Chapter Thirty-Five #2
Diesel fell into step beside CJ. He estimated he was just an inch or two shorter than Diesel’s six-foot two-inch frame. They walked in silence until they reached the pedestrian gate. Once Diesel opened it, he waited until CJ walked through before he allowed it to clang close.
“You okay, CJ?”
“Yeah, bro. I’m fine.”
Smiling, Diesel started off again. CJ wondered why Harley was home and not at school, then remembered he didn’t give a fuck.
Except he did , and that annoyed him to no fucking end.
The moment he opened his eyes, her vanilla scent invaded his nostrils.
He’d thought he was dreaming that her body was curled into his.
He almost drew her closer and kissed her.
So he’d moved away, curious as to how she’d even gotten in.
Once he looked at his phone and saw both the time and no missed calls or messages from Mom, he knew he was alone in the house.
For the first time in days, he felt at ease enough to actually sleep . Worry for Bishop didn’t consume him. He trusted his mother to find a way to save his friend and the other three.
That spoiled brat had the fucking nerve to invade his home, his fucking room , because she wanted to see him. Fuck what he wanted, and that was when he fucking knew he couldn’t deal with her anymore. She would never fucking change.
The last time he saw her she threw in his fucking face that she’d been with Ryan, CJ’s one-time mortal goddamn enemy.
Fuck her. He was wasting too much energy on that little heathen.
The moment Diesel opened the door, the noise hit CJ. Pain zinged through his head and slid away. Fuck, was this a residual effect from the overdose? Anxiety and stress? Or just a case of his leaving the house—fuck, the hospital —too soon?
He stepped into the club. Roars, whistles, claps, and shouts rose around him. Diesel turned toward him, backed further into the crowd of bikers and club girls, and joined in.
That’s when CJ realized they were cheering him. He searched through the crowd, but didn’t see Bishop, Potter, Narci, or Torrin. Disappointment surged into him .
However, if he’d learned nothing else over the past weeks, he understood the importance of ignoring personal problems for the good of the club.
He watched his parents do it on Christmas Day, aware of Jo’s life-threatening illness.
Luckily, the crowd allowed a slow progress toward his father’s table.
The claps on CJ’s back jolted him, but he kept a steady pace, reminding himself that he was Outlaw’s son. The son of a legend.
Some brothers even had their cell phones out and trained on him, either to commemorate his appearance with a video or a photo.
As he neared his father’s table, CJ saw the one he used and the one for the girls empty. It was closer to the end of the school day than he realized. That’s probably why he didn’t see Mom or any of his aunts. Well, Aunt Kendall and Aunt Zoann were working, and Aunt Ophelia rarely came to the club.
Easton Love sitting next to Uncle Johnnie shocked CJ, but he knew there was a story.
Uncle Sloane, Aunt Georgie, and Grant flew out several days ago, so they missed this moment.
Uncle Val smiled and offered a two-fingered salute.
Uncle Stretch still wore the bruises from Dad’s vengeance, but his shoulders seemed to ease.
Uncle Cash gave him the thumbs up sign, while Uncle Digger, Uncle Knox, and Uncle Mort joined in the claps and whistles.
But the relief and pride on Dad’s face made CJ’s pain and anxiety worth every step.
“Hey, Dad,” he greeted.
Dad stood.
CJ squinted at the wound on Dad’s chin and the small bruises littering his face. The faintest blackening around his eye shocked him further.
Before he questioned him, Dad enveloped CJ in a hug, and the cheers increased.
“You okay, boy?” Dad asked as the club quieted, wanting every little detail of this moment.
“I have a headache, but I’ll survive.”
Dad released him and studied him closely. “We need to get you to the ER?”
“It isn’t that bad,” CJ promised, not quite a lie but not the entire truth either. He finally understood why Mom always minimized her illness. The burden of normalcy was great. “Where’s Mom?”
Dad grimaced.
Fuck. His parents were arguing again. Probably over his request that she interfere in club business to save his friends.
“Whatever happened isn’t her fault, Dad. I asked her to help, so don’t blame her. I’m responsible.”
A smile curved Dad’s mouth and the admiration and respect on his face warmed CJ’s cheeks.
Uncle Val snickered. “Your mama just fine, boy. She want to knock Outlaw’s clock off.”
CJ hung his head. “You killed them anyway?” He probably led Dad right to them. Mom would’ve had to tell him where they were.
As Uncle Mort explained, they forfeited their lives.
No matter how they ended up helping to save CJ, they didn’t take measures to stop it from happening.
He’d said Mom had already told Outlaw she didn’t want Bishop, Narci, Torrin, and Potter killed.
That wasn’t enough to remove them from the hit list. Out of desperation, CJ appealed to his mother, anyway.
