Page 252 of Ruptured

“Yeah, boy, you would’ve,” Dad agreed. “But the reason would’ve been acceptable to me and saved fuckin’ face for you.Rorymight’ve been madder than a motherfucker.”

“If I clocked him in the fucking face, wouldn’t he be mad then? Besides, what will Mom think?”

“If Rory get mad cuz you mete out the fuckin’ punishmenthefuckin’ chose, then you stomp the fuck outta him,” Dad barked. “As far your ma…” Glancing away, he swallowed. “You chose bein’ my mini club member over her potato. You gotta live with everything that mean, son.”

“I want to go to the club, CJ,” Rory said before the pain of Dad’s statement sank in. “I did wrong. Only you can punish me. No one will hold it against you.”

CJ’s entire body drooped. Quietly, he watched his cousin stand and come to him. Dad lit a cigarette, not saying anything.

Mattie jumped to her feet and grabbed her brother’s arm. “Rory, no!”

He ignored her and met CJ’s gaze, nodding ever so slightly.

Rory’s fear and his trust almost made CJ run. He didn’t know if he’deverbe able to look someone in the eye and then end their lives. Dementor, Joplin, Gail, and the others had laughed and joked with him and tried to kill him an hour later.They’dlooked into his eyes and saw nothing but a means to an end.

“Turn around, Rory,” CJ instructed. He could face anyone in a fight, if it washisbattle. This wasn’t.

Swallowing, Rory obeyed.

Clenching his jaw, CJ realized hitting his cousin from this angle could paralyze him or kill him if it landed in the wrong place. He punched Rory in the lower region, near his side, without putting his full strength behind it. Rory barely jerked forward.

Dad said nothing. Not that CJ bitched out. Or that he hadn’t beaten Rory up. He just gave CJ a small smile. CJ sighed in relief.

Walking to him, Dad settled a hand on his shoulder. His sadness surprised CJ. “We got to slow everything down for now. Hear me, boy? Finish up the school year and then we’ll see over the summer.”

For the first time, CJ saw how hard the turn of events was on his father. “Yeah, Dad.”

“Not every motherfucker meant to be a one-percenter, boy,” he continued gruffly. “Only time tellin’ if you one of them.”

He walked to his Harley, mounted up, and sped away with those words hanging in the air.

Knowing Prez waswherever, Mortician visited Meggie to talk to her about more than one situation. First and foremost?Saving Digger’s miserable life. Mort didn’t even know how he’d look Meggie in the fucking eye and play the only card he had. The one Kendall suggested: a life for a life.

Fuck, if Meggie didn’t order Mort burned at the stake, she might turn against him.

He felt so fucking low, he doubled the amount of thecashier’s check, though he’d almost had a fucking heart attack giving the go-ahead. Fuck, he’d broken out in a cold sweat. But, as much ashewanted to fucking kill Digger, he didn’t want that stupid motherfucker to die.

Prez had been scarce since the meeting at Derby’s clubhouse, so Mortician went out of his way not to talk to Digger. That motherfucker wouldneverlearn.If Outlaw got a whiff of trouble between them, he’d want to know what’s up.

Walking into the mudroom, Mort smiled at Meggie detailing tomorrow’s chores to Kaia. About time she got some fucking help, something she’d resisted for too many years.

“I was thinking for tomorrow’s dinner, I’d cook Italian roulade,” Bishop said.

“That’s fine,” Meggie responded. “We love Italian around here. Wash up both of you. It’s almost dinnertime.”

“We can sit at the table with you?” Kaia asked in surprise.

“Yes, of course, you’re part of the family—”

“We didn’t know,” Bishop said. “You haven’t been down to eat since you got out of the hospital, so it’s only been me and Kaia…I-I mean–”

“It’s fine,” Meggie promised. “Diesel’s back from wherever and I thought it would be a good time for us to all sit and try to get back to normal.”

Mort walked into view and she smiled at him.

“Hey, Mort.”

“Meggie girl.”