Outlaw grinned. “Yeah, I gotta work with this motherfucker for the Thanksgiving contest. Having the bracelet will assure I ain’t plungin’ a fuckin’ butcher knife in his eye and yankin’ his fuckin’ tongue out with a fork.”
“Umm, ouch. That’s some fucked up sounding shit. Gruesome as a motherfucker.”
“I do what the fuck I gotta.” He opened the door. “Have a safe trip, babe.”
“I will, sugar. Have a happy Thanksgiving.”
“I will. Me and Megan got a fuckin’ side bet goin’, so I’ma have a great Thanksgiving. Looks like Christmas ain’t gonna be too bad either.”
By Christmas, Roxy hoped she was well and truly over Knox and he was long gone out of her life.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Dad!”
At the sound of his son calling his name, Knox turned, automatically opening his arms so Grant could run into them. Somehow, he contained his shock at how big his kid had grown in the year since he’d seen him.
He lifted his son off his feet and hugged him tight. CJ Caldwell crossed his mind. Grant was a thousand times better than that brat.
“Hello, Knox,” Callie greeted, her voice as soft as always. Until she got angry, then she yelled like a banshee. “I’m so glad you came.”
Still holding Grant, Knox kissed Callie’s cheek, getting a whiff of the perfume she wore, the light, floral one he’d always favored. “Hi, Cal.”
She smiled at him, ignoring the rush of the travelers as they headed out of the terminal. Brushing her lips over his, she met his gaze.
“The car is in the parking garage. I’m so tired, I’d love it if you drove us home.”
“Callie,” he began in warning.
“Wait until you see my room, Dad,” Grant said happily, not caring that Knox was carrying him. Despite how he’d grown, he was still small for his age. “Mom let me have my own TV and Xbox.”
Knox frowned at her. When they were together, they’d agreed to limit Grant’s TV time, computer time, and game time. “How can you monitor the hours he’s playing if it’s in his room?”
“Oh, Knox, don’t be a spoilsport. Let him have fun. He’s been missing you so much, I thought I’d relax the rules.”
Guilt slammed him, so he shut up. He wouldn’t ruin his visit with an argument between him and Callie. He was doing this for Grant. He’d sacrificed his relationship…his friendship with Roxy for the sake of this trip, so he’d make the best of it. Thinking of Roxy made him feel even guiltier. Over the past few days, he’d done his best to block her from his mind.
It hadn’t escaped him that whenever he was around these past days, she was nowhere to be seen when, usually, if they women and the kids were there, she’d be close by. From the suspicious way Outlaw eyed him, Knox was sure the man didn’t know the full details. Otherwise, his nuts might take the place of his eyeballs.
Whether or not Outlaw was a smart criminal or a stupid one no longer mattered. Knox would never forget the feeling of that gun pressed to his head or the sound of the click when the trigger was pulled.
Avalon hadn’t given him an explanation for the stunt he’d pulled and Knox was tired of trying to pull it from him, so he let it go.
“Do you have checked bags?” Callie asked, as if the thought just occurred to her.
“Do I ever?” he asked.
She beamed a smile in his direction. “No. It’s good to know you haven’t changed that much.”
But he had changed, in a small, minute way that he couldn’t define. In the bigger scheme of things, he missed Roxy and that was a novelty. Women were so easy for him to get and to keep, he rarely put forth enough effort where he’d feel their absence. Roxy, though, had made him work for what he got. She was one-of-a-kind. How had he repaid her? With insults and deception.
Reaching Callie’s Infiniti, he accepted the keys that she held out and opened the door for her before allowing his son to climb in the back seat to strap himself in.
Callie rubbed his thigh, but Knox felt nothing, which surprised him. Normally, the moment she touched him, his cock would stand. Although Roxy played a part in how he was feeling, it also showed him he was well and truly done with his ex-wife. He had nothing left for her. For them. Except their son. Hopefully, he’d get Callie to understand that without a huge argument.
They drove to her house with nothing but the radio serenading them. By the time they arrived, Grant was asleep and darkness had fallen.
