Chapter Eleven

Although CJ would’ve preferred the original plan of sticking close to home and hanging out with Mom, Dad, and his siblings, he also was coming to understand how quickly plans changed. The duality of his father’s life, and how hard it was to juggle being Christopher and Outlaw, was sinking in.

For so long, CJ thought it was just a matter of shedding the biker and president of the MC the moment his father walked through the door at home, and then reinventing himself as Outlaw when he left.

Yet, it wasn’t so simple. It was juggling and balancing and sacrificing. It was knowing when to set aside family issues for the sake of the club and vice versa.

CJ’s admiration toward Christopher, the family man, and Outlaw, the biker, ran so deep, he didn’t think he could ever express it. Dad was legendary. Outlaw was infamous. And Christopher? Known everywhere for how much he adored his woman.

She and the children she’d given him, the home she’d built for their family, took priority in Dad’s life now. It had for a very long time. After Mystic and the Imperials got her, while she was unknowingly pregnant with Axel, Dad’s retribution was swift towards any sign of a threat.

Long ago, CJ understood what retribution meant in Death Dweller lingo. Within eighteen months, talk of enemies and punishment slid from discussions, and everyone settled into a comfortable life. Bikers by day, family men by night. Paranoia faded so much that Dad even eased up on Mom’s surveillance.

Who would’ve thought the fucking threat to her would be from someone close? Motherfucking Johnnie?

If Dad had fucked him up when he tried to strangle Mom, this shit would be behind them.

Because of that fucking fuckhead assfuck, CJ, his parents, and his siblings were at the club instead of at home, spending time together on the eve of Jo’s eye surgery.

“Hey, little brother,” Diesel greeted, walking to where CJ had stopped near the darkened pool area and leaned against the railings. They’d finish re-felting the tables tomorrow. “Outlaw wants to see us in the conference room.”

“Where’s Mom?”

Diesel sipped beer from the bottle he held. “In the kitchen. You can see her after. Come on.”

“She might need help.”

“She has Rebel, Mattie, and several old ladies with her. She’s fine. I’ve checked on her several times. It won’t take long.”

“Fine,” CJ said irritably, stalking behind Diesel.

It took them a few minutes to thread through the crowd and respond to all the greetings, but they finally walked through the arched opening, ignored the grim reaper mural, and hooked a right. At the end was Dad’s office. As they arrived at the only other door on this side of the hallway and walked into the conference room, CJ saw the reason they were meeting there. Bishop, Grant Harrington, and all of CJ’s brothers, except Gunner, sat around.

Dad was in his usual seat, looking as if he could still use days of sleep. Once upon a time, he’d thrived on his dual lives. Now, he just seemed burned out. He yawned. “Close the door, boy.”

CJ complied, then followed Diesel and took one of the empty seats near Grant and Bishop, greeting them and lifting a brow at Rule’s bowed head. He was reading—not the bible, though.

“What—”

Ryder shook his head. “Don’t get your hopes up, C. Dickhead’s reading about emergency surgery and survival skills for Christians.”

Oh, fuck. That didn’t sound good. Frowning, he looked at Dad, who wore his own ferocious glare.

“Fuck me,” he grumbled, scrubbing a hand over his face. Reaching over, he snatched the book and slid it closer, snapping it shut.

Lifting his head, Rule removed his earbuds. Garbled words and the beat of aggressive drums blasted around them. If Rule listened at that volume all the time, he’d go fucking deaf sooner rather than later.

“Dude, how do you pray all the time but listen to Crypt Carnage?” Grant asked, his solemn mood not lost on CJ. “They are one of the most notorious death metal bands around.”

Rule shrugged. “I identify with them.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Ransom snapped his brows together, raised his hand and started ticking off points. “You like to pray. You always read the bible. You listen to death metal. You sacrifice birds and mice and squirrels. You read books about that shit—” He pointed to the one Dad had confiscated— “and the purity of women.” He pointed to Rule. “Only conclusion I can reach is you will be a sadistic psycho killer priest.”

“Shut up!” Rule cried, the hideous music still streaming from his earbud.

“Turn the goddamn music off, boy,” Dad ordered. “You and me talking tomorrow evening when we get from the hospital.”

“Yeah, cuz you a sadistic psycho killer priest,” Axel declared, sitting in a chair near the closet, the straps of a duffel bag looped over his hands.

“Quiet, Axel,” Dad’s gaze didn’t leave Rule. “You ain’t a sadistic killer priest yet, son. Ima try to stop that from happening.”

Rule snapped his brows together, ignoring Ryder and Ransom’s screams of laughter and accusations that he was a psycho.

Dad nodded. “Yeah, you fuckin’ psycho, boy. Ain’t denyin’ that. You even out-psycho my fuckin’ ass, and that shit’s sayin’ a whole fuckin’ lot. You fuck up yourself with a belt. You sacrifice helpless animals, Rule. That ain’t fuckin’ sane.”

Nostrils flaring, Rule glared at Dad.

“Turn that motherfuckin’ music off and if you don’t want to be fuckin’ blind and deaf, I suggest you glare at another motherfucker before I pluck your fuckin’ eyes the fuck outta your head.”

Dad wasn’t bullshitting. Rule complied immediately.

Ransom shifted in his seat. “I thought Mom said you can’t fuck up her sons. And we’re her sons. Even Rule.”

“Your ma said I can’t kill you lil’ motherfuckers. That leave a bunch of other shit open.”

Rule and the Triplets looked at each other. Apparently, that hadn’t dawned on the little fuckheads.

“Guess what, CJ?” Axel called into the shocked silence.

“What, big head?”

Sitting straighter, Axel smiled. “Dad bought me, Ran, and Ry more stuff.” He nodded to the closet door. “More bows and arrows and slingshots.”

That was a terrible fucking idea. “Cool,” he said instead. “Is that what you have in your duffel bag?”

Biting his lip, Axel squirmed in his seat and looked at Ransom and Ryder. They sat next to each other at the conference table. A secret demon code passed between them. Axel beamed a smile.

“Nope. After we’re finished in here, we’re going to color by the pool tables.”

Axel still colored sometimes, but Ryder and Ransom didn’t. They were up to something. “What—”

“It don’t matter,” Dad interrupted, clueless. “Time wastin’. Food going to be ready soon.”

