Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books

by Kathryn C. Kelly

  “Have a happy Thanksgiving, Outlaw.”

  “Yeah, you too, doc.”

  Later that afternoon—the day before Thanksgiving—Knox led Grant into the clubhouse. Deep down, he was hoping Roxy hadn’t left town yet, although, realistically, he knew she had. Being there made him feel closer to her. When he found Outlaw and CJ sitting at the usual table, he knew he had to come up with a plausible excuse for his appearance.

  Baby Thug sat on Daddy Thug’s lap. As Knox drew closer, he realized they were watching something on an iPad. An animated movie.

  “How to Train Your Dragon,” Grant squealed, racing forward and stopping just behind Outlaw, capturing the attention of both the man and his son.

  They were spitting images of each other. Only one had a face roughened with hair and time.

  “This your kid?” Outlaw asked, one eye on the movie.

  Knox nodded. “Yes. Grant, this is Outlaw. The little boy is CJ.”

  Grant looked at Outlaw’s cut, then frowned at the mini one CJ wore. “Do you have a motorcycle?”

  “Yeah, kid. I do.”

  “They’re so cool. I watch YouTube videos with motorcycles.”

  Knox frowned.

  “YouTube not a place for little motherfuckers.” Outlaw took the words from Knox’s mouth, though he was still looking at the movie.

  “’Law, look!” CJ said with excitement. “Him on the dragon.”

  “Yeah,” Grant said with enthusiasm. “You’ve never seen the movie before?”

  “Uh-uh,” CJ answered. “’Law hang out with me til MegAnn come cook.” He leaned against his father. “I love ‘Law.”

  Grant smiled. “I love my dad, too.”

  The conversation between the two little boys hit Knox hard. From different worlds, they had one thing in common—love for their fathers.

  Grant loved Knox. Months apart hadn’t dented that. But he was older than CJ and had a better understanding. If Outlaw was suddenly taken away, it would simply break CJ’s heart.

  If Knox went through with his plans, he’d force a little boy from his father just as Callie had forced Grant from him. Looking at CJ Caldwell and seeing the adoration he had for Outlaw…Jesus.

  For all the days he’d been at the club, he hadn’t seen one shred of evidence that Outlaw was involved in all that Charlotte Redding claimed. He hadn’t seen one clue that Megan had had an affair with Johnnie or that Outlaw wanted Kendall.

  The man really was no different from Knox in the sense that he had a family that he loved and wanted to keep together.

  Right now, he was just a regular man entertaining his son until his wife arrived. Right now, he was a man answering the questions Knox’s son had about motorcycles while still watching the movie with CJ. Outlaw had more than one child, so he must’ve been familiar with juggling the different kids.

  Could it be that Charlotte had lied? Roxy said he couldn’t see what was right in front of him. Is that what she meant? Knox wanted to sit down and talk to Outlaw. Ask him point-blank, but with the boys there it might be hard.

  “Do you like motorcycles, Dad?” Grant asked hopefully.

  He didn’t want to admit that he couldn’t ride one when it seemed so important to his boy. By not being around for the past year, he’d disappointed him enough. Heat travelled through Knox and he shrugged, at a loss for words.

  Grant’s face fell and Knox winced.

  “Your old man ain’t had fuckin’ time to inspect the bikes.” CJ slid off Outlaw’s lap. The man lit a cigarette. “We hold conversations all the time about bikes. He just fuckin’ shy. He don’t like talkin’ about the motherfuckers.”

  Grant blinked and Knox cleared his throat. Outlaw was a complex character, a man who’d had the chance to shoot Knox but saved his life instead. He was a man fearsome enough to make another man collapse in a dead faint. Weeks later, he was helping Knox save face with Grant.

  Outlaw released smoke.

  “Dad and me liked cars,” Grant explained. “He took me to a car show.”

  “You remember that?” Knox asked, almost whispering in awe.

  “Yeah, Dad. It was the last thing we did together before Mom and me left.”

  “’Law got me a motorcycle,” CJ announced. “Wanna see?”

  Grant’s eyes widened. “You have a bike?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Can I go with him, Dad?” Grant asked.

  Knox didn’t trust CJ not to beat Grant up, but he was close enough that if his son had any problems, he’d be there to help out, so he nodded.

  “You got your kid a bike?” Knox asked in disapproval the moment the boys ran off.

