Page 20 of Restless
“Is Harley okay?” Mattie asked with just as much concern.
Since Aunt Bailey stood near, both his sister and cousin spoke under their breath.
“She isn’t wired to cut class,” Mattie continued. “She didn’t give me much warning, so I couldn’t intercept the signals. Uncle Mort probably already knows she cut. I told her she should talk to you before she went off with that idiot.”
“What are you talking about, Mattie?” CJ asked. Harley didn’t have to talk to him before she cut class with any idiot, Grevenberg included, even if CJ hadn’t realized she’d cut until then. He’d thought she had time on her hands.
“Where’s Harley?” Aunt Bailey demanded, suddenly right next to them.
Rebel and Mattie glanced at him, then flanked each of his sides.
Hands on her hips, Aunt Bailey lifted a brow. “Tell menow,” she ordered.
“Too funny, Aunt Bailey.” Mattie laughed nervously. “Now, as opposed to later.”
“Hilarious, Auntie,” Rebel said, her high-pitched giggle unnatural and annoying. “Tell me later.” Another fucked-up giggle. “Tell me now.”
“Now and Later,” Rebel and Mattie chorused, snorting with false humor.
“Fuck my life,” CJ mumbled.
“You know exactly where she is, CJ,” Aunt Bailey accused.
Unfortunately.
“Mommie!” Harley called, standing at the edge of the breezeway as if she’d just walked out of one of the buildings.
CJ didn’t want to explore how she’d made it back on school grounds without anyone noticing.
Aunt Bailey gave Rebel, Mattie, and him severe looks, shoved some hair behind her ear, and returned to the Escalade, where Harley was waiting at the passenger side door.
“Where were you, young lady?” Aunt Bailey demanded, less than pleased.
Harley pursed her lips and looked from him to her mother.
Swallowing, CJ averted his gaze, remembering the moment he’d realized she was on Turn Creek Bridge with Nardo Grevenberg. Her lips had seemed slightly swollen and pinker than normal, as if she’d been kissed.
“Is that true, CJ?” Aunt Bailey asked.
“Totally, Aunt Bailey,” Rebel said, a smile plastered on her face.
“Yep, Harls, is telling the truth,” Mattie agreed.
“Yeah, I am,” Harley said primly and gave him a look that suggested he knew what the fuck she meant. “Tell Mommie, CJ.”
“Tell her what, Harley?” he snapped. “I didn’t hear what you said to corroborate.”
She stiffened. “I told Mommie how you convinced me to go to Turn Creek Bridge. You needed me to listen to you because you’re so worried about Aunt Meggie and Jo.”
“Is that true, honey?” Aunt Bailey asked.
He didn’t intend to allow Harley to use him as her scapegoat and heespeciallywouldn’t allow her to twist his family’s trauma to fit her fucking deviousness. Later, he’d set her straight. At the moment, he needed to break Ryan in two, then get to the hospital to see his mom and little sister.
“Yeah, Aunt Bailey,” he gritted. “It’s whatever.”
“It’s not whatever,” Harley said, nastier than he’d ever heard her. “You owe me.Mollywouldn’t cut today, so you asked me.”
“Bro,” Mattie said around a cough.
