“I would vastly prefer you
not fuck with my mother,” he answered flatly. Besides, he wasn’t entirely
certain that she would be harmless even in a coma. He knew better than to
underestimate her.
“Because you’re afraid of her or you’re even remotely worried about me?” She knew it was the first, but Avalon never could resist teasing him when the opportunity presented itself.
If there was one thing he’d inherited from either of his parents, it was trying to figure out the finer points of other peoples emotions when he felt like he was missing something and he didn’t understand what, and it frustrated and distressed the hell out of him.
She wanted to be alone but he was still there and it wasn’t helping her any. When they were younger, he had been her comfort, but now… Now he just made everything in her go to chaos. “I’m tired,” she grumbled, hoping it was just enough of a hint to make him go away until she felt like dealing with anyone.
“Easy to hotwire. Up for a police chase when they realize it’s missing?” He wiggled his brows suggestively and grinned. He needed the excitement.
“Think we can make the 9 o’clock news?”
She wondered just how much trouble this guy was willing to get into, especially since she was more than capable of disappearing without a trace if the heat got too close, and if that happened, he better have his own plans for covering his ass.
“If we go now, we might make the 6 o’clock.”
It wouldn’t be the first time he had gotten caught in a live chase story and he damn sure knew it wouldn’t be the last, not if he had anything to say about it. He had only really been arrested for that once but he had been 14, so he had only gotten a slap on the wrist. He learned after that to shift and run the first chance he got.
“And she’s free to see anyone she pleases almost whenever she wants. She has her own phone. I don’t give a damn about that so long as she comes home.” He didn’t have to worry about her running now. It took some of the edge off of his possessiveness. “She’s pregnant. Strict orders for no stress. Expect her a lot during this shit.” He wasn’t equipped to handle that.
Chance gave a curt nod at that. “He’s lucky I didn’t gut him when I found that shit out.” He didn’t have much moral stand ground, but he didn’t give a shit. “He made her lose one of the babies. He comes near her again and I’m going to see how long his body can survive without its fucking head.” It wasn’t an idle threat.
Azrael riled a little at the revelation that not only was Sera pregnant, but Jeri had apparently caused her to miscarry one of the babies, but he’d address that mess later once things were hammered out and agreed on here.
“Then that is something we both agree on for once,” Az admitted with a nod. “I might not like you, Chance. I might not be happy about the things you’ve done despite my best efforts to try to treat you as my own flesh and blood, but just so we’re both clear that all of this is for Sera’s benefit, I will meet you in the middle if you agree to defer to me when it comes to matters that affect her welfare. She is my daughter, and regardless of any mistakes made in the past, I have the right to be included in all of this, even if your mother insists on impulsively rushing into things without discussing it with me first. You owe me that if nothing else.”
“Breaking Sera wasn’t about you. An added perk, but it was about her. She used to use that cute little ability of hers on me before she turned it on herself.” He had targeted his father’s other children a lot more than he had Az’s, but that was hardly worth mentioning. “I’m here aren’t I? She can’t go to Avalon’s because of me. Manson isn’t the best option for the same reason. Mothef can hardly take care of someone when she can’t even take care of herself.”
Despite the annoyance in his tone, there was something in his eyes. Something almost like pain or desperation, but it was hard to tell with him. His jaw clenched, the muscles in his cheek twitching slightly before he forced the next words out. “They need you.”
“Still haven’t found anyone thay could do lines like that mess. Cop that used to bust us both said she went and had a kid. Didn’t really feel like looking her up after that.” He had just been glad the kid wasn’t his.
If he seemed at all bothered at the idea of getting busted with her shoplifting,
it didn’t show. He was the poster child of casual nonchalance.“Newer or classic mustang? Color don’t matter on classics. Those are worth the joyride just for the fact they have a higher value.”
“A ‘65 fastback, I think? Only got a brief look at it but she looks like someone’s kept her in good shape.”
The way Cian worded things did make her wonder if he was the kid’s father, but it was hardly important right now and she didn’t really care if he was the kind of guy that ran for the hills at the idea of being a dad.
“Easy to hotwire. Up for a police chase when they realize it’s missing?” He wiggled his brows suggestively and grinned. He needed the excitement.
His jaw clenched at that. Trying to do it without an agreement was hard enough. He didn’t want to feel trapped into things he wasn’t capable of doing long term.
“I keep the ability to pawn her off on other family when I reach my limit. We both know I can’t handle that shit in longer stretches.” Not when he was already at the end of his rope there.
Dark eyes narrowed. “You’re willing to sell out your own damn son?” He was suspicious, but it was enticing to know he could get make Jericho pay for causing Sera to loose one of the babies.
“I would never deny you letting Sera be around us or anyone else in the family, regardless of your motives for doing so, so that I wholly agree to without question and I’m actually glad that you do have some ability to recognize when you need to step away.”
Under previous circumstances, Azrael would have never given up Jericho, but things had gotten to the point where the relationship between them was non-existent and neither seemed interested in rebuilding it.
