Page 170 of Restless
“If you got with her and she didn’t encourage you to do better in life, then she isn’t worth having. You’d be stuck in an endless loop of poverty.”
“Harley’s parents aren’t poor.”
“But they aren’t as rich as my parents.”
Ha.“Your assumptions annoy the fuck out of me.”
“They aren’t assumptions, CJ. I’m trying to reason with you.”
“You’re trying to buy me when I’m not for sale. I don’t need your fucking money, Jaleena. Keep it and buy some common sense.”
She gasped. “You called me stupid.”
“You sound like a fucking brainless idiot. You should hear yourself, so high and mighty looking down on the peasants and offering favors to better us.”
“I’m negotiating us being together.”
“Is that what you’re doing?” When she lifted her chin, CJ came up with an idea. “My family has a get-together every week. Now that my mom’s out of the hospital, I’ll see if we’re having one soon. If we do, I want you to come over,thenwe can talk.”
“Fine,” she said on a sigh. “I warn you, though, my parents might want to check the place out. If the neighborhood is too bad, I won’t stay long.”
CJ smiled. “No problem, bae. If they deem the place safe, they can even eat with us.”
She grinned. “Bet.” Leaning over, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Let me get your homework so you can be on your way. A couple of the teacher’s uploaded some lessons to your account, but you still have a thick folder to work through. Let me know if you need help.”
In her words, “bet.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Are we ready for dessert?”
At Tabitha’s question, everyone glanced at each other. An hour after CJ got home from Jaleena’s, Tabitha surprised Diesel—everyone—with a visit and dishes of food she’d cooked at their condo, then lugged with her. Her mixed green salad, baked beans, barbequed ribs, and homemade buttermilk biscuits were surprisingly good.
CJ couldn’t wait to taste her peachy apple cobbler. Whatever the fuck that meant. Usually, they enjoyed conversation between dinner and dessert, but since Mom was upstairs and Dad with her, he didn’t want to rock the boat with his sister-in-law. Rebel seemed quite receptive to her. Anything CJ might say that went against Tabitha’s suggestions could change that.
When no one spoke up, she stood. Her form-fitting, turtleneck crop top barely covered her big breasts. CJ did his best to look anywhere but at her since her titties were inescapable and he still had lingering lust after his earlier encounter with Jaleena.
Rebel grabbed her water glass. “Give us a few minutes, Tabitha,” she said after she took a sip. “We digest our main course before we eat dessert.”
“Yo, Tabitha,” Ryder said, staring at her chest. “Why don’t you put us out of our misery and just show us your tits?”
“Yeah,” Ransom agreed, ignoring Tabitha’s outraged gasp. “You didn’t have to wear a top at all since you chose one too small for those puppies.”
“That’s enough,” Diesel gritted, with a noted lack of outrage given the level of Ryder and Ransom’s disrespect.
Mom’s illness coupled with Dad staying by her side 24/7 removed Ryder and Ransom’s fear of reprisal for disobeying Dad’s cardinal rule of never disrespecting adults. Had things been normal, CJ’s brothers never would’ve spoken to Tabitha in such a manner. He didn’t care for her andhewas outraged.
“Shut the fuck up, you little assholes, before I beat your ass,” he warned.
Axel folded his arms. “Bring it on, bro.”
“You weren’t involved,” CJ pointed out. “Stay out of it if you don’t want me to include you.”
Ryder smirked at him. “You can try. One of you against three of us.”
“I’ll help CJ,” Rebel announced, glaring between the three of them. “You sure you want both of us beating your asses.”
“Nope,” the Triplets chorused.
