Page 125 of Restless
Fred cleared his throat. “Beautiful. Ophelia will turn three in July.”
“When I grow up, I’m going to marry Zoann,” Wally, Jr. boasted, speaking for the first time.
Rack slapped the side of his son’s head, in the same way Daddy sometimes hit Bash. “You are grown, stupid. You’re nineteen. You have to wait untilshegrows up. Remember?”
“Are you sure about that, Pa?”
Bash frowned. “I used to call Daddy ‘pa’,” he said. “You made me stop.”
Daddy nodded. “I didn’t want you calling me what that little pighead called the big pighead.”
“My boy and me have fucking names, Cee Cee,” Rack said.
“Be happy you’re alive for me to call you pighead, pigshit,” Daddy said around a yawn.
“Enough with the fucking threats, Cee Cee,” Sharper warned. “For the last time, I’m in charge.”
“I’m not here to steal your thunder, Sharper,” Daddy said blandly, and the hairs on Bash’s nape stood.
Someone was about to die. Beside him, Boss tensed too, apparently aware Daddy’s cordiality foreshadowed death.
“I get reports from time to time,” he said. “A little bird told me my son’s arm was once broken. He was about three. Fred took him to the ER, but he didn’t call me. He told me a blatant lie, as a matter of fact.”
“Cee Cee—”
Daddy held up a hand, stopping Fred. “Sharper’s running the show, brother.” He shrugged. “I’m just saying. When you called me last month and told me Patricia and you brought the kids over to her daddy’s for Christmas and he punched my boy—”
“That filthy little dog hit me back,” Logan spat, rubbing his jaw, although it showed no injury. “Patriciadefendedhim. Made me break her fucking hand.”
“You’re going to be sorry one day, Logan,” Boss said with disgust. “Christopher is a brilliant kid—”
“Christopher is a fucking animal—”
“Christopher is a child, fuckhead,” K-P bit out. “He has more heart than you and Simon put together.”
“Keep talking, Kaleb,” Logan snarled. “You’re digging your own fucking grave.”
“If it means escaping you, kill me, motherfucker,” K-P said.
“No one’s forcing you to stay, Kaleb,” Sharper said. “That’s one reason we’re here. I know you’re very unhappy. I wanted to give you a chance to get out.”
K-P looked at Boss, who nodded. Heaving in a breath, K-P studied Boss, then met Sharper’s gaze. “I’m out then. I’ll—”
Sharper held up his hand. “Not so fast, Kaleb. There are stipulations.”
“Whatever they are—”
“The weekly calls to Vivian to check on her and my sons stop immediately.”
“Those boys are my godsons, and I think Vivian would have something to say—”
“You want out, you’re out completely,” Sharper said flatly.
“Your sons and your wife aren’t part ofthis,” K-P said. “Lucas and Marcus don’t know me, but I know them, and have since they were born. You can’t—”
“I can, and I will.” Sharper’s boast grated on Bash. He really didn’t like that motherfucker. “Next stipulation is your fee. You’re a charter member. If you want out, the fee is death or a million dollars.”
K-P turned ashen “What! I’ll never see that type of money in my life, Sharper. You know—”
