Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books

by Kathryn C. Kelly

  “I hate you, Kendall!” Megan squealed and, although her laughter surrounded them, Kendall believed she spoke the truth. “I just want one meal to stay down.”

  “You should’ve thought of that before you let Outlaw make you pregnant again. Your son isn’t even a year old yet. You should’ve thought about birth control.”

  Megan got to her feet, her annoying giggling fading away. Fury iced her narrowing blue eyes. “Kendall, you—“

  “Kendall, Megs, Bunny,” Johnnie greeted, walking behind Kendall and squeezing her shoulders. He bent and kissed her lips. “These fine ladies keeping you company, gorgeous?”

  Megan rolled her eyes and sniffed. “Your girlfriend needs to eat, Johnnie,” she snarled and marched away.

  “I’m sorry, Kendall.” Johnnie sighed, staring in Megan’s direction. She weaved her way through the crush of people toward her husband who held their son. “I’m going to talk to Christopher about her.”

  Someone needed to speak to him about Megan. She had no right sticking her nose in Kendall’s business. “Thank you,” she said, folding her arms and waiting for Johnnie to say they were returning to their room.

  Instead, he grabbed a beer from a woman wearing a cut, proclaiming her as property of the Death Dwellers, before turning to Bunny.

  “I’m sorry about Megs’s behavior, sweetheart.”

  Bunny sidled an unreadable look to Kendall. “Don’t worry about it, John Boy. It isn’t as bad as you think.”

  “No, it’s worse.” Harsh laughter erupted from him. “But we are all at fault for her attitude, especially her husband.”

  Digger, Val, and Stretch surrounded the table, offering greetings to Kendall and Bunny.

  Johnnie’s silver-gray gaze lingered on Kendall’s face before dropping to her cleavage, the half-smile tipping his lips and his overwhelming presence unnerving her.

  “Bunny, you ate, babe?” Val called after a few minutes of idle chitchat amongst the men.

  She snorted. “Yes. I’m stuffed, too, so don’t offer a thing else to me.”

  “Damn, girl, the man was just checking.” Digger drank from a bottle of Everclear. “Don’t go all Psycho Bunny on him.”

  “Haha,” Bunny responded. “You’re fucking hilarious, Digger.”

  “These fuckheads givin’ you shit, Bunny?” Outlaw asked, joining them, his hands free of his son. Megan lagged just behind him, only noticeable with the movement of her blonde hair.

  “Nothing more than usual.” Bunny smirked at them. “Is there a hot biker magazine you dudes can pose for?”

  Kendall stiffened at their laughter and Johnnie’s wink. “If there is, find it for us, honey,” he said. “We’ll give you a cut.”

  Megan peeped around Outlaw, a little hand fisted in her hair. “Stop it, Bunny. You’re giving them big heads…”

  They guffawed at her words.

  “We already got big fuckin’ heads, baby,” Outlaw snickered, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against his side. His hand settled on her baby bump and he kissed the top of her head. Megan flushed and he laughed harder, hugging her tighter. Both Megan and Little Man squealed. “Lucky for us, our nuts just as big.”

  “I walked right into that one,” Megan groaned.

  “Yeah, you did, baby. Couldn’t fuckin’ resist.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Yo’, Red, you got the classiest motherfucker,” Digger said, winking at her. “Maybe, we should start hanging around you to learn a few things.”

  Scratching his chin, Val eyed Kendall. “Zoann might like me a little more refined.”

  Outlaw chuckled. “Not enough teachin’ for that, assfuck.”

  Kendall preened beneath the attention. “If you’re all really nice to me, I might come up with something.”

  Megan rocked back on her heels. “This should be interesting.”

  Discomfort settled between everyone at the girl’s hard-to-miss sarcasm.

  “We need Red,” Digger persisted, elbowing Val. “You too fucking young to know shit like that, Meggie girl.”

  Outlaw frowned and Megan stiffened.

  Johnnie smiled at her, tightening his hold on her and brushing her lips with his own. “If I’m real nice to Kendall, I might convince her to cook for us.”

  Eyeing her, Outlaw tipped his bottle back. “You cook?”

  “Yes. A few things like stew.”

