“Mr. Caldwell, sit down now,” Ms. Flotsam said, pointing to his desk.
“I can’t,” he said, dialing Dad’s number, but getting no fucking answer. He got the same results when he tried Uncle Mort, Uncle Val, and Diesel.
“You are disrupting my class and I will not allow it,” the teacher screeched.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” CJ said.
“This is ridiculous, Ms. Flotsam,” Jaleena sneered.
Ms. Flotsam stormed to CJ, snatched his arm, and tried to yank him away.
Meanwhile, Nardo was getting closer to the auditorium. By the time CJ ran down the hallway and out the fucking door, Nardo would’ve gotten to Harley.
“You see Nardo?” Ryan asked as CJ looked for an escape and cursed the screen covering the window.
“Yeah, fuck.”
“Please take your seat, Mr. Caldwell,” Ms. Flotsam said again.
Ignoring her, CJ punched the edges of the screen, breathing a sigh of relief when it gave way.
“Ryan, call Harley. Tell her to fucking hide, then call your dad, my Dad, Uncle Mort, Diesel, one of them,allof them and tell them to get here ASAP.” He was wasting fucking time, giving those directions, but if Nardo was there then chances were high his fuckhead father was too. “Get Rory and my brothers.”
“I will call security,” Ms. Flotsam said indignantly.
“Ma’am, do whatever the fuck you want,exceptcall the cops or security. Trust me on that. You don’t want that fucking smoke.”
With that last order, CJ climbed out of the window and took off running, dramatic shouts like,motherfucker, you’re deadandI’m going to kill yourunning through his head. But he was aware of his surroundings, so he held those words in. A fight was one thing. Death threats and disappearances were another.
Nardo bought CJ some time because he walked to the portico, paused and looked over his shoulder before he opened one of the auditorium’s side doors.
“Don’t take another fucking step,” CJ said, closing the distance between him and that motherfucker, his breath sawing in and out of his lungs.
“Fuck you,” Nardo said, flipping him off. “I’m here to get my grade. You can’t do nothing about it.”
Hopefully, Harley was hiding or escaping and calling Uncle Mort herself.
Protecting Harley was the most important thing. Even if CJ was at a disadvantage, not knowing the location of Nardo’s father or ifNardowas armed.
The door Nardo stood next to opened.
“I got a bone to pick with you, motherfucker,” Axel said, protected from view because he was tucked into the shadows of the columns. “You wanted to slam me to the ground.”
Rolling his eyes, Nardo turned. CJ intended to knock him the fuck out, but the motherfucker’s head jerked back and he dropped to the fucking ground along with the rock from Axel’s slingshot.
Fuck. Him. CJ glanced over his shoulder. Thankfully, Ms. Flotsam probably threatened Jaleena, Skye, and the rest of the class to stay away from the fucking window.
Axel opened the door wider and leaned against it. Ryder and Ransom darted out and used their fucking jackets to tie Nardo’s wrists and ankles.
Axel grinned at CJ and stuck his slingshot in his pocket. “Diesel said always innovise.”
“Improvise,” CJ said stupidly, in shock that his brothers didn’t care that they could be caught at any moment.
“Let’s move him, men,” Axel ordered.
“No!” CJ cried. “We can’t take this fuckhead as a hostage in fucking view of everyone!”
Ryder frowned. “Why not, C?”
