Chapter Twenty-Six
Now that the dust was settling and it was sinking in the kid would survive, Mortician waited for word that CJ had opened his eyes.
Meggie girl refused to leave CJ’s side and Prez was about to lose his fucking mind. Mort stepped in to take charge as best he could, considering how fucked in the head he was.
Once Outlaw left and ordered Mort to stay by his phone, he excused himself several times, unable to bear the devastation of the other Caldwell kids. But he didn’t stay away long.
With all the children, Mortician doubted Bunny alone could handle them under the circumstances.
She was suffering, too. She’d protected CJ when Digger kidnapped them, and she’d helped care for him from a young age.
Ophelia opted to bring the younger kids and all her children home on Cash’s orders.
Doc Will—Jordan—was assuring CJ got the best possible care.
Although her specialty was obstetrics and gynecology, she always helped coordinate medical teams for the club, especially when it had to do with Meggie and her family.
Zoann worked with Jordan. Roxanne tapped Kendall, Gypsy, and Danicka to see to everyone and make sure food and coffee stayed on hand.
It was only Mort’s wife and daughter who showed their asses, both crushing him and deeply disappointing him.
Worry lines creased Charlotte Redding’s brow.
Knox’s parents showed their concern. Bunny’s parents got the next flight out of Phoenix, who Mort called right after he arrived with Diesel and CJ at the ER.
Another break from the misery led Mort to check on Jo in NICU, where Georgie Mason planted herself as soon as she arrived with Sloane and Grant.
Now, needing to move again, Mortician buzzed the ICU nurse’s station to check on Meggie and CJ.
The kid was hooked up to oxygen and IVs. But Meggie truly broke Mort’s heart. She was resting her head near CJ’s feet, sobbing softly.
“Open your eyes, CJ. Please, please, please.”
Mortician swallowed.
“Who’s going to call Axel big head? He loves you so much. He looks up to you. All your brothers love you. Rebel adores you. Jo does too.” Her voice broke. “Your daddy…Christopher’s eyes aren’t big enough to see you.”
CJ didn’t respond.
“Please, son. Please, please, come back to me. Please.”
Nothing.
“ I love you. You have brought me so much joy. From the moment I held you in my arms. You have always been perfect. The best son. The best brother. Our light and our pride. Our blessing. Me and your daddy’s.”
A mother’s pain should’ve been private, but Mort couldn’t move, wishing for Bailey’s comfort.
“You’re my precious boy,” Meggie said tearfully. “My potato. Being your mom has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Please, don’t leave us. Come back. Please.”
Mort heaved in a sobby breath. Meggie lifted her head, tears filling her eyes.
In that moment, he didn’t only think of his own kids but remembered CJ when Meggie and Prez arrived at the clubhouse with their newborn son.
As tired as she was from delivering a baby the day before, she’d known the brothers wanted to see Outlaw’s son.
Only a select few were allowed to hold him—Johnnie, Val, and Mort.
CJ had been a beautiful baby and an adorable kid.
“Thank you, Mortician,” Meggie said, swiping at her cheeks. “I can never repay you for saving his life.”
He smiled gently, not knowing what to say. It surprised him how much he needed comfort. He looked at his boots, then glanced at her again.
Meggie stood and stumbled to him, hugging him tightly. “I know I’m not Bailey,” she said, perceptive as always. “But I’m your friend. I know this has hit you hard. I can see it on your face.”
He just wanted CJ to open his eyes. His guard down, Mort hugged her back. Although he wondered why CJ hadn’t awakened yet, he didn’t want to ask her and further upset her.
He glanced at the bed again, envisioning Harley…
Lou…
Kaleb…
Remembering the moment he found out his father killed Tyler, Mort’s oldest son. The one Sharper and Charlemagne stole from him.
Mortician shuddered. Meggie hugged him tighter .
“I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”
He wasn’t sure who he was apologizing to. Meggie, Tyler, or CJ. He wasn’t an emotional man. Rarely broke down, and he didn’t want to do so now. Nor did he want to burden Meggie with his feelings.
He pulled away from her. “I just wanted to check in.”
“Okay,” she said hoarsely.
Bending, he kissed her cheek. “Still Smurfette sized.”
She smiled, forced a laugh, and returned to CJ’s side.
Mort backed out of the room, nodding to the nurse on duty and heading to the bathroom. He had to pull himself together before he walked out of ICU. He didn’t want anyone to think the worse.
Inside the bathroom, he went to the sink and held his hands under the faucet to activate the water.
Leaning down, he splashed water on his face, then straightened and looked at himself in the mirror.
His eyes were puffy and red, and his mouth was turned down.
