Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books

by Kathryn C. Kelly

  In the kitchen of Meggie’s house, Stretch headed to a stool at the island situated in the middle of the room. Covered pots, on low burners, simmered on the stove. Green numbers lit up the panel for the oven, indicating baking food. The sink contained cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes.

  “Can I help with anything?” he asked. This house offered more refuge than the clubhouse right now, especially with Cash there. It hadn’t escaped Stretch that Cash hadn’t brought up anything they’d talked about prior to Slipper’s attack.

  Stretch needed to get it all together in his mind. He needed to come to terms with the fact that an operation to get more mobility was becoming imperative. That wasn’t to say Slipper would’ve been any different—he wouldn’t have been. But Stretch would’ve had more of a fighting chance. Perhaps, he wouldn’t have been so traumatized if he’d had a more level playing field. Now that Fee might be pregnant, he needed to do what he must to be able to protect her and their baby if the need ever arose.

  “I have everything covered. Thanks, though. Just relax for now.”

  Meggie turned her attention back to her cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes as the door leading to the mudroom opened, and Kendall walked in.

  She lifted a brow in his direction, her hand going to her baby bump. She wore Daisy Dukes, like Meggie, showcasing her long legs. Her hair fell a little past her shoulders, almost to her big breasts. The chick was so fucking gorgeous, to be her.

  “Kendall, I want you to taste something.” Meggie abandoned the sink and headed to the stove. She removed one of the lids and revealed jambalaya. “Roxy left me the recipe.”

  Without a word, Kendall went to Meggie and allowed her to slip the spoon with a small sample of the rice, into her mouth.

  “Delicious. Almost just like Roxy’s.” Walking to the refrigerator, Kendall opened it and got a bottled water before seating herself across from Stretch. The last time the three of them had been in a kitchen like this, Meggie and Kendall had gotten into a fight.

  “Do you want a beer, Stretch?” Meggie asked, moving around the kitchen with ease.

  “Would you mind if I talked to Father Wilkins about Matilda’s christening?” Kendall sipped her water. “He’s here, so why should we get him back out for the same thing?”

  “You refused to include Matilda in the christening with my children,” Meggie stated, slicing the peeling from a cucumber. “Arrange your own meeting.”

  Kendall scowled at Meggie’s profile. “Your children won’t take the spotlight from my daughter. We’ve been through this.”

  “Exactly,” Meggie agreed. “So we’ve been through why you can’t discuss your daughter’s christening at a meeting regarding my children.”

  “Ryder’s awake,” Bunny’s voice came through a speaker built in near the stove.

  “I’ll be up.” Meggie wiped her hands on her shorts and turned off all the burners. “I have to nurse him,” she announced to no one, although Stretch thought she spoke to Kendall. He saw no reason for Meggie to tell him her kid still sucked on her tit.

  “She spoils her children,” Kendall grumbled to Stretch, the moment they were alone. “If I had nursed my kids, I would’ve stopped at three months. She does it an entire year.”

  “Some women go four or five years.”

  “Some women enjoy having their tits sucked and use nursing as an excuse,” Kendall retorted. She got out of her seat, went to the refrigerator, and grabbed a beer for Stretch.

  She held the bottle out to him. “Take it,” she demanded. “Meggie didn’t get it for you. She didn’t even offer you a refreshment.”

  “She was busy,” he reminded her, grabbing the beer.

  “Whatever.” Huffing, Kendall returned to her seat. “She’s being unfair about her stance on Father Wilkins. He’s here. I have every right to talk to him.”

  “Did you pay for the meeting?”

  “I don’t have to pay. It’s already taken care of by Meggie’s barbarian.”

  “Don’t start bullshit again by engaging Outlaw in a war of words.”

  She glowered at him. “What do you understand? You fuck men and have absolutely no qualms about flaunting your lifestyle to these violent assholes. That’s why you’re crippled now, so don’t hand out advice when you continue to have such poor fucking judgment. Slipper could’ve killed you.”

  Why hadn’t Johnnie shut the fuck up? Stretch didn’t doubt that Meggie knew, but since Fee hadn’t confronted him, he bet she’d kept the scene at the clubhouse that resulted in Mink’s and Rock’s deaths to herself. Kendall always pushed it.