“Where’s his room?” he whispered, carrying him as they walked into the darkened living room and Callie flipped the light on.
“Upstairs to the right,” she said softly. “Come right back.”
He had no choice since he wasn’t sure where he’d sleep.
“Dad,” Grant said groggily, after Knox laid him down in his bed.
Knox slipped his fingers through Grant’s hair. “I’m here, son. Sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Promise?”
The sleepy question made Knox’s throat catch. “I do.”
Smiling, Grant closed his eyes again. Knox hated so much being separated from Grant, but he had no choice. His life was in Portland. He’d grown up there. While he loved visiting locales around the world, he had no interest in living anywhere else.
He found Callie on the sofa, her hair no longer in a ponytail, but flowing around her. The top button of her blouse was opened as was a bottle of wine. It amused him to see Far Niente, the same brand Johnnie had offered him.
“What is it?” she asked, seeing his smile and patting the spot next to her.
Knox shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. “I’m realizing that some of us are more alike than I thought.”
She nodded, not understanding his reference and not asking for clarification. “I won’t bite. Sit next to me.”
“You once did,” he returned, then immediately regretted the words at her giggle. “Forget I said that.”
“Why?” she asked, standing and unfastening her pants before allowing them to slide to the floor. She stepped out of them.
Callie had incredibly beautiful, long legs, and they were on full display now. As usual, she went without underwear. Her bare pussy greeted him.
“I know you’re only here for a week,” she started, “but we’ve always had this between us. It doesn’t have to be any different now. We have a son together. I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for you.”
Maybe, it was a woman thing because Roxy had said something similar. He wouldn’t deny Callie being the mother of his son set her apart from most other women and he respected her as such, but that was it. He’d moved on with his life.
He’d moved on with Roxanne.
Callie walked to him and settled her arms around his neck. “Share my bed,” she whispered, brushing her lips over his.
The scent of her desire aroused him. He turned his head from her kiss, however.
“I didn’t come here to fuck you, Cal. That’s over between us. You walked away and took my son. Whatever feeling…” He shook his head. Explaining how she’d torn him apart was useless. It was done. Something more pressing was at play. Someone who, when he thought of her, made him step back from Callie. “I’ve met someone and I never broke my marriage vows with you. I won’t start being unfaithful now.”
“But you aren’t married to whoever…” She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t tell me it’s that hussy Joan told me about. If it is, I’ll make sure you never see Grant again. I don’t want a tart around my innocent child.”
“That’s your new excuse to keep me from my son?” he snapped. “Who the fuck do you have around Grant?”
“If you cared, you would’ve searched for me,” she sneered.
“For what? To play another fucking game of yours and put my son through your push-and-pull bullshit? You’d use him against me. Why should I do that to him?”
“Are you sure that’s the fucking reason?” she screamed. “You can’t have a little boy underfoot. You’re too busy wi
th your old whore!”
Pointing a finger at her, he shook with anger. “Leave Roxy out of this, you little bitch. I wish she was here for you to say that to her fucking face. She’d wipe the ground with your ass.”
“Oh my God! Do you hear yourself? You’re suddenly some foul-mouthed, two-bit thug now? You know what? Forget it. I’ll call Joan when I get to my room and tell her you’re a lost little boy being led to rack and ruin. She wants us back together. She wants her grandson.”
“I want my son, Callie, but not at the cost of our happiness. Mine, yours, and his. I haven’t been here a good hour and we’re already screaming at each other.”
“Because you’re such a fucking condescending jerk. I lift you up. Without me, you’re nothing. I’m smarter than you. I’m younger than you. I have more class than you. You’re a worthless piece of shit.”
Knox turned away from Callie’s words, all the hatred he’d had for her resurfacing. She, more than anyone, knew how to make him feel less than a man. He’d gotten back on his feet, gotten his sense of worth back since they’d been apart.
“You’re not fit to be a fucking father.”
“Mom? Dad?”
Reminiscent of their last argument, Grant once again walked into the melee. This time, though, Callie was naked from the waist down. She screamed and hurried behind Knox.
