Page 202 of Remiss

Rebel made a face at him. “Joke’s on you, fuckface.”

“I will see you fucking dead before I let you get in a car with her alone. CJ, myself, or Uncle Christopher can teach her.”

“If I wanted one of you. I don’t. I asked Kaia on the drive here. Deal with it. Die over it. I don’t give a fuck, Diesel.”

“Diesel, can you just back off for now?” Kaia asked, shaking his head. “We get it. She’s yours.”

“In his fucking dreams,” Rebel snorted.

CJ treaded forward, in pain. He’d won the fight, but Thumper had gotten in a few good hits. “Diesel, stop it. Okay? You’re losing it.”

“She’s acting like a spoiled brat.”

“And you’re acting like a pervy pedo,” Axel said with disapproval, stomping to Diesel and grabbing his hand. “Mom’s home. I’ve warned all you motherfuckers not to fuck up again. That means you, too. I was going to talk to you and ask you to talk to Dad. I have a list of things he needs to explain to CJ.”

“How the fuck did I get into this conversation?” CJ asked.

“Talk to him yourself, Ax,” Diesel said irritably.

“I’m tired of talking to that motherfucker. He’s worked on my last nerve. It’s your fucking turn.”

“Oh my god,” Rebel said dramatically. “I forgot all the terminal testosterone polluting the fucking air here. Use all the masculinity for something positive like gentlemanliness and let me sit the fuck down!”

“I’ll be a gentleman when you become a lady,” Diesel snapped.

“Dude, that’s so fucked up,” Kaia said. “Never mind. Just leave her alone. She needs to sit down. Have some fucking compassion for my girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” Diesel said, his tone chilling, insanity flickering in his gray eyes, a motherfucker on the verge of turning into a fuckhead.

Kaia stepped in front of Rebel. “She’s my girlfriend. Jana’s your fiancé. Remember her?”

“Mom!” Axel screamed, drawing everyone’s attention to the doorway where his mother stood, looking healthy, happy, and content.

She wore a short shirtdress with impossibly high stilettoes, her golden hair flowing around her as if she didn’t have a care in the world. CJ’s heart dropped. Usually, Mom’s glow was becauseof how much she loved Dad and their kids, but she hadn’t even seen him yet. She was just coming from the hospital, according to Rebel’s timeline.

Mom smiled and hugged Axel. Had Axel grown? He seemed like he had, reaching Mom’s chest, even though she’d gained five or six inches because of her shoes.

“Hey, my little sweet pea,” she greeted, ruffling Axel’s hair.

Her little what?

Thumper writhed a moment, groaned again, then struggled into a sitting position. Mom frowned at him.

“CJ beat Thumper’s ass, Mom,” Ryder said, rushing to her and hugging her, even though she still had an arm aroundAxel’sscrawny shoulders.

“CJ did what…?” Mom searched the crowd, her gaze finally falling on him. Her eyes widened and she started to rush forward, but then stopped herself and gnashed her teeth together. “I’m, uh, I’m…” She pursed her lips. “That’s good. He probably deserved it,” she finally said. She forced a smile. “How’s my po, uh, how are you, CJ?”

“Diesel set CJ up, Mom,” Axel said. “He won his bet.”

Mom stiffened and anger flushed her face, but once again she brushed it off. “Did Christopher…never mind. Club business.”

“Did Dad mention this?” Axel asked.

“No, sweet pea.”

CJ glared at Axel, who smirked at CJ in return.

“Then Dad didn’t know,” Axel stated with certainty. “Trust me. He’s learned his lesson.”