  “Just when I decide to let go of my anger toward you and give you another chance, you turn into a raving bitch again.”

  Kendall offered him a cool smile. “A little high on your horses, aren’t you? I just might have to bring you and Meggie down.”

  Stretch sighed, regretting his outburst, but she frustrated the fuck out of him. Besides, he hadn’t been sleeping well, expecting Outlaw’s plan that the club members accept him and Cash ‘as is’ to backfire. Of course, he’d also shot two motherfuckers dead.

  “Meggie wouldn’t be so high and mighty if she knew how her mother betrayed the club, would she? Or, maybe, if I mentioned to her that she killed Traveler who was trying to do the world a favor by taking out Outlaw. Fucking pig, humiliating Brooks and exiling Charlotte because he’s so focused on hurting me.” She bowed her head and hiccupped. Swallowing, she recovered her aplomb and narrowed her eyes at him. “What’ll it take to bring you down a peg or two? Hmm. Let me see.”

  Fee. They both knew it. She had them over a barrel. That’s why neither him nor Cash ever admitted to knowing who Counts was. Kendall would tell their secrets. Now that there was a possibility of Fee being pregnant, Stretch didn’t want to inflame Outlaw’s temper.

  Before the conversation continued, Johnnie walked in and headed to his wife. “Hey, gorgeous. How are you feeling?”

  Kendall swallowed, lowering her lashes. “I’m fine,” she said, her anger and bitterness evaporating like she had an on and off switch. “Stretch and I were just talking about how good Meggie’s jambalaya is.”

  Johnnie grabbed his own beer from the refrigerator. Kendall’s look turned sour as her husband opened the bottle and swigged from it.

  “You have something to say?” he asked her.

  “No, Johnnie,” she said sweetly, offering Stretch a triumphant grin. “Fee’s having man trouble again,” she said, her gaze never leaving Stretch’s.

  Stretch stiffened as Johnnie turned, his full attention on Kendall.

  “Don’t worry, my love,” she cooed. “It’s over, as usual. She’s still a little hurt. She can’t seem to find stability. Not that I’m surprised. All she ever does is choose assholes. Would you like names? She is your cousin and she deserves retribution. Fee sided with Meggie earlier about the time and date of the christening, but I can be the bigger person and protect her from her own stupidity.”

  Oh, fuck.

  Johnnie finished his beer and studied his wife. “Don’t bring your bullshit to this meeting, sweetheart. I know you’re still hurt over the Reddings. Whatever’s going on with Fee has nothing to do with Charlotte.”

  Kendall’s mouth tightened. “I asked Meggie if she’d mind if I talked to Father Wilkins while he was here.”

  “After I told you not to do it?”

  Her face crumpled. “I’m sorry, Johnnie. My concern for Fee affected my judgment. She sounded so, so lost. I thought Meggie had it bad, but Fee is ten times worse. Meggie’s problems are her own fault. She breaks the girl code all the time.”

  “Go home, Kendall,” Johnnie snapped. “Leave. Now.”

  “No.”

  “Kendall, get the fuck out.”

  “I won’t say anything about your precious Meggie betraying me and Charlotte.”

  “What’s going on in here?” Meggie asked, looking from Johnnie to Kendall, both of whom were in battle stances.

  “I know you don’t understand the
importance of friendship, but believe me when I tell you it means a lot. Would you like to hear about Charlotte and her grief?”

  “Enough, Kendall,” Johnnie warned, although Meggie rolled her eyes and returned to her food preparations.

  The alarm announcing the front door opening alerted them to Outlaw’s arrival even before he made an appearance with Cash following him in. He greeted Stretch and Johnnie before going to Meggie and kissing her.

  “What up, baby?” he asked, settling his hands on Meggie’s waist and drawing her close.

  “Hey, you,” she greeted, standing on tiptoe and hugging him.

  “Yo, Stretch, John Boy, Cash, the other motherfuckers on the fuckin’ way. Let’s get the fuck outta the way and wait for them in my fuckin’ cave.”

  “I need to talk to you, Outlaw,” Kendall blurted.

  “No, you don’t,” Johnnie warned.

