“For later,” he pressed. “That roast will be gone by the time dinner’s over.”
He was right. Between Diesel and Christopher, food didn’t last very long.
“Okay, fine,” she agreed, pain streaking through her lower back and making her gasp. She swore she heard Ryder’s heartbeat and felt it pulsing through her body. She couldn’t, of course. The sensations were just products of her fear and worry.
Bunny was at her side immediately. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, gritting her teeth as the pain slowly subsided. “Dr. Will called in a prescription for me. I need to have it picked up as soon as possible. Can you call the club and have one of the Probates go to the drugstore?”
“Sure,” Bunny answered, grabbing her cell phone from her pocket and doing as Meggie asked.
The sound of the door opening cheered Meggie up and she turned toward the mud room, expecting to see Christopher. Kendall came into view and Meggie sighed, until she saw the tears streaking her face.
She rushed to Kendall and grabbed her wrist to guide her to a stool. “What’s the matter?”
“He shot Johnnie,” she sobbed. “Johnnie’s shot!”
“What? Who shot Johnnie?”
“Your fucking husband.”
No, that wasn’t possible. Christopher valued family too much to attempt to murder his own brother.
“What are you talking about? Christopher shot Johnnie?”
“And Brooks. And…and…oh my God! I can’t believe he did this to me.”
“Calm down and talk to me,” Meggie insisted.
“That barbarian shot my Johnnie,” Kendall snarled.
Meggie grabbed a counter. “Stop, Kendall. Before you say anything more, my husband’s name is Christopher.” Meggie was so tired of Kendall’s behavior and fed up with her calling Christopher names. “He’s not a barbarian. I’ll listen to you only if you stop your name calling.” She was as bad as Johnnie.
Kendall’s wail hurt Meggie’s ears.
“Turn off the waterworks,” she snapped. “It doesn’t work with me anymore.” They had for a long time, but it only made Kendall worse.
The tears and sniffles stopped almost instantly. Her glare returned as she stiffly explained what happened. Suddenly, the alarm indicated the front door was opening.
“Christopher was generous. Very lenient. You’re still alive when you both know club rules.” She didn’t want to be so harsh, but Kendall didn’t respond to gentleness. “Wha—”
“No time to explain.” Roxy barreled to Kendall, yanking her from the stool. “Outlaw heading this way. Come with me, sugar. If he see you, he’s likely to shoot your ass off after what Mort said you did.”
She’d barely jerked Kendall out of the kitchen before Christopher and CJ finally walked in from the mud room.
CJ ran to her and wrapped his arms around her legs. “Mommie!”
“Hey, buddy,” she responded, ruffling her son’s hair, distracted by the cold fury in Christopher’s eyes.
“Er, kids, why don’t we go clean-up for dinner?” Bunny advised, clearing the kitchen within moments.
Christopher narrowed his eyes. “You okay, baby?”
Meggie made a quick decision to not mention anything to Christopher right now, even her bedrest. He needed a clear head for what he faced, and news of her preterm labor would distract him. “I’m fine, Christopher.”
“No, you ain’t. I can see it on your face. Doc Will called, ain’t she? What the fuck Howerton missed?”
Wincing, Meggie went to a stool and seated herself. “If he overlooked something, what’ll happen?”
“That’s a stupid fuckin’ question, Megan. You know what the fuck’ll happen, baby. I’ma fuck him up. Cut his cock off, along with his hands. Don’t fuckin’ care much he had a fuckin’ license to touch you. I still ain’t liked it. But since I fuckin’ allowed it and he still fucked up, I might as well make him pay for all his fuckin’ crimes.”
“Dr. Will wants me on bedrest.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Then why the fuck you in the fuckin’ kitchen?”
“Her call came through just an hour ago and since then I’ve been busy.”
“Since then my motherfuckin’ ass. The lil’ motherfucker shouldn’t be in you in the first fuckin’ place.”
Unable to stay seated at seeing how upset Christopher was, Meggie got to her feet and went to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. “I love you. I’m fine and Ryder’s fine. Tell me why you shot Johnnie.”
