After all her bitching about the guys not wearing their cuts, it came down to this—Megan pacing in the small dressing room. Actually, it looked like a storage closet with a hastily thrown in floor-to-ceiling mirror.
She sighed. Something else courtesy of Christopher’s persuasions.
CJ giggled at the mooing of a terrycloth cow when he slapped the toy attached to his bouncer in an arc of farm animals. Christopher had wanted her to find one with motorcycles. Even if they’d had such a toy, Meggie had refused. CJ’s motorcycle and gun lessons would arrive soon enough. He was already well on his way to cursing sixty-nine ways to the moon. She was sure his first word would be one of Christopher’s favorites, ‘fuck’ or ‘motherfuck’.
She peeked out the blind for the thousandth time, wondering where Stretch could be, strands of organ music reaching her even from where she was located in the church. It must’ve been really loud in the sanctuary and driving Christopher insane.
Hopefully, the guests found the noisy music entertaining while they sat through the delay.
Retrieving her and CJ’s cuts was a simple matter of getting to the house, lifting them from the counter and getting back here.
She looked with longing at her beautiful wedding gown. Christopher was going to be livid, but she was a woman and women had every right to change their minds. Especially pregnant ones who were worried about puking all over their silk and lace.
Instead of wearing the cut over her gown as she’d intended, she wore a black vinyl cat suit with thigh high boots. Tasteless, yes, but vomit could be wiped away from vinyl. This was supposed to have been the outfit she wore to go to the airport, but after throwing up three times before heading to the church this morning, she’d given up on her dress.
Not completely since it’s staring at you and tempting you to wiggle into it. True, but, her mother was already seated, and Bunny, Gypsy, Farrah, Lacey, Bailey, Zoann, and Ophelia were already at the altar. Yes, she’d made some last minute changes to her bridal party, but her wedding would really be the big one she’d always dreamed of.
So why not wear her gown?
A knock sounded on the door.
“Finally,” she grouched and snatched it open. She sagged in relief when she saw Val, her new leather cut with the Death Dwellers’ rocker and the words Property of Christopher “Outlaw” Caldwell in one hand and the tiny cut for CJ, designed much the same way as hers but for the words: Little Man, Son of Outlaw, in the other.
“What the fuck, babe?” he managed, examining her up and down and sideways. “You in that shit and we in this bullshit?”
He sounded pissed and she couldn’t blame him. She shrugged before stooping down to lift CJ out of his bouncer. She giggled because even he wore a tuxedo. Placing him in Val’s arms, she put his miniature cut on him and stepped back, beaming with pride. She couldn’t wait until Christopher saw this. “I’ve been throwing up all morning and I didn’t want to ruin my gown.”
“Tough shit,” he growled and glared at her. “Hear me, Meggie? We ain’t doing this shit again, so I’m thinking you should put your gown on. After all this bullshit, you’ll be disappointed to see yourself in pictures with us dressed up and you not.”
The same thought had crept into her head. “Too late now. I’d need someone to help me into the gown and button me up.”
He grunted. “You know, babe, sometimes you’re too fucking blonde for your own good.”
“Matthew Ryan Taylor!” Meggie chirped, planting her fists on her hips. “Did you just give me a read using a blonde joke?”
The edges of his mouth kicked up and his eyes twinkled. “Did you just call me by my Christian name?”
She poked her tongue out at him and he barked a laugh. He scratched behind his ear. “I gotta admit, babe, you look hot as a motherfucker.”
“And I gotta admit, Matthew, you still know how to go all pervy on me.”
He laughed again and held CJ in a one-armed snuggle while holding his free arm out to her. “Ready, babe?”
“Yes, Val. Both me and the boys are ready.”
“Boys?” Val snorted. “Give him another son and he’s gonna be impossible to deal with.”
“Just be prepared,” Meggie warned, though she was uncertain since it was too early to tell. According to her mother, she would have a girl because of all the morning sickness. “Now, go. Take my son and march him down the aisle to his daddy.”
“I’m surprised that motherfucker ain’t come storming out here when he didn’t see me with Little Man when that little flower girl marched in.”