  Outlaw got his own beer and one for Cash, not paying Kendall the least attention.

  “Fuck, it’s raining pussies and dicks out there,” Mortician grumbled, walking in the same way Kendall and Johnnie had.

  Outlaw and Johnnie snickered.

  “Your Lemonhead gin is in the freezer, Mortician,” Meggie called, her voice rising over the chatter from the ever growing crowd.

  Outlaw was lifting lids from the pots, sniffing each dish he revealed, while Mort made his way to the freezer and pulled out a bottle with yellow liquid inside. From the skittles-infused vodka that Mort loved, he’d convinced Meggie to blend different candies with both gin and vodka.

  “Fuck, this shit like Roxy jambalaya,” Outlaw complimented, shoveling another spoonful into his mouth.

  “Get out of my pot, Christopher!” Meggie demanded without heat.

  “My ass’ll get the fuck out your pot if I can get in your pussy.”

  “You walked right into that one, Meggie girl,” Mort admonished, drinking the gin.

  “She knows what she does,” Kendall complained. “That’s why she does it. She wants everyone to think about her pussy.”

  Sudden silence dropped into the space, broken only by Mort’s long-suffering sigh.

  Outlaw drank again and slapped Meggie’s ass, still not addressing Kendall.

  “What do you say to that, Outlaw?” Kendall demanded.

  Absolutely nothing.

  “We was just heading to my fuckin’ man cave, Mort,” he said instead. “Got a good fuckin’ roll. Val on the fuckin’ way, but we don’t gotta fuckin’ wait.”

  “Ignore me all you want. Maybe, I need to ignore your edicts and tell your secrets.”

  Grabbing her hand, Johnnie jerked her toward the back door. “Let’s go, Kendall.”

  “Stop.”

  Outlaw’s one word halted Johnnie’s stride.

  “What the fuck you talkin’ about, Kendall?”

  She smiled. “We can bargain. You tell Meggie to open up her meeting, I’ll tell you what I meant.”

  Meggie opened her mouth to speak, but Outlaw shook his head. He lit up a cigarette, dragged on it, then released the smoke into the air. “Ain’t fuckin’ bargainin’ with you. You tell me what the fuck you meant about goddamn secrets and you ain’t gettin’ fuck all in return.”

  “I hate you.”

  “Obviously not fuckin’ e-fuckin-nuff.”

  “You started the party without us,” Val said, weaving his way through the crowd with Zoann and Fee hot on his heels.

  Damn, but she was so pretty in her mint-green sundress. She no longer had bandages and her wounds were healing, but the scars didn’t seem to bother her. Noticing his scrutiny, she blushed. Stretch grinned and winked, forgetting their company, who was still engaged in an argument.

  “As soon as they’re finished, you and I will talk.” Fury darkened Johnnie’s eyes. “You don’t fucking listen, determined to have your fucking way. I told you to drop it.”

  “I’m having a baby,” Kendall wailed, reaching for Johnnie before turning to Meggie. “Talk to them, Meggie. They’ll listen to you.”

  “Ain’t no need to talk to my ass,” Outlaw said, skewering Stretch with a considering look.

  “Is dinner ready?” Father Wilkins asked from the hallway.

  “Almost,” Meggie answered.

  “Let’s clear the fuck outta this motherfucker, so Megan and the girls can finish the fuck up.”

  Stretch didn’t trust Kendall not to tell Meggie about Dinah’s betrayal. Or, even worse, about the fact that she’d killed a man. “Cash, can I talk to you?” He wanted to protect both Fee and Meggie from Kendall’s pregnant emotions.

  Cash frowned at Stretch, but nodded as the other men left, and walked over.

  “Kendall threatened to tell Meggie about Traveler and Dinah,” he whispered, desperation in his voice. “She’s also pissed with Fee.” He explained why.

  “Fuck.”

  “Can you talk to her?” If he got anywhere near that bitch, he might shoot her.

  “Fuck, no.”

  “What are you two whispering about?” Kendall inquired, closing the distance between them, always too far above the other women to do kitchen work. Meggie, Zoann, and Fee threw curious looks their way but went about transferring the food to serving dishes.