“What’s up, Outlaw?” Bishop asked, speaking for the first time since CJ arrived. He’d been sitting with distinct discomfort on his face.

Since CJ told him to back off Rebel before it became an issue, Bishop was subdued at best around him, Dad, and Diesel, and standoffish at worst.

“Your ma insistin’ we back off so Reb can date,” Dad announced grimly.

That couldn’t be right! Mom wanted Rebel to date? Nope, nope, nope, nope. That was the worst fucking idea CJ had ever heard. If his little sister wasn’t so fucking rash, he wouldn’t care, but there were too many Erics and Billys in the world. CJ would lose his fucking mind, worrying about her, especially since he already had a mission of keeping tabs on the Bart brothers.

“Dad, Rebel can’t date right now. I…goddamn…does Mom not realize…” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Goddamn, this is so bad.”

Dad nodded. “Reb just a few weeks from her fifteenth birthday. I already fuckin’ knew when she turned sixteen, I was goin’ to have fuckin’ problems, but fuck.”

“You told Aunt Meggie no, right?” Diesel asked, a muscle ticking in his jaw, his gray eyes so coldly furious that CJ didn’t need a fucking crystal ball to foresee a very big problem arising in the very near future.

Diesel was a prime fucking example of Rebel’s recklessness.

CJ clenched his jaw.

“No, I ain’t told your ma no, Diesel. What the fuck’s wrong with you? You think I’m fuckin’ stupid? This is why I called the fuckin’ meetin’ with us. To devise a plan without your ma and Reb knowin’.”

Jesus fucking Christ. Was Dad insane?

“Dad…my good man…” Ryder thought for a moment. “Bro, if you didn’t learn anything after going behind Mom’s back with the Torie issue, then, yes, you are very fucking stupid.”

“No, I ain’t! This situation’s different from that one.”

“But the same fuckin’ principles apply!” Ransom pointed out.

Axel stood from his seat, hesitated a moment, then sat the duffel bag on the chair. He walked to Dad, uttering, “ding,” with each slow step he took. He stopped right next to Dad. “Know what my ‘dings’ were?”

“The sound of a ticking clock as you walked to your execution?” Ransom guessed.

“What?” CJ blared. “How the fuck did you get—?” He grunted. “Fuck, never mind.” They were called the Terrible Triplets for a goddamn reason. They all had scheming little brains.

“Exactly, C. The three of us are on the same wavelength,” Ryder said smugly.

Usually, Grant would roll with laughter. The tightness around his mouth alarmed CJ. As soon as the meeting ended, he’d see what was up.

“We gettin’ the fuck off track!”

“No, we’re trying to save you from your execution, Dad,” Axel said in exasperation. “Mom was mad at me, too. I’m a man who takes his lessons seriously. You don’t, and I refuse to get on that stupid motherfucker train with you.”

“We tryin’ to protect your sister,” Dad argued.

“Your woman has spoken, man!” Axel argued. “You lost your chance to disagree with her when you gave in. If you do it now and behind her back, well, nothing will save you. You might as well find the biggest doghouse available and a big pillow and sleep in it. ‘Cuz that’s where you will be.”

“If I’m a fuckin’ dog, you one of my puppies,” Dad pointed out.

“Girl dogs take care of their babies, Dad,” Axel said, his expression fierce. “Girl lions run the pride and raise their cubs. Girl elephants rule the herd. Your girl controls us. If she ain’t happy, we ain’t happy.”

“Suppose I classify it as club business?”

Axel considered that. “Am I a member, Dad? I can’t even drink a fucking beer.”

He nodded to the mini fridge behind him. “You get to have one beer a week, starting tonight.”

“We’re in!” Ryder and Ransom chorused.

Axel scratched his head, obviously struggling between Dad’s offer and loyalty to Mom.

“They can’t have a beer unless you agree, Axel,” Dad prodded.

Predictably, Ryder and Ransom started heckling Axel to give in.

“Mom’s a girl,” Ryder said unnecessarily. “She will never understand the meaning of brotherhood.”

CJ had had enough. He was with Axel on this one. “Dad, I think you need your head examined. Or you’re more psycho than you believe yourself if you want to fuck around with Mom’s trust again. How’d that work out the last time? Not only for you, but for us, too?”

“Where do Bishop and I fit in, Uncle Christopher?” Grant asked.

“Rebel fuckin’ around with grown motherfuckers.” He nodded to Diesel, still suspiciously silent and stewing in anger. That Dad did not see.

What the fuck was going on…?

Fuck. Jo. Jo was going on. Her surgery tomorrow.

“Diesel got enough honor and integrity and self-preservation not to fuck with Reb,” Dad went on, fucking clueless.

CJ gritted his teeth.

“Too many fuckin’ motherfuckers like the assfucks I fucked up exist in the fuckin’ world.”

Dad’s words mirrored CJ’s concerns.

Dad nodded from Bishop to Grant. “That’s where you two come in. Grant, you see Reb as a lil’ sister. Bishop, you fuckin’ look at Reb wrong and I fuckin’ break you in half.”

“No, absolutely not,” Diesel protested. “This is insane, Uncle Chris. She’s too fuckin’ young. There’s no fuckin’ way we can fuckin’ allow her to go out with anyone for the foreseeable future.”

“I’d say until she was eighteen, right, D? CJ asked with biting sarcasm.

Glowering, Diesel flipped off CJ.

“I’m with Diesel, boy,” Dad said to CJ.

Well and good, if they wanted her to wait for the same fucking reasons.

“Grant’s cool,” Ryder said. “I’d agree to him, but Bishop? Nope. Reb would fuck him before she got out the door.”

Panic crossed Bishop’s face and he shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t! I’d never touch Reb unless Outlaw said I could. I-I-I m-mean…” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “That didn’t come out right.

“And you didn’t hear me right,” Ryder said crossly. “I didn’t say you’d touch Reb. I said she would touch you.”

“It’s the same fucking thing!” Bishop cried. He looked at Dad. “Outlaw, I don’t even talk to her anymore. Ever since CJ warned me how many pieces of me would be left in the forest and…and—”

Pride in his eyes, Dad smiled at CJ. “You make me so fuckin’ proud, boy.”