“Megan—”
“I’m going to bed and I promise I’ll tell you everything when you get back home. I already know one version of events, so I know what you’re facing. Please, focus on those guns.”
He sighed heavily and finally returned her hug, bending to nip at her lips. “I love the fuck outta you, Megan. Just tell me one fuckin’ thing. The news Doc Will gave you real bad?”
She swallowed and returned her head to his chest so he wouldn’t see her worry. “It could be better,” she admitted.
His body tensed and Meggie waited for the explosion. Instead, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to their bedroom, where he laid her gently on the bed. He slid next to her and pulled her into the crook of his arms.
Before Meggie offered any more words, Christopher explained his version of today’s events that took place in Brooks’s office.
“My ass ain’t gonna be gone no more than a week,” he finished.
Drawing in a heavy breath, Meggie was determined not to show the fear bubbling inside. Yes, Christopher was used to dealing with men like this McCallister, but it seemed odd to her that he was so insistent Christopher be the one to deliver the weapons. Even with Christopher’s reassurances that McCallister checked out, all types of scenarios went through her head. A sting operation with the Feds or a setup by enemies. However, she had to trust Christopher’s judgment. She couldn’t show her reservations and put doubt in his head. He needed complete focus.
“So this why the fuck I shot them motherfuckers.”
Honestly, she felt like shooting Johnnie herself.
“Don’t be mad ‘bout John Boy. He had to pay some fuckin’ consequence for what the fuck his cunt did. I know how the fuck you feel—”
Thumbing his lips shut his mouth. “You did what you had to do,” she said softly, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes at the brush of his lips along her temple.
“I love you, Megan.”
“I love you, too, Christopher,” she whispered in return, already counting the days to Christopher’s return when he hadn’t even departed yet.
Leaning against the headboard in the bedroom he shared with Kendall, Johnnie groaned, the pain in his shoulder burning like fuck. Kendall sat at the foot of the bed, sobbing so pitifully after he explained Christopher’s demand about her position in the firm. He wished he could undo her hurt, but she’d gotten him fucking shot. Enough was enough. The more he catered to her demands, the more he changed.
The more she changed.
She’d laid down the law and he’d blindly followed. Don’t ride your bike. Don’t drink beer. Don’t be like Christopher. Don’t talk to Megan. Don’t spend too much time at the club.
Don’t! Don’t! Don’t!
How about don’t do anything that could get their asses shot off? She never considered that. Whatever gave Johnnie pleasure, Kendall demanded he cut from his life or curb considerably since she’d gotten pregnant with Matilda.
What the fuck did he get in return? A hole in his shoulder. Anger. Arrogance. Jealousy. Excuses for all her issues.
Fuck. Where was the fairness? Where the fuck was Kendall’s love for him? The love he knew she had. The love he’d seen when she’d taken her medicines.
She demanded everything from him and he broke his fucking neck attempting to deliver it to her. He did so because he loved her. He did it because he didn’t want her to worry. He didn’t want her to feel abandoned or
neglected. Also, worry caused stress and stress could harm the baby.
But fuck!
All of their actions, his and her own, benefited Kendall. Not him. Not one fucking thing. Love was a two-way street. So where were his benefits? Why couldn’t he get Kendall to recognize how selfish she was being in their relationship?
“J-Johnnie, pl-please. Talk to him,” she cried, her cheeks stained with tears. “I can’t give up my position.”
His heart twisted in his chest at how pitiful she looked and sounded. “I know, gorgeous,” he said in a soothing tone. “Let him calm down. I’ll talk to him when he returns.”
“Calm down?” she wailed. “He shot you and…and…and he wants you to buy out my contract with the firm and…”
“It’s already done,” he announced, his muscles tensing when she swiveled her head to him. But he had to stand firm. Nothing would change unless she changed. And she wouldn’t change unless he made her do it. “After Cash dug our bullets out.”
She jumped to her feet. “No! You can’t do that. That isn’t legal.”
