Page 19 of Remiss

Cash McCall’s question pulled Christopher away from the note he was drafting on his phone to entice Skip and two other chapter presidents back to his side after Johnnie’s fuckery. With Cash’s help.

Christopher didn’t raise his head from his task. “Fuck you. Fuck off.”

Instead of listening, the motherfucker pulled out his usual chair–out of Christopher’s reach–and plopped his ass down. “It’s about your sons. Three in particular. No!Onein particular.”

“Listen up, McCall.” Setting his phone aside and snatching his bottle for a swig of beer, Christopher met Cash’s angry gaze. “You got off fuckin’ light, considerin’ I wanna chop off your motherfuckin’ head and pitch it in a fuckin’ bear cave. Axel got more fuckin’ balls, and loyalty, than you’ll ever fuckin’ have, so speak at your own fuckin’ risk.”

His skin paling, Cash glanced over his shoulder. Johnnie and the other motherfuckers he aligned with against Christopher weren’t there. They’d been laying low.

“Outlaw–” Cash swallowed. He looked fucking rancid. Not in a dead, decomposed way but like a yellow-bellied, pussy-faced betrayer reeking of guilt and fear. “I didn’t mean–”

“Don’t fuckin’ hand me that bullshit,” Christopher snarled, pounding his fist on the table and drawing attention. Not that he gave a fuck. He was ready to kill every motherfucker who stood against him.Obviously, they were taking him for a pussy if even motherfuckingDiggerfucked over Megan. “You wanna stand ten fuckin’ toes down against me, then look me in the fuckin’ eye and sayfuck you.”

“I would never–”

“You fuckin’ did, so shut the fuck up.”

“I exercised my free fucking will, Outlaw. My vote wasn’t personal. It wasn’t a betrayal.”

“It was both,” Christopher spat, tautening his muscles so he wouldn’t blow this motherfucker away.

It would devastate Ophelia and Stretch.AndMegan wouldn’t give a fuck. That thought alone stayed his hand. His sweet angel was almost back. She just needed a little more nudging.

“It wasn’t!”

“How the fuck else am I supposed to take it?You, motherfucker, riskin’ my wife for a kid who can’t join the club for another thirteen years, so fuck you. That lil’ motherfucker might not evenwantto join. As for my boys, Ima give them a raise in their allowance for what the fuck they did.”

“Outlaw, let me explain.”

“Ain’t no motherfuckin’ explainin’ in the motherfuckin’ world why you sat your motherfuckin’ ass in this clubhouse and announced I wanna fuck over the club just to protect my woman.”

“I didn’t say that!”

Christopher ignored him. He hadn’t said those exact words but he might as well have. “Hope,pray, Megan don’t come to harm cuz of the way you motherfuckers voted.” He leaned in close, glad the brothers had turned their attention back to whatever, and held Cash’s gaze. “Remember Mars? Ima send Diesel after every motherfucker who voted against me. Butyou? Johnnie? Skip? You motherfuckers mine. Ima fuckin’ gut you, castrate you, and dig out your fuckin’ eyeballs. And Ima do it slow. Over three or four days. So, motherfucker, don’teverfuckin’ mention what the fuck my boy did to you.”

Cash gulped and shoved back from his seat, but halted at Diesel’s approach.

“Uncle Christopher,” Diesel greeted, glaring at Cash.

Scowling at the motherfucker, CJ stepped beside Diesel. “Hey, Dad.”

His boy had more bruises than Christopher after their fight yesterday, but he had gone to school. “Talked to Coach Yancy?”

CJ sidled another glance at Cash, then nodded. Christopher expected CJ to greet that motherfucker at any moment, although he hoped his boy continued ignoring him.

“You back on the team?”

“It isn’t that easy. I have to turn in another physical by next Friday and I also have to attend one-on-one practice sessions with him starting Monday.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask if you’d like to work out with me, little brother?” Diesel tipped his lips up and looked at Cash. “I’ve been practicing deprivation methods. Little sleep. No food or water. Holding my breath under water. Light exposure. Noise exposure. Stuff I intend to do to our enemies. Not that we’re in the presence of any since we’re all family. Right, Cash?”

“You bet,” Cash said faintly.

Diesel’s grin widened. “So, what do you say, CJ? I need to train my body in case I fall into enemy hands and they want to torture me. We can train together.”

As far as Christopher knew, Diesel was a lying motherfucker, but the terror on Cash’s face was worth every fucking untruth.

Before CJ responded, Ransom, Ryder, Rory, and JJ walked up. It was Rory’s first time back in the club since Christopher’s ban. Although CJ’s punch to the lil’ motherfucker was barely that, his boy followed his orders. Everything else could be settled later.