Page 263 of Ruptured

Mom shook her head. “Doubtful. Digger had more than enough money to build Bunny a mansionandpay for the infrastructure.”

“No, Meggie girl. Since I pay for the upkeep of our LA mansion and share some of the club expenses, I told him I wanted seventy percent.” Uncle Mort scrubbed a hand over his face. “This my fucking fault. If I would’ve split it the way–”

“He would’ve just wasted that, too,” Mom said firmly. “Digger likes to spend money and gamble. He also wanted to find another way to hurt me.”

“I’m so sorry—”

“It isn’t your place to apologize,” Mom said. “But you’re the head of your family. Tell Bunny you’ll build the stupid house.” She held out her hand. “Give me the cashier’s check. I’ll deposit it and transfer it back to you through the account you receive dividends from our investments. I’ll talk to Christopher about extending the road, sewer, water, and power lines. Bunny and Digger’s anniversary is coming up. I’ll tell Christopher their anniversary present from us will be the infrastructure. You build the house. But, Mortician,get Digger in line. I don’t care how. I’m sick of his resentment and his name calling.”

“I know. Although I don’t have a right to even say this, one of my worst fears is I’ll have to execute him because he’s a stupid motherfucker.”

“That’ll never happen,” Mom promised.

“I know you’ll talk to Prez and—”

“No, Mortician, you misunderstand me. I’d never have you kill your own brother. I won’t tell Christopher. I’ll talk to Diesel.”

Goddamn. Even Rebel’s eyes widened. Everyone else just stared at Mom in silence.

“Meggie–”

“Digger had absolutely no reason to call me a cuntto my daughter.” Her lips trembling, she lifted her chin. “You want Outlaw back? Then he needs the respect of his members. If they are bold enough to treat me like dirt, then it shows how they feel about him. You willnottell me to fall back in line while still allowing your brother to undermine Christopher.”

“I understand, Meggie,” Uncle Mort said quietly.

“Johnnie has one more thing to do to me,” she added. “And I’ll see that Diesel makes him disappear. Most of your time is accounted for and you’re one of Kendall’s best friends. Diesel isn’t an officer and can come and go without question. I intend to talk to Kendall because I don’t think it’s fair to her that her husband might die because he’s a jackass. But I’m tired of being targeted by him simply for loving my husband. I’m sick of having a bull’s eye on my back because I’m Bunny’s friend. Frankly, it’s getting old. Bailey, Kendall, Zoann, and Bunny have degrees and careers. No one has ever respected my decision to focus on my family. That’s on them. What’s onmeis how I’ve overlooked it in the interest of peace. I’m no one’s gatekeeper. If they want to die because they’re idiots, stick their stupid noses in my private life, and forget Christopher’s lifelong dedication to the club, well, I’ll gladly oblige them. Get. Digger. In.Line,” she growled.

Uncle Mort nodded.

She got to her feet. “Kaia, Bishop, start cleaning the poop. As soon as Ryder, Ransom, and Axel return, they’ll help. Rebel, CJ, come with me.”

“Uh, dinner?” Bishop swallowed, a little green around the gills. CJ wasn’t sure if it was because of the stench orMom. “Ma’am?”

She lifted her brow at Bishop.

“Er, M-Mrs. Caldwell?”

“Have you ever called me anything other than Meggie?” Mom asked in exasperation.

“Uh, n-no…uh-uh,” he amended, shaking his head vigorously.

“There’s no reason for you to change,” she told him.

“Okay. Okay, Meggie. Okay.”

“I have a bunch of menus in that drawer.” She pointed to a drawer near Bishop. “Use the card for the expense account to order our meal. If you don’t want to walk to the club, call there and have Huck, Torrin, or Potter bring it here. They can get in the gate at the beginning of the trail but you still have to meet them at our gate.”

Uncle Mortician hadn’t moved from his seat, so Mom halted, stood on tiptoe as he simultaneously bent his head, and kissed him on the cheek.

In the den, Mom nodded to two barstools at Dad’s bar, walked behind it and pulled out two beers from the mini refrigerator at the bottom. She slid one to Rebel and one to CJ and got bottled water for herself.

“Mom, you really should drink on more than special occasions,” Rebel said, then drank deeply from her bottle.

Mom wrinkled her nose. “My not drinking has a lot to do with my stepfather,” she admitted.

Rebel lifted a brow. “Why? You got in trouble with him for drinking?”

“It’s what happened whenhedrank,” Mom said.