Chapter Twenty-Four #2
“He awake?” he asked. A hospital wasn’t a morgue. That had to be good.
Megan gasped, hope springing in her eyes. Christopher didn’t have the conversation on speakerphone, so she only heard him.
Mortician released a breath that sounded suspiciously like a sob. “I did everything I could, Outlaw,” he said, the words so overwhelmed with emotion Christopher thought he’d throw up. “Rushing him there now his only chance.”
His only small chance.
“Stretch already sent the word out, Prez,” Mort said, more in control.
He must’ve seen everything play out on the cameras.
“Cash and Stretch got here just before Diesel left with CJ. Johnnie and Val walking in now.”
“We’ll be there, Mort,” Christopher said woodenly. He disconnected, unable to meet Megan’s eyes.
“Digger, get your bike. We need escorts.”
Without a word, Digger left.
“Where’s CJ?” Megan asked, torn between hope and despair.
“Diesel rushed him to the hospital in the van, baby. The ambulances all on other calls.”
She nodded, believing him because she needed something to hold onto. “I’ve been partitioning the city counsel to find the money for additional emergency services since Hortensia continues to grow.”
“We’ll get it done,” he promised. “Hurry and dress so we can head out.”
Within five minutes, Christopher loaded his wife and kids into Megan’s SUV. Val, Digger, Johnnie, Cash, and Stretch served as their escort as well as Kendall’s, Roxanne’s, Bunny’s, Ophelia’s, and Zoann’s, followed by the brothers who’d arrived at the club after the SOS was sent.
Everyone except Harley and Bailey, which he’d address some other time. They still didn’t know CJ’s condition and the only sounds in the SUV were Megan’s and Rebel’s weeping.
By the time they arrived at the hospital, there was still no news on his boy. Zoann and Roxanne went to the ER in search of more information. Ophelia took her kids to the cafeteria and Bunny did the same with Gunner and her kids.
Christopher guided his family to the private waiting room where Diesel sat all alone, tears streaking his face.
Megan rushed and hugged him. “It’s okay,” she sobbed. “You never would have left him with…who was there?” She raised pitiful eyes to Christopher. “Do you think something was laced in marijuana?” Hesitation diluted her devastation. “Or, maybe, he took a pill of some type?”
Guilt eating at him, Christopher dropped heavily into the closest seat and blew out a breath.
So far, he’d held it together for her sake, but his heart felt as if it was broken into a million pieces.
He’d put too much pressure on his boy, handling CJ’s introduction into the club as Big Joe had handled Christopher’s.
Except CJ was what Christopher would’ve been without Logan’s evilness and abuse.
Christopher should have stuck to the plan he and Megan had for CJ. It was what she’d wanted for their boy. Once again, Christopher had ignored her because it was club related. He’d been doing that a lot lately, and it never ended well.
Now, it might have cost him his CJ. He shivered. A sob rose up and—
“Joplin gave him what ?”
Megan’s snarl broke into Christopher’s heartache. He didn’t know what Joplin gave his son and he didn’t have time to ask if he wanted to save Diesel from his woman’s wrath.
Megan’s first punch split Diesel’s lip. Blood sprayed from his nose at her second punch.
Her third knocked him the fuck off his chair.
By the time Christopher reached her to help Rory and Ryan yank her off Diesel and free him from her fists, she’d rained blow after blow on his head and face.
Not hard enough since the motherfucker was still conscious.
Christopher needed to give her a refresher course.
He wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay, baby.”
“It isn’t!” she said, wild in her anger and grief, her tears breaking his heart. “Diesel was there and let Joplin give CJ lean!” She struggled against Christopher’s hold. When he wouldn’t release her, she kicked Diesel’s thigh.
“She said she was diluting it with extra Sprite,” Diesel told her. “He must’ve had an allergic reaction to the codeine.”
Megan dug her nails into Christopher’s arms, but he refused to release her, despite his stinging skin.
“My son isn’t a drug user, Diesel. He wouldn’t have drank that. What did she say to him?”
