Chapter Twenty-Four—CJ
Ryan inviting CJ and Grant to hang out was as shocking as CJ wanting to do it. Between Kaia and Diesel, he was madder than a motherfucker and like Grant pointed out, it wouldn’t do Mom, Reb, and Mattie any good to see him in such a state.
Aunt Zoann greeted them with a smile, hugged and kissed both Devon and Ryan, then excused herself to look at some work files. While CJ ordered pizza and Ryan got beer, Rory and Harley walked in.
Judging by his cousin’s expression, he hadn’t invited Harley. He’d run into her and walked with her since they both had the same destination.
An awkward silence descended on them, and CJ couldn’t help but wonder why she sat on the sofa when no one engaged her in conversation. CJ was the only one who told her ‘hello’.
She looked so utterly miserable, and he hated his pang of sympathy. He sipped his beer and eyed her. “Uh, what, uh, where were you coming from?”
She dropped her gaze to where her hands rested in her lap. “A costume fitting.”
He wouldn’t point out it was a Sunday. If that was her story, he’d roll with it. “Excited about your theatrical debut?”
Her flinch surprised him, but she nodded. “I can’t wait.”
Out of small talk, CJ glanced among his cousins. No one added anything, not even Ryan, which annoyed the fuck out of CJ.
“Can you make it to the play?” Harley asked, the hope in her pretty eyes matching the look on her face.
“You won’t miss me,” he said, just to be petty. “I’m sure you’ll be heartbroken if Ryan doesn’t go.”
“Plays bore me,” Ryan said, barely looking at Harley. “I don’t care if you want a turn with her, CJ.”
Mortification spread over Harley’s face, and CJ glared at Ryan. But he refused to insert himself back into her life. And he didn’t want to reignite the rivalry with his cousin because of her.
CJ never considered Harley’s location when he accepted Ryan’s invitation. He didn’t want to be in her vicinity, so he finished his beer and stood.
“Please, CJ,” she whispered. “It’ll mean so much to me if you come to the play.”
He still hated to see tears in her eyes and misery on her face, but he didn’t trust her, his biggest issue with her. “No–”
“Maybe, we can all go?” Rory inserted. “As support for her.”
CJ glared at him and Ryan rolled his eyes.
“M-Mattie is talking to her again,” Rory said defensively. “Harley’s still our cousin.”
Nodding, Harley leaned over, grabbed her knapsack and opened it. She pulled out two envelopes and held out one to Rory and the other to Devon. Rory accepted without hesitation; Devon eyed it with suspicion.
Harley swallowed. “H-happy belated birthday, Devon.”
Huffing, he snatched it from her, which CJ didn’t like, though he understood. He opened the envelope and pulled out folded notebook paper and a photo.
“Apology accepted, Harley,” Rory told her and held up the photo of the two of them together on the night of Dad’s 49th birthday. “We had so much fun that night, huh?”
“We did,” she agreed.
“Is that what you gave me, Harley?” Devon demanded. “A request to forgive you for my fucking birthday with a lame fucking photo after all the motherfucking chaos you’ve caused?”
Anger surged into CJ and he stiffened, before remembering he no longer fought her battles. Unable to bear the hurt on her face, he turned away.
“It says happy birthday, too, Devon,” Harley told him.
He tossed the letter, photo, and envelope on the floor. “I don’t care, especially if it comes from you. The minute my brother or CJ pisses you off, you’ll turn into a whiny bitch again.”
“Appreciate the support, Dev, but don’t hurt her feelings on my account,” CJ said testily, unable to bear it any longer.
“Fuck, the fucking sky is falling,” Ryan grumbled, “because I agree with CJ. Harley never did shit to you, Devon.”
Uncle Val walked in, carrying a stack of pizzas, which he set on the coffee table and snatched a beer. After drinking deeply, he belched and eyed Harley. “Puff know you here?”
She bowed her head. “No, Uncle Val.”
He looked at Ryan and lifted his brow.
“I didn’t do her anything, Pops,” Ryan said. “She’s been in that mood since she walked in.”
“I’m just tired.” Lifting her head, Harley forced a smile, making no move to stand. “It’s been a long day.”
Uncle Val studied her, glanced from CJ to Ryan, and tasted his beer. “Puff bought a bunch of nail shit, Harley. A pedicure for your fingernails and a manicure for your feet. At least that’s what she wants to do tonight if you’re up to it.”
“It’s…it’s the opposite,” she said. “Manis are for fingers and pedis are for feet.”
“I knew that,” Uncle Val said, grinning. “Just wanted to see if you were paying attention.”
She smiled sadly. “Okay.”
“If you’re tired we can go to another room, so you can sleep.”
Uncle Val’s announcement shocked CJ. He thought she still slept in Ryan’s room.
“Are you hungry?” Rory pointed to the pizzas and smiled at her. “Mom and Mattie always like to take their slices before Dad, JJ, and me get to them.”
Harley shook her head.