  “The best stew in the world,” Johnnie admitted and warmth spread through her at the sincerity in his tone.

  “Might be worth a try,” Outlaw said with a shrug.

  Megan glared at him. “And it might not be.”

  Outlaw lifted a brow, but didn’t say anything more.

  Yawning, Kendall squirmed away from Johnnie and got to her feet. “I’m tired. I’m ready to go to the room.”

  “That’s where we headed to.” Outlaw kept a hold on Megan and pulled Little Man into his arms. The little boy looked tired and, the moment he left Megan’s arms, he screwed his little face up to cry. “Okay, boy. We gettin’ in the room soon. Megan been up since early, so I’m takin’ her to bed.”

  Val took the bottle from Digger and drank, then belched. “You know, Prez,” Val slurred. “It might be innocent as fuck, but why the fuck you have to make everything sound like you talking about fucking Meggie?”

  Drawing his brows together, Outlaw frowned. Megan jabbed him in the stomach. “Have a sense of humor. He’s joking.”

  “He also fucked up,” Digger added, holding up the Everclear. “Mr. Ganja man done drank like fuck and been popping pills like a motherfucker.”

  “Fuck me,” Outlaw growled. “Valentine, come fuckin’ with me. I gotta talk to you. Megan, baby, I’ll be in the room in fifteen minutes.”

  “Okay, I need to check in with the ladies to make sure they have everything under control.”

  “No the fuck you don’t. You need to get the fuck in bed and rest. Kendall can fuckin’ do it.”

  Megan glared at her husband. “She can’t,” she snarled. “It’s my job.”

  Before anyone responded, Megan had stalked off toward the kitchen.

  Bunny stood. “Er, I think I’ll see if she needs anything.”

  “Do that and thanks for lookin’ after my boy while we went to the funeral.”

  “No problem,” the woman said and hurried off.

  Settling his hand on Val’s shoulder, Outlaw guided the man away. When Digger walked off, it left only Kendall and Johnnie. “I’ll be in the room in a bit, Kendall.”

  Disappointment surged through her at his response.

  “I want to stay out here a little while longer. I’d like you to stay with me, but I know you’ve been up for hours, too.”

  “Y-you aren’t coming?”

  “Not right now.” He rubbed his head. “I just need…I don’t feel like being in there right now.”

  She nodded. “Fine.”

  “JOHN BOY!” someone yelled from the other side of the room. “YOU GOTTA FUCKING HEAR THIS ABOUT K-P.”

  Giving her a distracted kiss, he walked in the direction of the man’s voice resounding over the noise, not once looking back.

  Chapter 3

  Kendall sat in the middle of Johnnie’s bed, locked in his room and away from the celebration of K-P’s life still going strong outside and in the main room. She glanced at the clock. After two in the morning. She’d been alone since eight. Not once had anyone come in and checked on her. Not even Johnnie.

  Especially not Johnnie, she thought with a pang of loneliness and regret. He’d asked her for a chance to make things work between them while he’d been in the hospital, but kept a certain distance between them, running colder toward her than hotter.

  Fear of what she’d find if she ventured out kept her rooted in the room. A couple hours ago, some unknown woman had delivered a plate of food to Kendall. She’d thanked her, then sat it on Johnnie’s desk, wishing he had a scale so she could weigh herself.

  Her stomach had been growling
and she’d been feeling lightheaded. She’d resisted digging into the food as long as possible, but hunger pangs had won over her fear of weight-gain. As she’d scarfed her food, shame had gone through her. Her body image concerned her so much that she hadn’t eaten even for the sake of Baby Biker. Days ago, she’d resolved to feed herself and worry about the rest later.

  However, the moment she’d gotten through with her food, the temptation to run to the bathroom and retch had been so overwhelming she’d gripped the footboard to remain in place.

  She didn’t know she still possessed the amount of willpower it took her not to throw up after all the food she’d consumed. But she had won her battle.

  Afterwards, she’d almost gone back out to the party, then changed her mind. She’d been subjected to so much at the Torpedoes’ MC when she’d been dating Spoon. Infidelity topped the list of things she’d been better off not seeing.

