“So they are lovers?” Bowlie called.
Christopher had as much said so, but if motherfuckers was that stupid and couldn’t read between the fucking lines, he would leave it up to Cash and Stretch to fill in the blanks.
“Didn’t my ass say it ain’t fuckin’ matterin’? You either their brother or you ain’t. Case fuckin’ closed.”
Bowlie nodded.
“Mort, get rid of these two dead motherfuckers. Cash, go calm the fuck down. Stretch, you safe. Now, any more questions?”
No one answered. He looked at his table. Johnnie shrugged, appearing bored.
“Then meetin’ ad-fuckin-journed.
An hour after the meeting ended, Cash sat with Outlaw and the others at the table, going over the events of the morning. Stretch’s appearance had caught him off-guard. He’d been in his room to rest from the busy morning he’d had. When he’d opened the door and let Stretch in, he hadn’t thought of the suspicious motherfuckers always lurking in the background. Then, when Stretch told him why he was there he really hadn’t thought of anything. At first, he’d been furious. However, as he thought about Fee and Stretch—losing them—he realized he didn’t have time to follow through on his plan to get Outlaw’s family behind him before he took his case to the man himself.
Before any solution had been reached, Slipper brought his ass to Cash’s room. Fuck! Fee had survived but he had almost gotten fucked up. He knew the incident affected Stretch. They all knew it and Cash was sure that’s why they were there with him, passing a bud around and making small talk.
“Bruh!” Digger said with a hoot of laughter. “Look who the fuck the cat dragged in.”
Cash looked up as Brooks and Charlotte Redding approached the table.
Leaning back, Outlaw inhaled the smoke from the bud, then passed it to Val, not saying a word. The man’s trigger finger never wore out, so Brooks must have a death wish.
Johnnie bared his teeth. He wanted those two motherfuckers dead more than Outlaw did because they’d enabled Kendall’s bad behavior. “Well, Mr. and Mrs. Redding,” he said with heavy sarcasm. “To what do we owe this pleasure?”
Brooks ignored Johnnie and focused on Outlaw. His face was bruised and swollen, and his eyes were as red as his wife’s. They looked unkempt and disheveled. Exhausted. “O-Outlaw.”
Outlaw glanced at Charlotte. She looked dazed and traumatized, scared as hell. “What the fuck you want, motherfucker?” he finally asked.
“I-I…O-Outlaw…m-my h-house burned down—”
“For real?” Val said.
“Yeah, tell us something we don’t know, dick skin,” Cash told him.
“It’s all over the fucking news, son,” Mort announced. He had the bodies in the meatshack, but he was enjoying Herb and Al before he saw to their disposal. “Your house and office gone. Son-in-law missing. They think you had mob ties.”
“Why the fuck you here?” Digger snapped.
“We have nowhere to go,” Brooks said, tears sliding down his cheeks. His wife released a sob and he pulled her to him. “My cards aren’t working. I don’t want to risk going to my children.”
“If we wanted to fuck them up, we would have,” Johnnie said coldly.
“What fucking cards you talking about, Brooks?” Val asked.
“Our credit cards,” Charlotte cried, sniffling.
“Look who the fuck found her fuckin’ voice,” Outlaw said without mercy, his unyielding gaze traveling between Brooks and his wife. “How the fuck your cards not workin’ my concern?”
“We need money to find a place to go to,” Charlotte managed.
“No fuckin’ shit,” Outlaw said. “I needed to be fuckin’ home in my bed with my girl, not havin’ a hit put out on my ass and in jail.”
“Please, Outlaw,” Brooks begged. “My wife and I are broke and homeless. We have no other recourse. I implore you to help us. I ask for my wife’s sake.”
“Just like you fucked over me for that bitch’s sake, yeah?” Outlaw snarled. “As far as I’m concerned you motherfuckers could live in a fuckin’ dumpster. She help cause all the shit.”
She had, but Cash had a much better idea. After hearing about her from both Stretch and Fee, he knew one way to bring her to her knees.
“Wait a second, Outlaw. Charlotte looks down on bikers and their wives.” She especially looked down on Meggie, but the woman had to be alive to get her punishment. “She thinks she’s better than us.”
Outlaw frowned. “You ain’t going with this where the fuck I think you is?”
Val’s eyes widened. “Fuck, Cash, you not suggesting this bitch stay here at the clubhouse?”