“We’re in church, Valentine,” Megan sniffed. “Have some respect.”
“Don’t give a fuck. I have this fucking monkey suit on for you. That’s about as much as you get from me, babe.”
“God, you guys are impossible. Just go. Because you’re right. Christopher is going to cause chaos any minute now.”
“Fuck! I forgot the little pillow thing in my saddlebag.”
“Really, Val? We’re already ten minutes late.”
“I know, babe, and I promise you Stretch is gonna be hurting for being late with those cuts, but I’ll look fucking ridiculous just carrying Little Man down the aisle without his pillow.”
“Okay,” Megan huffed in frustration. “Just hurry up. The pillow isn’t so important since Johnnie has the rings.”
CJ gave her a gummy grin and she kissed his cheek, the black hair on his head curly, his bright green eyes hard to miss.
“Uncle Val is silly, huh, my little potato?”
He smiled at her and grabbed her nose.
“Daddy’s is going to cause a riot if we don’t hurry. Maybe, I should walk down the aisle with you myself? We don’t need a silly old pillow. What do you say?”
“I say stop calling me silly, Meggie.”
She laughed at Val’s mock irritation and he shoved CJ into her arms, then turned. Blood sprayed on Meggie and Val dropped to the floor. A gun with a silencer attached cut off her scream when Cee Cee shoved it into her mouth.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the dick bruiser and my grandson.” He smiled at her and held out his free hand. “Give him to me or you’re going to be missing the back of your head.”
And he’d take him anyway. Meggie’s heart banged against her chest. Val’s blood dripping down her cheeks and mingling with the tears in her eyes. She hadn’t heard a sound since he’d dropped to the floor. She didn’t even know where he’d been shot. Was it his head? His heart?
“I’m counting to three, Meggie.” He slid the release back and Meggie shook.
She’d prefer to die than just hand over her son.
“Two.”
Reaching out, she flattened her palm against Cee Cee’s chest and his gaze fastened to hers. She didn’t know if he wanted to look her in the eye as he blew her head off or if her touch affected him.
He uttered ‘one’ moments before and still hadn’t pulled the trigger, so she took that as a good sign. Another tense heartbeat went by before he pulled the barrel out of her mouth.
“You want to say something?”
She wanted to say so many things, none of which she had time for, and most of them to Christopher. She settled for the next best thing. “If you let me put CJ in his bouncer and we leave him here, unharmed, I’ll go with you.”
Interest flickered in his eyes and he glanced at the swells of her breasts, the indentation of her waist, the vee between her legs.
“Take that cut off. You’re nothing to my son but a fucking liability, cunt. Bitches are only good for cleaning, fucking, and popping out kids.” He pointed the gun at her head. “Put my grand boy in and let’s get moving.”
Right now, Meggie couldn’t think of how she’d get out of this latest situation. Probates were in the parking lot, guarding the cars and motorcycles, but, if Cee Cee so readily agreed to take her, he must have a contingency plan.
Crouching down, she slipped CJ into his bouncer and his little face screwed up in preparation t
o cry. She kissed his forehead and Cee Cee slapped the side of her head, grabbing her shoulder and yanking her to her feet. He shoved her forward and she stumbled over Val, his big body cushioning her fall. She saw then he’d been shot in the bridge between his shoulder and neck. Blood was pooling beneath him. If someone didn’t find him soon, he’d bleed out and die.
“Back off from him, now.”
Getting to her feet, Meggie slipped her cut off. She was pregnant again, just like when Snake got to her. One of these days, she or her baby wouldn’t survive. She only hoped today wasn’t that day.
Cee Cee pushed her again. “Walk real close to me,” he ordered. “Don’t want none of the boys seeing this gun planted against your back.”
As big as it was, she wasn’t sure how it would escape notice. The moment Meggie stepped out of the utility closet, CJ released an ear-splitting wail. Not that anyone would hear him with that woman banging on that God-awful church organ.
“Loud little motherfucker, huh?” Cee Cee asked with a snicker, slamming the door shut. “Walk. Your pretty head is going to be a nice reminder to another bitch who’s trying to weaken one of my boys.”