“No!” Rebel stepped next to Christopher and glared at Diesel. “What did you say to him?”
“Nothing! Narci, Potter, and me all told him if he didn’t want to drink it, don’t listen to the girls.” Diesel shoved his fingers through his hair. “Fuck.”
“Girls?” Megan echoed in a voice so chilling, Christopher held her tighter, trying to remind her that she was sweet and kind. “You told me Joplin gave him the drink.”
“Which one of those cunts were there besides Joplin, Diesel?” Kendall demanded, the first time she’d spoken. She’d been sitting in one of the seats with her arm around Mattie.
“Gail, Diana, and Joplin were ragging on him,” Diesel said quietly. “Fia and Tennysee told them to back off—”
“They were ragging on CJ or me?” Megan demanded, so stiff it felt as if she’d gone into full rigor.
“It really doesn’t matter, darling,” Kendall said. “All those bitches need to die.”
“Wait one fucking minute, Kendall,” Johnnie said. “You’re not a fucking club member.”
“Meggie not neither,” Digger grouched. “Somehow, she promised to stop me from seeing Mort if I didn’t shut up.” He eyed her. “That’s worse than saying I couldn’t see Bunny or my children.”
Rebel rolled her eyes, then looked at Christopher. “I agree with Aunt Kendall, Daddy.” She smiled at her ma. “I know you won’t—”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Reb.” Megan managed to wiggle free from Christopher and turn to face him.
“Kill them all.” She began ticking off names.
“Joplin, Gail—” she spat her name like it was a dirty word.
“Diana, Fia, and Tennysee. All Nyx’s friends.
She probably put them up to it. Get rid of Dementor, Bedhead, and Exorcist as well.
Stupid, stupid names. Turbo, Nitro, and Alchemy have to go too. ”
“What the fuck kind of Red Wedding Game of Thrones Cersei Lannister you turning into?” Digger sounded equal parts appalled and frightened.
“Shut up, jerk.” She looked in his direction long enough to impart that before she stared at Christopher again. “Kill them all , Christopher.”
“Only ungodly women sanction murder, Mom,” Rule said coldly.
Megan rounded on him, sparing no one in her grief. “Then I’m ungodly, son. Take me as I am or get out of my house.”
Rule’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth, then closed it, floundering at his ma’s vehemence.
“What the fuck, Megan?” Johnnie barked. “You can’t order mass executions, especially for a private family matter.”
“What about Nyx, Momma?” Rebel asked. “She needs to be on the list. So does Narci and Potter. Don’t hurt Bishop, though. Like Turbo, Nitro, and Alchemy, you might decide Bishop’s guilty by association.”
“No, no.” Megan shook her head. “Nyx needs to live. I want her to suffer. I want her to beg for mercy. As for Narci, Bishop, and Potter, they can be jackasses but I like them. They live.”
Christopher felt as if his breathing stopped.
He stared at his wife, searching for a crack.
A chink. Something . But he only saw anguish and fury, one emotion as prevalent as the other, and destroying her right in front of his eyes.
Turning her not only into Ma Caldwell, but Elizabeth Bathory, and drenching herself in blood.
All those motherfuckers would pay. Those fucking cunts, too. It wasn’t a situation where he could say if Megan wasn’t demanding their executions . No, whether she was his sweet angel and tried to talk him down or the hell goddess who agreed with his methods, there would be repercussions.
Still …
Megan .
His sweet sweet angel, who didn’t want insects hurt, despite her fear of them. He’d wrecked her. Ruined her.
If she told him to scoop up as many motherfuckers as he saw fit to avenge CJ, that was one thing. She’d leave the who up to him. But she was naming names and issuing pardons. She was losing her soul after trying to save his for so many years.
If his boy couldn’t be revived…he looked at Megan, then couldn’t look at her his shame ran so deep.
He hung his head in his hands. A moment, a second , later, she stepped between his thighs, wrapped him in her embrace, and kissed his temple.
