Page 178 of Remorseless

“We can go to the media room down the hall and watch a movie,” CJ offered.

Although it was innocent, it just reminded Ryan of their wealth disparity.

“I’m beginning to think you’re fucking hiding, CJ,” Grant Harrington said, leading Rory and Devon into the room.

“Hey, Ry,” Rory greeted, not batting an eye to find him there.

“I was wondering where you went when you left the house,” Devon said.

Grant dug in his jacket pocket and pulled out an unsmoked joint. “In honor of my last night here, lookie what I brought.”

Rory threw his arms around Grant. “My favorite cousin.”

CJ laughed. “Suck up.”

“You’re having a party, little brother, and you didn’t invite me?” Diesel asked, breezing into the room. Though he didn’t have a coat on, he still wore a dress shirt, necktie, and trousers. His right hand remained bandage. Motherfucker was lucky he was left-handed. “I have an errand to run and I was wondering if youwanted to ride with me?”

“And leave my guests?” CJ shook his head. “We were going to watch a movie in the media room.”

“I never agreed,” Ryan said, pleased that CJ wasn’t abandoning their plans.

“There’s no reason we can’tallgo,” Rory said. “You have the fucking room in your S-Class.”

Grant pocketed the weed. “Where are you taking us?”

“Nowhere. I asked CJ to come,” Diesel replied. “I want you to meet Jana.”

“Uh, dude, unless Tabitha changed her name, why are you introducing another woman to CJ?” Ryan asked, curious in spite of himself.

“Who is Jana and why does that name sound so familiar?” Rory asked, frowning.

Jana. Jana. Jana.

The name turned over in Ryan’s head and he squinted. Hadn’t Bash mentioned a chick named Jana? Or had Ryan seen something in that endless stack of documents Bash had shown him over the months?

There wasn’t onlyoneJana in the world, but, though he was evil incarnate, Bash was frighteningly like Outlaw in some ways. He didn’t figure shit out like Outlaw, yet he knew how to set shit in motion and run circles around motherfuckers when he had a head start. It stood to reason that Bash was setting serious shit into motion by using Uncle Johnnie.

Ryan wanted to say he was out of it. He wanted to believe that if he wasn’t desperate to get Molly back, he would’ve backed away after Outlaw beat his ass. He just didn’t know. Now he was fucking over Rebel and Harley, keeping Pounder’s identity to himself, and not revealing that Aunt Meggie would probably end up dead sooner rather than later. Partly because he didn’t want to endanger Molly; partly because it was hard to believe how deeply Bash had infiltrated their lives; and partly because of fear.

What began as hatred of CJ had spiraled into fuckery and mayhem. Ifsomeonejust told Outlaw the full story, the trajectory would change. Unlike Bash who needed months to put his plans into motion, Outlaw struck fast and thoroughly.

Devon thumped his shoulder. “What silicon pussy are you lost in, dick nose? CJ wants to know if a cheeseburger pizza is okay?”

“I prefer pepperoni and black olives,” Ryan said, trying to sound normal.

“Boring,” Grant razzed.

“Classic,” Ryan retorted.

“Uninteresting,” Rebel chortled, walking into the room and barely acknowledging Diesel.

Ryan had heard all about it the other night when Rebel stumbled into her room, called Mattie, and sobbed the entire story. But knowing how she looked underneath her clothes left him oddly guilty as he faced her.

She halted feet away from CJ and waved her phone in front of him. “Did you tell Kaia to call me?”

“Nope.”

“Kaia called you again?” Diesel tried and failed to sound casual.