  Another type of fear stayed her. The fear of sexual assault. Her skin still prickled at the hurt and humiliation Spoon had caused her six weeks ago.

  She’d spiraled from sanity and independence, with a law career to his drugged-up prisoner with the hopes of her little sister’s return. Today was only the twelfth…no, thirteenth…midnight had come and gone…day of not having Percodan and Stoli forced into her.

  Her fantasy Johnnie, who’d unknowingly kept her sane throughout her captivity, treated her better than the real Johnnie. To survive and cling to reality, she’d built him up in her mind to be the most attentive, understanding, and caring man in the world.

  He wasn’t any of that. Not to the extent she’d made herself believe, anyway. He was distracted, wrapped up in his club, and distant most of the time.

  A knock sounded on the door and Kendall stared at the warped wood. Johnnie wouldn’t knock to enter his own room. So many men were on premises, most of them members, so they were free to roam wherever they pleased. They were bikers. Some of them had to have Spoon’s characteristics.

  Her pulse spiking, she scooted up until her back hit the headboard.

  “Red?” Mortician called.

  Annoyance curling into her, Kendall sagged in relief and hurried out of bed. Stalking to the door, she yanked it open. “What?”

  He puffed on his cigarette, turned his head and released the smoke before smiling at her. “I woke you up?” he asked. From the twinkle in his eyes, he knew he hadn’t.

  She glared at him, not appreciating his amusement at her expense. “What do you think?”

  Another puff and release before he laughed. “That you sitting your ass in here wondering what the fuck John Boy out there doing.”

  Hot embarrassment rushed through her at his accurate observation. “I am not,” she flared through gritted teeth. “I don’t care.”

  “Okay,” he murmured with a shrug. “Then I’m not telling you what he’s doing.”

  Kendall bit the inside of her cheek, resolved to pretend Johnnie’s absence didn’t concern her or hurt her.

  “I’m coming to tell you bye, girl.”

  Her irritation, along with thoughts of proving her indifference, fled, replaced by rising panic. Mortician didn’t treat her as if she had the plague. He advised her and looked after her, and had even gone grocery shopping for her when she’d been at Johnnie’s house. Before it, along with Outlaw’s two houses, had been blown to bits and pieces.

  “Where are you going? Are you coming back?”

  “Vegas. And, fuck yeah, I’m coming back, Red. Val sending me on a run to get me away from here and clear my head.” He sucked on the stump his cigarette had become, then squeezed the tip between his fingers to kill the flame. “It’s hard to believe K-P gone. I just need to get the fuck away. Stop hating on Lowman since John Boy killed the sick fuck and I can’t kill him all over again for taking”—He cleared his throat and shoved the butt in his pocket. “Taking K-P,” he finished.

  “I’ll have no one to talk to.” Fear of being ostracized made Kendall’s voice tremble. Without Mortician, she only had Johnnie, which didn’t leave much, considering his attitude toward her. “If you leave,” she clarified, noticing his confusion.

  “You got John Boy.”

  Did she? It frustrated her that some of her most in-depth conversations at the club had been courtesy of the handsome man in front of her and not Johnnie, the father of her baby and her…what?

  Boyfriend? Old Man? Man?

  In her head, Spoon had been her boyfriend, when, in actuality, she’d been nothing more than his property. She never wanted to be anyone’s property again. She was fighting to reclaim her identity and her dignity, unable to imagine exposing herself and opening herself to physical and mental abuse. So she hid behind Mortician’s kindness and the crumbs Johnnie threw to her.

  “You got Meggie, too,” Mortician continued into the silence.

  Scowling, Kendall raised her brows. “Meggie?” she echoed.

  “Yeah, you got her, Red. She’s going to the funeral home with you, right?”

  “Yes. She made it clear that’s expected of her as the president’s—“

  Mortician’s laugh interrupted her. “Meggie first bitch around here. You with John Boy make you second bitch.”

  She didn’t want to be second. Nor should she have to be. That she was didn’t surprise her, however. “Nothing new there,” Kendall sighed, bitterness rolling through her. “I’ve never been first at anything.”

  “You not getting what I’m saying, Red. Don’t make you second best. It just make you second-in-command over the bitches.”