“Thanks, Dad,” CJ responded, truly happy at his father’s approval before wanting to exit this freight train of disaster.

“Reb feel like we block her,” Dad said.

“Of course, we cock block her!” Diesel snarled, his face reddening.

“I ain’t said nothin’ about no cock, Diesel,” Dad snapped.

“That’s what we’re doing, Uncle Christopher,” Diesel replied. “Is she fucking insane? She could turn up pregnant, riddled with STDs, or anything.”

Dad drew in a deep breath and a pained expression crossed his face. “Your ma puttin’ Reb on birth control.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “Fuck, my baby girl already needin’…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She grew up too fuckin’ fast.”

“She’s not grown yet!” Diesel said. “She cannot…I cannot believe you agreed, Uncle Christopher.”

Desperation crept into his face. He looked a little sick, terrified, and panicked. CJ identified. Those feelings penetrated the depths of his soul. Worse, he had another little sister to worry about.

They led a brutal life with enemies who didn’t give a fuck about consent. Eric and Billy crossed his mind. Or motherfuckers who didn’t give a fuck about a girl’s age, either. If Rebel and Mattie were on birth control and the worst happened, that would mitigate the possibility of a pregnancy.

“She’s too fucking young for birth control or fucking.” Diesel glared at Bishop. “If you fucking breathe in her direction, I will fucking kill you. Understand me, Shop?”

Snapping his brows together, Dad frowned at Diesel, finally getting a fucking clue. The jealousy in Diesel’s voice was hard to miss.

“Well, D, if Bishop don’t at least talk to her again, then she won’t listen to nothing,” Ryder reasoned, drawing all their focus away from motherfucking Diesel.

CJ would talk to that motherfucker.

“I disagree with you, Ryder,” Diesel said tightly.

“Yeah, ‘cuz you’re as fucking stupid as Dad,” Axel complained. “Reb’s just like him. He don’t like to be told no and he has so many plans they extend into the Greek alphabet. Bishop was her friend. She might’ve liked him like a girl, but he pretended she didn’t have a pussy.” A thoughtful expression crossed his face. “Reb got a pussy, don’t she?”

“Shut the fuck up.” The tips of Dad’s ears reddened. “You disrespectin’ your sister talkin’ about her private area.”

“Definitely in Dad mode,” Ransom said with a defeated sigh. He steepled his hands and stared at Dad. “Listen, my dear man, you think with stone cold logic.” He tapped his temple. “You need creativity to defeat motherfuckers with a preemptive strike. Especially the Blonde Viper, public enemy number one.”

“The Blonde Viper,” Rule chortled, snorting with laughter.

Ransom nodded.

Dad’s genes were strong. Not only did most of his sons resemble him, but all the boys, except Axel and Gunner, were at least five feet, five inches. Rule and Rebel stood at an equal height of five seven. CJ was almost six feet. Although Diesel wasn’t a Caldwell by birth, he was six two, big and strong like the rest of them.

“In the interest of sabotaging Rebel’s plans to date, you have to give up something,” Ryder said. “Ease up on Bishop hanging out with her. Let Grant ask her out on a date. Like a movie and dinner.” He wagged a finger at Grant. “Don’t forget to bring garlic so she can melt when she turns into a scary vampire.”

“AKA the Blonde Viper,” Axel supplied.

Grant finally broke a smile for the first time that evening.

“We can always tell Sloane to come visit,” Dad said thoughtfully. “Chance can take her out.”

Diesel latched onto that idea. “I like that idea. I vote for Chance Mason or Mark JB.”

“What?” CJ said, equal parts appalled and incredulous. “They’re twelve. Rebel will never go for that. I agree it should be Grant or Bishop. I vote for Bishop since Grant asking her out would raise her suspicions.”

“If I must, I vote Grant,” Diesel said, throwing Bishop a dark look.

“Should I be flattered?” Grant bit out. “I do have a working cock, asshole.”

Why the fuck would that dumb motherfucker say that shit?

“That you can fuckin’ keep if you stick to the goddamn plan.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t, Outlaw, but Diesel’s treating me like I’m a monk. I’m not interested in her. I love her like she was a little sister. However, the Triplets are right. If Rebel figures out what we’re doing, she will go fucking batshit and wage war. I’d prefer not to be her fucking target.”

“Rebel’s stupid,” Rule announced. “She isn’t a strategist. She’s too hot-tempered, which makes her impulsive.”

“You’re underestimatin’ your sister,” Dad snapped.

“And all of you are overestimating her,” Rule said flatly. “She has the heart of a Jezebel. Marry her off and be done with it.”

“First, boy?” Anger lit Dad’s eyes. “Your sister not a fucking Jezebel. She a teenage girl and growing up.”

“If she’s too young to date, she’s too young to marry, Jesus boy,” Axel said, rolling his eyes.

“Dad wants us all to contribute,” Rule said with self-righteous indignation.

“We’re not buying your try at sanity,” Ransom said. “

“Back the fuck off your brother,” Dad ordered. “How the fuck we can unpsycho him if you single him out?”

“Rule just said to marry Rebel off, Dad,” Ryder grouched. “That motherfucker is already lost in looney land.”

“Fuck, enough!” Dad glanced at his watch. “We runnin’ out of fuckin’ time and we still don’t have the Rebel problem solved, bickerin’ like fuckin’ bitches.”

Axel leaned against Dad, who wrapped an arm around his skinny waist and pulled him closer.

“You each get a fuckin’ minute to put suggestions and objections on the table, then we gotta decide.”

“Can I recuse myself?” Axel asked.

Releasing Axel, Dad split his filthy look between Diesel and Grant. “No the fuck you can’t, boy. I tapped you motherfuckers cuz Rebel and Megan think Diesel and CJ interfere with who she like, too.”

Sighing, Axel scowled at Dad. “Dad, your eyesight is failing you if you’ve mistaken us for Diesel and CJ. How are we involved in your case when we aren’t even named as plaintiffs?”

“’Cuz I don’t want your ma and your sister to think we’re tamperin’ with witnesses,” Dad said.

Which was exactly what the fuck he was doing.

Diesel drew in a breath. “Consider this a hearing de novo. We have new facts, so we can reach a new judgment.”