He hadn’t eaten in hours. Fuck, he looked wrecked.
Before he figured out what to do for himself so he could be there for Prez, Meggie, Reb, and the boys, the door opened. Johnnie entered, but upon seeing Mort, he halted.
“Any word from Christopher?”
“No.”
“Val, Stretch, and Cash left,” Johnnie said.
Mort nodded. “I’ll text Prez and ask if he need me there or if he want me to hold shit down here.”
Uninterested in talking to Johnnie, he turned and grabbed paper towels from the dispenser. After drying his hands, he intended to leave the bathroom.
“Are you all right?” Johnnie asked hesitantly, discomfort on his face.
Mort still didn’t know when their friendship splintered. No matter. He’d never hold Johnnie in the same regard he once had. “I’m getting there.”
“Me, too. It’s…fuck!” Blowing out a breath, Johnnie rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s a phone call I never expected to receive.”
“It’s a sight I never expected to see.”
“I’m sure. Rory looked so fucking shell-shocked when I told him. Mattie started to cry. I can’t believe those cunts tried to kill CJ.”
“Me neither, Johnnie.”
Eyes watering, Johnnie glanced away. “Right before I came in, I went to the room to check on him. I couldn’t go in.
I saw her . So devastated. Her head at his feet.
I didn’t know what to say. CJ and I have our problems, but I don’t want him dead.
He has his whole fucking life ahead of him.
” He shrugged, got control of his emotions.
“Maybe, I’m selfish but I keep thinking about my sons.
A club girl could’ve marked Rory for death because they don’t like Kendall. How could we survive that?”
As much as he disliked and distrusted Johnnie nowadays, once upon a time they had been friends. The fuckery lurked just under the surface. For now, grief and disbelief united them. “You not selfish, John Boy. We parents. I been thinking about my children too.”
“CJ’s going to be fine.”
“He better be.” Mort forced levity into the words.
Johnnie returned the favor and chuckled. “I have an errand to run. Call me if there are any changes.”
“You got it.”
Although Christopher gave Johnnie the choice of leaving with him or staying at the hospital with Kendall, Johnnie opted to stay behind.
One, Kendall was devastated and couldn’t keep still.
Roxanne was looking after her, but Johnnie wasn’t sure about the status of Kendall’s meds.
He’d been too angry to make sure she’d resumed taking them.
Now, he feared CJ’s overdose would send her into a tailspin.
Two, he wanted to be close to the hospital to receive news on his nephew. As he’d told Mort, he had problems with CJ, but that was Christopher’s son— Megan’s son—and Johnnie didn’t want him dead.
Maybe, it was Divine Intervention that kept him at the hospital. If he’d gone with Christopher, he wouldn’t have been able to break away and meet Pounder at the office when Bash called and ordered Johnnie there.
Unlike the last time, Johnnie rode his bike.
Still, he parked in the back of the building.
Just as he dismounted, Pounder pulled in next to him.
Johnnie didn’t halt his stride. He headed to the back entrance and unlocked the door.
A moment later, Pounder walked into the building and Johnnie shut the door.
“It’s so fucking dark in here,” Pounder complained.
“Monsters aren’t going to jump out at you,” Johnnie said dryly.
“Put on a fucking light.”
“Not until we get to my office. I don’t know who’s monitoring the cameras today.”
Pounder huffed but didn’t speak again until they reached Johnnie’s office and he flipped on a light.
“What does Bash want now?” Johnnie demanded. He wasn’t interested in pleasantries. He didn’t intend to linger. “There’s a crisis— ”
“Bash is furious, Johnnie. He didn’t want anything to happen to CJ.”
“Excuse me?” Johnnie asked in a strangled voice.
“We have Diana.” Pounder dug in his pocket and came up with a piece of paper. “You can find Gail there.”
Closing his eyes, Johnnie leaned against the wall, sick to his fucking stomach and lightheaded with fear. “Who’s the mole? Dementor or Exorcist?”
“Both.”
“Fuck.”
Dementor and his friends had joined over the course of five years with the most recent addition being Nitro. Bash had been watching them long before he entered their lives. Right around the time the Gnomes made their appearance. Which made sense if they were actually Scorpions as Megan believed.
“Bash thought it was funny when you asked Dementor if he was a Harry Potter fan or if he liked cockroach wasps,” Pounder said, smiling.
Johnnie never discovered the answer. Annoyed, he snatched the paper and didn’t bother to look at the address. He stuffed it in the pocket of his jeans.
“What about Joplin?”
“We don’t know her. Only Gail and Diana. For what it’s worth, Dementor, Exorcist, and the guys they brought in, truly liked being part of the Dwellers. Fuck, I liked what I saw, too.”