“Jericho is the one who decided he was no longer my son when he cut me and your mother out of his life. He sealed it the moment he drugged Sera to stop her leaving him. I don’t forgive you for anything you did, and I know you don’t care about that anyway, but I know my daughter well enough that she wouldn’t stand in your way either if you were to go after him, so it’s entirely her call on whether he should be punished, not mine or your mothers.”
“And she’s free to see anyone she pleases almost whenever she wants. She has her own phone. I don’t give a damn about that so long as she comes home.” He didn’t have to worry about her running now. It took some of the edge off of his possessiveness. “She’s pregnant. Strict orders for no stress. Expect her a lot during this shit.” He wasn’t equipped to handle that.
Chance gave a curt nod at that. “He’s lucky I didn’t gut him when I found that shit out.” He didn’t have much moral stand ground, but he didn’t give a shit. “He made her lose one of the babies. He comes near her again and I’m going to see how long his body can survive without its fucking head.” It wasn’t an idle threat.
“Not since she dropped off the face of the earth. Heard she went all responsible.” Which still bugged him a little, mostly because she had never bothered to call him.
“Anything fast and red.”
“Sorry your friend ditched out on you to go straight. You must have been so bored since then?”
They were nearing the exit to the mall and almost completely home free, Ophelia still casting a cautious glance behind them just to be sure.
“Well, I don’t recall seeing any Ferrari’s in the parking lot when I came in, but there was a pretty cherry-looking Dodge Viper. There was a Mustang too but was metallic Midnight Black.”
“Still haven’t found anyone thay could do lines like that mess. Cop that used to bust us both said she went and had a kid. Didn’t really feel like looking her up after that.” He had just been glad the kid wasn’t his.
If he seemed at all bothered at the idea of getting busted with her shoplifting,
it didn’t show. He was the poster child of casual nonchalance.
“Newer or classic mustang? Color don’t matter on classics. Those are worth the joyride just for the fact they have a higher value.”
“My mother knew what she agreeing to,” he growled, bristling at that one. He hadn’t intended to go looking for loopholes regarding anything other than Jericho, so that was easier. “And I’ve been doing fine with Sera without needing that to be put in blood.”
Had he been at home, Chance would have been pacing or put his hand through a wall already. But this wasn’t the place. It wasn’t the time and it damn sure wasn’t helping.
“So it should really only be a formality to do so, shouldn’t it?”
Az could tell that Chance was getting dangerously agitated, and he wasn’t about to attempt to diffuse the situation, since the other was hardly in a position to hurt him, both in terms of his agreement and the sheer fact that Azrael couldn’t be injured quite so easily as Chance could.
“Alright, I’ll sweeten the deal. You let your mother out of killing again and I’ll rescind Jericho of being covered under the agreement you made with her. You want a punchbag, have one that deserves taking the punishment instead.”
His jaw clenched at that. Trying to do it without an agreement was hard enough. He didn’t want to feel trapped into things he wasn’t capable of doing long term.
“I keep the ability to pawn her off on other family when I reach my limit. We both know I can’t handle that shit in longer stretches.” Not when he was already at the end of his rope there.
Dark eyes narrowed. “You’re willing to sell out your own damn son?” He was suspicious, but it was enticing to know he could get make Jericho pay for causing Sera to loose one of the babies.
“Depends on the damn terms.”
He would, at the very least, hear what Az had to say if only to tell him how far he could shove it. He had already agreed to two different sets of terms and he hadn’t been all that fond of the second, despite what he got out of them.
“Sera is off limits for a bargaining chip. Laying that out right now.”
“The terms of your agreements with Sera and your mother will remain almost entirely unchanged,” Azrael stated plainly, unfazed by Chance’s attempt to preemptively direct the discussion.
“In addition, you will not seek to find a loophole that negates those agreements, nor will you make threats, idle or otherwise, about doing so to myself or anyone else. You will continue to uphold taking care of Sera, and anyone else she tells you to, and if you care even the slightest amount about your mother, you won’t put her through making her kill again or the distress it would cause her will fall under you causing harm to her.”
“My mother knew what she agreeing to,” he growled, bristling at that one. He hadn’t intended to go looking for loopholes regarding anything other than Jericho, so that was easier. “And I’ve been doing fine with Sera without needing that to be put in blood.”
Had he been at home, Chance would have been pacing or put his hand through a wall already. But this wasn’t the place. It wasn’t the time and it damn sure wasn’t helping.
“Last trouble maker I ran with stole cars for fun.” Usually while doing lines with him, but he wasn’t sure just what kind of mischief she liked to be caught up in.
“Cian, if it matters.”
“Sounds like someone I should meet.” she shrugged casually, taking the statement as more of a suggestion than just at face value.
“Fia. So, Cian, you got any preference when it comes to horsepower?”
“Not since she dropped off the face of the earth. Heard she went all responsible.” Which still bugged him a little, mostly because she had never bothered to call him.
“Anything fast and red.”
ofviolentdeath 