  “You,” Cash said calmly.

  She nodded. “The most interesting woman around.”

  Tipping his chin down, Cash scowled at her. “Can I borrow some of your confidence?”

  “I don’t give away anything. You can buy it from me.”

  “You wound me, Kendall. I thought you’d give me whatever I needed.”

  “You’re a dirty flirt,” she complained, her face reddening prettily.

  Cash was a dirty flirt, able to convince a woman he didn’t like that he wanted her. “If you do me a favor, name your price. But it’ll be our secret.”

  “I’ll have to tell Johnnie,” she said primly.

  Cash shrugged. “That’s up to you.”

  “What is it?”

  “Don’t make any waves for Sweetness or Fee. You don’t want to do that, darlin’.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “Who are you trying to protect, Cash?”

  “Fee,” Cash answered, though Stretch bet Meggie was in there, too. Telling Kendall that would worsen matters, however. “Sweetness doesn’t need my protection. She has her husband’s.”

  Kendall sniffed. “Right.”

  “So do we have a deal?”

  “Yes, Cash.”

  Stretch doubted Kendall’s sincerity but hoped she’d hold her tongue. At least until the meeting ended.

  Walking into Outlaw’s man cave, Stretch headed to the refrigerator behind the bar, while Cash took his seat at the table, unsure why Outlaw had spared him, only thankful that he had. If hanging in the kitchen wouldn’t have looked so suspicious, he would’ve stayed with the girls to protect Fee and Meggie from Kendall’s wrath.

  “Anybody else need a drink?” Stretch asked, still behind the bar.

  “I do,” Digger announced, joining them in the room and coming straight to the table. “What the fuck going on in here? Why such sad, mopey faces?”

  “No reason,” Mort said.

  No fucking reason at all. Just fucking Kendall, up to her usual bullshit.

  Digger plopped into a seat. “Where my woman?”

  “Up-fuckin-stairs, assfuck. With my kids,” Outlaw responded, while Johnnie swiped one of the buds.

  A few minutes of silence went by as they passed around their rolls. With the door ajar, it was easy to hear the girls laughing and talking, while setting shit up in the dining room.

  After inhaling a couple of times, Cash passed the bud to Digger.

  “Christopher, what’s on your mind?” Johnnie leaned back and lifted a brow. “You seem like you’re about to explode. If it’s Kendall…”

  When wasn’t it Kendall?

  “When ain’t it that bitch?” Outlaw growled, as if he read Cash’s mind.

  Johnnie glared at Outlaw. “Don’t start with your
bullshit.”

  “Fuck you,” he snarled. “Talk to your fuckin’ bitch, motherfucker. Ask her why the fuck she gotta make me acknowledge her motherfuckin’ ass when I been perfectly fuckin’ happy ignorin’ the fuck outta her.”

  “Leave my wife to me. We shouldn’t let Kendall’s transgression ruin tonight for Megan.”

  “Kendall ain’t ruinin’ fuck-all for my girl and you ain’t tellin’ the goddamn truth.”

  “He might be,” Val said, taking his turn at the weed.

  A muscle ticked in Outlaw’s jaw, his features so dark with fury that Cash swallowed. He’d escaped Outlaw’s wrath today. That meant another chance for him, Fee, and Stretch to be together. He couldn’t fuck over them. Outlaw didn’t want him near his little sister but Cash had to change the man’s mind.

  The past weeks, away from Stretch and Fee, had been the most miserable of Cash’s life. Even when he’d left her alone for a time after Outlaw had warned Cash away from her, he’d still had Stretch. But he’d let both of them go. His friendship with Stretch had never recovered and Fee avoided him at all costs.

  “Johnnie don’t make it a habit of lying to you,” Val went on.

  “The motherfucker lyin’, Val. Know how I fuckin’ know he fuckin’ lyin’?”

  “Cuz you some kinda freaky motherfucker with the ability to figure shit out none of the rest of us can?” Digger asked casually.

  Outlaw transferred his cold gaze to Digger.

  “Shut the fuck up, fool,” Mortician warned.

  “John Boy been handling Kendall much better,” Val insisted.

  “Uncle Chris?” Diesel called, as he walked into the room and halted.