“I thought you fucking knew what she did.”
She thumped his head. “I thought she…she…” She reddened a little more, and this time CJ knew it was from embarrassment, especially when she made a few weird hand gestures. “Touchedyou.”
“She did. What the fuck are you talking about?”
“With her hands!”
“She did that, too! Which is what Derby’s girls were offering, in addition to a blowjob and I didn’t want them. Maybe if Ember had been there, I wouldn’t feel like such a fucking freak.”
Mom thumped his head again. “Shut up, CJ. You’re not a freak. She’s a—”
“She’s a nothing. She was the teacher who made the fucking move. Half of the fucking younger teachers look at me like they are willing to do whatever the fuck I want with the snap of my fucking fingers.”
She stormed to his other side and thumped him again. “You’re just telling me about this?”
“I didn’t want them marched through the school with a fucking scarlet letter burned into their foreheads because you’d react just like the fuck you’re reacting.”
“They are grown women,” she yelled. “I think my reaction is completely in line.”
“Not to me!”
“Does Christopher know?” she demanded.
The gravity of what the fuck he’d done hit him at that question. Mom had just fucking forgiven Dad for hiding shit from him and CJ opened his fucking mouth because he was everything Axel accused him of being.
“I take your silence as a yes.”
CJ couldn’t detect her emotions. He longed for the days when he was still her potato and knew her better than anyone except his father.
“Dad knew about Ember, but he doesn’t know about the other teachers.Iasked him not to tell you what happened at J’s because I didn’t want Ember fired. I like her a lot. She likes me, too. But I don’t want her. I want the girl I don’t know if I can ever trust again in my fucking life. Harley hurt me so fucking bad. She was my best friend. When I looked at her, I saw everything I’d ever want and need. Now, she’s in trouble and all I want to do is protect her and avenge her. I’m so fucking disappointed that I couldn’t even go with Dad. Uncle Mort and Diesel went into the house and wouldn’t let me go because I’d never done such a thing. How am I supposed to gain their experience? How canDieselgo whenI’msupposed to be the next Outlaw?”
She slid into the chair next to CJ. “I wish I could take all your pain away and offer you a magic elixir that would give you whatever your heart desires. Whatever you decide with Harley, I will support you. She was almost back to her old self inLA. Hopefully, she’s learned from her mistakes, son. We can’t predict what the future holds, so I can’t say if you and her will ever be as close as you once were. I wanted Christopher and me to get you a bike as your graduation present. You’ll be close to eighteen.”
“That would be such a cool present.”
“You’d have to graduate to get it.”
Unlike with Dad, CJ didn’t see an issue admitting the truth to Mom. “I miss school a lot. Football. But it seems like every fucking time I’m there lately, bullshit kicks off and it’s usually club related. It makes it hard to think Ishouldstay in school.”
“Does your daddy and me owning the school make your life easier or harder?”
CJ shrugged. “At first, there wasn’t a noticeable difference because not many people knew. I still don’t know who’s aware and who isn’t.” He told her about Axel’s behavior in the cafeteria. “The miserable little monster.”
Mom smiled fondly and CJ scowled, not thatshesaw.
“He leans into who Christopher is,” she said. “And is quite fearless and free with his advice.”
He was so fucking jealous he could barely see straight or think clearly. “Dad didn’t even punish him for his attack. I would still be fucking grounded.”
“You aren’t Axel, CJ.”
“So everyone keeps telling me, including him.”Especiallythat little motherfucker. “Thanks for the reminder.”
“Parenting is hard, son. I put so much more time and energy intoyou. As shameful as that is, it is the truth. Some of the lessons I taught you, I wish I could throw away. But you’re smart, fair-minded, and strong. You’re also quite impatient.”
“Axel respects no one and he doesn’t get in trouble.”
“I beg to differ. Axel respects no one who doesn’t deserve it.”