“Maybe not, but it’s lifesaving. Christopher will fucking kill me and Brooks. He had every right to do it now.”
“Because he’s an asshole and a barbarian and a—“
“And the club president,” he snapped. “He’s responsible for whatever decisions that affects the club. And, Kendall, you have to fucking know accepting that goddamn money and guaranteeing Christopher deliver those guns affected every fucking member in the organization. If he didn’t deliver, we would’ve had a fucking war on our hands. What the fuck don’t you understand about that?”
“Fuck you! I see how it is!” she said wildly. “You promised me you’d stick by me no matter how bad I got. Well, I’m at my worst. Prove to me you aren’t sending me away or turning your back on me.”
“Fuck you,” he spat back, in physical pain and emotional turmoil. He didn’t know which way to go to help his beautiful wife. Kendall had it all, and he adored every inch of her. Even the bad parts. But enough was fucking enough. “I’m not sending you away. You fucking know that, so shut the fuck up about that. I’m sticking by you. We all are. What the fuck are you doing except thumbing your nose at all of us?”
“Christopher—”
“Fuck Christopher,” he snarled. “Christopher is furious right now, as he has every right to be. The shit you pulled is almost unforgivable. But I love you, so I forgive you. Even Christopher will relent and let you back in the club in time. He considers us family and that’s his bond with us. You and Rory are my everything, but Kendall, you have to act like we’re your everything. Stop acting like a wild, spoiled, immature cunt.”
She squeaked at his roar, her eyes widening as she stumbled to her feet. He was only glad Rory was with Val and Zoann. Otherwise, his son would overhear this argument. Admittedly, it was the first time Johnnie had raised his voice so horribly to Kendall.
He should’ve waited until he wasn’t so pissed that he’d taken a bullet for her and she was still arguing about keeping her job. She needed to be fucking happy she had her life.
Standing near the edge of the bed, Kendall covered her face and sobbed into her hands. “You hate me,” she said through her tears.
Wincing at the throbbing in his shoulder, Johnnie got to his feet and went to her, gathering her into his arms. “I don’t hate you, Kendall. I love you. So very, very much. So much so that my love has blinded me to your faults. That has to change before you get us killed. You have to take responsibility for your own health. The day Matilda is born, get back on your meds. And, if you refuse to take your anti-depressants if you’re pregnant, we can’t have any more children.” That was the coup-de-grace. She wanted at least one more child. “It’s as simple as that, sweetheart.”
Sobbing against his chest, she clung to him. “I’m so sorry, Johnnie.”
Whispering his love to her, Johnnie kissed her temple just as his cell phone rang. He disengaged from her and got the device from the nightstand, answering immediately when he saw Mort’s name.
“What do you have?” he asked in greeting.
“Prez leaving at two in the morning. Val and Digger going with him. Cash and Stretch going on a commercial flight, so this McCallister motherfucker don’t know Prez got backup if the need arise.”
“Is he still angry?”
“Like a motherfucker,” Mort answered with a snort. “What the fuck you expect, Johnnie? This not going to be shit he get over soon.”
Johnnie had never been one particularly nostalgic for the holidays. Mostly because his grandfather had always found a way to ruin it for Christopher with his hard, harsh ways. Johnnie had felt in the middle, idolizing his grandfather as he had but adoring Christopher, too. As he’d grown, the month of December had become increasingly less important. The first time the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas had had any meaning for him was when he’d been with Megan. Then, after he and Kendall fell in love and Rory was born, the season had become extra special.
At the moment, his dominating thought was the big celebration they’d planned for this holiday season now that all the threats had been taken care of. All of which were now in jeopardy.
“Just tell me. I swear I won’t repeat this. Red did this shit, right?”
For so many months, he’d separated himself from the guys, feeling as if he betrayed Kendall if he enjoyed himself with them. When he was around them, he used it to show his superiority. Yet, they never turned their backs on him. Right now, as he sat on Christopher’s shit list, he regretted his behavior and he missed Mort’s friendship.
