Axel squinted. “Are you okay, Dad?”
“Where you ma went, boy? I know I ain’t paid you the money—”
“Mom’s in the bedroom.” He pointed to the door. “She’s not mad atyou. At least not yet. She’s mad atthem. I don’t know why and I don’t fucking care, Dad. I don’t want Mom to cry again and those two motherfuckers are too fucking hard-headed to take me seriously.”
Christopher’s tension and worry evaporated and he sagged in relief, starting to laugh. He bent and laid his hands against his thighs, still laughing and even more relieved.
Axel’s suspicious look sobered Christopher, though, and he straightened, clearing his throat.
“Why the fuck it’s so fuckin’ quiet?”
“Not because Mom left,” he said in exasperation. “What didyoudo to make you think that?”
“Ain’t done a fuckin’ thing.”
“Keep it that way. Or else,” he added darkly.
Christopher stiffened. “You fuck with me afuckingain and I ain’t only beatin’ the fuck outta you, I’m groundin’ you for fuckin’ life.”
“Keep it up, Dad, and the next time I will tie you up and hold you fucking hostage, torturing you forever. Until you fuckingdie. If you and those two motherfuckers don’t want me to spray paint the fucking walls,behave. Otherwise, I got to put up fucking reminders thatmymom is untouchable. If you make her cry, you die.”
“That’s my fuckin’ wife!”
“Only if you fucking deserve her. She’smymom first and we both know that’s the truth. She’d push you off a fucking cliff if it meant saving her babies.”
Axel was right, but Christopher refused to admit it, so he glowered, hoping to intimidate his boy into backing down. It just angered the little motherfucker more.
“Keep it up, Dad,” Axel repeated like a goddamn overgrown parrot that didn’t know other words, “and you’ll get the same fucking baby oil punishment as CJ and Diesel.”
“Baby oil…?” Christopher couldn’t imagine how baby oil fit into revenge. “What the fuck you did, Axel?”
“We can work together or you can be my enemy.”
“I’m not your fuckin’ enemy.”
“Then see to your woman whileItake care of stupid jackasses.”
“Axel—”
“Shut up! I got to do everything around this motherfucker and it wears on a man. You, CJ, and Diesel didn’t see Mom or miss their men or worry aboutneverseeing them again if Mom didn’t come home and she didn’t want them because they always side withyou. Suppose she said I couldn’t talk to Diesel? That time was your fault, but I don’t want her to get tired or upset again becausetheywon’t listen and you’ll ignore what she tells you. Or get mad at her.” He narrowed his teary eyes. “And putting your fucking hands on her. Mom would probably never come back and our entire family would be messed up.”
Christopher could remind Axel they’d cleared everything up. He’d gotten justice for his ma and it was over. Obviously, it wasn’t. Axel was as scarred by Megan walking away as Christopher. He was a grown motherfucker, but Ax was just a kid, coping as best he could.
He walked to his boy, ignoring how Axel braced his legs and stood his ground.
Kneeling, Christopher hugged his son. “I’m sorry, boy. Hear me? I swear I am. I ain’t ever doin’ nothin’ that make your ma leave.”
Axel sniffled and wrapped his little arms around Christopher’s neck, one hand still holding the baby oil. “Theymight do something, though. If you don’t respond right and make Mom mad, shemightleave again.”
“Did you talk to your ma?”
“No, Dad,” he said in a watery voice. “She might get guilty.”
Feel guilty, but Christopher didn’t correct his boy. “You right, and we don’t want that.”
“Mom loves you a lot. That’s why she cried so much when she was gone. But she’s real brave ‘cause she still won’t let you do her stuffs without sticking up for herself.” Stepping out of Christopher’s embrace, Axel ran his tongue along his upper lip. “She needs backup, though. CJ is no longer qualified.”
Axel needed to back off CJ, but detailing why would take too long.