“I prefer decretum,” Axel said.

“Dad’s not a pope, stupid,” Ryder said. “He’s paterfamilias. The head of the family.”

“The father of the family,” Ransom said. “You know? Pater?”

“For the love of all that’s fuckin’ holy, stop teachin’ these motherfuckers about the goddamn law, Diesel,” Dad roared. “And pope stuff.”

Diesel loved studying about the Crusades. Why, CJ didn’t know.

“Can we get the fuck back on track?” Dad said. “’Cuz soon, Megan goin’ to be callin’ us out for dinner. And I’m tryin’ to keep myself distracted so I don’t go fuck up Johnnie.”

Axel and his band of merry criminals exchanged looks, raising CJ’s suspicions.

“I’ll start,” Grant volunteered, still unhappy and on edge. “Rebel is impulsive, but she’s also like Uncle Christopher, which means sooner or later, she will learn to strategize. Why fuck with fate and risk her discovering I’m the scapegoat to take her out? She might come up with her own plan and I don’t even want to consider what that looks like if she’s on birth control. I’m 75 months older than she is, not 48, which means I can be convicted of sexual assault of a minor in the third degree.”

“Nope, wouldn’t worry about no conviction, Grant,” Dad said with a kind smile. “I’d just fuck you up.”

Studying Grant, CJ drummed his fingers on the table. “I thought you were going into corporate law, dude.”

Grant wouldn’t meet CJ’s eyes, then shrugged. “Diesel and I discuss criminal law, too. That’s his specialty.”

“Liar, liar, pants on fire.” Axel returned to his seat and reclaimed his duffel bag. “You like Brynn.”

Dad lifted his brows. “You do?”

“No! I do not, Uncle Christopher.”

“We’re getting off track again, Uncle Chris,” Diesel said, a word away from unhinging. “I want to make my argument.”

“Go ahead, boy.”

“Rebel shouldn’t date at all until she’s eighteen. No matter how tough she thinks she is, she’s quite na?ve and understands nothing about men. Unless there’s a health issue going on, she also cannot be allowed to have birth control. She is reckless.”

“Objection!” Ryder called. “I say let her do the birth control stuff. She was going to do it with Eric without any. She could be having his baby and not having it won’t stop her.”

Hard to fucking believe one of the Triplets was being the most logical.

Another pained expression crossed Dad’s face. “Noted, son.” He nodded to Diesel. “Anything else?”

“This is a bad idea all around,” Diesel said. “Rebel isn’t ready to date. We aren’t ready for Rebel to date.”

“Bishop, tell me what you think,” Dad said.

“Reb’s a smart girl, Outlaw.” Bishop bypassed Diesel and focused on CJ. “If you stop looking at her like a kid and see her, you might step out of the way and trust her a little. My sister’s fifteen and just had a baby. It’s a fucked-up reality that girls grow up before we, as their fathers and brothers, are ready for that to happen. You’re doing a disservice to her.”

“You sound smitten,” Diesel accused.

“He’s speaking from experience, Diesel,” CJ said. “He just fucking said his fifteen-year-old sister had a baby.”

Bishop nodded. “Exactly. Like my sister, Rebel’s a fucking kid too, Diesel,” he said. “But she’s smart and she’s amusing. If you didn’t want this day to come, maybe she shouldn’t have been allowed at the fucking club.”

Diesel growled.

Raising his hands, Bishop drew in a breath. “Sorry, Outlaw. I don’t mean no disrespect. She hasn’t had a normal childhood. We all know that as much as we try to shield the kids, especially the girls, they still see shit they shouldn’t. Rebel is immature. She’s na?ve. She’s spoiled. But she’s gorgeous, brave, and irreverent. If you want me to ask her out, I will and I will be the perfect gentleman. I fear for my fucking life and she deserves the chance to act like a normal teenager.”

“If you were a fucking teenager,” Diesel spat.

“I didn’t ask to be here, Diesel,” Bishop retorted.

“Shut the fuck up both of you,” Dad said. “CJ?”

“I’m torn on this entire matter, Dad,” he confessed.

“It’s time for you to speak your piece, son. I waited to call on you for a reason. You hemmed and hawed long enough. A lot of times snap decisions will be required, and you have to go with your gut.”

“Well, my gut is saying we’re betraying Mom and Rebel,” CJ said flatly.

“That’s already been established, C,” Axel called. “We spoke as hostile witnesses, too.”

“Fine. Let her date, Dad. And get on birth control. Mom is trying to protect Rebel. If we get in her way, it’ll blow up in our fucking faces in more ways than one. We all know Reb. She will kill us in our sleep if she gets wind of this meeting. Not only that, but she’ll be so crushed that we’re discussing her like she’s a fucking commodity. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

He knew what was wrong with Diesel because of Rebel’s games, but that was beside the point. Fuck, no, that was exactly the fucking point.

“We’re talking about her life. Her teenage years where she’s going on her first date and doing all the stuff girls dream about.”

“CJ, she your sister, not your baby girl.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, tired and haggard, and as if more than just this bothered him. “I just want to protect her.”

“I know, Dad,” CJ said quietly. “And I know this is shit timing. I’ll put the word out at school to a couple of the guys I trust that they can…” Fuck, Dad was right. This was hard. “They can look at her. As long as they don’t stare. They do have to treat her like one of the guys. At least a little. They can’t get any ideas that they can date her. They can take her out once—”

“Fuck, fine!” Grant said, torn between annoyance and amusement. “I’ll ask Rebel out. She is like a little sister to me and she sees me as another brother. I’ll bring her flowers and shit, and tell her I broke up with my girlfriend, so I want advice on how to get back with her.”

“She’ll wonder why you haven’t gone to Lolly,” Axel said.

Grant thought for a moment. “Because I cheated on her. Now, I regret it and want to win her back. Roxy would cut my balls off if I went to her with something like that.”

“Can we all live with that?” Dad asked. At everyone’s nod, he looked at Bishop. “You can talk to her again. Just don’t look at her longer than five seconds.”

Bishop nodded.

