Page 15 of Ruptured

“Probably back in Michigan.”

“Goddamn,” Rory breathed, remembering the letter Gramps handed to Mom. He needed to get back to the shopping mall, so he could call an Uber and make a pit stop at Mom’s office. If Rory got the letter and brought it to Dad, maybe his father could redeem himself. “This is so goddamn bad.”

“Care to let me in on it?”

“Fuck no. You get on my team, I’ll tell you. Otherwise, fuck you.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I’m not telling you, Easton. I don’t know where you stand. You’re really on my side? Call off that cunt. Talk to Uncle Christopher. Meet with me, CJ, and Ryan. I’ll tell you where, but you come in tightie-whities or something where we’ll see if you’re wearing a microphone or a camera.”

He grunted.

“You were the great Easton Love, dick swinger extraordinaire. I’ve seen some videos on YouTube of your showsat the club you worked at. You can step into a fucking role to help me.”

Not answering, he stared at the water for a long while, then completely changed the subject. “By cunt I assume you mean Tabitha.”

“What is she to Bash?”

“The daughter of a club member.”

“Why does she want Aunt Meggie to go to a fucking cabin?”

“Answer me first.”

“If I like the fucking question.”

DeLuca huffed and sidled a glare at him.

Rory lifted a brow.

“Fine, fuck. What gave her away to you?”

“Aunt Meggiehatesher. Even before she got fed-up and wants anyone who fucks over her fucked up, she hated Tabitha. That speaks volumes. Mom, Aunt Zoann, Mattie, Reb, Lolly, fuckanyother woman taking an immediate dislike to Tabitha wouldn’t raise such a fucking red flag. Aunt Meggie? Yeah. My aunt is fair and she generally tries—tried—to get along with everyone and see the best in them. With Tabitha? She disliked her immediately.”

“Outlaw’s instincts have rubbed off on her.”

“Don’t minimizeherinstincts, jackass. She’s a very smart woman.”

“Is there anything else that gave Tabitha away?”

“Other than her stuck on repeat,Aunt Meggie needs to go to a cabin? Nope. Nothing at all.” Rory scowled. “Her supreme lack of subtlety was a dead giveaway.”

“Are you sure you aren’t just a suspicious little motherfucker? Outlaw and Johnnie don’t suspect anything.”

“I’ll answer that but tell me what the fuck she wants. Why does Bash want Aunt Meggie at this fucking cabin? Does he want to rape her too or merely kill her?” Rory knew Bash, so itwouldn’t be an either/or with that motherfucker. “Or both?” he asked, needing confirmation.

During Dad’s disappearance in December, Ryan told Rory that Bash planned to kill Aunt Meggie. He hadn’t mentioned rape and Rory hadn’t met Bash at that point.

Rory kept Ryan’s information to himself, risking Aunt Meggie to save his ungrateful father. Yet, logic told Rory why Bash wanted Aunt Meggie at a secluded cabin. It might be hard to kill her in Hortensia with her detail, but it wasn’t impossible. If he only wanted her dead.

Goddamn. Dad had to do the right thing with the letter. He had to. Deep down, Rory felt they were at a critical stage and Bash was preparing to move in. If Dad didn’tbehaveand do the right thing, Rory would be forced to betray either him or Aunt Meggie and live with the other’s blood on his hands.

“Bash wants to talk to Meggie.”

DeLuca’s voice broke into Rory’s frantic thoughts and he glared at him. Hadn’t this motherfucker told him a few minutes agohewas supposed to kill her? “You’re a fucking liar.”

“Watch your fucking tone—”