Page 189 of Ruptured

“Irony is a motherfucker, huh, Cash?” Uncle Val chortled. “Imagine the bomb tech taken out by a fucking bomb he didn’t create.”

“This isn’t fucking funny,” Uncle Cash said.

“No, it’s fucking hilarious,” Aunt Zoann inserted. “Because, you, motherfucker,area traitor. To Ophelia and Winona, but especially to Christopher and Val, so fuck you, and if you touch my nephews, I’ll bomb your goddamn house myself.” Sweeping them all with a look, she stalked away.

“You have a date, right, CJ?” Uncle Val asked.

“Yeah,” CJ said quietly.

“So do I,” Diesel said.

Uncle Val nodded to the Triplets. “Meet me at the house. I’ll let you in through the back gate.”

“I demand justice,” Uncle Cash said as Ryder, Ransom, and Axel walked off.

“Your woman and Outlaw demanded loyalty,” Uncle Val said with meaning, and then left, too.

“This isn’t the end of this,” Uncle Cash swore. “Those kids are out of control. They need discipline.”

“I’ll let Dad know, Uncle Cash,” CJ said politely.

Diesel studied Uncle Cash. After hearing about Mars’s scalping, CJ decided he was better off not knowing whatever torture Diesel contemplated.

“Everything’s fine,” Aunt Ophelia said.

CJ hated the panic in her voice, but itwasn’tfine. Dad’s sons wouldn’t ever forget or forgive his betrayal.

“It’s over.”For nowlingered in the air unspoken. Diesel’s smile was chilling. “Just remember: you reap what the fuck you sow.”

Instead of returning home for a bit and then heading to the hospital, CJ ended up keeping his date with Ember. She’d offered him comfort when she’d found him in the cafeteria a few days ago. He hoped to find the same with her in the privacy of her home.

“I’m so glad you came,” Ember murmured once she let CJ in and guided him to her striped yellow couch, sitting next to him.

The living room was small and neat with a breakfast bar that separated her kitchen. Afghans, crochet dolls, pillows, and hats decorated the end tables and the matching chair. By the sheer number of pieces, he guessed she spent most of her free time crocheting.

“You’re an hour later, so I was expecting you to cancel.”

“I’m sorry,” he responded. “I had to take care of something.” Going into detail would ruin his mood.

The Triplets should’ve minded their own goddamn business, but Uncle Cash had lost his mind.

“Hey.” Ember laid her hand on his jaw, leaned in, and brushed her lips over his. “You’re so tense, CJ. I thought you wanted to visit so we could…” Blushing, she dropped her hand and lowered her lashes.

She’d started at Ridge Moore as a part-time teacher’s aide while still pursuing her degree. He’d been a student in her first class as a full-time staff member.

Taking her hand in his and tipping her chin up, he smiled gently at her, then kissed each of her fingertips. “I didn’t come here for sex. And you’re better than fucking every motherfucker who pays attention to you.”

He hated to sound preachy, but it was the truth.

“I don’t have a disease, if that’s the issue.”

Leaning in, he kissed her, something else he’d wanted to do again since their night in the restaurant. “It’s not, bae. Although that’s good to know. I’ve been warned to live by condoms.”

“Then what is it?”

Good question. Unlike Nyx’s initiation where most of the girls had had sex with more than one brother, Ember smelled fresh and clean. Her hair fanned around her shoulders and her eyes begged him to take what she offered.

“It’s the same thing,” he told her, a well of emptiness opening inside him. “I want my first time to mean something more than…” He heaved in a breath, not wanting to hurt her feelings. “I like you, but half the fucking time I still think of you asMs. LeBan. The other half I don’t know how to think of you.”