This. Was. NOT. Fucking. Happening. A. Fucking. Gain.
And on his motherfucking wedding day.
And with Megan pregnant. A-fucking-gain.
And with a motherfucking relative who also happened to be a motherfucking lunatic. What kind of shit was this? All in the Fucking Family? Keeping Up with the Fucking Killers? Last time, Snake, Megan’s fucking brother, had taken her. This time, it was Christopher’s fucking father. And he hated that motherfucker with a passion so purple it looked like that stupid fucking Barney that deserved to be fucked up just for being a pain in the fucking ass.
And if Christopher hated any-fucking-body more than he despised motherfucking Snake, that shit said a lot.
While Digger, Mortician and K-P saw to Val, and Johnnie looked at CJ, Christopher walked out of the church just in time to see Cee Cee and Megan zigzagging through the parking lot. The sun glinted off the piece in his old man’s hand and Christopher wondered where the fuck the Probates were. Why weren’t they taking fucking shots at this motherfucker?
Motherfuck him, he knew why. This parking lot was filled to fucking capacity with cars and not with just vehicles belonging to brothers and the old ladies, but fucking civilians. Out-of-towners who could…fuck it. They were protecting the integrity of the club.
He, on the other hand, didn’t give a fuck.
Cursing the fucking tuxedo and wondering why the fuck Megan didn’t have on her wedding gown, Christopher went in the opposite direction from where Cee Cee was bringing his girl. He was going to cut that motherfucker off head on. Behind him, a bike roared to life but he didn’t have time to stop and check out what was going on.
He reached Cee Cee’s bike and saw the man propelling Megan forward, using her body as a shield, his gaze swinging from left to right. Megan’s height left Cee Cee’s head fucking defenseless, which was perfect for Christopher.
He hated having to do this in front of Megan, but, fuck him…he had no choice.
Raising his nine, he fired, Cee Cee’s gaze falling on him just as the bullet crashed between his eyes. Feeling the sudden removal of the gun from her back, Megan began to turn.
“No, baby!” Christopher screamed, running toward her. “Don’t look.”
She froze. Before she could say or do anything, he was there, pulling her into his arms and clutching her to him, his heart beating as fiercely as hers. They clung to each other and he buried his nose in her hair. He pocketed his nine, lifted her up, then started walking the way he’d come. He hated how fucking quick and easy the kill had been. He’d wanted to drag it out and make it slow and painful. This was some anticlimactic fucking bullshit here, disappointing the fuck out of Christopher.
It was what the fuck it was.
Once he reached the church entrance, he saw the doors to the sanctuary were opened and Johnnie was standing at the front, holding CJ and addressing the crowd.
Mortician and Digger met Christopher halfway to the utility closet that had been turned into a dressing room for Megan. He hadn’t wanted her to ruin her beautiful gown and he couldn’t be sure about the weather, so he’d suggested to Father Wilcunt he find a place for Megan to dress on the premises.
The fat little fucker had given Megan a fucking utility closet.
“Meggie all right?” Digger asked, staring between the two of them.
“Yeah,” Christopher answered, kissing the top of her head.
She looked up. “Val?” she whispered.
“K-P took him to ER,” Mortician answered.
Johnnie joined them just then, and the look of relief in his eyes when he saw Megan let Christopher know his cousin still carried feelings for her. He didn’t care. She was alive. That was the most important thing.
“People are getting really restless, Christopher,” Johnnie said with meaning.
Soon, motherfuckers were going to walk the fuck out and with a dead body in the parking lot coupled with the delayed ceremony…yeah, shit wouldn’t look good.
“Megan, baby, I need you to go put your dress on.”
She drew in a teary breath. “I need help with the buttons.”
“Fine. I’ll send Dinah in.” He grabbed his boy and nosed his little neck, just then realizing he wore a cut. He turned him around and saw the inscription.