Right on cue, Nyx opened the door. She was a new club girl, with auburn hair and golden eyes set off by pale skin and a beautiful face and body. She was no more than twenty and introduced a couple of days ago. Diesel said her initiation would happen next week and invited CJ to attend. She loved black lipstick, black nail polish, lace, and leather.

“Outlaw, Meggie said dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.”

Dad nodded, seemingly unaffected by her beauty. “Thanks, babe.”

Diesel smirked at her. Nyx blushed. CJ tried not to stare at her twin peaks, greeting him like tempting mounds and boosted by the leather corset top that had lace sleeves. Grant and Bishop didn’t give a fuck. It surprised CJ that their fucking tongues didn’t hit the floor.

“Are you coming to my party, Outlaw?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“I heard all the members are supposed to welcome me.”

He glared at her. “Ain’t interested in gettin’ pussy from you, Nyx. I already fuckin’ told you that. Don’t make me fuckin’ warn you afuckingain.”

Her face fell. “Hopefully, you’ll change your mind,” she said, turned, and sashayed away.

“Motherfuck me, what the fuck is wrong with bitches suddenly?” Dad snarled.

“What do you mean suddenly?” Diesel asked.

“Nothing. Never-fuckin-mind. Megan know I ain’t a cheater.”

Oh, fuck. CJ went on alert.

“Uh, Dad?” Ransom called.

“What, boy?”

“You do know that Mom’s a real girl, right? And real girls are real sensitive, especially when they like a guy.”

“Me and your ma grown adults. We not in fuckin’ grade school.”

Amusement rose in CJ. “Says you, Dad. You know? The one who is notoriously jealous over Mom.”

A sheepish expression crossed Dad’s face and he shrugged.

“Mom’s not a robot, Dad,” Axel said. “She gets jealous, too. And her feelings get hurt.” He looked at CJ. “Tell him, C.”

The point his brothers were trying to make should’ve been a no-brainer. But it wasn’t. Dad didn’t realize he’d begun to take Mom’s trust in him for granted. Not out of malice or because he was bored with her. She’d had such blind faith in him for so long. His father believed that Mom shouldn’t doubt him, no matter the fucking optics of a situation.

“I spent a lot of time with Mom, Dad.” More than any of his siblings. She’d had him when she was so young while they lived at the club. She didn’t have a massive house to oversee or the many responsibilities she had now. “I regularly overheard her and Aunt Bunny talking. Do you know my grandmother never let her go on a date?” Or wouldn’t allow her birth control, even though Mom’s stepfather was molesting her.

“I know, son.”

“Mom’s blind loyalty to you wasn’t so blind, Dad. It was because you showed yourself to be trustworthy.”

“I once asked Aunt Meggie about her early days at the club,” Diesel revealed. He nodded at framed photos of two women who’d been killed by CJ’s uncle. “She always talks about Kiera and how much you cared about her.”

Dad glanced over his shoulder at the beautiful, dark-haired woman. CJ knew about her, too.

“She said she moved Kiera out,” CJ told him. “She’ll add in Ellen, since you were seeing both of them, but it’s obvious she felt Kiera was more of a threat.”

“I went to her after Salora broke up with me,” Diesel said, referring to one of his girlfriends. “She couldn’t take seeing women around me every time she came to the club. She wasn’t secure enough for that. It was an issue I have repeatedly run into.”

“You fuck everything you see,” Ryder said. “And you’re married. They seem like they have a reason to be jealous, fuckface. Especially your wife.”

“Long before I met Tabitha, I couldn’t convince them I wasn’t cheating, so I stopped trying,” Diesel confessed, then returned to his story. “Aunt Meggie said it can get overwhelming, but she trusts you because you always shut down any woman who even looks at you. No matter what.”

CJ nodded. “You know what else I once overheard her say? That you need a softer hand in your life. A woman’s ear. Before Mom, it was Kiera. Then her.”

“Torie got a small kid,” Dad said tiredly. He’d gotten the point they were making immediately.

As much as they tried to make everything right, something still felt off. CJ hoped after Jo’s surgery, things would return to a semblance of normalcy, though he doubted it. If his parents were out of sync, they would be, too.

Was it Mom who needed to get Dad back on track or vice versa? Whatever the case, club business wouldn’t wait forever. Bash was still out there. Molly was still missing. And they were still dealing with issues that should’ve been shut down.

Uncle Johnnie. Torie. Mom’s hysterectomy. Molehills that turned into mountains because Dad was adrift.

Unlike when the Imperials kidnapped her and he annihilated any threat without blinking an eye, Dad couldn’t seem to pull himself out of his funk where Mom had been talking to Rebel one minute and hemorrhaging the next.

CJ needed to know his parents were okay, so he could focus on school. If he didn’t bring in good grades, he couldn’t even stay on the practice team, which was as important as attending school again to effectively watch the Barts. His parents owning the school didn’t matter. Up to this point, they hadn’t interfered with policy. If he were kicked off the football and they pulled their weight, he’d alienate too many people, freezing his surveillance before it began.

“Give me Torie’s address,” CJ said. “I’ll go and fucking kill her if that’ll give Mom peace.”

Dad eyed him suspiciously. “What did your Ma say?”

“Nothing, Dad. Torie’s gone but I know she’s not forgotten. You hurt Mom. We hurt Mom.”

“You have a crush on Torie,” Ransom said with a gasp, and started laughing.

“I do not!” Dad snapped.

“Yeah, well, good luck trying to get Aunt Meggie to believe that,” Diesel said. “As long as you’ve wanted to kill Johnnie, you pissed off your chance because of that bitch.”

Bishop sighed. “I might as well tell you, Outlaw. There’s a fucking debate in the club about if you fucked her or not.”

“I didn’t, and I fuckin’ said I didn’t.”

“Uh, yeah, Dad. There was no fucking footage from Torie’s apartment,” Ryder said. “This is a case of he said, cuz the she didn’t say. She just implied.”

“Fuck, Megan know me!”

“Dude, put it to rest,” Ryder told him. “That is a tired fucking argument.”

“That’s beside the point,” CJ said. “Mom does know you. You aren’t acting normal toward Torie. Can you understand how she feels? With the history of you, her, and Kiera? With her belief that you need a woman to confide in?”

