“Let me leave all these grown ups to real men talk,” Rebel said, and thumped the fuck out.
“Dad, you’ve got to make up with her,” CJ urged when that thumping faded into the distance. “This is heading for fucking disaster.”
“I ain’t the kid. She is. She come to me with respect or she suffer the consequences.”
All his motherfuckers stared at him. Even motherfucking Cash and Johnnie had the gall to look at him with disapproval. The younger little motherfuckers also looked as if they wanted to say shit but knew better than to open their fucking mouths.
Except Axel. Always motherfucking Axel. He was getting out of hand, too.
The little fuckhead raised his phone in front of Christopher
“I ain’t interested in takin’ no fuckin’ selfie,” he roared, wondering why Axel had the camera aimed at him.
“Good, ‘cause I don’t want no fucking picture. I want you to look at yourself, Dad.”
Christopher shoved Axel’s hand away so hard the phone went flying.
Glowering, Axel folded his arms. “You see all the fucking hair missing from your fucking head?”
“I can’t miss that motherfucker.” His hair was starting to grow back, but it was still thickest at the top where he hadn’t put Axel’s concoction. “You avenged your ma. What the fuck’s your point?”
“That you’re a stupid motherfucker.” Axel turned to CJ. “Talk to this motherfucker, C. A man don’t got the patience for his level of senileness.”
“Tired fuckin’ line,” Christopher spat, not caring that Axel stormed back to Diesel’s side. “Come up with something new, you lil’ fuckhead.”
“It’s take a big fuckhead to know a little one, Dad,” Axel replied. “At least the little fuckhead got a brain. You want me to come up with something new? Here goes. You’re a big dummy.You get mad at all of us for protecting Mom, even thoughyouscream and yell and holler toprotect Mom.Andyou like it when people say me, CJ, and Diesel are like you. When Reb’sjust like us. Even Mom said it. Why do you get so mad at that?”
“Cuz I ain’t no spoiled bitch.”
“Evidence suggests otherwise,” Axel growled. “’Cause you acted just like Rebel. No, worse, Dad.”
“Don’t fuckin’ talk to me again ‘til you apologize, Axel.”
“I’m talking to you or I’m talking to Mom.Youdecide.”
“Haven’t you been worried about Mom leaving again, stupid?” Ryder asked.
“She got to know that Dad hurt Reb’s feelings so it won’t get real big and she finds out after,” Axel insisted.
“Say what the fuck you got to say, then shut the fuck up, Axel.”
“If you talk to Reb, you’ll find out how cool she is,” Axel said.
“What the fuck do I have in common with an almost fifteen-year-old girl?” Christopher asked in frustration. “I don’t know about all the shit she like. I ain’t fuckin’ listenin’ to her talk about a motherfucker—”
“Outlaw, you was there for Puff until she was seventeen,” Val said. “She always say how patient you were and how she could talk to you about almost anything—”
“Rebel holdin’ a fuckin’ grudge against me,” Christopher said. “I’m her old man. She should’ve known I’d never cheat on her ma. Every fuckin’ thing I do, she crucify my ass. I ain’t puttin’ up with that.”
“That’s two standings, Dad,” Axel told him.
“How the fuck—?”
“Prez,” Mortician interrupted Christopher. “You not helping Rebel see you different. Forget Torie and that debacle for a minute. I noticed just around the time Reb turned thirteen,you pulled back a little. You didn’t buy as many fixer uppers for you two to work on. You didn’t go target practicing with her.”
“CJ was just startin’ football, Mort.”
“Dad?”