“Th-that’s what h-held us up.” She hiccupped. “I wanted to surprise you with our cuts and I forgot them and Stretch took forever to get here and then Cee Cee—“
Christopher hugged her again. “Shhh. It’s okay, Megan. You gotta keep it together for me, baby. Go put your pretty dress on while we get other things taken care of.” He guided her to the utility closet and realized how bloody she was. “Fuck.” He placed CJ in the baby thing. “Just hold it together, okay, Megan?”
She nodded. “Okay,” she mumbled.
Hating to leave her, he backed out and closed the door, hurrying back to where Johnnie and Mortician still stood.
“Get Cee Cee in John Boy’s Navigator,” he ordered. “Make sure you don’t get fuckin’ bloody.”
Johnnie scowled. “I don’t fucking have plastic in my SUV today, Christopher.”
“Ain’t my fuckin’ fault,” Christopher snapped. “I told your ass always be fuckin’ prepared.”
“Man—“
“Shut the fuck up. Ain’t got time for this bullshit. Get that motherfucker outta sight, pick up the fuckin’ casins and get back in the church.”
Digger led Dinah to him while Johnnie and Mortician walked outside. “Listen here, Dinah. I don’t want one fuckin’ question from you. Understand? Not a fuckin’ tear or squeal…fuck all,” he gritted in warning. “The blood you gonna see on Megan ain’t hers. That’s all the fuck you need to know. Get it the fuck off her. Get her the fuck in the dress and shut the fuck up about anythin’ else. Got me?”
Eyes wide, she nodded. She had been looking halfway decent in her floor-length rose-colored dress, her face made up and hiding her wrinkles, her hair colored blonde. Now, she’d gone pale, her lips tightening into a thin line.
“Now, go take care of my wife and don’t fuck up.”
She bustled away and Digger settled a hand on Christopher’s shoulder.
“Your girl fine, man.”
Christopher swallowed and nodded. “Thanks, brother.”
Digger dropped his hand. “Now what you need from me?”
Christopher heaved in a breath, his heart just settling back into his chest. Megan was fine. His boy was fine. The new baby inside her was fine. “I need you to do whatever the fuck Megan was making Val do with my boy. Then, after them fuckin’ pictures taken, I’m gonna duck out, so you fucks gonna have to keep Megan distracted while I keep my appointment with Cee Cee, the meat shack, and all our special tools.”
Megan had had a point, insisting on the church ceremony, one Christopher couldn’t deny after they go
t through all the readings and Alleluias, and he was taking her little hand into his to guide her back to the altar.
She looked like a princess in her pretty wedding dress with the long train behind her. She didn’t have the cut on and that was fine. This was her day and she’d have many opportunities to wear it. Right now, it made him proud as a motherfucker to stand next to her to pledge his life, heart and body to her in front of everybody.
He’d written her a letter that he’d give her while they were on their honeymoon and hoped she understood what he was trying to say to her.
Because, for once in his life, he’d gotten something right.
“Christopher and Megan, have you come freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?”
“Yes,” Christopher said without hesitation.
“Yes,” Meggie echoed softly, trying her best to conquer her overwhelming emotion. After everything else that had happened today, she was getting her marriage to Christopher blessed. Not having her cut had held up the wedding, but, she didn’t want to wear it right now with her almost kidnapping—and probable murder—still so fresh in her mind. She’d reached the altar almost an hour late and with her son asleep and in her mother’s lap. Meggie wondered if Cee Cee hadn’t found her where he had, would he have walked into the sanctuary and shot up—
“Answer the fuckin’ man, Megan,” Christopher whispered, nudging her elbow. “He just fuckin’ asked if we was gonna honor each other as man and wife for the rest of our lives.”
Father Wilkins glared at Christopher and Meggie groaned, glad she’d opted not to have microphones attached to them, so everyone could hear the exchange of vows.
“Yes, of course,” she said, sending Christopher an imploring gaze to behave.
“Ain’t what the fuck you supposed to say, baby. It’s I do. Ain’t that right, Father Wilcu…”
Megan gasped, knowing what he’d been about to say. Christopher tugged at his bow tie.
“Right, Rev?” he said instead.
Father Wilkins narrowed his eyes, his mouth thinning in disgust.
“Twenty large,” Johnnie said with a cough.
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 52