Chapter 78

“Who the fuck’s that?” She jerked her head in the direction of the couch, where I sat, unable to take my eyes off the arguing siblings. “Did you bring a fuck boy here, Ax? Did you bend him over the couch and shove your dick up his ass? Did you?” Annie scrunched her nose and raised her chin, goading him.

“Don’t talk about him like that!” He kept his tone calm, but there was a bite to it that hadn’t been there before. Annie’s eyes widened. “He,” Axel pointed at me, “is my friend and he stayed with your daughter when you couldn’t be bothered.”

“How dare you?” She sizzled and cracked like a lightning bolt.

“Are you drunk?” Axel bent over and sniffed her. She raised her hand to slap him, but he took a step back just in time to avoid it. “I swear to God I’ll call the Social Services if you’ve been drinkin’.”

“Ma won’t let you.”