  Disappointment flashed in Outlaw’s eyes before he snorted and tamped out his cigarette. “Whatcha want, Knox? What the fuck you doin’ here?”

  “I wanted Brooks to meet Grant.”

  “The motherfucker ain’t here. It’s the fuckin’ day before Thanksgivin’. He’s somewhere with his bitch.”

  “Can you refrain from cussing and smoking in front of my son?”

  “Nope. Sure the fuck can’t. Ain’t told you to bring the lil motherfucker here, so fuck you.”

  “Jesus Christ, you people don’t mind saying fuck you. Roxy loved to say it to me.”

  “If I was you, I wouldn’t bring her up in my fuckin’ presence.”

  “Fine,” Knox said quickly, afraid Outlaw would pull his gun again.

  “Your kid’ll save you to-fuckin-day,” he continued as if he read his mind, “but he ain’t always gonna be with you.”

  “Is that a threat?” he asked, not sure if he was disappointed or relieved he wasn’t wired.

  “Any motherfucker worth his fuckin’ salt know another motherfucker need a ass beatin’ when he fuck over a woman. That’s all the fuck I meant.”

  Knox didn’t have it in him to argue. He was worn out. Worn out from ignoring Callie. Worn out from missing Roxy. And worn out from his uncle’s business.

  “You got a fine boy,” Outlaw said after a moment, taking a drag of his cigarette. “He look a lot like you.”

  Knox smiled. “I was thinking the same thing about CJ.”

  Outlaw chuckled, pride evident in his eyes. “That boy my pride and joy. His ma like to say I spit him out. Don’t tell Megan I said this but CJ her favorite of all our kids. He was her first. She was just eighteen when she had him. Turnin’ nineteen a few months later. About four,” he added, then snickered. “They growin’ up together.”

  “How much older are you than she is?”

  “Almost fifteen years older. Why?”

  “I’m three years older than my ex-wife,” he admitted. “Grant’s mom. Even that seems like a stretch.” Nowadays, he slept with women much younger than him, but it wasn’t for a serious relationship. No. He had slept with younger women.

  Outlaw shrugged. “Either my ass got a fuckin’ brain that ain’t caught up to my fuckin’ age or Megan a mature lil motherfucker. Per-fuckin-haps, it’s both, but we work. Age ain’t nothin’ but a thing, Knox. It’s what the fuck inside that count.”

  “Roxy is ten years older than me.” Knox scrubbed a hand over his face, recalling his harsh words. His last conversation with Roxy kept him awake at night.

  “Her age the fuckin’ reason you fucked over her?”

  “I didn’t!” Not in the sense he thought Outlaw meant. “I…our argument had nothing to do with another woman.”

  “Then it is her fuckin’ age.”

  “No. Yes! No,” he said again, sounding like a complete jackass. “I said things I shouldn’t have. I…Roxy was so furious.”

  “She was,” Outlaw agreed with a nod. “Barred my ass from bringin’ up your motherfuckin’ name. More than fuckin’ pissed, she was fuckin’ crushed. Whatever the fuck you told her, hurt the fuck outta her.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Yeah the fuck you is.”

  Ignoring the jab and trying not to let the thought of Roxy’s pain affect him too much, Knox cocked his head to the s
ide. “Why are you being so nice to me? Two weeks ago you wanted to kill me.”

  “I still want to fuck you the fuck up. Ain’t changed, but right now, you just a motherfucker with his kid. Like me. We ain’t no different that way. I ain’t wantin’ a motherfucker upsettin’ my boy with grown shit. Why the fuck I wanna do that to another motherfucker kid?”

  As Roxy said, Outlaw had a strange honor.

  “How long you got him for?”

  “He leaves Saturday.” Along with Callie. She was staying at his parents’ house. Somehow, they’d talked her into letting Grant stay with him. “I’m going to miss him.”

  “He gonna miss you, too, so make the most of your time to-fuckin-gether, motherfucker. Don’t fuckin’ worry about not seein’ him. Focus on havin’ him here now. He gonna remember every fuckin’ moment with you. He obviously ain’t forgot about some fuckin’ car show. Hold on to that shit and show him the best side of you.”

  “Thank you for that.”

  Outlaw grunted, dragged on his cigarette again and released smoke from his nose.