“Why the long face, motherfucker?” Bishop said.
Lifting his head, CJ saw his friend, alive and well, smelling fresh and clean instead of like the swamp monster Diesel complained about.
“You fucking asshole.” CJ laughed and bro hugged Bishop. “You should’ve been front and center, clapping for my triumphant return. ”
Bishop laughed. “Meggie wanted us to surprise you.”
“We will never cross that woman again,” Narci said, weaving his way through the crowd, walking from the direction of the door that led to the kitchen. He stopped next to Bishop. “I’m so glad to see you, C. Even though I’m due for an ass-kicking.”
“At the least,” Diesel said blandly.
Narci winced. “I prefer Outlaw.”
“Beat to within an inch of your life, instead of to death?” Uncle Johnnie tipped his bottle of beer to CJ. “Welcome back, nephew.”
“Thank you, uncle,” CJ said with the same cool politeness.
Easton grinned and raised his bottle of beer. CJ hadn’t forgotten how that motherfucker flirted with Mom and had her fucking giggling .
“Easton wants to join the club,” Uncle Johnnie said with a small smile. “I’ve offered my sponsorship.” He smirked at Dad.
“Hey, CJ,” Potter said, threading his way from the same direction Narci came. He pulled CJ into a hug. “I’m so fucking glad to see you on your two feet.”
“I’m so fucking glad to be on my two feet,” CJ said, smiling.
Torrin made his way next to Diesel. “Thank you. Diesel told us how you insisted he bring us food and water every day. We’re indebted to you and to Meggie.”
“Yeah, C.,” Narci agreed. “We stank to high heaven, but she didn’t even flinch when she faced us. She didn’t complain about our bad breath or anything.”
“We heard stories about Meggie and Outlaw’s fights,” Torrin started. “But we thought they were exaggerated.”
CJ snapped his brows together and turned to his father. “You physically fought Mom? ”
“Nothing more than usual,” Uncle Digger said.
His jaw was still swollen and bruised, but it was finally beginning to heal.
“Outlaw shook the fuck out of her, and she punched the fuck out of him, then knocked him off his feet in a classic Meggie move. Stun a motherfucker than torpedo her little body into him and send him tumbling.” He nodded to Dad. “She fucked him up.”
“Only cuz I let her.” Dad chuckled with everyone else.
“Fuck, she something else, huh? I gotta go pick up my new bike. I already called Haynes.” The club had a stake in the bike shop the motherfucker and his woman owned.
Their younger son, Chet, also had a small stake now.
Chet was itching to join the Dwellers, but Haynes a former member, didn’t think he had it in him.
“I told Haynes to choose whatever bike available. I’ll have it customized later. ”
“Why not just special order it, Dad?”
“Unless he want to sleep next to Hogzilla, he got to get that motherfucker today , boy,” Uncle Val said.
They all laughed.
The door opened, and the afternoon sun bounced in, along with a rush of cold air. Rebel and Mattie sashayed in, adorable in their school uniforms, although CJ cringed at the lurid stares of some of the bikers.
Rebel caught sight of Bishop. “Shop!” she squealed, clapping her hands and bouncing up and down. “You’re back!” she cried, shoving her way through the crowd. The moment she reached Bishop, she hugged him.
Before he returned it, he looked from Dad to CJ. Once Dad nodded, CJ did, too, and watched as Bishop carefully hugged her.
“Hey, Daddy,” Mattie greeted Uncle Johnnie, then smiled at Bishop. “Hey, bro.”
Bishop released Rebel and nodded. “ Hey, Matt.”
The girls greeted Potter, and although Mattie acknowledged Narci and Torrin, Rebel ignored the fuck out of them.
CJ wondered where Mom was and why the fucking door remained open.
“Hey, Reb,” Narci said, taking matters into his own hands.
Rebel continued whispering to Mattie.
“Little Buddy,” Narci tried again. “Don’t be mad at me. Everyone has accepted my apology. If you’re unhappy, Meggie will be and—”
Rebel stiffened. “I’m never talking to you again, Narci, so please leave me alone.”
Unease slid into Narci’s face and he, Potter, and Torrin shifted.
“Anything I can do—”
“The time for action is long past, you miserable motherfucker,” Rebel snapped. “I almost lost my brother because you’re a fucking dickhead, so fuck you.”
“Reb—”
“Bro, now’s not the time,” Mattie said. “Rebel’s pissed because of them.” She jabbed her thumb in the direction of the door. “Let her cool off.”
“Momma always has to put her feelings aside for you all,” Rebel said, tunneling through more motherfuckers and disappearing into the kitchen.
“I’ll talk to her,” Mattie volunteered, and hurried behind her.