Page 52 of Remiss

“You want to be the hero. Here’s your chance.”

“For that brainless child? No. I want to be Kendall’s hero. Megan’s. I want them to see me as they see Christopher.”

“It’s the same old tired song with you,” Rory said dully, his heart cracking open. If his mother didn’t return, he’d run away. He’d never survive with his father. Hopefully, JJ would want to go with him. Even better would be Mom walking into the house and telling him she loved him.

Rory thumbed away a stray tear, hating the superior gleam in his father’s eyes. “There’s more than one way to be a hero,Dad. Once, you were like a superhero to me. You did no wrong in my eyes. I wanted to be you. Or a version of you that would make you proud. Now, you’re nothing but a piece of shit. When I flush you out of my life, I hope you drown in sewer scum, right the fuck where you belong.”

Ignoring his father’s shock, Rory turned and walked out of the room, then slammed the door behind him. He wouldn’t call Ryan with an update.

I told you sowas the worse fucking statement in the English language, and Rory wasn’t interested in hearing it.

“Put some on me, Harley.”

Holding out the tub of sunscreen, Axel smiled at Harley. He sat on one of the chaise lounges by the indoor pool. Unlike the natatorium at his house, the one in the Banks’ LA mansion had a retractable roof that was currently closed.

“Why?”

“Sun cancer,” Axel announced.

Harley glanced at the ceiling. “Skin cancer, and no sun iscoming through.”

“The sun causes the cancer.”

“The UV rays from the sun.”

Axel thought for a moment. “Yeah, whatever. It still fucks you up, huh?”

“Basically.”

He dropped the sunscreen in her hand. “Just a little bit,” he insisted. “I’m a man of leisure. On vacation. It’s only right a beautiful girl takes care of me.” Beaming, he swept her with a look. “If you had only a bathing suit, I’d offer to sunscreen you, but that might be a little pervy. Diesel’s pervy enough. Not really though ‘cause if Reb wants an old motherfucker like him, then she got to have him so she can be happy again.”

Squeezing sunscreen into her hand, Harley nodded. “I agree. Turn around.”

“Thanks, Harls!” Axel gushed, presenting his back to her. “Not only are you pretty, but you’re cool.”

“I don’t feel very pretty,” Harley blurted before she caught herself. “Never mind.”

“Mom and Reb always feel pretty. At least they act like they do, so no motherfuckers can ever think that they don’t.” He rocked on his heels and tapped his temple, though Harley still couldn’t see his face. “Mind control. As long as we all thinktheythink they’re pretty, we can’t make them cry ifwedon’t think they look pretty. Although Mom and Reb are some of the beautifulest girls, even if they aren’t from Texas.” He tipped his head back. “Do you like Megan Thee Stallion?”

Harley nodded and backed away, finished with her task.

“Put more on me. It wasn’t enough.” He straightened, then rapped a bar fromWAP. “Cardi B is a sexy motherfucker. You know Prince made a song with that name?”

“Lolly loves it,” Harley said, following Axel’s orders and squeezing a line of sunscreen from one of his shoulders to theother so she could spread it. “ButWAP, Ax? That’s, uh, that’s a lot for a little kid.”

“Don’t tell Mom, but Diesel let me listen to it when I slept in his room the other night. I was still mad at that motherfucker cuz ofLittle Red Riding Hood.”

“What did Diesel do toLittle Red Riding Hood?”

“Dieseldidn’t do nothing,” Axel grouched. “It was that weirdo Sharper, and that weirdo-er, Logan. Sharper was the wolf and Logan wasLittle Red.”

“Excuse me?” Harley managed.

His shoulders moved as he folded his arms. “Fuckheads. Never mind. The whole thing was triggerterizing, so I don’t want to upset you.”

A little late for that. “Uh–”

“Do you know what a furry is?”