Page 38 of Relentles
Aunt Bunny returned, carrying gauze and tape.
Mommie sidled a glance at Aunt Bunny, then sighed. “This is betweenus,” she hissed, staring at Aunt Bunny with meaning. “This is a family matter, so Meggie doesn’t have to know.”
“Just don’t look at Outlaw, baby,” Uncle Digger said. “You said his bitch’s name and he’ll see it in your eyes. Motherfucker telepathic where she concerned.”
“Meggie haven’t done you a motherfucking thing, fuckhead,” Daddy said sharply.
“Meggie don’t know when to mind her fucking business,” Uncle Digger said.
“Meggiegave birth to CJ,” Harley spat without thinking.
“Enough, Harley!” Daddy roared. “Keep your bullshit up and I’m taking your fucking phone and grounding you for two fucking weeks.”
Harley waited for her mother’s defense. Irritation creased her brow, but she didn’t warn Daddy not to punish her.
“Harley, not only is Meggie an adult, but she’s your aunt,” Aunt Bunny said kindly. “I know you’re upset with CJ. Meggie isn’t to blame.”
“Bunny, I appreciate your sentiment,” Mommie said tightly, “but Harley is my daughter. I don’t need you to chastise her.”
“Bunny her aunt, Bailey,” Daddy said. “She got a say as much as we do.”
“Lucas—”
“No, pretty girl. You didn’t say a fucking thing when Digger was lecturing Harley. Give Bunny the same respect.”
“It’s fine,” Uncle Digger said. “What were you about to say, Bailey?”
Mommie glowered at Aunt Bunny, but then heaved in a breath. “Maybe, you should think about patching out, Lucas? We can move to California. There’s a beautiful mansion there that we barely visit.”
Shock was too tame a word to describe the look on Daddy’s face. For a moment, Harley understood perfectly because she felt it, too. Down to her bones. Of all the things she’d expected Mommie to say, asking Daddy to walk away from the club hadn’t crossed her mind.
She recovered before anyone else. “What do you mean, Mommie?” Harley cried. “Asking Daddy to patch out? What about me?”
Struck speechless, Daddy glanced at Harley then at Mommie, who was focusing on him and not her own daughter.
“He can’t patch out. I’ll lose CJ forever!”
Crickets. They were ignoring her.
“What…? Bailey…” Eyes wide, Daddy shook his head. “We can sell the fucking house.”
“Half of it belongs to Mark,” Aunt Bunny piped in, although she’d lost all her color.
Uncle Digger was the only one who didn’t seem rancidly opposed to the idea. He scratched his jaw.
Mommie kept her gaze on Daddy. “OutlawburnedDigger with a fucking cigarette, Lucas. CJ thinks I don’t like him. What’ll happen to me?”
“Meggie might fuck you up,” Uncle Digger said, “but Outlaw won’t lay a finger on you.”
“You should leave Meggie alone,” Aunt Bunny grouched.
“The motherfucker been up that bitch pussy for weeks. How I was supposed to know his brain was functioning again?”
Aunt Bunny shied away from conflict and her parents were engaged in a staring contest. Harley had a perfectly working brain.
She pointed a shaking finger at her uncle. “It’syourfault, Uncle Digger. You’re shocked Uncle Christopher burned you because of Aunt Meggie when his main priorityisAunt Meggie? That’s stupid!”
Uncle Digger narrowed his eyes.
