Page 156 of Restless
“What about John…” She scowled at his glare, “Uncle Johnnie’sfucking disrespect? Isn’t he sowing seeds of his own?”
“Uncle Johnnie is a master manipulator, but we can’t be seen as the enemy to him. If Dad doesn’t have enough authority over his own children where they’ll show proper respect, how can he keep authority over the club?”
“I hate when you’re logical, brother,” she grumbled, sidestepping him and starting forward again.
Grinning, CJ shoved his hands in his pockets and followed her.
“Unfortunately, Daddy has more problems than Uncle Johnnie,” she threw over her shoulder. “He almost fell apart when Rule came out.”
“I know,” he said, grim.
“Hopefully, Mommaisreleased today. Perhaps, we can convince Momma and Daddy to have a small celebration in a week or so, marking her release. If he justactslike the old Outlaw, even if he’s still fucked up, that’ll be something.”
A lightbulb went off in CJ’s head. As soon as he knew whether his mother was leaving today, he’d rally the brothers and their old ladies to welcome her home. Mom would understand and know what to do so Dad would seem normal. “Reb, you’re brilliant,” he said as they entered Molly’s room in the hospital’s general ICU, where everyone who was in critical condition and not his mother went.
“It’s about time you realized that fact, CJ,” Rebel chirped, and focused on the girl in the hospital bed. “Holy fuck.”
Molly was hooked up to different monitors with an IV line connected to several bags of medicine. Her face was bruised and swollen, and her nose bandaged. She looked so fragile. When she sniffled, CJ’s heart broke.
Rebel glanced back at him, cleared her throat, and marched to Molly’s bedside. “Hey, chick,” she said gently. She snatched a couple pieces of tissue paper from the box and dabbed Molly’s cheeks. “Can I keep you company?”
Molly nodded. “Are you staying too, CJ?” she asked, her tone weak and quiet.
“I have to check on Harley.” Shockingly, he didn’t want to. He hated to leave Molly. “I won’t be long, Mo. My mom’s being discharged, so I don’t know when we’ll be ready to leave, and I want to sit with you a minute.”
Both girls stared at him. He was fucking rambling.
“Our momma rambles when she’s nervous or overwhelmed,” Rebel said, sitting in the chair next to Molly’s bed. “CJ inherited that from her.”
“My mama visited me today,” Molly said.
CJ seriously doubted that. “Molly, your mom—”
“What did she say?” Rebel interrupted, looking at CJ with meaning.
Until that moment, he hadn’t realized the seismic shift Rebel had undergone after they almost lost Mom. She was still intolerant, bad-tempered, and spoiled. Yet, that one night snatched away her childishness and much of her innocence. For their entire lives death surrounded them, taunting and teasing, but kept away from Rebel. She’d never been faced with the reality of losing someone she loved.
She’d been alive when Mom was shot and kidnapped and almost died giving birth to Axel, but she hadn’t been cognizant.
“Molly?”
Ryan’s voice broke into CJ’s thoughts, and he turned toward his cousin. Once again, CJ noted the flicker of tenderness in Ryan’s eyes. Dude was a bitter little asshole, yet he seemed to truly care about Molly.
“Hey, Ryan,” she said softly, a wealth of tears streaming down her face. She looked at CJ.
Ryan stiffened, balling his hands into fists. “Can I talk to my girlfriend alone?”
“Nope,” Rebel sneered. “You can visit her with me while my brother checks on our cousin.”
“I wasn’t asking you.”
“Good, because I wasn’t fucking answering you,” Rebel retorted. “Go, CJ. We don’t know when Momma will be ready to leave and I know you want to check on Harley.”
“Molly doesn’t need anymore disturbance,” CJ warned, glaring between Rebel and Ryan. “If you two are going to argue, take it in the hallway.”
“She’s my girlfriend,” Ryan said.
“But not your wife,” Rebel snapped.
