Page 205 of Ruptured

“It ain’t the same fuckin’ thing, Rebel. Furthermore, you fuckin’ grounded. You ain’t hittin’ my ass and cussin’ me. You ain’t my motherfuckin’ equal. You my fuckin’ daughter. Further-furthermore, you can’t fuckin’ read me about almost shootin’ Rule. It ain’t your motherfuckin’ place.”

“It’s exactly my place,” Rebel yelled, red-faced and livid. “Your baby club members won’t do it. If you don’t pull rank as their father, then you’ll claim club business and explain they can’t disrespect a higher-ranking member or an officer.”

“You fuckin’ punished, Rebel.”

Meggie had always put up a united front with Christopher in front of the kids, but Rebel was right. It was them againstChristopher and the boys, who’d close ranks and follow their father’s lead—or their club president’s.

Christopher was in pain and he always lashed out and acted irrationally in those times. Just like Reb. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

“No, Rebel isn’t punished.”

“What the fuck you said, Megan?”

“You heard me, Christopher. She isn’t punished.”

“She disrespected me!”

“And defended me. Iwilltalk to her about how she spoke to you, but she’s the victim in this entire situation. Rule wanted her dead. All this is unnecessary. It’s very clear how you feel about the situation, so please leave me alone.”

She swallowed, determined not to cry again until she reached her bedroom. “No matter how much I failed, I’ve always tried to put our family first.” Overcome with emotion, she blurted her next thought. “You’re so lucky I love you with all my heart. Otherwise, I’d divorce you since according to you, I’m such a horrible wife and mother.”

He gave her one last inscrutable look and walked out.

He’d one hundred percent, fuck, one hundredthousandpercent, earned himself a fucking pussy lockout. Hopefully, not for the rest of his goddamn life. When Megan got over her pain and shock of coming home to a house without Rule, she’d fuck him up.

WhenChristophergot over his pain and shock of finding out Rule had jumped out of the window, he’d crawl on his hands and knees and beg her forgiveness. Megan knew and loved him. Something had clicked in her head and she understood a freshdevelopment had occurred.

But then the kids cried out and Rebel’s horrified look broke into Christopher’s own fear and need for comfort. He couldn’t blurt the truth, any more than he’d fucked up and already had.

He didn’t have to be so fucking stupid and vicious to Megan. He was like a fucking criminal who fucked up innocent victims and apologized after they were fucking caught. Once he got all the fury out of him, he was left regretful and ashamed. And, fuck, really, truly afraid.

Megan had never mentioned the ‘d’ word to him.

“What the fuck were you thinking, Dad?” CJ demanded as they reached the mancave, hot on Christopher’s heels.

The heat of his boy’s gaze lasered his fucking back all the way down the stairs. It felt as if he was walking to his execution. Or he’d just left his execution.

Fuck him. He didn’t even know what the fuck he was saying.

“Sit, Uncle Christopher,” Diesel instructed. “I’ll bring you another drink.”

Axel, Ransom, and Ryder swarmed around him. Judging by their looks, they wanted to fuck him up, too.

Taking a seat at one table, Christopher glanced at Ransom. “Ain’t meant to kill that cunt in front of you, boy.”

“Mistrial!” Axel yelled. “Due to the prosecution’s diversionary tactics.”

CJ smiled and sat at the table next to Christopher’s. “Dad is the defendant, big head. And you can’t declare a mistrial because he’s changing the subject.”

Axel glared at Christopher, wagging his finger at him. “You’re lucky, man. Otherwise, I would’ve thrown the book at you.”

Diesel handed Christopher a bottle of tequila, handed CJ a beer, then walked back to the bar and got his own drink. He sat at Christopher’s table.

Christopher offered him a small smile. In response, Diesel nodded.

“You’re a traitor, Diesel,” Axel said. “He hurt Mom. He should be made to sit in a cold, dark cell without water or crackers and laying on a bed of glass.”

Fuck. They hadn’t even seen him pick her up, shake her, and then drop her. He was so fucking sorry. What he’d said and done was unworthy of all she’d been through.