“Uncle Christopher,” Grant said, shifting his weight. “Aunt Meggie can’t see into your head. I believe you. I’ve heard all the lewd, crude comments about this entire situation. It’s why Nyx thinks you’ll fuck her. The girls think you’ve cheated on Aunt Meggie.”

Dad narrowed his eyes.

“They aren’t disrespectful to her,” Diesel said with a shrug.

“If they laughin’ behind her fuckin’ back, they are.”

“Oh, really?” Ryder said, rolling his eyes. “Whose fucking fault is that?”

“Dad, think about it this way,” Ransom said. “Mom said kill Uncle Johnnie if you kill Torie. That bitch is that motherfucker’s insurance policy. The moment you fuck her up, his fucking life has an expiration date.”

Dad glanced away. What the fuck was CJ missing?

“I’m going to text you motherfuckers later, so we can come up with a restaurant that might satisfy Reb,” Dad said, completely changing the subject.

Grant frowned. “I can’t take her to J’s?”

“That’s so cheap,” Axel said. “Taking your date to your grandmother’s restaurant. That’s a first level association. Whereas when I take my woman out to J’s, I’m fifth or fourth level.”

“You mean your blow-up bunny?” Ryder teased. “Cuz you ain’t got no woman.”

“Nah-uh! Take that back.”

“You just agreed you don’t have a woman, big head,” CJ said, laughing.

“But I don’t have one yet. I’m just preparing for when I get one, C.”

Clicking his teeth, CJ pointed at him. “Got it, bro.”

“Knock-knock,” Rebel said, breezing into the room and crashing to a halt at seeing all of them. The play of emotions on her face went from shock to curiosity to suspicion and anger. “What’s going on in here?” she asked coolly.

They all shifted. Uncomfortable and so fucking guilty they couldn’t meet her gaze.

“Father?” she asked, the one word a cold demand.

“Ain’t what you thinkin’, Rebel.”

“Says the fucking cheater and the goddamn schemers.”

“Your mama’s a cheater,” Axel said with indignation, then frowned. “That makes mom a cheater, huh?”

“Yes, you little fuckhead,” she snarled, turning.

“Fuck, Rebel, wait.” Dad got to his feet. “Baby—”

She whirled to him, her hair flying and her eyes snapping. “I don’t want to fucking hear it, Daddy. There’s a motherfucker laid up when we should be digging up dirt for his fucking fingertips for laying hands on Momma. Fuck her no-kill list. That motherfucker’s alive because of that fucking bitch, who I fucking swear to Jesus, I will hunt down and kill the fucking day I turn eighteen, since you can no longer do the fucking job because some bitch turned your miserable fucking head.”

Rebel must’ve heard the talk that Grant and Bishop mentioned.

“Rebel!” Mom called, storming into the room. She huffed. “Come back into the kitchen and clean the mess you made when you knocked out Nyx.”

“It’s not my fucking fault that bitch didn’t see the iced tea,” Rebel grouched.

Amusement danced in Mom’s eyes. “She hit it after you punched her. She couldn’t see it, love.”

Rebel pursed her lips. “Fair enough.”

From CJ’s angle, he couldn’t see signs of Uncle Johnnie’s slap to Mom. It relieved him, but it still didn’t erase the memory of her falling to the ground because of that asshole.

Dad cleared his throat. “Why’d you knock her out, Reb?”

“I don’t appreciate a fucking bitch, preening in front my fucking face about a bet she made to see if my father could cheat on my mother again.”

“I ain’t cheated on your ma at all.”

“Your dad’s right. Besides Reb, Nyx is just jockeying for position amongst the new girls,” Mom said. “You will be forever fighting if you throw punches every time a woman tries to get your dad.”

Rebel looked appalled. Fuck, CJ felt appalled at his mother’s calm explanation.

“And always fighting becomes predictable behavior,” Mom said with a shrug. “At some point, it will become a weakness and your opponents will use it against you.” She smiled at Dad. “I made walnut blondies for dessert and Huck just got back with gallons of ice cream.”

Dad smiled. “I love you so fucking much, Megan.”

“I love you more, Christopher,” she said softly. She looked at Rebel. “Let’s clean up the mess. After dinner, you and I will talk to Nyx. Learn to choose your enemies and your allies. Nyx wants status, Reb. She can get it amongst the guys by sleeping with Diesel.”

Rebel smiled serenely, but angry color swept into her cheeks and darkened her eyes.

“But if she wants lasting status, she can only get that through us,” Mom declared. She grabbed Rebel’s hand. “C’mon, Reb. Let Momma show you how to catch the flies buzzing around her man.”

“There’s only one fly and I want to catch and squish with a fucking bat,” Rebel grumbled as Mom dragged her out, her laughter trailing behind her.

Dad stared at the place Mom had stood, a combination of a lot on his face. Pain. Fear. Worry. Love. Adoration. And anger. All converging and brewing inside of him.

Though it was the glimpse of anger that most arrested CJ. The love his parents shared had seemed so uncomplicated at one time, but it wasn’t. It was messy and brutal because the one thing that Dad couldn’t live without was the one thing that he seemed destined to lose. Mom.

She’d said if she could lose her sons and her husband to death because of club life then she wouldn’t worry about saving anyone else’s life. Mom held the key to her survival and Dad’s sanity in her hands. All she needed to do was schedule the fucking hysterectomy.

Undoubtedly, she was still battling her insecurities over the Torie incident, but the nurse was gone. Mom needed to get with the program or accept responsibility for the downfall of the once mighty Outlaw.

A possibility that seemed imminent.

The frigid night air was clean and fresh, unpolluted by smoke and alcohol. The lights of the parking lot dimmed the sky. Out back, the stars were brighter against its indigo backdrop since the yard wasn’t as well lit. Perhaps Rebel would walk around the corner of the clubhouse, where CJ and Harley hung out at one time. There were motion lights there.

Four guards marched among the bikes. Two carried shotguns and two carried AK-47s. As each of them spotted her, they nodded, and she responded with a wave.

She dug in her pocket for her phone to send a quick text to her mother. Momma might worry if she didn’t see Rebel. She’d walked outside without telling anyone, which she always did. But Rebel needed a moment to herself, away from the club girls. Away from the bikers.

Away from her family.

When she realized she’d left her phone on the kitchen counter, she cursed. She wouldn’t go in for it, but she wouldn’t stay outside as long as she’d intended.