  To her, that solidified her second best theory. She’d have to defer to a girl who lived her life as Outlaw’s property. Meggie had one baby and was already pregnant with another one. Outlaw kept her at his side, had her watched outside of his presence, handed her whatever she wanted and objectified her as his sex toy. How did that qualify Megan Caldwell to be first and make Kendall second? Because he’d put a ring on it and Johnnie hadn’t put one on Kendall’s finger?

  Kendall was everything Megan wasn’t—educated, mature, and career-oriented. Yes, Kendall had gotten off track, but she’d find herself again and get to where she should be. She had experience and options that Megan didn’t. And, yet, she still ranked second.

  “You and Meggie have to settle shit.” Mortician had allowed her to lose herself in her thoughts, but now he seemed determined to force that girl on her. “Think about how the president’s and the vice president’s wives act.”

  What an unexpected analogy. “Of this country?”

  Mortician nodded. “That’s what the fuck you two like here. Me, personally, I’m hoping you two can be friends. If you can’t, that’s cool, too. In front of everybody else, though, you and Meggie need to act like BFFs. Don’t want no bitch anarchy and, if the first and second bitch can’t get along, none of them bitches will.”

  Kendall hadn’t thought of it that way. Well, she hadn’t thought of it any way. Megan enjoyed an established and exalted place in the club. She, on the other hand, remained because Spoon still slithered out there, waiting for her to resurface. Johnnie had enough decency in him to keep her safe and, maybe, he convinced himself they were in a relationship to be able to protect her.

  “Well, I’m out, Red. Behave yourself, girl.”

  He started to turn away but curiosity got the best of her and she placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

  “Ma’am? You have something you want to know?”

  Yes, but she wouldn’t give the rat the satisfaction, so, instead of asking about Johnnie, she said, “how do I befriend Megan?”

  He laughed at her. Again. “You something else, Red. I swear. All right, baby. I’ll play your game when we both know you about to piss in your pajamas you want to know what’s going on with Johnnie so bad.” He reached into his cut for another cigarette and cursed when he found the pack empty. “Meggie a young bitch. As in she won’t be twenty ‘til October or November. She been through a lot, Kendall. Ask her one day. She ended up being h
er momma’s caregiver instead of the other way around. She can have a real mature attitude, but, Outlaw, fuck, all of us, spoil the shit out of her. She finally having the world revolve around her and, all of a sudden, you come in.”

  Kendall cringed with guilt, a bit of fairness surfacing. Not wrapped up in her own problems, she could be impartial and realize she’d been in a state the day Megan and Outlaw returned from their honeymoon. She’d taken it out on Megan and thrown it in the girl’s face that, not only had Outlaw seen her naked, but Kendall had grinded her body all over him. “I don’t u-understand,” she hedged.

  “Don’t play fucking dumb because you fucking do understand,” Mortician chastised.

  “Maybe.”

  Mortician scowled at her. “Meggie love the fuck out of Outlaw. She killed a motherfucker to save his life.”

  Kendall’s hands flew to her mouth and she gasped, unable to imagine the perfect, blonde beauty having such a stain on her soul.

  “Don’t ever repeat that shit, Red. Meggie don’t know she killed the assfuck. She think Outlaw did it and we intend to keep it that way.”

  She wanted to feel something other than resentment and jealousy toward Megan Caldwell, but she’d had Johnnie’s heart first and she suspected Megan remained the reason he couldn’t commit to Kendall. “I understand,” she confessed with bitterness. “She’s the untouchable Megan Caldwell, the princess everyone puts on a pedestal and fawn over.”

  Silent, Mortician studied her and Kendall waited for her chastisement. Every one of them, down to a man, admonished her for criticizing Megan.

  “Put on your grown woman drawers and check your bullshit, Kendall,” he snapped, his punitive tone shriveling her insides. He’d never been harsh with her, even when he thought her the enemy. “We have a fucking storm brewing with Meggie dealing with your presence. We all fucking see it, but Outlaw gonna draw the line and get her straight. You, though.” He pointed to her but closed his mouth.

  She might’ve been a glutton for punishment, but she wanted to hear him say she skirted the fringes of their lives, not important at all. “Me what?” she challenged.