Page 61 of Restless
“You made him cry, Daddy,” Simon grouched, barely keeping hold of John as he turned and stomped back up the stairs. “You know the little twerp don’t know how to shut the fuck up. Idiot.”
“I’ve heard enough,” Fred said in disgust, turning the key in the ignition. “I’m bringing him to the hospital.”
“If you leave, you aren’t welcome in my house ever again,” Daddy called. “I gave you an order. Obey me or suffer.”
“Make him back off, Pattie, or Iwillcall Cee Cee,” Fred warned, low.
He was serious. And Cee Cee would blaze into town because ofFred, meting out justice and demanding answers. She wouldn’t be able to explain how her father expected every cent of the money Cee Cee sent every month for Christopher.
He might even take Fred from her. Either by death or reassignment, since Fred was a Scorpion brother. He was going against Cee Cee’s direct order by not immediately calling him over Logan’s behavior.
Forher. Fred loved her.
Butsheloved her father. She admired his determination and his faithfulness. She loved his sense of right and wrong. If Cee Cee killed Logan, Patricia would be devastated.
Worse, Cee Cee still wouldn’t settle down and be a father to Christopher or a husband to her.
She brushed her lips against Fred’s. He was a bore, but she got him to do anything she pleased. Besides, she loved her son. It wasn’t his fault he shared his father’s black hair and green eyes. It wasn’thisfault that his daddy paid to keep him alive but sent a man to watch her like she was a child.
“Mommie!” Christopher called again, his tears showing no signs of stopping. “Hurt!”
“Go, Fred,” Patricia urged. “I’ll take care of Daddy.”
“I never want him to darken my door again, Pattie,” Daddy said once Fred drove away with her distressed son and she reached the porch.
Just in time to see Simon hand John over to Daddy and then watch as he hugged the boy tenderly, despite his tears and calls for ‘Kwistoffer’.
He was a little milk sap twat just as his mother had been.
Patricia pasted a smile on her face, ignoring Simon as he brushed past Daddy and walked into the house.
“Fred’s my boyfriend, Daddy,” she said calmly, huffing at John’s continued noise and yanking him into her arms. She shook him. “Quiet!” she gritted.
She didn’t see Daddy’s fist before it crashed against her jaw. She staggered back. If she hadn’t released John so Daddyhadto catch him, she would’ve been hit again.
Sinking to her knees and holding her jaw, she sobbed. Daddy slapped her to the porch.
Marissa, Simon’s wife, rushed outside and grabbed John. The child still hadn’t shut his mouth. Without a word, she returned inside with the precious John cradled to her.
Daddy crouched next to Patricia, grabbed her throat, and dragged her to her feet. “If you look at my John wrong, I’ll strangle you and bury you in the apple orchard with the others. Understand?”
Tears leaking from her eyes, she nodded.
“Christopher’s birthday is in a few days. Bring him to me.”
“Fred and I have plans for him,” she pushed out.
She wouldn’t willingly place her boy in her father’s path any more than necessary. Christmas was theonlytime she’d suffer major repercussions if she didn’t bring her child to pay homage to Daddy. Other than that, all bets were off.
He shoved her away. “You dare disobey me, Patricia?”
She crawled to the top step and sat, leaning her head against the banister. Despite the cold air, she was hot and nauseated. Her baby boy was suffering because of her anger towards Cee Cee.
“I want that stupid shithead here for his birthday.”
She locked gazes with Daddy. “Cee Cee is a phone call away,” she said coldly. “I’ll give you Christmas with my son, but I’m warning you if you ever break another bone of his, hide your precious John.”
She was so sorry she hadn’t taken care of him before he tumbled into Daddy’s life.
