Page 98 of Relentles
Halting her movements, Mom stilled.
Anger flushed Rebel’s face. “What did that motherfucker lie aboutthistime?”
Mom glanced in Dad’s direction, then pasted a smile on her face and shook her head. “Nothing. He told me no lies.”
A pained expression crossed Dad’s face. “I saw Johnnie at the club after we got back from Jo’s update,” he revealed.
Though she shrugged, she flinched, too.
“I vented.”
“You needed to,” she said, monotone. “You confided in him.”
“Did he tell you what I said?”
Tears brimming in her eyes, Mom glanced away. Her nose reddened. “No.”
“Do you want to know what I said?”
Another flinch. She already knew.
“Megan, baby, if that motherfucker recorded our fuckin’ conversation and let you listen to it…that’s the only fuckin’ thing I can fuckin’ think of to make you goin’ from actin’ like you have a fuckin’ brain and care about the children we alreadygotto you bein’ an unfeelin’, selfish, lil’ motherfucker and sayin’ you want another baby.”
“I like babies.”
“You have a baby. And she fightin’ for her goddamn life because you can’t keep them in you long enough withoutyoudyin’.”
“Jo’s fighting for her…Daddy!” Rebel gasped.
“I want another baby, Christopher.”
“Jo…” CJ couldn’t get it out, staring at his mother in disbelief.
Dad thrust his fingers through his hair and stalked to Mom, snatching her off her feet and shaking her.
“Dude!” CJ yelled, nearly dropping Gunner in an effort to protect his mother.
Rebel grabbed their little brother out of CJ’s arms, allowing him to barrel in front of his mother.
He pulled Mom out of his father’s arms, planting himself firmly between them. “Dad, you’re losing it.”
“Am I, CJ?I’mfuckin’ losin’ it? I’m not the one riskin’ his fuckin’ life to have baby after baby. I don’t want no more goddamn babies, Megan. We have efuckinnuff. I have a fuckin’right on what to do withmycum and I don’t want it in you no more makin’ no fuckin’ babies!”
Rebel made a gagging sound. “God, Daddy, that’s a visual we don’t need.”
A sob escaped Mom. Dad’s shoulders slumped. CJ refused to move.
“I ain’t gonna hurt her, boy.”
“I just want you happy, Christopher,” Mom said in a small voice before CJ responded. “You’re telling me you don’t want kids because I can’t do it right. Otherwise, you wouldn’t care.”
Dad growled. “Megan, did Johnnie record my conversation and let you listen to it?” He looked stricken.
CJ wondered what the fuck Dad had said. Not that it mattered, since it was tearing his mother apart.
“If you want a woman who can have a normal pregnancy, I’ll leave,” Mom sobbed on the verge of hysteria. “Anything, Christopher.Anythingto take your pain away. Hearing it almost killed me. I love you with everything in me. I just want you happy. I want you to have a normal pregnancy.”
She was babbling. CJ was sure she wasn’t even aware of her words.
