Bingo. Whatever the fuck happened took place there.
“Oh, Momma, always trying to protect ungrateful fuckheads.”
This was beyond Rebel’s scope of expertise.
She dialed Mattie’s number.
Chapter Twelve
Potter’s announcement left Mort no choice but to either cancel his amended date with his wife or ask her to wait. While the members who received the alert rushed out, Mort took a moment to call Bailey and explain the situation. He didn’t beg and he didn’t pressure her. He simply waited for her response.
“You go ahead, Lucas. I’ll be here.”
The words relieved him. Not knowing what awaited him at Prez’s house concerned him on two fronts. The extent of the damage worried him as well as any injuries and he didn’t know if Bailey would flip out if he took too long or ended up canceling altogether.
Luckily—for him at least—a pan of scrambled eggs took the brunt of the damage. Outlaw shut off the sprinklers within minutes of the smoke activating them on all fourlevels of the house.
Prez suspected Ransom, Ryder, and Axel had either fucked with the settings on the app or the hardware, but he’d discover the truth another time.
Amid the club members swarming the house, Ophelia came for Gunner. Prez’s little sister didn’t linger. Apparently, Meggie was locked in Rebel’s room, unable to deal with more bullshit. CJ and Diesel were cleaning up Meggie’s bathtub. Rule mentioned divine anger. Bunny whipped up a meal for Prez and his sons, while consoling a sobbing Axel.
Once Prez ate, he directed motherfuckers on where to start cleaning up the water so the family get-together wouldn’t be affected.
“Why’re you crying, Ax?” Val decided to ask after he, Mort, Digger, Johnnie, Cash and Stretch had assessed all the damage and Prez and the Triplets joined them.
They stood in the foyer. Ryder and Ransom sat side-by-side in chairs they’d gotten from a hallway closet, looking as if they’d lost their best friends.
“Cuz Mom was upset.” Axel sniffled. “She didn’t even get in the bathtub and we worked hard.”
“Girls don’t like to sit in mud dug up from the forest,” Val said.
“But Dad said Mom went with Aunt Kendall, Reb, and Mattie, for a mud and grass bath,” Ransom said. “Mom was so sad, we were just trying to get her to relax.”
“Fuck me,” Outlaw said. “That’s why the fuck you did that shit, boy?”
“Yeah, Dad,” Ransom said. “We heard you.”
Ryder sat on his hands. “We thought Mom would be happy.”
“Did she cry at her spa bath, Dad?” Axel asked, sniffling so hard his little body shook.
“You know yourboys hang on your every word,” Cash said with amusement.
Thrusting his fingers through his hair, Outlaw blew out a breath. “Fuck.” He lifted Axel into his arms. “It’s okay, boy. You meant well. Your ma just had a hard day today.”
“Is she mad at us, Dad?” Ryder asked woefully.
“Nope. I ain’t no more either.” He urged Axel’s head down on his shoulder. “Rest. Everything fine.”
“Okay, Dad,” Axel said miserably.
“Ransom?”
“Yeah, Uncle Val?”
“Why you wearing your mama robe?”
“My uniform got all wet. Axel told me to do the twist to stir everything in Mom’s bath. I lost my balance ‘cause the shovel kept hitting the marble. I was moving faster than it.”