“Grant, pumpkin, please go back to your room,” she begged, all the anger gone from her voice. “I’ll be up in a moment.”
“Why were you shouting at each other?” He sounded so confused.
“We didn’t mean to wake you,” Knox said, finding his voice and regretting the promise to Grant that he’d be there in the morning. “Listen to mom and go back to bed.”
He hesitated. “You’re not leaving yet, are you?”
“No, Daddy will be here tomorrow,” Callie said quickly.
An idea hit Knox. “I tell you what? You and I can bum together in your room tonight. Tomorrow, if mom says it’s okay, we can go together to find a hotel room for me.”
Grant hurried forward and grabbed Knox’s legs. “No, Dad, please. Stay with me and mom until it’s your time to go. Please.”
“Let Mom talk to Dad,” Callie said in a teary voice. “Please?”
“Okay,” Grant sniffled, swiping at his eyes, the sight cutting through Knox.
“Knox,” Callie started, the moment they were alone again. “I’m sorry. Don’t make him suffer because we can’t get along. Let’s put this behind us for tonight.”
“Fine,” he said tiredly, wishing he could call Roxy. She’d say something to cheer him up. But, maybe, he was worthless. He’d certainly fucked over Roxy like a worthless piece of shit. He missed her so much and felt so out of his element in Boston. At least, when he and Callie argued in Portland, familiarity comforted Knox. Roxy had suggested he spend time with his son in Portland. If he’d listened to her, they wouldn’t have separated. At least, not over that. “Instead of spending Thanksgiving here, why don’t we fly back to Portland? Let Grant spend time with my mom and dad. All expenses on me.”
“If I agree, we can’t stay any longer than Saturday.”
“That’s fine, sweetheart,” he said in a calm tone, knowing what it took to get his way with Callie, as much as she knew how to insult him.
“I’ll think about it,” she promised, then dressed herself and left him alone.
“Everything looks good, Meggie,” Doc Will said, handing Megan a towel so she’d wipe that gel-shit off her stomach. “The baby’s coming along fine.”
Megan smiled. “Ransom.”
Eyes twinkling, Doc Will caught Christopher’s eye. “Ransom Paul Caldwell, correct?”
“Yep,” Megan said happily.
As much as Christopher wanted to fucking retire ‘R’ from the alpha-fucking-bet, he liked seeing how fucking content Megan was. He’d agreed to all those ‘R’ names, so he had only himself to blame for having a bunch of little motherfuckers running around with ‘R’ names. Of course, Roxy and Ryan wasn’t his doing. That was just some type of fucked-up coincidence.
“Megan fine, too, right, doc?” Christopher asked, her health always uppermost in his mind.
“Yes, Mr. Caldwell. I’d tell you if she wasn’t.”
“I know, babe,” he said with confidence. Once, she’d even called him because Megan hadn’t brought her little ass to the hospital. “Oh, yeah, call me Outlaw. You one of us, especially now, after I fucked up a motherfucker for you. Would you be too fuckin’ mad at my ass if I started trackin’ you? If Roxy ain’t sayin’ she was goin’ to lunch with you, you woulda been fucked, babe. Motherfucker woulda shot the fuck outta you. If I can keep fuckin’ track of you, I can always see to it you safe.”
“How many people do you keep track of?” she asked.
“Just the bitches, you know? At least to a bigger extent than I do motherfuckers. A motherfucker can take care of his own ass, most of the fuckin’ time. But I got details on the girls.”
“Details?”
“Security,” Megan said. “Bodyguards.”
“For all the women in the club?” Doc Will asked, surprised.
“Fuck no, babe. It’s only a fucking handful. Megan. She go without sayin’, though. Then there’s Bitsy.”
“That’s Zoann,” Megan explained.
“Yeah, babe, me and her got kid names for each other. I call her ass Bitsy and she call me Christie.”
The doctor smiled.
“I also keep track of Bailey, Bunny, and Fee. Roxanne now that she back.” Before she’d gotten sick and left, he’d kept track of her but not to the extent he did now. If her ass ever disappeared again, he’d know where to find her immediately.
