Page 25 of Rebellious

Glancing down the hall toward the big double doors separating the private wing from the waiting area. CJ came to a quick decision. He was certain chaos awaited them on the other side as everyone once again assembled for an emergency.

“I don’t got much rehearsing,” Axel said, straightening his scrawny shoulders and standing taller. “I know just what I’m saying.”

“We can rehearse in a room.” CJ glanced behind the mahogany desk, glad to realize Aislynn was on duty.

She was one of the younger nurses and always smiled the brighten and perked up the most when she saw him. If she was aware of his presence, she didn’t show it. She sat next to an older nurse, tapping on a keyboard.

“Give me a second,” he said, going around Axel and putting enough distance between his brothers that they wouldn’t overhear him.

“Hey, CJ,” Aislynn greeted, the moment he cleared his throat. She was girl-next-door cute with big brown eyes and medium length brown hair. Her friendly smile always perked him up. “What can I do for you?”

“Do you have an empty room we can use, bae?”

The other nurse lifted her gaze from the telemetry monitor. CJ didn’t know her name, but she always showed a cool reserve that most of the other staff members, especially Aislynn, lacked. “May I ask why?”

Aislynn released a high-pitched nervous laugh. “It doesn’t matter, Justine.”

“Uh, it was hard on my little brothers seeing our sister injured again,” he explained.

“What’s taking so fucking long, CJ?” Axel blared.

Justine blinked and Aislynn laughed again, surprise on her face.

CJ heaved in a breath and gritted his teeth, unsure if he should just demand the room because of who he was or continue to try to appeal to their care and concern. Or, maybe, he should ask Dad for help.

Axel stalked to him and thumped his side. “I want to practice Rebel’s play!” he wailed, bursting into loud, headache-inducing sobs.

Ryder and Ransom rushed over, snatched Axel into their arms and—joined him, their cries almost bursting CJ’s eardrums.

“Right this way!” Justine said, jumping to her feet and rushing from behind the desk. “Follow me.”

Pulling himself away from Ryder and Ransom, Axel turned to CJ, flashed him a dry-eyed glare, and fell against him so hard, CJ stumbled back.

“Carry me!” Axel cried.

Ransom and Ryder held onto each other and staggered toward the room Justine stood in front of, while CJ lifted Axel into his arms.

“You owe me, motherfucker,” Axel whispered, wrapping his wretched little arms around CJ’s neck and leaning his miserable little mouth against CJ’s ear. “You can’t even fucking flirt right.”

“Shut up,” CJ gritted, walking into the room and slamming the door shut.

He released the little monster, expecting him to drop out of his arms. Instead, Axel held on, and they tumbled to the floor together.

“A basic bitch move,” Axel spat, jumping to his feet. “If I got to do war against you, I will, but first, we cheering up Rebel.”

Ryder held out a hand to CJ. “Can you two stop arguing long enough for us to rehearse?”

“Yeah, this is about Rebel.”

“Thanks, men,” Axel said, sighing. “You’re right.”

They were, so CJ swallowed his anger, accepted Ryder’s help and stood. He pulled his cellphone from his back pocket. “Let me find the story, then we can start our rehearsals.”

The warmth of the late afternoon brushed against Christoper’s skin, soothing him and reminding him his daughter had survived another attempt on her life. His mind veered to all the what-ifs. Especially the one where she hadn’t made it out alive.

Mort handed Christopher a smoke. He inhaled and exhaled in silence, wishing it was Aunt Mary, but unable to imagine Kendall’s outrage if she came up and saw him smoking a joint in public. It was just one more reminder of how the walls of civilian life were closing in on him.

Not that it had ever been a good fucking idea to light up outside the privacy of the club or his house. Shit was just easier to skirt around at one time.