Page 38 of Ruptured

Roaring to his feet, CJ covered Fia’s mouth with his hand. “Shut it,” he warned, low. “There are fucking cameras in here. Understand me?”

Her eyes wide and her shoulders shaking, she nodded.

“I’m going to move my hand. Okay? Get hold of yourself. You can’t blurt club business. I made a mistake when I did it. You don’t want to–”

“Don’t explain to her, CJ,” Diesel said flatly. “You’ve given your order and leave it at that.”

As upset as he was with Fia, he’d only wanted to let her know he’d made a mistake too. She deserved to know why he’d placed his hand over her mouth so rudely.

He dropped his hand from her mouth. “But–”

“Diesel’s right, CJ,” Ryan told him. He held no censure or animosity. “It’s how Outlaw keeps control.”

“Rebel might be on to something,” Mattie said in that timid tone she used when she feared rejection. “She can be the special enforcer for you. To take care of the club girls.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “That will be his old lady’s job, Mat,” he snorted.

“Not necessarily,” Mattie argued. “If Aunt Meggie had a special enforcer, things wouldn’t have progressed as far.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “You wouldn’t have to, er, whatever happened to Nyx if Rebel was there to beat the brakes off of them for their infractions.

“We’re getting off topic, sweetheart,” Diesel told Mattie. He transferred his hard gaze to CJ. “Again, discussions like these are done in private. No weakness and no surrender.”

Dejected, CJ sat down. He’d think about all the advice later, so he addressed Nyx’s friends. “I don’t know if Mom will trust any of you enough to accept your help,” CJ said, ignoring the chatter rising up.

“Meggie’s a good, kind, sweet woman.” Tauriel sniffled and wiped her cheeks. “We love her to death.”

Mattie snorted. Fia rushed around the table and threw her arms around his cousin. Usually, the club girls didn’t acknowledge Mattie.

“We love Meggie, Mattie,” Fia cried, blubbering like a baby and losing all her fucking dignity, tightening her hold on Mattie.“If Outlaw heard that snort, he would’ve killed us,” she said wildly. “He would think we don’t like his woman.”

“Bro,” Mattie said with disapproval, extricating herself from Fia. She leaned over and stole CJ’s napkins, then dabbed Fia’s cheeks. After, she stuffed the wet napkins in the pocket of Fia’s jacket.

“You’re so pretty, Mattie,” Tauriel said.

“Thank you,” Mattie responded with a regal nod of her head.

Tauriel, Fia, and Tennysee’s fall back to earth from their high horses amused CJ.

Tennysee grabbed Mattie’s hands. “We love Kendall and…and you, Mattie. You’re such a lady and you have the most magnificent red hair. Just like Kendall. And…and…and b-beautiful skin. And…and…and warm brown eyes. And…and…and we just adore Meggie and Rebel. Just as much. Not more than you and Kendall. Maybe, a little more but just because…We’re obsessed with Kendall and—”

“I’ll tell my mom.” Mattie yanked her hands away. “Although the best way to show how much you love and adore us is to stop talking about us behind our backs.”

“We never!” Fia gasped, paled, swayed, and hiccuped. CJ prepared himself to catch her if she fainted. “We don’t talk about any of you.”

“Not anymore,” Mattie said.

“Never!” Tauriel swore.

“Meggie is an amazing woman,” Tennysee swore with stout conviction. “She’s graceful, stylish, gorgeous, amusing, dependable, independent, feisty, uh…uh…”

“Would you like a thesaurus to throw out more adjectives?” Mattie asked sweetly, Aunt Kendall’s mini-me in more than just looks.

“Tell her, CJ!” Fia cried.

“Nope! I want the thesaurus,” Ryan said, amused. “See what other terms of admiration your fear will help you to find.”

“You make it seem as if we’re fibbing,” Fia said in a shaky voice.

“No!” Tauriel and Tennysee wailed.