  Knox cleared his throat.

  “What the fuck you wanna ask me, motherfucker?”

  “Maybe, nothing,” Knox said, irritated that Outlaw thought he knew him.

  “Stop playin’ fuckin’ games. You standin’ there lookin’ at me like you tryna decide if you should open your fuckin’ mouth. Spit it the fuck out or step the fuck back.”

  “Fine!” Knox gritted out, wondering what gave him away. “I’ve heard a bunch of rumors about the club. For instance, you peddle women.”

  “Who the fuck told you that?” he asked, his expression closing.

  His response disappointed Knox. For some reason, he’d expected Outlaw to deny the accusation outright. “Does it matter? Is it true?”

  Leaning back in his chair, Outlaw tamped out his cigarette, then folded his arms. “I ain’t ever sold no women. I ain’t into that shit. Never was. Never fuckin’ will be.”

  “Why should I believe you?”

  “Don’t give a fuck if you do or not. It’s the fuckin’ truth.”

  “You’ve gone to great lengths to hide who you are. Even refusing to admit you punched me. Why answer me now, especially with the truth?”

  “I beat the fuck outta you. You fuckin’ deserved it for bitchin’ my ass out in front my girl, motherfucker. No motherfucker do that and get the fuck away with it.” Outlaw looked him over. “You could be comin’ the fuck in here, usin’ your kid to get information from me. I just ain’t gettin’ that from you. You too fuckin’ happy to have your boy with you to be usin’ this time to work.”

  Knox widened his eyes and a moment of fear travelled through him, until he realized Outlaw was only speculating. “I’m not working. Brooks gave me the week off.”

  Shaking his head, Outlaw snorted. “What the fuck ever, motherfucker.”

  Before Knox responded, Grant and CJ came running out, holding a toy motorcycle in his hand.

  “Look at CJ’s bike! He said his dad had it made to look just like his bike.”

  “It’s a toy bike? Why…you let me think it was a real bike.”

  “Wrong, motherfucker. I let you think what the fuck you wanted to think, which is that I’m just a ignorant motherfucker who gonna give his small kid a fuckin’ motorcycle cuz that’s what the fuck criminals like me do.”

  “I never said—”

  Outlaw got to his feet. “Don’t fuckin’ lie to me. I ain’t ever gonna respect a motherfucker who ain’t admittin’ to how the fuck he feel about me. You ain’t gotta say fuck-all, Knox. It’s in the way you look at me and the way you treat me.” He studied him from head-to-toe. “That shit say it the fuck all, so if you gonna feel that fuckin’ way about me, at least have the fuckin’ balls to ad-fuckin-mit to it.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Outlaw scooped CJ into his arms and settled him around his neck, allowing the kid’s motorcycle-boot-clad feet to dangle from his shoulders. “No the fuck you ain’t, so stop bein’ a lyin’ motherfucker. Cuz, honestly? I don’t give a fuck how the fuck you feel about me. Megan love me and my kids love me and that’s all the fuck that matter.”

  With that, Outlaw sauntered to the exit, not once looking back.

  It dawned on Knox that he’d been left alone in the clubhouse. No Probates. No other bikers. No one but him and Grant, giving him the perfect opportunity to snoop. Outlaw was so confident in his ability to fool Knox that he hadn’t enforced his rule that Knox couldn’t be on premises without Brooks.

  “Dad?” Grant said, looking at him in confusion. “Why are we just standing here?”

  The opening door brought in a shaft of daylight and a blast of cold air. Kendall paused when she saw Knox. She glanced at Grant.

  “What an adorable little boy,” she said, the smile plastered on her lips not reaching her eyes. She lifted a brow at Knox. “Yours?”

  “Yes. Grant, this is Mrs. Donovan. Kendall, this is my son, Grant.”

  Kendall sailed forward and held out her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Grant.”

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Grant responded, taking Kendall’s hand and shaking.

  “What a mannerly child.” She smirked at Knox. “I’m impressed.”

  “I’m sure you are,” Knox returned. “You are used to dealing with little thugs.”

  Cool amusement danced across Kendall’s face. She looked around again. “Where is everyone?”

  “No clue. It isn’t as if I’m privy to the schedules.”

  “In that case…” Kendall nodded to the bar. “Join me in a drink. Name your poison.”

  Knox opened his mouth as Kendall headed to the bar.

