Page 159 of Ruptured
“I said—”
Christopher cocked the gun and Johnnie’s sound of distress upset Rory more than having the barrel against his head.
“Are you going to hurt my dad if I tell the truth?”
“You just fuckin’ admitted he fuckin’ lied!”
“No! No, please, Uncle Christopher. Please.”
“You got three fuckin’ seconds to tell me—”
“Yes, Dad tore it!” he cried, close to hyperventilating.
“Why?”
“Because…because…”
“Cuz your Aunt Megan in danger, yeah?”
Rory shook his head wildly. “No! I swear…no. He didn’t want Mom to find the letter and involve herself anymore than she already has. I swear, Uncle Christopher. I swear. Just put the gun away. Don’t hurt my dad.”
“Bash playin’ a motherfuckin’ game. I feel it in my goddamn bones. Johnnie ain’t fuckin’ equipped to handle that motherfucker. Know how the fuck I know? Cuz he always relied on me to fix his shit. He was better at takin’ directions, then leadin’ the fuckin’ club.” He yanked the gun away and punched the side of Johnnie’s head. “We worked, John Peter, cuz you understood your fuckin’ limitations. That was one of your greatest fuckin’ assets.”
“You were going to kill me and Rory,” Johnnie said dully.
“I still wanna kill you,” Christopher spat. “But know this, motherfucker. Somethin’ in me might not pull the trigger cuz we family, but if I’m missin’ something that I find out you knew and Megan end up hurt, you dead, Johnnie. So’s Ghost and every other one of those motherfuckers who stood with you.”
He needed club resources to continue his search. As long as he was president, he had authority, though watered down because of Johnnie.Outlawwas known so Christopher’s power extended outside the boundaries of the club. If he was forced out, however, he’d be seen as a threat.
Like traitors, threats were dealt with.
However the club resolved the Bash issue, it would be while Christopher was in control. Then, he’d resign.
“There’s nothin’ to find, Christopher, especially about Megan,” Johnnie broke in. “I wouldn’t risk Rory’s life.”
“We had Church tonight,” Christopher started, and explained the outcome. “I ain’t wanted to riskyourwife, Johnnie. Hear me? But there’s a fuckin’ reason she want to talkto Bash other than gettin’ Hopper’s phone number. She said she got questions about family ties.”
That might’ve been the truth. She wanted to find out more about the girl named Jana. It was possible that simple. It just wasn’t fucking probable.
March 6th
Sitting in the window seat in her hospital room, Meggie stared out at the gray day. Definitely a match for her current mood. Regret, disbelief, sadness, fear, anger, a stew of emotions that didn’t help her physical pain. All of which she needed to ignore for her family’s sake.
Over the years, she’d learned how fast life spun out ofcontrol. Examples from years ago ran through her mind, but she only needed to look to less than a month ago on Valentine’s Day, when Rebel anticipated her first date and Christopher’s dismissal crushed Meggie before he’d swooped in and given her one of the most romantic days in their years together. One she’d cherish forever. That night, in his arms, on the back of his bike, it seemed as if their world had rebalanced itself and their months-long tilted axis flattened into a smooth plane.
Days later, not only did the axis tilt, but their world exploded.
Christopher was upset, with her especially. All Meggie wanted was him to work through his anger. As painful as it was, she had to give him room to do it at his own pace.
Last night he’d come to the room even later than he had the night before, but she hadn’t been able to rest until she saw him. Ten minutes after their conversation ended, her eyes were drooping closed.
Suddenly, he’d stood at the side of her bed, leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “Sweet dreams, baby,” he’d whispered.
She’d smiled, her last thought before sinking into sleep was he was thawing toward her.
If Christopher would’ve just talked to her, she’d admit she worried she’d never forgive herself. Rule had needed her and she’d found every reason to ignore his cry for help. In her head, the date Rebel wanted so bad took precedence. She didn’t want Rebel to end up hurt—either with a repeat of the Billy and Eric situation, where she might not be found in time or because she latched onto Diesel and he ignored morals, decency, and common sense.
Meggie winced. Hopefully, she had him pegged wrong. Hopefully—
