Page 41 of Ruptured

Devon nodded, his sudden sadness lifting. “What Dad said. You must be mistaken, bro.”

“Fia, Tennysee, and Tauriel couldn’t fake their fear,” Ryan said. “Uncle Christopher shot the fuck out of Nyx for bad mouthing Aunt Meggie the same night as her initiation.”

“But…” Swallowing, Devon’s throat worked and he shook his head. “I thought…I thought…Nyx promised she’d back off.”

Offering cigarettes to Ryan and Devon before taking his own out of the pack, Pops didn’t speak again until they were lit. “A bitch like that won’t ever learn, son. I know you liked her—”

Puffing on his cigarette and releasing the smoke, Devon lowered his lashes. “I-I wanted to make her my old lady when I turned eighteen.”

“Yeah, that would’ve been a firm no.” Pops flicked ashes on the floor. Mom wasn’t home to order them into cleanliness. “Your mama and aunts couldn’t stand that bitch, and you would’ve been caught right in the middle.” More ashes rained onto the hardwood floor. “Trust me when I say that’s not a fucking place you want to be, caught between the club girls and old ladies.”

Copying his father, Ryan flicked his ashes. The house always smelled of lemon oil and pine wood. It was rustic and down-to-earth.Home, a place Mom made special. Somewhere he’d grown to appreciate in recent days. He might not have lived in a palace like CJ, but Ryan and his brother wanted for nothing. His parents gave them a good life. He grinned. “You sound like you’re talking from personal experience.”

“Unfortunately,” Pops grumbled, and puffed on his cigarette again. “Almost lost Zoann because I couldn’t keep my cock out of club girls.” Holding his cigarette between two fingers, Pops pointed at Devon. “This shit even worse. You would’ve pitted Nyx against Puff.”

“But you would’ve stuck up for me, right, Dad?”

Pops flicked more ashes and laughed with exaggeration before his humor abruptly died, and he shook his head. “Fuck no, Dev.”

Devon threw his cigarette on the floor and stomped it with his boot. They hadn’t gone to school today, so they weren’t in uniform. “But I’m your son, and this would be a club matter.”

“Nope, this would’ve been a dick matter. There’s no fucking way I’d get on Zoann’s bad side because ofyourcock. Especially since they have so many other club girls around.”

“I liked Nyx, though. She wanted me, too, Dad.” Devon shoved his hands into his pockets. “Why can’t you act like Uncle Christopher does with CJ?”

Pops took a final few puffs, released the smoke, and discarded the cigarette like Dev had. “Although it was Outlaw’s final decision, we all had a hand in bringing in CJ and the other boys, but it was wrong. It didn’t seem so at the time because, fuck, we all know CJ will one day take over the club. Why not let it be earlier? But that kid is stressed, and don’t know up from down. Club life is a lot for a grown motherfucker. And Rule…” He shook his head. “All you need to do is give a kid who see women as saints or sluts and always using the bible like a weapon, access to club girls who’ll do anything for money, drugs, and status, to confuse him more.”

Guilt slammed into Ryan, different from what he carried over Harley. “I-I never looked at it like that,” he whispered.

“None of us did,” Pops said sadly. “Meggie knew, though. She made it her life to take care of her children. She would be the one to know if they ready or not. We just saw her as overprotective. But, fuck, I think CJ’s road to the presidency is going to be harder the way we helped Outlaw to do, then if we would’ve just listened to Meggie.”

“Is that why she’s so mad?” Devon asked.

Long ago, Ryan had stopped paying attention to his brother’s moods, but news of Nyx’s death clearly affected Devon. Unlike when they walked in, his little brother’s distress was plain to see. Perhaps, Ryan shouldn’t have blurted the news. He hadn’t realized how much Dev liked Nyx.

“If Outlaw can just understand he,we, betrayed her because of another bitch, shit might get back to normal,” Pops said, glancing at his watch.

“I think he does,” Devon said bitterly. “He killed Torie and now Nyx because of Aunt Meggie. Obviously, he’s trying to make up to her.”

“Those two bitches needed to fucking die,” Pops barked.

Devon glowered at him.

“Drop the fucking attitude, Devon,” Pops said with less annoyance. “And, yeah, he understand on the fucking surface. It just haven’t sank in yet. He still not getting that he never helped no other bitch, the way he helped Torie.”

Ryan thought about that for a moment. Whatever else he might’ve envied about CJ—rightly or wrongly—loving, present parents wasn’t it. They all enjoyed a stable home life with mothers and fathers unafraid to show their affection. Over the years, he’d heard that Pops, Mom, and their other family members took their cue from Uncle Christopher and Aunt Meggie. He put nothing and no one above her. Not his sisters. Not the Triplets. Not the twins. And not CJ.

Absolutely no one.

Stomping out his cigarette and ignoring his sudden unease, Ryan sighed and exchanged a glance with Devon. “It isn’t Aunt Meggie’s fault. Uncle Christopher is seeing clearer, meaning he’s almost back to normal so motherfuckers will die if they fuck with his wife.”

Oh, goddamn.

“Do you think Uncle Christopher liked-liked that nurse, Pops?” Devon’s question saved Ryan from explaining why he suddenly felt as if he’d throw up and then faint.

If he felt shook, he could only imagined how he looked. Certainly, the depth of fear invading him showed on his face.

Pops studied Ryan, sighed, and looked a Devon. “Love’s a complicated emotion, Dev. The way Outlaw love Meggie can drive a motherfucker insane, especially when she so close to death. I don’t think your uncle cheated, but I think he found solace in Torie’s attention. She gave him a reprieve from thinking about his life without his wife. There wouldn’t have been any. If grief didn’t kill him, he would’ve fucked up himself. For Outlaw, if Meggie’s not in this world, he don’t want to be either. And this latest shit? I been knowing him almost thirtyyears. He not handling Rule trying to kill Meggie and Rebel too well. I can see him doing or saying something to piss her off.” He looked at Devon with meaning. “So to circle back? I’m toeing the fucking line with Puff, and hope whatever he do is contained to his house. Therefore, I wouldn’t stand with you against your mama because of no other club girl or other woman. When Meggie ready to burn everything in the goddamn path thanks to Outlaw, she usually get all the girls on her side. I do enough shit on my own for Zoann to fuck me up without being kicked to the fucking pig pen thanks to girl solidarity.”