“They’re in hiding. We’ll smoke them out.”
“Christopher will find them before you do, motherfucker—”
Pounder shook his head. “They’re Scorps. They’re good at hiding in plain sight. If Outlaw finds them, I will be at your beck and call for the next fucking month.”
“As tempting at that sounds, we couldn’t pull it off, dumb ass. Christopher would be too suspicious.”
“Whatever. I don’t think we have to worry about that possibility anyway.” Pounder turned to the door. “You have a couple hours to get Gail. If not, Cleaner’s taking care of her, too.”
When Bailey stumbled in an hour after Mort left the bathroom, she took in the scene, stared at him sitting next to Rebel with an arm around her shoulder and turned away.
“Where’s Harley?” she’d asked.
In Bitch Land, but Mort didn’t say that, though it was true. She’d refused to open the fucking bathroom door. If Zoann and Val hadn’t heard her yell, “Go away,” they would’ve broken in to check on her.
To keep the peace, he’d tasked Grant with getting her to bring her to the hospital. The moment Harley ran in, screaming,demandingto see CJ, Mort regretted his decision.
If nothing else, Harley’s performance stirred Rebel. She lifted her head from Mort’s shoulder and frowned.
“She’s upset, Reb,” Mattie said, sitting on Rebel’s other side.
Mortician eased his arm from around Rebel’s shoulder. “Give me a few minutes, baby.”
“I have her, Uncle Mort,” Mattie promised, settling her arm around Rebel’s shoulder.
He smiled at the girls, then walked the short distance to where Harley stood. By now, Bailey had reached their daughter and held her face between her hands, thumbing her tears away.
“Sit down, Harley,” Mort said with as much patience as possible under the circumstances. He was on edge. There was still no further update on CJ. “You’llsee him soon, baby.”
“No!” Harley snatched herself from Bailey and barreled to Mort. “He’s my friend,” she sobbed. “I want to see himnow.”
“None of us have seen him yet, Harley,” Mattie called.
Some of the brothers who weren’t in the waiting room hung just outside, staring through the windows at Harley’s spectacle.
“Aunt Meggie is with him,” Mattie said.
“Two people can go in,” Harley argued. “I’m going back.”
“No, you aren’t.” Rebel stood from her seat. “Sit down and shut up. You’re giving me a headache. If you can’t keep your crocodile tears to yourself, I’ll have you thrown out.”
Harley and Bailey looked at Mort as if they expected him to call Rebel down.
“Harley, you can’t go back there,” he said. “Sit down and wait with the rest of us.”
Bailey glared at Mortician, and he lifted a brow at her.
Fisting her hands on her hips, Harley lifted her chin. “CJ would want to see me, Daddy.”
“Not even Satan wants to see you,” Rebel snapped. “Now,shut up!”
Mort planted himself between Rebel and Harley. He didn’t want them to start fighting. He’d try reasoning with his daughter.
“Baby, we’re all worried and exhausted. It’s been a long night. I know how much you care about CJ. As soon as Meggie say we can visit—”
“It isn’t up toher. It’s up to his doctors.”
Rebel took the closest seat and stared at the wall, tears brimming in her eyes. “I don’t have the energy for you right now.”