“Fucking straight he is,” Mort said. “That’s fucking brilliant. Teach her some humility.”
“No the fuck it ain’t,” Outlaw snapped.
“Why not?” Cash asked, upset to see his plan thwarted.
“Kendall,” Johnnie answered. “Charlotte would be too close to her.”
“Ch-Charlotte wouldn’t be comfortable here,” Brooks managed.
“Ain’t givin’ a fuck about her comfort, motherfucker,” Outlaw barked. “She lucky she still breathin’.” He glared at Johnnie. “Your bitch not the reason either. My bitch the fuckin’ reason. Megan would have my ass.”
“We could always force Charlotte to work for Meggie girl,” Mort said.
“Megan ain’t going for that.”
Cash knew Outlaw was right.
“M-Meggie pr-promised I-I-I’d h-have n-no r-r-r-repercussions,” Charlotte stammered.
Outlaw looked at Stretch, who’d been quiet since Slipper started his bullshit.
“She did, Outlaw,” he said quietly.
“She already fuckin’ told my ass,” Outlaw gritted, then looked at Cash. “Call one of them Bob bitches. Have them find a fuckin’ thrift shop and buy clothes for Charlotte and Brooks.”
Cash cleared his throat. “I don’t handle the Bobs anymore,” he admitted. “Potter took them over while you were away.”
“How the fuck can the motherfucker do that and he ain’t even got a fuckin’ patch yet?”
“I approved it,” Johnnie said. “Bowlie’s actually over them, but Potter’s in training. I’ll brief you later.”
“What-the-fuck-ever,” Outlaw growled, his study of Cash not giving any indication to his thoughts. “Tell Bowlie to do it then. Escort them to the motel in town.”
“Kendall must be hysterical,” Charlotte wept. “May I please see her?”
“Charlotte!” Brooks gasped, horrified.
Outlaw got to his feet and narrowed his eyes. “I should fuck you up here and now,” he said in such a cold voice that Cash almost shivered.
Brooks stepped in front of Charlotte and burst into tears.
“Johnnie, take her the fuck away. Put her on a fuckin’ plane where she out of reach of Kendall. Brooks, you fuckin’ stayin’ to get me the fuck outta trouble. I got my own fuckin’ ass in this shit by runnin’ behind that motherfucker. Ain’t takin’ that away from you. But I wanna not fuckin’ guilty plea and I wanna be fuckin’ cleared, if you wanna fuckin’ live. If not for what the fuck you did, I woulda been satisfied with you tryna get me off. Ain’t good e-fuckin-nuff now. Clear my name or fuckin’ else.”
“B-But M-Meggie—”
“I’m lettin’ your bitch live and you ain’t gettin’ fucked up. Megan part finished. This new shit that gotcha life on the fuckin’ line. Stretch, bring this motherfucker to one of the spare rooms. Johnnie, get this bitch the fuck outta my face.”
“Don’t separate us!” Charlotte screamed. “Please? I beg you.”
Outlaw turned a murderous look to Charlotte that reduced her to silent tears. “Beg me?” he spat. “This comin’ from a bitch that called my wife every-fuckin-thing under the goddamn sun. Beg me? A filthy fuckin’ biker. Bitch, please. Beg your motherfuckin’ husband to do his motherfuckin’ job. Otherwise, you wastin’ your motherfuckin’ breath. My club got one fuckin’ cause right fuckin’ now. Gettin
’ the motherfucker that hurt Fee. That’s fuckin’ it, besides seein’ to her fuckin’ comfort and makin’ sure she happy.”
Outlaw’s words gave Cash hope. After coming so close to losing his little sister, he might reconsider his order to keep her apart from them if they made her happy.
Over the next couple of weeks, the guys spent more time at the club and less time with their families. That included Cash and Stretch, which limited the time they had to spend with Fee. She understood they wanted Noah—any member of the Torps—and mounting frustrations at their evasion put everyone on edge.
In the midst of the hunt, Meggie decided to slow things down and continue planning the christenings that would’ve already happened had it not been for Fee’s stabbing.
On this particular day, hard downpours intermingled with light drizzles and glimpses of sunshine. The girls were in and out of Meggie’s house as she cooked deviled rock crab, fish stew and a huge tossed salad. There’d already been a disagreement between Kendall and Meggie, about the time and date of the christening and the meeting hadn’t even started yet. However, Fee sided with Meggie, stating that the ceremony was for Meggie’s children.
