“Don’t play with me, little girl. I know you talk about Harley behind her back.”
“Sure do, and I say the same fucking thing to her fucking face, Aunt Bailey. I don’t fucking hide behind soft words and a pretty smile.”
“Are you implying I do, young lady?”
Where the fuck was Axel when they needed him?
“I understand Harley might have it a little rougher because…” Rebel waved her hand between herself and Harley, distinctly uncomfortable because this had never mattered before so why did it now? “She doesn’t look like me. But she’s ourfamily. So are you, Uncle Mort, Kaleb, and Lou. Why won’t you believe us? We don’t care about any of the stuff you’re talking about.”
“Then we can never overcome our differences,” she said coldly. “You don’t want to hear how it is for me and Harley in this life.”
“You don’t even look Black, Mommie,” Harley blurted.
“Well, I am, and proud of it. I believe in disciplining my children. I believe in children respecting adults. I believe in chores and allowances. I believe in going the extra mile to compete with everyone. That’s what I thought I taught you, Harley.”
“Aunt Bailey, please don’t do this,” Rebel said, even more confused because she wasn’t sure the beliefs Aunt Bailey mentioned related to what they were discussing. “I don’t know why you’re so upset, but in here when it’s just us, we’re insulated from the world. We all love each other. We don’t always like each other. We get angry and say mean things, but we have each other’s back. I hope and pray, Harley and Ryan get together. I hate the idea of her with CJ because she hurt him so bad. I’ll support my brother even if I don’t support your daughter. In a relationship. She already exhibited your qualities and CJ deserves better than that fucking fate. But Harley will always be one of us. You, too. We will always click up to protect you andher. She had more to worry about with Molly and Ryan than she ever did with CJ. The only one who cares about all that stuff you mentioned isyou. I’m not apologizing for my blonde hair and blue eyes or the fact that I’m Outlaw’s daughter. My looks and status aren’t my fault, so I don’t care about how anyone else feels.”
“Outlaw taught you well then,” Aunt Bailey said with a sniff.
“No,Mommataught me well. Lolly. Aunt Kendall. Aunt Zoann.You.”
“Me? What could I ever teach you when you had Little Miss Sunshine?”
“Mommie—”
“Shut up! You don’t know anything, Harley. Lucas took Kendall on a day trip two fucking days ago. He doesn’t want us to have another baby because I don’t fucking have red hair like Kendall or blonde hair like Meggie.”
“What?” Harley and Rebel cried.
“He fucked her! Because…because…” Aunt Bailey couldn’t even get the words out.
Rebel blinked at Aunt Bailey and then cackled at her lunacy until she saw Harley slide down in her seat. “Even ifIwould do a happy dance if you and Uncle Johnnie fell off the face of the fucking earth and Aunt Kendall and Uncle Mort got together, where in the world did you get such an insane idea?”
“Uncle Johnnie strikes again,” CJ said bitterly.
Aunt Bailey lifted a brow but didn’t deny the accusation.
“That motherfucker either tracked Aunt Kendall in real time or pulled the data and then called you, Aunt Bailey. He thinks Dad and Uncle Mort are after Aunt Kendall because he’s such a motherfucking raving fucking fuckhead.”
Well. That made sense. Maybe Aunt Bailey had turned into a lunatic because that asshole got to her.
“Is CJ right?” Rebel asked.
“He is,” Aunt Bailey said crisply.
CJ looked at Rebel.
Huffing, she folded her arms, wishing she could stomp away. All she’d do was thump and that didn’t have the same effect.
“Is there a reason we have to continually protect fuckheads, CJ?”
“You know there is.”
“Can we find Momma’s fucking list and rip it to pieces? I’m ready to start blowing motherfuckers away,” Rebel said.
“I’m not bound by a stupid list,” Aunt Bailey said with a smirk.
“Then I’ll tell Mom to remove your name,” CJ drawled.