“Yes,” he answered simply.
Mort sighed. “You need me to talk to her? I mean I know you scared cuz you think she’ll leave if you have a fucking heart-to-heart with her. But Red, don’t ever have to talk to me again if I can reason with her. I’ll be fucking happy just knowing you and her walking around with your brains still in your goddamn heads, cuz, brother, not even Meggie could save you after what Red did. Fuck, I never thought Prez would fire a fucking bullet into you.”
Johnnie knew otherwise. He’d believed Megan was the only one who could save him and Kendall. Instead of mentioning that, he stayed silent.
“Where are they taking off from?” he asked instead.
“A private airstrip in Camas,” Mort responded. “Off Pottery Field Road.”
“I know exactly where the Pottery Air Strip is.”
“Sloane sending his private jet. Fuck, it’s probably already here being loaded with crates.”
Cash’s brother-in-law was helping again. The superstar rocker was an honorary member of the club and was quite willing to make use of his plane whenever it was needed. Johnnie wondered if Sloane Mason knew the scope of their illegal activity.
“I’m so sorry,” Kendall whispered after Johnnie hung up and stood in silence, thinking of all the things that could go wrong with Christopher’s trip.
Anger surged into him again. At the moment, he needed to be left alone with his thoughts. He believed Kendall was sorry, but that didn’t change the current situation. It didn’t change the fact that Christopher was risking his life for something she’d done.
Forcing a smile, he caressed her cheek. “I’m going to be a pain in the ass to sleep beside tonight. I think I’ll crash in one of the guestrooms.”
Before she answered, he walked out, just wanting to undo the past few hours so this rough patch in their marriage wouldn’t have happened and Christopher wouldn’t be endangered.
Kendall braced herself in front of the small wash basin in the plane’s bathroom, as the aircraft ascended. Her belly took up most of the space, but it wouldn’t be long before she could leave her hiding space and reveal herself to Outlaw.
The moment Johnnie left her alone a few hours ago had been a defining one. She’d known he wasn’t leaving because he’d sleep badly. He was searching for another place to sleep because he was angry with her.
No, furious. And the only way she c
ould fix things between them was to make Outlaw see reason. Make him like her as she’d originally intended when she’d come up with her idea for this trip.
The door handle rattled and Kendall’s heart began to pound, the enormity of her latest escapade hitting her. She’d run away from Johnnie. Not only had she runaway but she’d stowed away.
What was wrong with her?
“Fuck, I gotta take a piss and this bathroom locked up.” Val’s voice traveled through the thin panel of the door.
“Shoot the handle the fuck off,” Outlaw called, sounding groggy.
Before Val fired and his bullet hit her, Kendall hastily unlocked the door and pushed it open. If she’d been in a better frame of mind, she might’ve laughed at Val’s comical shock. He reminded her of a fish out of water, gasping for air. Or in his case, words.
His gaze roamed from her head to her feet, then to the left, where she knew the lounge area was located before focusing on her again. Without warning, he jerked her forward and dragged her toward the back of the luxurious plane, stopping in the very last section where the crates of guns were.
This was Sloane Mason’s jet. Kendall had flown on it once when they’d driven to Denver for his wife’s birthday then extended their stay because he’d offered them use of his plane.
Unlike then, now ten crates were stacked where furniture had been.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Val yelled on a whisper.
“I want to talk to Outlaw,” she cried, feeling helpless and hopeless. “Johnnie’s so angry with me and the only way he’ll forgive me is if Outlaw forgives him.”
“You not going to have to worry about forgiveness. If Outlaw see you, he grounding your fucking ass. What the fuck is wrong with you, Kendall?”
“Please.”
“Val, who the fuck…” Digger’s voice trailed off and he stared at Kendall in horror. “Please fucking tell me she a fucking hologram.”
“Fuck, I wish this bitch was. She stowed fucking away. She want to talk to Outlaw.”
Digger glared at her. “I’m not in no fucking mood to do brain detail on this motherfucker.”
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 283