The day had been long and hard, but it would finally end in a couple of hours. She’d gotten over her shock at seeing Billy and Eric shot in front of her. She was tired, though. So very tired.

Her knuckles were throbbing because she’d had to put a bitch and a motherfucker in their places during the course of today’s misery. Momma wasn’t a fighter, so she didn’t understand the importance of maintaining respect.

To earn it, fights took place. To keep it, even more fights happened.

Before Momma made Rebel clean up the iced tea, she’d seen to Rebel’s knuckles.

Once she finished in the kitchen, Rebel called and checked on Mattie. Her cousin said she was turning in early. As soon as Rebel got to her room, she intended to take a bubble bath, something she rarely indulged in. Showers were quicker and easier.

The door opened, and she slipped into the shadows. She didn’t want to be bothered.

Narci stopped under a beam of light, one of the club’s pretty boys with his feathered waves and chiseled jaw. He preferred leather pants over jeans, probably because his long legs and hard thighs were better outlined.

He tipped a bottle back, returned it inside his jacket, then lit a cigarette, setting up to stay outside for more than a minute.

“Narci!”

The female owner of the voice walked into view, coming from the direction of the entrance gate. Several years ago, they installed a pedestrian gate like the one by the forest trail for visitors who weren’t arriving by bike or car. It saw little use and could only be opened with a code entered from inside.

“What are you doing out here all alone, handsome?”

As the girl walked into the light, Rebel realized it was Tennysee, a club girl and one of Nyx’s friends. Rebel suspected the new crop of girls was so young to create an age range that would please the older bikers and the newer members.

“A little bird told me you aren’t Narci.” Tennysee snatched Narci’s cigarette and took a smoke. “You know you’re such a beautiful motherfucker with a delicious, gigantic cock.”

Leaning against the steel fa?ade, Rebel bit down on her lip, wishing she’d made an escape before Tennysee showed up. Listening to the girls interact with men had long fascinated her. They acted differently than Momma did with Daddy. Or any of her aunts and uncles toward each other for that matter.

“Your road name is actually Narcissist.” She took another drag and then released the smoke. “Is that true, babe?”

“Been checking up on me, Ten?”

She lowered her lashes, her olive complexion making her background hard to define. Rebel would cut her own fucking tongue out before she asked that bitch anything about herself.

“Maybe I have,” Tennysee answered. “How else will I ever get on the back of your bike as your property?”

“Never said I wanted my own bitch.”

“I can wait until you change your mind.” She took a last drag, then held the cigarette out to Narci again.

He took it between his two fingers, then used his other hand to cup her throat and drag her to him. Their tongues met in a sloppy kiss. Watching them sent a pulse through Rebel, and she thought of Diesel.

Before she reflected too deeply, Narci and Tennysee’s kiss ended. He caressed her ass, then slapped one of her leather-covered cheeks.

“What are you doing here?”

“Nyx called me. I told her I’d go to her trailer and wait, but she begged me to come here.”

Narci grunted. “She’s inside somewhere. Go and talk to her.”

“She already told me Rebel knocked her out.”

“I’m not commenting on that,” Narci said harshly. “If you cunts want to fuck with Outlaw’s daughter and wife, I won’t even cry at your fucking funerals.”

“They have a problem with us!”

Yeah, because those bitches were clicking up, trying to overthrow Momma.

“Why is that, Ten?” Narci demanded. “I told you the first time I fucked you not to follow Nyx’s fucking path. That bitch has a fucking death wish. What did I tell you to do? Be nice to Rebel and befriend Meggie. Reb can be fucking difficult, but Meggie’s sweet as pie.”

Tennysee snorted.

Narci glared at her. “You won’t win a bitch fight with the Queen Bitch, you stupid cunt. Meggie’s sweet,” he said flatly. “Be nice back to her.”

“Nyx is my friend! Not Meggie and definitely not Rebel. Diana told me how jealous Rebel got because she fucked Diesel. Now, she’s barred! Rebel probably cried to her daddy and—”

“Bitch shit,” Narci repeated. He took a moment for his cigarette. “Diana fucked with Rebel. Meggie had her barred. Outlaw didn’t have nothing to do with it. When all that bullshit with Torie was going on one brother bitched out and went to Meggie and told the entire fucking story. Diana would’ve had more of a chance of getting back in the club if Outlaw had barred her. All she’d have to do is get Meggie on her side.”

Tennysee blinked as owlishly as Rebel, shocked alike. Her mother had…?

“Meggie gives Mama Bear another definition. And since that fucking cunt let the cat out of the bag about the Caldwell boys, none of us are safe.” Narci huffed and tossed his cigarette. “If her kids and her old man’s in danger, then fuck everybody else.”

Tennysee thought for a moment. “Is it true she lost her mother, father, and brother to the life?”

“As well as her mother-in-law, nieces, three sisters-in-law, and a baby. Talk is she’s gone cold.” Narci shrugged. “I say she’s just protecting herself.”

“You like her.”

“I do. And Reb. Fuck, all the officers’s old ladies and daughters.”

“That makes me dislike Rebel even more.”

As if I give a fuck, bitch.

“As if she gives a fuck, Ten,” Narci said, almost as if he saw inside Rebel’s brain.

“She’s a fucking child!”

“With grown-up eyes.”

“I got it on good authority that Outlaw and Torie did do something—”

Narci clapped a hand over Tennysee’s mouth, stopping Rebel from storming to her and punching her teeth out.

“Don’t you fucking spread that rumor. If Nyx knows what’s good for her, she’ll keep her fucking mouth shut.” With a warning look, he dropped his hand. “Shut the fuck up about shit that don’t concern you. Whose mouth Outlaw sticks his cock in isn’t your fucking concern.”

Ewww.

“She just makes me so jealous, baby. I think you like her and I want you for myself.”

It took Rebel a moment to adjust to the change and shove away the disgusting words about Daddy. Even if she believed they were true. She thought the ‘she’ Tennysee referred to was Momma, but Rebel wasn’t sure about that either.

Narci took a phone call. The moment he hung up, he said, “Go inside, Ten.”

“How’ve you been?” Tennysee looked at him with adoration and ignored his order. “I found a good Chicken Parmesan recipe.”