  “Not Pure White,” she said with a genuine laugh as she pulled her phone from her jacket pocket, pressed a few buttons, then sat it on the bar. “I heard all about your request at my house.”

  “You’re pregnant,” he reminded her. “You shouldn’t drink.”

  “I have one or two drinks during my pregnancy. It’s never hurt my children.”

  Relaxing, Knox guided Grant to the stools in front of the long bar, only sitting after his son had. “Do you have a good white wine.”

  Surprise entered her eyes. “You prefer wine over beer?”

  “I prefer brandy,” he admitted, “but I doubt a place like this would have any in stock.”

  “Oh, indeed,” Kendall said with a merry titter. She grabbed a bottle and held it up. “How about Scotch? This is reserved for Johnnie, but I’m sure he won’t mind if I share with you.”

  It was an expensive label. That it was Johnnie’s drink didn’t really surprise Knox. He winked at Kendall, wondering at her change in attitude. She’d challenged him and chosen the bikers over Charlotte at the Halloween party. Now, she was flirting. Though she didn’t hold a candle to Roxy, if that’s the game she wanted to play, he’d go along. See what else he could discover so he’d decide once and for all, what he wanted to do regarding the motorcycle men.

  “I’ll take whatever you’re willing to share with me.”

  She chuckled and tossed her red hair over her shoulder. After pouring them both a finger of Scotch, she sipped hers, watching as Knox tasted his.

  He allowed a few moments of silence to pass. “I’ve heard some very disturbing things about Outlaw,” he started.

  “Who hasn’t? He’s a fucking barbaric, chauvinistic asshole that keeps his wife cooking, cleaning, and pregnant.”

  “No redeeming qualities,” Knox goaded.

  Kendall drank again.

  “I know Charlotte Redding upset you. But she told me everything, Kendall. Outlaw sells women and children for profit. He hates you because you spurned him. He killed Kyler Charles, her son-in-law, in front of Brooks.”

  Kendall paled. “Charlotte said that to you?” she whispered, her eyes watering.

  Based on her reaction, Knox knew Charlotte’s accusations were all true. His disappointment surprised him. After this afternoon, when he saw Outlaw with his son, he didn�
�t want to believe the worst.

  “She did.”

  She breathed in deep and licked her lips, regaining control of her emotions. “I didn’t realize...” She swallowed. “Charlotte does hate Christopher and Meggie.”

  The woman hated Johnnie, too, but Knox couldn’t point that out if he wanted Kendall to talk.

  “You shocked me,” Kendall confessed. “I’ll admit when I saw you alone, I wanted to ask you why you planted the camera in the clock. When I first found it, I let anger cloud my thinking. Besides, Roxy, Bailey and Meggie were there. If you answer that for me, I’ll address Charlotte’s accusations.”

  Sounded like a fair trade to him. First, he needed to know something. “Do you mind if I use the recording device on my phone?”

  She finished her drink and lowered her lashes, pliant and meek. “Why do you want to do that? Are you an undercover agent?”

  “No, sweetheart. I’m a private investigator, hired by my uncle, Avalon Harrington, to get information on the club to bring to the Feds.”

  Her alarmed gaze flew to his. “Johnnie is part of the club,” she cried, the tears filling her eyes this time, spilling over. “You can’t…I can’t…”

  “Hold on, Kendall. I promise if you cooperate we’ll get Johnnie immunity. I know you don’t have the highest opinion of my uncle, but he’s a good, law-abiding man. He’ll represent your husband.”

  “O-okay, then,” she sniffled in a shaky voice. “You’re welcomed to record the conversation.”

  Relief flowing through him, Knox hurried to set up his recording app.

  “What about Roxy?” Kendall croaked.

  “I don’t want to discuss her.”

  Kendall sighed. “I understand. You must’ve been with her just to find out information.”

  “At first, yes,” Knox said shortly. “But I really care...look forget Roxanne. It’s our business.” He needed to open up so she would. He looked at Grant who seemed more interested in the Thanksgiving decorations than the conversation. “The first time we slept together, I thought a few orgasms would soften her up.”

  “You made love to her for this case?” Even through her tears, Kendall sounded appalled.

  It was an appalling thing to say, but admitting to caring about her would be even worse. It would remind him how much he missed her. “Yes. At first.”