Kendall stormed off.
When Father Wilkins arrived and found only Bailey, Meggie, and Fee there, he grabbed a plate, took salad, and headed to the den. They tried to keep the conversation going, but the little priest seemed more interested in a documentary about car racing—and eating—than talking.
“Christopher just made it back to the club,” Meggie announced, holding up her cell phone after receiving a message. “I’m going to call Stretch and Cash and let them know.”
Antsy to be away from the priest, Fee jumped from her seat. “Let me run to the club to see if Stretch is there.”
A few minutes later, Fee stepped into the clubhouse and out of the drizzle. Halting inside the door, she shook the excess water from her clothes, finding the main room almost deserted, urging her to her target, Stretch. He sat at the bar, a bottle in front of him.
“Hey,” she greeted Potter and nodded to Stretch. “Father Wilkins is at the house.”
He grabbed his bottle of crème de violet liqueur. “Okay.”
“Fuck, it’s storming like a bitch,” Cash grumbled.
A moment later, he was there, right next to her. His breath fanned the hairs at her nape, sending goose bumps along her skin.
“Cameras are rolling for you to be standing so close to her.” Stretch grabbed his bottle again and drained it. “We don’t want Outlaw to see this.”
Sauntering to the other side of Stretch, Cash noddded. “Did you see me touch her?”
“Just remember what we discussed.”
Stretch’s words lost Fee, but they hadn’t seen much of one another since their day in the park, so she wasn’t up to date on whatever the guys meant. “Can I tell Meggie you’ll be there?” she asked Stretch, instead of demanding to be filled in.
“I don’t have a fucking choice, do I?”
“We always have choices,” she snapped, mystified by his behavior. “You don’t want to be involved, then don’t.”
“I’m sick of all these fucking functions,” he complained. “Christenings for the kids. Bachelor party for Digger in three weeks. Wedding for Bunny and Digger in three weeks.”
Cash sipped his beer and grinned. “Baby shower for Bunny in five weeks.”
“Fee, what the fuck you doin’ here in all this bad goddamn weather?” Christopher asked, walking into the main room.
“I was hunting down this one,” she explained, jabbing her thumb in Stretch’s direction. “For the meeting for Ryder’s christening.”
He grunted and Fee giggled. “It won’t be so bad.”
“The fuck it won’t. In the next fuckin’ weeks, I’ma be in church more than my ass been in a fuckin’ while. Two fuckin’ christenins and a fuckin’ weddin’. We got big fuckin’ houses and a fuckin’ clubhouse.”
“I’m with you, Prez,” Cash said, raising his beer. “Every time I set foot in a holy sanctuary I worry the walls will cave in on me.”
“You should,” Fee teased before she thought better of it, then hurried away before anyone commented.
The return of Potter forestalled any meaningful conversation between Cash and Stretch. Since the day when Slipper marched them from his room, they hadn’t had a meaningful conversation.
“I’m out,” Stretch said, sliding to his feet and grabbing his cane from where it leaned against the bar. He’d made himself scarce for days.
Cash wasn’t sure if he should be grateful or concerned. Fee had brought out the best in Stretch and Cash didn’t want to trample his confidence by forcing talk about stupid Slipper, so he just let him be. He didn’t try to talk about the suggestions Stretch had made regarding their relationship. Or the fact that Fee might be pregnant. For once, he was allowing Stretch to take things at his own pace.
“I’ll see you at the meeting,” he called to Stretch’s retreating back.
“Potter, leave,” Outlaw said, once they were alone.
Unease hit Cash as the Probate made haste to leave him alone with Outlaw.
“You fuckin’ Fee again,” he spat.
Cash expected—and received—a punch. Outlaw had picked up on the tension between him and Fee, even before she’d fired off her parting words. A moment passed before Outlaw had his nine pointed a Cash’s head.
He swallowed. If he died, at least this time, he’d made up with his mother. Stretch and Fee knew how he felt. He didn’t want to die, but he was prepared to do so. If only she was there to witness her brother’s rage, see firsthand why Cash always pussied out on telling Outlaw about them.
He drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Once he spoke, he didn’t want to see when Outlaw pulled the trigger. “What happens if I change?” He had already. He would’ve thought Outlaw had noticed. Stretch suggested they wait until after they got everything in place with Fee before opening up, so he wouldn’t admit to anything, since the man still seemed so against him. “I’ve stopped fucking the Bobs. I’ve stopped fucking everyone.” Except Fee and Cash.
“Stopped fuckin’ the Bobs?” Outlaw’s harsh laugh grated on Cash and scared the fuck out of him. “You’d have to stop fuckin’ Mary, Perry, Sue, and Lou, and we all fuckin’ know that ain’t happenin’.”
“That’s between Fee and me, just like who you once fucked is between you and Meggie.” In his own way, he was telling Outlaw to 1.) back off; and 2.) that he wasn’t interested in anyone else. He hadn’t fucked anyone other than Fee and Stretch in months.
Outlaw dragged Cash to his feet and jammed his gun against the bridge of his nose. “Listen up, motherfucker, you ain’t me. You get shit done, but for the entire fuckin’ time I been knowin’ you, you ain’t give nobody e-fuckin-nuff respect to think about what the fuck you do so it ain’t gonna fuckin’ hurt them. That’s why the fuck shit didn’t work out with you and Stretch. You brought Fee in and fucked up even more. Think I don’t know what the fuck you been doin’?”
Fuck, of course he knew!
“Tell me I’m fuckin’ wrong. Tell me, if what I think fuckin’ happened, wasn’t cuz you didn’t wanna fuckin’ face your feelins for either Fee or Stretch, so you got them into a goddamn threesome. Tell me I’m fuckin’ wrong.”
What was the point in denying shit?
“Maybe I fucking did, Outlaw. It’s complicated, but for the first time in my life I felt complete having both of them.”
Christopher shoved Cash against the bar, keeping a firm grip on his gun. “When Fee wanna get married, who the fuck she fuckin’ walkin’ down the aisle with? You or Stretch? I bet you ain’t ask neither one of them beforehand if they wanted to share you in a fuckin’ threesome. You just brought them the fuck over, intro-fuckin-duced them, then convinced them it would be the best fuck of their lives.”
Cash raised his hands. “I love her, Outlaw,” he admitted without thinking, the truth stunning him. Now that he’d said it, it was al
l or nothing. “I love Stretch. Maybe, I did manipulate our being together at first. But I’d get Fee to understand she’d have two men who love her completely. She wouldn’t need marriage or kids to complete her.” But she did. He knew it. They all knew it, so why the fuck was he so set on denying that?
“You so fuckin’ focused on gettin’ your cock off, you too fuckin’ stupid to see the real her. That’s the fuckin’ issue right the fuck there. She want a family, you fuckin’ don’t. You ain’t fuckin’ with her head and blockin’ her from meetin’ a motherfucker who can give her what she want.”
“You don’t want her with Stretch, either,” Cash said angrily, more so with himself than Outlaw. “Admit it. It’s not us. It’s who we are.”
“She wanna fuck a motherfucker who go both ways, that’s her goddamn business, Cash,” Outlaw growled. “My problem with Stretch is he fuckin’ in love with you. What the fuck you say go. Where the fuck that leave Fee? At your fuckin mercy and his fuckin’ whim. She could fuck a monkey for all I fuckin’ care as long as that motherfucker give her what the fuck she lookin’ for.”
“Suppose I told you Stretch loves her too and she loves him?”
Outlaw scowled. “Suppose you fuckin’ did? Love ain’t e-fuckin-nuff. You gotta have respect and consideration. Megan taught me that. She taught my ass that love more than just fuckin’ words or even feelins. It’s expression. Friendship. Compromise. Understandin’. Trust. Fuck, love a lotta shit. It’s wantin’ that girl to be the first person you see when you open your eyes and the last thing you gaze at before you go to sleep. It’s knowin’ you got somebody out there who got your back, in spite of. I ain’t always the best motherfucker about compromise where Megan concerned. And my cock work. I see fuckin’ goin’ on, I get a hard dick. I see a gorgeous woman and I look. Don’t mean I’ma touch. I ain’t even wantin’ to. It just mean I’ma man. If you ain’t able to give Fee every-fuckin-thing she want and you touch her again, I’m killin’ you. But Fee got a second chance at livin’. I can give you one too.” He pocketed his nine. “I ain’t God, Cash, but I am the head of my fuckin’ family and the club president. You fuckin’ follow my orders or die.”
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 355