Page 249 of Restless
“Oh, so now it’s family business? When I ordered you to stand down, you ignored me. I’m his uncle and he’s turned against me. What do you think he’ll do to you one day?”
“Uncle Mort’s my uncle too, you worthless piece of shit,” CJ fumed. “And don’t ever fucking say otherwise.”
“Give me a chance to talk, little dude,” Mort said, schooling his features to hide how touched he was by CJ’s defense of him.
“I respectyou, Uncle Mort. You’ve always been kind and protective of me. You’ve always respected me—”
“Respected you?” Johnnie scoffed. “Do you know how entitled you fucking sound? You’re a child. Who the fuck made you think you deserve respect? Never mind. It’s Megan. She was a fucking child when she had you so of course she’d think achildshould have respect, instead of discipline and a firm hand.”
“How’s that working out foryou?” CJ said evilly. “We have to watch decapitated bodies to keep Rory from stealing them. Mattie has to hide what a lively, loyal girl she is. JJ stays in tears and Blade is rarely away from his nanny.”
This was getting out of hand.
“Johnnie, go check on Meggie,” Mort said.
“Uncle Mort, no—”
“Yeah, kid. Outlaw is going to wonder where she at. Johnnie on the hospital board. He’ll get answers.”
“He was following her. Or watching the coffee shop, waiting for me to leave so he couldharassher again. How else could he have known to come?”
“Even if that’s true, little dude, we have to figure shit out now. We have to call Prez soon.” He drew in a regretful breath. “What happened in here today has to be swept aside for now.”
“I refuse to keep CJ’s rudeness from Christopher. For you to suggest otherwise because of Megan—”
“When you got to be such a fucking asshole, son?” Mort asked crossly. “It got nothing to do with Meggie. If Outlaw shoot your ass off, he might regret it later. We got to wait until he can handle the repercussions of his actions.”
Johnnie bared his teeth at Mort. Folding his arms, he lifted a brow, wondering if the motherfucker thought to intimidate him.
“Fine,” Johnnie gritted. “I’ll see what I can find out about Megan.” He stomped out of the room and slammed the door.
“Strangle on shitty birdfeed,” CJ shouted.
“The room soundproof,” Mort said, in case the little motherfucker didn’t know.
CJ’s shoulders drooped and he sat just as another text message from Bailey came through.
Bailey:Don’t leave me on read, Lucas. Respond. Please. Come to my office. Please. I’m begging you.
He sighed and dropped next to CJ.
“Is that Harley?”
“It’s Bailey. She want me to come to her office party.” Mortician hated to see CJ’s despair returning. “Once we see how Meggie doing, maybe we can go together. It’ll take your mind off shit for a little bit and you can talk to Harley.”
CJ glanced away. “I have nothing to say to her, Uncle Mort. I’m the worst motherfucker alive, according to her and Aunt Bailey.”
“You not? Bailey adore you—”
“No, Uncle Mort.” CJ met Mort’s gaze without flinching. “Whatever else that happened over the past few months, I’ve learned very few people actually adore me. I’m either reviled or revered with little in between for absolutely no reason. It would be fine if they actuallyknewme. Most people don’t, so the reverence and revulsion are shallow interpretations of fucking rumors.”
Mort had nothing to say to that.
“But I have something to tell you, Uncle Mort. After, I’m sure you’ll hate me, too.”
“Kid, I could never hate—”
“It’s about Harley.”
