“Where?” Harley cried in frustration. “Stop with the fucking drama. It’s unnecessary. I’ll bet you five bucks whatever the emergency is can’t compare to how ruined my life is.”
“You think?”
She thought of Pillar of Earth. “Iknow.”
“Fine. You be the judge.”
“Just tell me already.”
A pained expression crossed Grant’s face. “CJ overdosed.”
Sitting in the cafeteria nursing his third cup of coffee, Diesel couldn’t stop thinking about the moment CJ collapsed. Guilt would eat him the fuckalive. Aunt Meggie’s punches were the least he deserved.
Once the doctor left, Aunt Meggie hugged Mortician and Diesel. All she could say wasthank you, when all it would’ve taken was a word from him and CJ wouldn’t have almost died in the first place. But Diesel was all for experiences. It was part of the reason he was so fucked up. Instead of learning from his own fuckups and addictions, he’d ignored CJ’s reservations.
Shoving his fingers through his hair, he yanked as hard as possible, enjoying the pain. It didn’t obliterate the memory of CJ collapsing. His little brother’s gray pallor. His gasp of breath. The retching that sent them into a frenzy because they hadn’t wanted him to strangle. Then, he’d stopped moving again.
Diesel thought he was gone. He would never have forgiven himself. Aunt Meggie and Uncle Christopher never would’ve forgiven him. Even now, she wanted Diesel beat to within an inch of his life. Not her exact words. Mentioning steel-toed boots and the possibility of his death said it all.
Fuck, he didn’t blame her. She hadn’t given birth to him, so he didn’t have the same immunity her biological sons would’ve had. Not that it mattered. She’d been his mother for almost half his life and only wanted his loyalty.
Fine way to repay her. By subjecting CJ to a bunch of vicious fuckheads. The coke, codeine, and promethazine were a lethal combinationwithoutmotherfucking booze and rubbing alcohol added to the mix.
Lost in the moment, still angry from his confrontation with CJ and Dementor, wanting pussy from Diana, hopped up on alcohol and lean, wishing he’d never left Jana after fucking her, Diesel believed tomorrow would come, CJ would sober up, and they’d laugh off whatever had happened. Except Gail, Joplinand Diana hadn’t meant for CJ to survive. They’d poisoned him.
Those cunts tried to kill his little brother.
Diesel couldn’t wait to get his fucking hands on them. He didn’t know if they’d gotten the order from those four fuckheads with them. Not that it mattered. Dementor, Exorcist, Bedhead, and Narci were still dead, too.Perhaps, Narci would be spared like Aunt Meggie wanted since the motherfucker helped save CJ.
“Diesel?”
Raising his head, he met Stretch’s steady gaze. The club treasurer and resident tracker held his own cup of coffee. He looked as exhausted as everyone. He nodded to the empty chair. “May I?”
“Of course.”
Taking the seat, Stretch sipped coffee, then set the cup aside. “Leave Rebel alone, asshole.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Did I fucking stutter? You’re lucky I saw that fucking tape and overheard your argument with CJ instead of Outlaw.”
The reminder killed Diesel’s anger. He winced.
“Yeah, wince, motherfucker. It’s shameful. Leave her the fuck alone.”
“You’ve already said that,” he snapped, humiliated. He knew he played a dangerous game, but he couldn’t seem to stay away from her.
Especially when he was drunk or high.
“Rebel deserves better than a fucking sex addict and sadist, fuckhead.”
A muscle ticked in Diesel’s jaw. “I’m not asexualsadist.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m new to the game, so I didn’t realize there are levels and categories to sadism.”
“If a motherfucker deserves to die, why let them go easy, Stretch?”
He glared at Diesel. “Let’s forget yourissues. You’re her brother.”
