Page 116 of Ruptured

Diesel’s motivations escaped her. True, Rebel had a crush on him, but he was a grown man who respectedthoseboundaries.

CJ paced. “I told that motherfucker to back the fuck off.” He slammed a fist into his palm. “I told him to wait until Rebel was twenty-one. That was the only way he’d get my goddamn support.”

“Wait, what?” Mattie pursed her lips. “Diesel wants, er, Rebel? Like now?”

Scowling, CJ scrubbed a hand over his face just as chiming filled the air. He unclipped his phone from his belt, then shoved it back into place. “It’s Bishop,” he grumbled. “He needs to talk to me.”

“What does he want?” Goofing off with the cute biker might redirect CJ’s attention. Mattie smiled brightly. “Why don’t we go and see?”

“Come on,” he said grudgingly, turning on his heel and stalking toward the double doors, completely oblivious to the way some nurses ogled him.

Mattie hurried to catch up, grateful for her long legs, but the moment he left the unit and crossed to the waiting area, his manners returned. He halted and waited for her, then nodded to where Bishop sat with Narci and Huck. Bikers crowded the area. Some days were easier than others. That didn’t mean there were times when she didn’t feel watched, leered at, or judged. Billy and Eric hadn’t only been Potter’s friends, but they’d been pals with several of the guys.

Weirdly, when she went to the cafeteria and a sea of bikers also met her there, she found it easier to ignore them. Maybe this was a more confined space and she had only them and their attention to focus on, while downstairs she could stare blankly at the food and drinks until she got her bearings.

“Hey, Matt,” someone purred.

Mattie’s face flamed, but she lifted her chin and carried on, walking the gauntlet with the same dignity Momma would. She was so focused pretending their behavior didn’t creep her out, she ran into CJ, not realizing he’d halted. He turned and steadied her, glared at whoever stared at her, grabbed her hand, and dragged her to where Bishop stood.

“What’s up?” CJ greeted, not releasing her hand, but squeezing reassuringly.

Bishop, Narci, and Huck nodded to her, a distinctly uncomfortable look on their faces.

“Uh, we need to talk toyou, C.,” Narci said, giving her a pointed look.

“Ouch, Matt,” Ryan remarked, breezing into view with Rory, Devon, and Grant following. “I’m glad I’m not a girl.”

“So’s the entire girl world,” she retorted, her equilibrium rebalancing itself at her cousin’s assholery.

Snickering, Rory kissed her cheek. “Hey, little sister. Problems? You’re holding CJ’s hand tight enough to break a few bones.”

“I’m fine. CJ just needs a distraction from seeing Kaia with Rebel.”

“Yeah, well, we’re here to distract him, Matt.” Ryan pointed toward the direction she’d come. “Go back to the room.”

“Smooth, Ry,” Devon said with a shake of his head, and smiled at Mattie. “Come to the cafeteria with me—”

“What the fuck’s going on?” CJ asked suspiciously and released her hand. “Mattie needs a break, too.” His phone beeped and he snatched it again.

Snapping his brows together, he opened the message.

“It’s a video,” CJ announced, not revealing the sender. “It’s almost downloaded.” Another second passed before he pressed the screen and…and…

The sounds of sex, a woman’s moans and a man’s grunts, rose around them. Although Mattie’s face flamed, she was like a moth drawn to the flame and peeked over CJ’s shoulder.

Gasping, she covered her mouth with her hand, wishing she’d never seen Kaia fucking Fia.

Since the injury that ended his dreams of an NFL career, Kaia’s life had been on a downward trajectory. His family put their hopes and dreams on his skills on the field. He’d promised his parents he’d get them out of debt and ease their lives.

Thankfully, his family didn’t hold his injury against him or expect him to break his back helping out. Kayce was on track for the football scholarship Kaia had coveted. His mother still worked as a teacher’s aide and his father still drove garbage trucks. They wanted what was best for him. It was his dad who suggested he find his own place after he graduated from Ridge Moore.

“To light a fire under you and pull you out of your funk.”

Kaia hadn’t been interested in much. Not even his poetry, which, coincidentally, was theonlything his family held against him. A chick here and there liked it, but it wasn’t until he met Rebel that he’d met a kindred spirit.

She got him.

When CJ called and asked him to meet Rebel, Kaia hadn’t been really invested. He saw it as a favor to a friend who hadn’t deserted him when he’d been injured. He intended to shower CJ’s little sister with attention, then ghost her when the time came. He hadn’t thought her his type. Though he hadn’t known her, he’d knownofher. CJ was so fucking proud of her and even more protective.