“Sulley really shook me up,” she confessed, and laid her hand on her belly. “With my daughter coming soon, it might be a good idea to have someone watch over me. In case his brothers come after me,” she added.
“Fuck. Yeah, babe, I agree.”
“We can arrange a meeting to discuss payment,” she said.
Megan sitting up and swinging her legs off the table drew Christopher’s attention. He was fast losing his opportunity to give the doctor the cashier’s check.
“Uh, baby, I need to talk to Doc Will a minute. Get fuckin’ dressed and I’ll meet you in the waitin’ room.”
“Okay,” Megan agreed, probably believing the conversation had something to do with protecting the doctor.
Well, in a fucking way, it did.
“I have two more patients, Mr. Caldwell. I’ll call you later, so we can discuss the details.”
“This ain’t gonna take long, babe. I promise. My boy at home waitin’ for us. I promised his lil’ ass I’ma take him for a spin to get something to fuckin’ eat. Just me and him.”
“There was an incident at school,” Megan started. “CJ’s clinginess has gotten even worse than it was once he figured out another baby would come home.”
“Poor little guy,” Doc Will said. “He’ll adjust.”
“The lil’ motherfucker cuttin’ into my pussy time, doc,” Christopher complained. “It seem like he know when I’m in Megan. He try to tear the fuckin’ door down. The first time it happened was after that motherfucker fucked with my boy at school. Since then, it happened two fuckin’ more times. My balls was swollen and blue and my dick almost exploded with all the cum backed up, ‘til Megan sucked me off this mornin’.”
“I hate you,” Megan said with a prissy little sniff.
“No, you don’t. You love the fuck outta my ass.”
“She does,” the doctor said around laughter. “Come, Mr. Caldwell. Let’s give Meggie a chance to cool off and dress.”
Stealing a quick kiss from his girl, who tried to fuck him up with a look, Christopher followed Doc Will into her office, reclosing her door. Keeping in mind her other patients, he took the folded check from the inside pocket of his cut and held it out to her.
She frowned but took it from him. Opening it, she glanced over it, then tried to han
d it back to him.
“I refuse to accept this.”
“You gotta,” Christopher ordered. “Case fuckin’ closed, babe. Without you, I ain’t able to get Megan bracelet. It about fuckin’ killed me when I found out the motherfucker was fuckin’ sold. Then Roxanne…” Pausing, he shrugged. “This mean a lot to me, doc. But it gotta be from me. You wanna give me half, fuckin’ fine. Only cuz I want this for Megan, but my girl like you a lot. If not for this fuckin’ bracelet, I ain’t takin’ no money from you. That motherfucker had to die and I just happened to be able to o-fuckin-blige him.”
“Mr. Caldwell…Outlaw. Words can’t express how grateful I am to you. You saved me.” She placed a hand on her belly again. “Us. You’re a proud man, but I have my pride, too. My unborn child’s life is priceless. I can put no value on her. I also have a lot of living left to do. Finding my Prince Charming, for instance. You gave me another day. Please, let me do this. The bracelet’s yours.”
She threw the same argument at him that Roxanne had.
“Christmas is coming up. You can buy something else for Meggie.”
Her new SUV. He could take her Black Friday shopping without giving her a limit. “Doc, I keep this motherfucker and you gettin’ a guard detail free of charge.”
“Mr. Cald…Outlaw…”
“Doc Will, just like I did shit for you, you did something for me. This way we both keep our fuckin’ pride.”
“I’m not going to win this, am I?”
“Nope.”
“I give in,” she said with a sigh. “Tell me what I have to do—”
“Ain’t nothin’ more than me needin’ your cell phone number. I got the motherfucker. Stretch gonna do the rest. At the first of the year when he back. ‘Til then, me, Johnnie, Mort, and Digger gonna take turns lookin’ after you.”
Doc Will held out her hand. “Thank you. Megan’s a lucky woman.”
Christopher thought differently. “No, doc. I’ma lucky motherfucker that I can call Megan mine.”
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 402