.
“If Uncle Chris went to jail, what would you want to do?” she asked.
Axel didn’t hesitate. “Bust him out!”
“And get thrown in with him,” Rebel said dryly.
“You’d want to build a case, proving he’s innocent,” Harley explained, sounding so normal.
“Okay,” Axel capitulated, though he still looked confused. “I want to be a defense prosecutor.”
“It’s one or the other, little cuz,” Mark JB said. With each passing day, he resembled Uncle Digger that much more. His hair was softer because of Aunt Bunny and his complexion was lighter, but his features were all his father’s. “You not getting this, are you?”
“He has time,” CJ said, wanting to move on. “JJ, for Axel put attorney.”
“YAY!” Axel screamed.
“Reb, I want you to think about entering the medical profession,” CJ said.
She lifted her brows. “I want to be a special club enforcer. How the fuck are you choosing a career where I save the people I fuck up?”
“Because you shouldn’t be a fucking enforcer,” CJ insisted. “Even a special one.”
Hurt crossed her face. “Why not? I’m an ace shot. And Diesel told me about the goriness of Torie’s death. It didn’t matter to me. I won’t faint or anything.”
Diesel needed to shut the fuck up and stay the fuck away from Rebel. Rule thought she was a whore. Diesel took her as fair game. Both those motherfuckers needed severe ass beatings .
CJ returned to his spot on the loveseat and rested his elbows on his knees, staring at her. “Mom needs you on her side, Reb.”
“I’ll always be on Momma’s side, CJ. Won’t you?”
“As much as I can.”
Already, a wall existed between them, and he’d just started his career in the club.
He wasn’t even a prospect yet. But Mom hadn’t known if she should treat him as her son or her son who was a biker.
The choice devastated her. CJ believed Mom would be the perfect biker’s mother just as she was an exceptional biker’s wife.
“Momma’s sweet and kind.” Rebel squirmed. “She’s… sweet. She wouldn’t understand the need to always be firm. Or cold. She isn’t a fighter.”
“Sounds like you think she’s weak,” Ryan scoffed.
Sighing, CJ shook his head. Did Rebel hear herself? She left interpretation wide open to a motherfucker like Ryan.
“I didn’t say Momma was weak!”
“You just implied it, Reb,” Rory told her.
“You’re stupid, Blonde Viper,” Axel said with indignation. “If Mom was weak, she wouldn’t have hit Nyx.”
“Momma isn’t weak,” Rebel screeched. “She’s peaceful.”
“A pacifist,” Mattie added.
Although Harley didn’t say anything, she nodded.
“Mom has quiet strength, Rebel.” Suddenly, CJ understood better why Rebel was so fucking quick to fight. Not only to defend herself, but also to not be like Mom. “Sometimes, quiet strength is the best kind. When she loses her temper or beats ass, people take notice.”
Rebel shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Daddy always steps in and finishes her battles.” She smiled. “I guess I could always be one of her bodyguards.”
“You’d still need to learn to ride a fucking bike,” CJ snapped. “Still more club member than Mom’s daughter.”
“But—”
He shook his head and stopped Rebel. “Think about it, sweetheart.”
“CJ’s right, Rebel,” Mattie said.
They looked at each other and grinned. “Reb Elle,” they chorused, giggling.
Harley frowned. “Isn’t that what Molly called you?”
“Yeah.” Rebel gave CJ an apologetic look. “I regret being so mean to her. I just wonder…” She shook her head. “I don’t want to wonder.”
“Me, neither,” Mattie agreed. “I keep hoping someone says they found her.”
“What…what happens if she is found?” Harley squeaked. “A-alive, I mean.”
Ryan smirked at her. “I get my girlfriend back.”
Harley swallowed, and tears rushed to her eyes.
Fuck.
“No one’s interested in your fucking tears, Harley,” Ryan said flatly. “Stop already. Jesus, shouldn’t you be fucking dehydrated by now?”
“You’re so mean!” she cried.
“Says you,” he replied. “Whose opinion I don’t give a fuck about.”
Harley raised glistening eyes to CJ. “He hates me, CJ. Do something!”
“What the fuck do you want me to do, Harley?”
“You’re my best friend. Don’t you care that I’m under his roof and he’s… him .”
“Not a fucking bit,” CJ said in a hard voice, meaning every word. “I didn’t invite you down with us to become involved in your drama. It’s bullshit I don’t give a fuck about. I. DON’T. CARE. Either shut the fuck up or get the fuck out. I’m not finished with what I have to say. ”
“You don’t care?” Harley echoed. “You don’t care that he had sex with me and then stopped talking to me?”
“Nope. Still don’t give a fuck. Your body. Your fucking choice.”
“You fucked Ryan ?” Rebel asked, appalled. “Jesus Christ, I took you for a lot of things, but not fucking desperate.”
Harley stared at CJ, then transferred her ferocious stare to Rebel before balling her fist and punching his sister’s jaw.
The hit stunned everyone into silence. Even Rebel. But only for a moment. Her gaze turned to ice.
“Oh fuck,” CJ started. “Reb…”
She sank her hands into Harley’s hair, fisted a handful, then flung her so hard, she flew across the table. It happened too fast to stop Rebel. By the time CJ reached her, she had jumped onto the table and dive-bombed Harley, landing on top of her.
Ryan, the fucking miserable asshole, was laughing, instead of joining CJ, Rory, and Devon in dragging Rebel away from Harley, who was knocked the fuck out.