“Mattie said she’s going to call you,” Rory went on. “She’s just been at the hospital with Aunt Meggie and Reb.”
“H-how are they?” Harley asked.
CJ cocked his head to the side, wondering what the fuck was going on. Harley wasn’t behaving like the girl he’d known and loved nor was she acting like the shrew she’d turned into.
Uncle Val finished his beer, pushed the pizzas aside, and sat on the coffee table directly in front of Harley.
“I think you being here is making Puff wish we’d tried for a girl,” Uncle Val said.
“Mommie wants another girl,” Harley admitted.
Uncle Val nodded. “We know all about that.”
It helped drive Harley insane.
“Don’t know how Mort, Johnnie, and Outlaw sleep at night, knowing the world their baby girls face,” Uncle Val continued.
“Uncle Cash is a girl dad, too, Uncle Val,” Harley reminded him.
“Cash don’t count,” Uncle Val scoffed, then he smiled. “Another story for another day. Know what today’s story is?”
Shaking her head, she squirmed.
“A little bird told me that Nardo might have to be fucking killed.”
Harley slid to the edge of the sofa and grabbed Uncle Val’s hands. “Don’t, please,” she said frantically. “He never hit me. I swear! He doesn’t have to die.”
A buzzing started in CJ’s head. No matter how pissed he was with Harley, he’d warned that motherfucker.
“Hit you?” Grant asked, a silent witness to the scene until now. He’d gone out of his way to not only not look at her but not speak to her either.
“It’ll start a war, Uncle Val,” Harley went on, ignoring Grant or not hearing him, lost in panic. “Especially since he didn’t hit me. I don’t know who said that. Besides you know how I get. I’m nothing but a spiteful cunt.”
“Is that what he called you?” Uncle Val asked mildly.
“Yes.”
CJ dropped into his seat, so fucking happy he hadn’t moved away from the chair. Otherwise, he would’ve fallen on the fucking floor,
Her eyes widened. “I m-mean no. He never hit me,” she said again. “I didn’t deserve to be hit, so he didn’t hit me.”
“You keep saying he hit you,” Ryan fumed.
“Exactly! Did anyone of us say that motherfucker hit you, Harley?” CJ demanded.
“No. It was just…it was just a l-lover’s spat, CJ.” The shame hunching her shoulders was worse than anything CJ had ever seen on her. He would’ve preferred any of the previous versions of Harley to this one. Sad. Angry. Bitter. Mean. Spiteful.
But never fucking ashamed. “He…he…he just pushed me a little.”
“I’m curious, Harley,” Grant said. “What war do you think will be started?”
Good question.
“Mr. Grevenberg is a…is a…he went to jail for stuff and he has affiliations,” Harley mumbled.
Releasing her hands, Uncle Val got to his feet and walked across the room to light a cigarette. “Mr. Grevenberg don’t know who he’s fucking with and neither does Little Grevenberg.”
“Nardo’s under eighteen,” Harley argued miserably.
“His daddy not,” Uncle Val responded.
“Please let me handle it, Uncle Val.” She sounded so very tired. “He’s the least of my worries anyway.”
Her low tone hinted she didn’t necessarily want to be heard CJ wanted her to expose whoever hurt her, but she wouldn’t, especially to him. Trust had been broken both ways.
She got to her feet. “I’m going to take a shower.” She glanced at CJ, then looked at her feet again. “It was nice seeing everyone.”
No one said anything as she walked away. Grant clenched his jaw and Devon looked at the place she’d sat with suspicion and dislike. She’d burned a lot of bridges.
“What was that all about, Uncle Val?” CJ asked. If not one else cared or was curious, he was. “Is Nardo hitting her?”
Uncle Val shrugged. “The cameras in the auditorium are fucked up. I only had audio. They were arguing, that’s for sure. I heard what sounded like a lick, but she has no visible bruises.”
“So, wait, Dad.” Devon’s brow furrowed. “Harley wasn’t putting on an act.”
“Have you ever known her to act like that?” Ryan snapped. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Please don’t let this be a next gen love triangle,” Rory grumbled.
“At least this time you’ll be on the outside looking in,” Ryan said with biting sarcasm, and glared at CJ. “Besides, it isn’t a love triangle. My beautiful face wins every time.”
“But your delusional motherfuckery loses all the time,” CJ retorted.
Ryan flipped him off, then looked at Uncle Val. “I got a question for you.”
“Don’t know if I got the answer, boy.” Uncle Val replied, sipping his beer.
“I don’t think it goes like that, Pops,” Ryan said with a small smile.
“Yeah, it does, boy. What motherfucker got all the answers? Only stupid fuckheads think they know everything.”
CJ snickered. “Ryan came by his shadiness honestly, Unk.”
Grinning, Uncle Val gave CJ a two-fingered salute then looked at Ryan. “What’s up, boy?”
“Suppose I…suppose I start dating Harley? What, uh, what would Logan think?”