“Hopefully in hell and he plans to snatch Rory with him,” Grant grumbled.
“I’ve texted Mattie and Rebel, but they aren’t answering me. If Aunt Kendall left, Mattie is probably all alone,” Harley said. “She won’t mind a visit from you.”
“I’ll think about it,” Grant promised.
“She’s like Aunt Kendall, by the way,” Harley told him. “She loves red roses.”
“And Shakespeare,” Grant said with a frown.
“Shakespeare is brilliant.”
“Jesus Christ. If you say so. Dude wrote about men who were either insane or simps and women who were shrews or a step away from the fucking grave.”
“That’s why they are called tragedies. For your information, he wrote comedies, too.”
“Yeah, I know. By the way, I thought you were brilliant Friday night. You have a beautiful singing voice.”
“Thank you,” Harley said quietly. “At the beginning of the school year, I was looking forward to the production.”
“I know. God help us, but you’ve always loved Shakespeare.”
“I could read only his work for the rest of my life and don’t feel as if I’ve missed a thing.”
Grant grunted. “Now that the play is over, can we move away from him? I’m Shakespeared out.”
Harley giggled. “Probably not.”
Another grunt, this one resigned. “As much as I love reminding you of why you love the Bard, I have to go,” Grant said sardonically.
“Okay.”
Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her cheek, then started out. “Leave her the fuck alone, Ryan,” he ordered.
A moment later, the door opened and closed. Grant was gone.
Shifting his weight, Ryan looked at Harley, then rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m so glad Mom isn’t here.”
Harley was, too. She clasped her hands in her lap and bowed her head, ashamed all over again. “Yeah.”
“Harley…” Ryan heaved in a breath. She still wouldn’t look at him. “Come with me.”
Harley flinched. Although Ryan could’ve wanted her to go with him for any reason, she suspected what it was for. This was the first time in days that he’d been in her company. Even before the discovery of what he’d done, she’d been invisible to him.
“It isn’t for sex,” he said bluntly. “Just come upstairs with me. I want to show you something.”
Rooted to her spot, Harley shook her head.
“Just like I shouldn’t ask anything of you, I shouldn’t want you to trust my honesty.”
“Something you’ve been sorely lacking,” she told him.
“I have been, and I’m sorry. I never apologized to you properly. I’m so sorry for how I disrespected you. Please forgive me.”
“I already—”
He shook his head, the movement interrupting her. “No, not now. I hurt you. Nardo hurt you. Willard hurt you. Process everything then decide if you can truly forgiveme. Even Rebel, who came to visit me, hasn’t fully come to terms with what happened to her. What I did to her. All four of you almost died because of me. Rule tried to drown Rebel. Molly was shot and abused. You were beaten and abused. Mattie was almost strangled and sexually assaulted.”
Harley nodded, pretending she was okay. When she was guilty and ashamed and hurt to her soul.