“It isn’t your fault,” she whispered, raw and vulnerable and his . “You’ve been the best father any boy could have. No matter what happens, CJ has always been proud to be your son and I’ve always been proud to have you as my children’s father.”
He held her tightly, enveloped by her love and her warmth. “He gotta be okay, Megan.”
A tremble traveled through her.
“I knew…I knew you was in there somewhere and you ain’t mean to order eight motherfuckin’ hits.”
She tipped his head back and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, then stepped back and looked him up and down. Her eyes narrowed. “I meant every word. No one hurts my children. Whoever’s responsible will be dealt with.”
Diesel paled. Noticing Christopher’s line of vision, she glanced over her shoulder.
“Not our son. If Diesel’s involved, beat him with your steel-toed boots. I didn’t beat him up right. If he dies after you beat him, that’ll be on him. The rest of them?” she went on, ignoring his gaping, “I want them dead, starting with Joplin.”
“She a girl,” Christopher said carefully, realizing he could’ve heard a pin drop. “The club don’t kill girls.” It was the only thing he could think to say to bring his Megan back.
She threw him a filthy look. “Joplin drugged my son!”
“You not carin’ no more if I fuck up bitches?”
“I don’t care if you fuck up the world! I don’t care. My children, my sons …” She covered her face and sobbed. “Please, God, just help CJ. Please, please, please. Daddy, Momma, God, anyone , just hear me.”
“Blas—”
Megan rounded on Rule. “I dare you.”
“If you don’t shut up, Jesus Boy, Mom’s going to tell Dad to fuck you up,” Axel said. He looked at Megan. “I’ll do it, Mom. I’ve been practicing my aim with my slingshot.”
Ransom clapped his hands over Axel’s mouth. “Shut up. We don’t want to rile up Mrs. Outlaw.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell?”
At the sound of the ER doctor, Christopher stood and pulled Megan to him. Together, they walked to the man. Behind the doctor stood Mortician, looking wrung out and exhausted.
“My boy?”
“Your son is stable.” He nodded to Mortician. “His quick actions saved CJ’s life. Luckily, there was Naloxone on hand and, er, Mortician administered CPR until your oldest son drove his brother to the ER. CJ probably wouldn’t have made it if they’d waited until EMS arrived.”
“And…and…his prognosis?” Megan asked.
“I expect him to make a full recovery.”
Christopher released a breath and clutched Megan as fiercely as she gripped him.
“Thank God! Thank God! Thank God!” Roxanne cried.
Tears of relief slipped down Christopher’s cheeks, his eyes leaking as much as Megan’s. They turned to Diesel, Rebel, Rule, Ryder, Ransom, and Axel and pulled them into an embrace.
Behind them, there were cheers, claps, and whoops.
“My potato is going to be fine.” Laughing and crying, Megan kissed Christopher and each of their kids, then turned to the doctor. “Thank you so much. Thank you for saving our son.”
The doctor nodded. “He had very high levels of alcohol, cocaine, promethazine, and codeine in his system. I understand the club has special privileges. Otherwise, someone might be looking at criminal charges for giving a minor such a toxic cocktail. The cocaine, codeine, and promethazine was enough to kill him. He’s a very lucky young man. But alcohol ?”
Christopher went over the recipe for lean in his head. Sprite. Cough syrup with codeine. Promethazine. “CJ had beer at the club, Diesel?”
“Yes—”
“CJ didn’t only have ethyl glucuronide but isopropol glucuronide as well,” the doctor cut in coldly.
“What the fuck you said?” Christopher demanded.
The doctor glared at him. “One’s safe to consume. The other is not.”
Megan gasped. “CJ was given rubbing alcohol?”
“Are you certain?” Diesel asked in a strangled voice.
“Positive,” the doctor said flatly.
Before Megan ordered bitches burned at the fucking stake and motherfuckers drawn and quartered in front of the pinched-face doctor, Christopher clapped his hand over her mouth.
He’d take care of it. Megan didn’t give a fuck who he fucked up. As much as he wanted the old her back, she’d finally returned his license to kill freely.