He nodded. She practiced with him for a moment, then turned and walked to the edge.
“Count with me, Gunner.”
“One, two, treeeee,” he said and puffed his little cheeks.
She jumped into the pool, powering underneath the surface, then swimming up, keeping a firm grip on her baby boy and shoving aside the images from one of the darkest days of her life.
“I’m depending on you not to let us repeat that fuck-up from this morning, Dad,” Axel said, later that evening, just as Christopher sat at one of the tables in his mancave.
It was the first family get-together in weeks. Everyone except Bailey attended, which Mort and his kids seemed fine with. They didn’t miss her, so Christopher didn’t give a fuck.
Bishop had cooked a delicious meal of chicken burritos made up of corn, rice, chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, and a spicy chipotle sauce. To appease Christopher, he had a side of crunchy fries with nacho seasoning and to satisfy Megan—fuck,allthe girls—he served sauteed vegetables and a Mexican salad with lime dressing.
Now the meal was done, and the women and their daughters went to the den while Christopher and his boys and their sons converged there. Even Cash and Digger’s broken asses were there. Johnnie, too. After dinner, he excused himself and returned with a gift bag and a smug look.
Smugger, cuz when wasn’t that motherfuckernotsmug?
“What happenedcannothappen again, Dad,” Axel persisted.
“It’s all good, boy,” Christopher told Axel, since the little motherfucker didn’t intend to leave without a response.
“It isn’t,” Axel insisted. “Mom was annoyed that you opened your big fucking mouth and said we could stay home.”
“You belong to Outlaw too, kid,” Val said, accepting a beerfrom Diesel. He was helping Bishop to prepare everyone’s drink orders.
“What time are we leaving to scoop up Nardo, Uncle Mort?” CJ asked.
“This a school night, CJ,” Christopher said.
CJ shrugged. “Mom’ll understand.”
“No, Mom won’t,” Axel cried. “Don’t make her mad.”
“How about you go to school tomorrow, little dude?” Mortician suggested. “I had something to take care of today, so I couldn’t scope them out. Before we move, I want eyes on those motherfuckers to make sure we don’t get no surprises.”
“What did you have to take care of today, Dad?” Lou called.
“It was nothing, son,” Mort said, glowering at Johnnie.
That motherfucker smirked. “Griffin Cox called me today.”
“Derby’s kid?” Christopher asked, lifting his brows.
“Someone paid our new contract fee to have a non-member moved to our unit,” Johnnie piped in.
“Yeah, my dad,” Ryan said proudly. “Five mil. To move Molly.”
Johnnie chuckled. “I never though you were naive, Ryan. Is Val even worth five million dollars?”
“Dad, c’mon,” Rory chided.
Val’s face flamed and he looked so fucking ashamed. “That’s my kid, Johnnie,” he whispered. “I get you mad cuz I chose Outlaw’s side.”
Val didn’t pay a motherfucking cent.Mortcoughed upwhatever fee they were referring to so Ryan wouldn’t look at Val differently while also saving CJ and Ryan from backtracking. Not only was Ryan a guilty fuckhead but a jealous one.
“I have a funny story for you, Ryan,” Johnnie started.
“Motherfucker, you open your goddamn mouth and embarrass Val in front of his boy, I’m tellin’ Megan what the fuck you did so Mort had to pay,” Christopher warned, low. Maybe heshould anyway and finally get this assfuck off her No-Kill List. “We all know that’ll kick off bullshit between the boys. And the one fuckin’ thing gettin’ you dead quick is fuckin’ with CJ.”
