Page 115 of Ruptured

Rebel shrugged.

Kaia laid the roses in her lap. “I earn five hundred a week at my current job, Mrs. Caldwell.”

Mom, as well as CJ, knew because they’d been listening in on Kaia’s date with Rebel.

“I can give you fifteen hundred a week for now. My assistant usually arrives at 6 in the morning. Normally, I’m down by 6:30. Your hours will be from 8 to 5 with an hour’s lunch break. During our family get-togethers, you will have extra work, but I’ll compensate you.”

“I’ve never earned fifteen dollars an hour before, Mrs. Caldwell.” Kaia sounded awed. “Even now, I earn about ten dollars an hour.”

“You won’t be earning fifteen dollars an hour if you accept the position, Kaia,” Mom said in exasperation.

“I won’t?”

“Closer to twenty-seven an hour,” Mattie said. “And if you get five hundred a week now, you’re earning about twelve dollars and fifty cents an hour, bro.”

Kaia contemplated that for a moment. “Oh.” Digging in his jacket pocket, he pulled out a cigarette and lighter. “What’s the catch?” he asked, jamming the cigarette in the corner of his mouth.

Alarm crossed Mattie’s face.

CJ stormed to his feet and rushed to his ex-friend. “Motherfucker, if you’re suicidal, I’ll gladly fucking kill you,” he snapped, snatching the cigarette away and crushing it in his hand. “You don’t see the fucking oxygen? We’ll blow the fuck up.”

“CJ, can I talk to you in the hallway?” Mattie asked.

Gritting his teeth, CJ nodded, not wanting to hurt her feelings. If he declined, she’d believe she’d done something wrong instead of realizing CJ was angry with the fucking world.

Standing in the hallway outside Reb and Aunt Meggie’s room, Mattie only had a minute at most to think of something to say before her cousin stormed off. She’d seen CJ angry before but never vicious. Understandably, considering all that had happened, but she hated his suffering, though she didn’t want to overstep her bounds and alienate him.

“What do you need to talk to me about?” he demanded at her continued silence.

“Uh—”

Mattie glanced at her feet, then over CJ’s shoulder toward the nurse’s station.

“If it’s about Kaia and how much Rebel likes that stupid motherfucker, then fuck him.”

“She does like him,” Mattie said carefully, seizing CJ’s words and running with it.

“I’ll kill that motherfucker first.”

Mattie nodded, drew in a deep breath, and dove into what she really wanted to know. “Why are you so angry with him?”

“If I tell you, don’t let it go any further.”

“Okay,” she said, concerned he’d say something she didn’t want to hear.

“There’s a rumor that Kaia hooked up with Fia last night.”

“No way!” Perhaps that idiot didn’t know the history of the club girls versus the wives and daughters of the officers. That still didn’t excuse him if the story was true. “Why would Kaia…how could he…?”

“Exactly, Mattie. I’m at a loss for fucking words too.”

“It might not be true. Who told you?”

“Diesel.” He sounded even angrier.

“I, uh, Diesel…I mean I know it isn’t good timing and I agree we can’t tell Rebel right now, but he’s just looking out for her.”

“No, that motherfucker is playing games with Rebel’s life. This entire situation reeks of that fuckhead’s interference. I’m almost certain he set Kaia up because he’s a selfish, heartless fuckbag.”