His eyes crinkled. “I’m impressed at how much attention you pay to our brief conversation.”

“I want to know everything about you. I hang onto your every word.”

Rebel rolled her eyes.

“Your hopes. Your dreams. Your aspirations. Whatever they are, I want to know so I can help you. Be your helpmeet.”

He pulled her against him, dipped his head, and kissed her again. “That’s deep, babe.”

“You’re deep,” she breathed. “You fuck me so deep.”

Cocking her head to the side, Rebel considered the change in the conversation. Tennysee had been straddling between girlfriend candidate and vixen to party with. Momma flirted with Daddy in a subtler and more refined way.

She couldn’t help but wonder which way men preferred.

“Go inside, Ten,” Narci said again.

“Are you coming with me?”

“No.”

The single word was hard, and Rebel wondered why. Tennysee heard it too because she stiffened.

“I see.” Without another word, she stiffened her shoulders, and went inside.

Narci sent a text, then lit another cigarette. Damn it, he still wasn’t going inside. Rebel had been outside longer than she’d anticipated.

Sighing, she pushed herself from against the wall, catching his attention. His eyes widened at the sight of her. A moment’s guilt crossed his face.

“Hey,” she said, having no interest in bringing up anything she’d overheard.

Judging by the way he shifted his weight and glanced toward the door, he knew she’d been within earshot.

“What’s up?”

He cleared his throat. “What are you doing out here all by your lonesome?”

She shrugged. “I needed to catch my second wind.”

“I’m sure you did. We all warned Nyx not to fuck with you.”

Pleasure shot through her, and she stood a little taller. She was gaining a reputation as a bad ass, like Daddy.

“Don’t know if she’ll last,” Narci continued. “She fucked with you and Meggie.”

“Nyx will be fine. Even when Momma freezes out a club girl, they still come around. Maybe, not as often. Which is why I prefer my way.”

Chuckling, he puffed on his cigarette. “Beat a bitch to the ground, huh, Rebel?”

Wishing for a cigarette, she nodded.

“Ever heard of catching more flies with honey?”

“If vinegar is acidic enough, you burn those motherfuckers and put the bullshit behind you.”

His hazel eyes twinkled. Before he commented, the door opened again, and two club girls walked out. Fia and Joplin had been around for a little over a year. Rebel was cool with Fia, who would turn twenty over the summer. Joplin was slightly older, but the jury was still out on whether Rebel liked her. She kept to herself a lot.

“Hey, Reb,” Fia said, genuinely happy to see her.

Joplin offered a subdued, “hi.”

Rebel nodded to Joplin, then smiled at Fia. “What’s up, bro?”

“Promised Narcissist a cock suck,” Fia answered.

Heat swept through Rebel. She was sure she’d turned beet red. Usually, she overheard talk of sex and innuendos. Sometimes, she accidentally saw something, but none of the girls or the bikers had ever so blatantly stated their intentions in front of her.

Ignoring Rebel’s shock, Fia looked at Narci. “You’re looking mighty handsome tonight, baby boy.”

Snickering, Narci flicked his cigarette away.

“Make a girl forget her own name,” Fia went on.

Her statements sounded lame to Rebel, but they piqued Narci’s interest. He was a man completely in love with himself, yet a few words, a wink or two, and a steady gaze on him snared him.

He slipped a hand in Fia’s low-cut top and covered her breast before leaning down and covering her lips with his.

“Pssst, come do a line with me,” Joplin said, “then we can sixty-nine.”

Narci raised Fia’s shirt and revealed her chest to the frosty night air before dipping his head and wrapping his lips around her nipple.

Rebel squeaked.

“Hey!” Joplin called, grabbing Rebel’s sleeve and shaking.

Narci lifted his head and glared at Joplin. “Leave Rebel alone. Outlaw will fuck us up for turning his daughter into a cokehead.”

Joplin’s eyes glazed. “Reb, I can cover your clit in coke and lick it off,” she offered, ignoring Narci.

“Uh—”

This time, the opening door brought out Ryan and Bishop. Their gazes roamed from Fia’s exposed breasts to Narci and then to Rebel. Bishop met Rebel’s gaze and studied her in a way he usually tried to avoid.

“Hey, Ryan,” Joplin greeted, a soft smile playing on her lips as if she hadn’t just propositioned Rebel.

Ryan ignored Joplin and focused on Rebel. “What are you doing out here?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, Ryan,” Fia said, laughing merrily.

“Easy for you to say,” Ryan retorted, glaring at Rebel. “Didn’t two stupid motherfuckers just suffer the consequences of fucking with you?”

“I was just talking to Narci, Ryan,” she snapped, not wanting a reminder of this morning.

Ryan snatched the door open and held it. “Get inside.”

Rebel frowned.

“Don’t fucking argue, Rebel,” Ryan said. “You shouldn’t be out here right now.”

Bishop wrapped an arm around her shoulder, the first time he’d offered a friendly touch in weeks. He’d been avoiding her like the plague. His teeth flashed white against his dark skin.

“I got a joke for you, Reb.”

“What is it, Shop?”

“I’ll tell you inside.”

“I have one,” Fia piped in. “Knock, knock?”

“Who’s there?” they all dutifully chorused.

“Pussy.”

“Pussy who?”

She smiled at Narci. “Pussy for you.”

Rebel giggled. “Lame!”

“Mine’s better,” Bishop said, chuckling.

Unbelievably Ryan was laughing, too. However, that didn’t deter him from his mission. He signaled the open door.

“Fine!” Rebel gritted, grabbing Bishop’s hand and dragging him in with her. The door slammed closed. “Tell me your joke,” she said, dismissing her cousin’s highhandedness.

Only a couple of guys sat at the bar. Everyone must’ve migrated to the backyard to eat dinner.

“Two big biker dudes were sharing a girl. They called it a “throuple.” They shared everything: Each other’s lives, each other’s dreams, and each other’s bacteria.”

“You’re so silly,” Rebel said, laughing.

Bishop winked at her. “C’mon. I’m sure your Mom and Dad are looking for you, and I’m ready to eat.”

She was so happy that Bishop had resumed their friendship, she wouldn’t question this turn of events.