Smiling, Diesel started off again. CJ wondered whyHarley was home and not at school, then remembered he didn’t give a fuck.
Except hedid, and that annoyed him to no fucking end. The moment he opened his eyes, her vanilla scent invaded his nostrils. He’d thought he was dreaming that her body was curled into his. He almost drew her closer and kissed her. So he’d moved away, curious as to how she’d even gotten in. Once he looked at his phone and saw both the time and no missed calls or messages from Mom, he knew he was alone in the house.
For the first time in days, he felt at ease enough to actuallysleep. Worry for Bishop didn’t consume him. He trusted his mother to find a way to save his friend and the other three.
That spoiled brat had the fucking nerve to invade his home, his fuckingroom, becauseshewanted to see him. Fuck whathewanted, and that was when he fucking knew he couldn’t deal with her anymore. She would never fucking change.
The last time he saw her she threw in his fucking face that she’d been with Ryan, CJ’s one-time mortal goddamn enemy.
Fuck her. He was wasting too much energy on that little heathen.
The moment Diesel opened the door, the noise hit CJ. Pain zinged through his head and slid away. Fuck, was this a residual effect from the overdose? Anxiety and stress? Or just a case of his leaving the house—fuck, thehospital—too soon?
He stepped into the club. Roars, whistles, claps, and shouts rose around him. Diesel turned toward him, backed further into the crowd of bikers and club girls, and joined in.
That’s when CJ realized they were cheering him. He searched through the crowd, but didn’t see Bishop, Potter, Narci, or Torrin. Disappointment surged into him.
However, if he’d learned nothing else over the past weeks, he understood the importance of ignoring personal problems for the good of the club. He watched his parents do it on Christmas Day, aware of Jo’s life-threatening illness. Luckily, the crowd allowed a slow progress toward his father’s table. The claps on CJ’s back jolted him, but he kept a steady pace, reminding himself that he was Outlaw’s son. The son of a legend.
Some brothers even had their cell phones out and trained on him, either to commemorate his appearance with a video or a photo.
As he neared his father’s table, CJ saw the one he used and the one for the girls empty. It was closer to the end of the school day than he realized. That’s probably why he didn’t see Mom or any of his aunts. Well, Aunt Kendall and Aunt Zoann were working, and Aunt Ophelia rarely came to the club.
Easton Love sitting next to Uncle Johnnie shocked CJ, but he knew there was a story. Uncle Sloane, Aunt Georgie, and Grant flew out several days ago, so they missed this moment. Uncle Val smiled and offered a two-fingered salute. Uncle Stretch still wore the bruises from Dad’s vengeance, but his shoulders seemed to ease. Uncle Cash gave him the thumbs up sign, while Uncle Digger, Uncle Knox, and Uncle Mort joined in the claps and whistles.
But the relief and pride on Dad’s face made CJ’s pain and anxiety worth every step.
“Hey, Dad,” he greeted.
Dad stood.
CJ squinted at the wound on Dad’s chin and the small bruises littering his face. The faintest blackening around his eye shocked him further.
Before he questioned him, Dad enveloped CJ in a hug, and the cheersincreased.
“You okay, boy?” Dad asked as the club quieted, wanting every little detail of this moment.
“I have a headache, but I’ll survive.”
Dad released him and studied him closely. “We need to get you to the ER?”
“It isn’t that bad,” CJ promised, not quite a lie but not the entire truth either. He finally understood why Mom always minimized her illness. The burden of normalcy was great. “Where’s Mom?”
Dad grimaced.
Fuck. His parents were arguing again. Probably over his request that she interfere in club business to save his friends.
“Whatever happened isn’t her fault, Dad. I asked her to help, so don’t blame her. I’m responsible.”
A smile curved Dad’s mouth and the admiration and respect on his face warmed CJ’s cheeks.
Uncle Val snickered. “Your mama just fine, boy. She want to knock Outlaw’s clock off.”
CJ hung his head. “You killed them anyway?” He probably led Dad right to them. Mom would’ve had to tell him where they were.
As Uncle Mort explained,theyforfeited their lives. No matter how they ended up helping to save CJ, they didn’t take measures to stop it from happening. He’d said Mom had already told Outlaw she didn’t want Bishop, Narci, Torrin, and Potter killed. That wasn’t enough to remove them from the hit list. Out of desperation, CJ appealed to his mother, anyway.
“Why the long face, motherfucker?” Bishop said.
