Page 86 of Ruptured

“He told me to come to the room because he didn’t want to leave his mom and sister’s side. Especially since Outlaw is so scarce.”

CJ had a lot on his young shoulders, different responsibilities than Outlaw had at sixteen but no less overwhelming. They’d made him the guardian of all the younger kids while maintaining good grades, respecting adults, authority figures, and club members, excelling at football, and graduating college. No wonder the kid was floundering. Mort was part of that dump-on-CJ club, and his threats over Harley had come back to bite him in the ass.

“He need all the support he can get right now, Grant. You did the right thing. Just don’t push him. Follow his lead.”

“That’s the same thing I was thinking.” Grant fell silent, enjoying his cigarette, before discarding it, half-smoked. “Uh, you know today’s Devon’s birthday?”

Just as Harley’s birthday had flown under the radar in December, Rory and Devon’s would, too. Mort nodded. “Rory turning fifteen in six days.”

“Yeah, and none of us are in the mood to celebrate Dev today, so I was thinking about talking to CJ and planning something for both of them on Rory’s big day,” Grant continued.

“You’ll be back in Boston by then, little dude.”

“I’m extending my time here. Or I’ll fly back to Boston for a couple of days and then come back. I can watch recorded classes and…” He sighed. “As long as I’m there for tests, I’ll be fine. My friends miss classes just to go on vacation. I’ll be fine,” he repeated.

“I’ve never heard of a fucking school like that. If you don’t want to get kicked out, you need to bring your ass to school.”

Knox had accepted Grant’s desire to join the club, but he always thought his kid would be the type of member he was. There by Outlaw’s grace because of Roxanne. Knox performed tasks for the club when needed, but he didn’t participate in other activities very often.

Knox didn’t think much of Grant becoming a Death Dwellers because he expected the little motherfucker to focus on college and then, after graduation, his career. Since CJ’s overdose, and the reason for it, Knox was less-than-pleased at the idea of Grant becoming a member in any capacity.

“Spit it out, kid.”

Grant swallowed. Glanced at Roxanne’s house. Looked at his feet.

A sinking feeling opened in the pit of Mort’s stomach as suspicion welled in him.

“I want to drop out of Harvard,” Grant announced.

And why the fuck not? When one fuck-up happened, why shouldn’t fifty goddamn more follow?

“Knox…” Mort couldn’t even finish the fucking sentence. Ballistic was too mild a word for Knox’s explosion. Whatever else Grant might do, Knoxexpectedhim to graduate. That was non-negotiable.

Frustrated, Mortician tossed his cigarette.

“CJ needs me, Mort.”

“Did CJ tell you he need you so fucking much to drop the fuck out of school?”

“No, but he’s my friend. My cousin, for all intents and purposes. He shouldn’t go through all this shit without his boys around him.”

Mort drew in a deep breath to calm himself before he lost his temper, due to overwhelming fuckery and heaps of bullshit. But Grant didn’t deserve Mort’s bad mood. The kid needed guidance and understanding, instead of Mort’s annoyance because Knox motherfucking Harrington would have to be punched in the fucking month.

“Grant, you a Harrington. From one of the wealthiest families in the country. You on track to become a hotshot lawyer and eventually join the Harrington firm. You and CJ on two different paths.”

“You’re not hearing me, Mort.”

“I hear you want to drop out of school to stand at CJ side while he get his footing and patch in…”

Grant winced.

Mortician studied Grant, saw the torment in his eyes, and shook his head. “No,” he managed. “No. You can’t be…no, Grant.”

“I want to patch in,” Grant mumbled. “Not like Dad. I want to be afull-timebiker. College isn’t for me. The club is. I grew up around it. Just like CJ.”

“Knox will fucking smother you in your goddamn sleep, boy. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Mort—”