Page 186 of Ruptured

CJ wasn’t sure what possessed him to not only accept Ember’s invitation but ask for an earlier day. Certainly, thatfucked up Logan video played a big part in his need to escape. But so did returning to the hospital and seeing Mom’s disappointment because of Dad’s absence. Fucked up shit, probably completely off the goddamn mark, must’ve been going through Dad’s head. Maybe he was a bad son for not confronting Dad, yet he couldn’t handle one more emotional upheaval without losing his fucking mind.

Rory was still after CJ to beat him up because he wouldn’t fucking survive a month away from the club. Harley had begun texting again. And Uncle Johnnie was still a motherfucker. So, yeah, he thought hanging out with Ember would be a much needed break.

Only, the Triplets were little motherfuckers and Aunt Ophelia called CJ begging him to come over before Uncle Cash lost his temper. Luckily, as CJ was walking out the door, so was Diesel. Once CJ explained the situation, Diesel accompanied him.

They trekked down the pathway toward the bungalow in silence, allowing Ryder and Ransom’s voices to reach CJ from a distance. Axel was easy to hear, thanks to the megaphone.

Goddamn. Someone really needed to monitor Axel’s online purchases.

“Free Aunt Fee! Free Aunt Fee!” Ryder and Ransom yelled.

“Come out and face your execution like a man, Cash McCall,” Axel demanded. “We’ve already had a trial. You’re guilty of mean motherfuckery and being a bad boyfriend.”

“Jesus Christ.” Walking so sedately wasn’t an option, so CJ took off running, reaching his brothers just as Uncle Cash stormed from the house with Aunt Ophelia and Uncle Stretch trying to restrain him.

“Click up, men,” Axel ordered, and the three little wretches formed a line. Once Axel set the megaphone on the ground, they linked arms.

“Stop it, Cash!” Aunt Ophelia blocked him with her body, while Uncle Stretch wrapped his arms around Uncle Cash to hold him in place. “They’re just little boys.”

“Fuck off, Ophelia!” Uncle Cash yelled. “Look at the motherfucking house.Little boysdid that?”

CJ dragged his attention away from his aunt and uncles to focus on the house and gaped at the spray-painted words.

Men cook too

Real daddies are men

Undoubtedly, that was Axel. He always fucked up sayings.

Free Uncle Stretch

Aunt Fee is a hostage

“Did you three do this?” Diesel asked, finally reaching them and neglecting to ask the bigger question: Where the fuck was Uncle Cash, Uncle Stretch, and Aunt Ophelia when the Triplets were fucking up their house?

Axel glared at all of them, then looked at Aunt Ophelia. “Get Winnie, Aunt Fee. We got space at home for you. We like girls.”

“Axel, enough,” Uncle Stretch gritted. “We got your point. Go home, so—”

“So, nothing!” Uncle Cash struggled against Uncle Stretch and shoved Aunt Ophelia out of the way so forcefully that she lost her balance.

Everyone gasped except Uncle Cash.

“Motherfucker!” Axel cried.

CJ grabbed a handful of his shirt and pants and snatched him back.

Uncle Stretch positioned himself in front of Aunt Fee, and punched Uncle Cash’s jaw, defending his woman against their asshole of a man. The blow wasn’t hard enough to break bone, but it did make Uncle Cash grunt. Meanwhile, Diesel rushed forward to help Aunt Ophelia to her feet.

“Enough, asshole!” Uncle Stretch said to his husband, ready to deliver another blow. “Enough. No wonder Axel wants to take Fee if this is how you acted when they visited. And let me tell you, motherfucker, if you ever lay your hands on Fee again, I’m laying your ass out.”

“Fuck you,” Uncle Cash snapped, and for a moment, CJ wondered if he’d hit Uncle Stretch and cause a brawl. “I won’t have a child disrespect me. Especially my nephews.”

“Yeah, never mind you disrespecting our dad,” Ryder said with sarcasm. “Voting with that motherfuckeragainand leaving Dad on his own. We were your nephews then, too, fuckhead.”

“Ax wants to save Winnie and Aunt Fee.” Ransom narrowed his eyes and added darkly, “we want to set you on fire on behalf of Dad.”

Fuck! This was spiraling so far out of control, CJ wasn’t sure what to do.