Page 54 of Remiss
“Uh,feelsad,” Aunt Meggie said offhandedly. “It might help, but, but, be careful.” She searched the natatorium. “Where are the alarms?”
“Oh, right,” Axel said as Harley responded, “we don’t have any in here.”
“It’s ‘cause of what Rule did, huh, Mom?” Axel asked. “You was never worried before.”
Bending, Aunt Meggie kissed Axel’s forehead. “Don’t let my paranoia affect you, love. It isn’t fair.”
“I’ll watch him, Aunt Meggie,” Harley promised.
“Mattie said she was coming in too,” Axel told her. “I asked Reb to come in. I found a special song for her. All Dad did was playButterfly Kisses.I’msick of it, and I didn’t hear it all two thousand ninety million times like Reb. Besides, Dad was stupid. He shouldn’t have taken the songyourfather had for you, Mom. That motherfucker needed his own song for Reb.”
“I don’t mind sharing,” Aunt Meggie promised, kissed Axel’s forehead again, smiled at Harley, and left.
“Phew!” Axel rubbed a hand over his brow. “That was a close one. All Mom needs to do is find out me, Ran, and Ry made up.”
Harley laughed and shook her head. “You played Aunt Meggie?”
“Nuh-uh. She would’ve left me with Dad and the boys.Mademe take their side ‘cause I got a cock. When I’m on herside. That woman is an angel.” He jumped to his feet. “She wants motherfuckers dead. Maybe I can be her bodyguard and personal enforcer when I grow up. I can still do my law stuff. Anyway, I refuse to make the same mistakes as CJ.”
“CJ is perfect. He could never make mistakes.”
“CJ is stupid,” Axel said flatly. “Wondering why Mom doesn’t talk to him about a lot of stuffs when he’ll just ignore her and listen to Dad. I’d save my fucking breath too.”
“You’re being really hard on CJ.”
“Somebodyhas to be. How can uh-huh men surround him when he’s an uh-huh man too? He don’t speak his mind or nothing. Always trying to think about other motherfuckers and make them happy.”
“Not always,” Harley grouched.
Axel fisted his hands on his hips and pinned her with a disapproving look. “C. needssomeballs. You did him wrong like a crooked dong–”
“Uh–”
“And you were mean to him first.”
“I know,” Harley whispered, her shoulders slumping, her misery returning. Tears rushed to her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Horror washed over Axel’s face and he rushed over to hug her. “Don’t cry, Harley. Mom’s cried a lot and I don’t like that.” Releasing her, he stepped back. “It’s not even fun no more to make Reb cry. I just want her to be the Blonde Viper again so her name fits. I won’t do nothing too bad. Just enough so she can keep being her again.”
Sniffling, Harley wiped her cheeks and nodded.
“Go to your room and change into a bathing suit. Or at least shorts and a T-shirt, so you can swim. You’re all covered with jeans and a sweater. Definitely not pool clothes.”
“I’m not in the mood to swim,” Harley lied. She couldn’t explain all her bruises. “I’ll just sit here and watch you.”
“Will you DJ?”
“Sure. Oh, wait. I don’t have my regular phone. We have basic flip phones with no internet. If we connect the burner to our internet so I can download music, I wonder if Uncle Stretch will detect it.”
“Ask Mattie. I think she’s been putting interceptors around. That’s why she’s not in here yet. Her, Rebel, and Aunt Kendall went to some tech store.”
Harley nodded. “I’ll call Mattie and ask in a sec, but if there’s a way for me to play, the volume won’t be very loud. What songs do you want?”
“Remember Megan Thee Stallion? If you don’t, I can describe her. She’s from Texas. PlayI’m From Texasby BigXThaPlug, too. Anyway, Thee Stallion is just so gorgeous. My eyes almost pop out of my fucking head every time I see her.” A thoughtful expression crossed his face. “You think she’d go for a rough rider like me?”
Harley giggled. “Maybe if you were older.”
“Oh right. Age ain’t nothin’ but a thing, though. Ask Diesel.”
