Christopher growled.
“Here are the keys, Mr. Caldwell,” the salesman said before Christopher could punch the fuck out of Johnnie and send him flying through the glass. “Congratulations. I’m sure Mrs. Caldwell will love it.”
“How many cushions are you putting in the driver’s seat for Megan to see over the steering wheel?” Johnnie called, then looked at each man there. “You didn’t want Mort, Val, and Digger to come for you. It was to show me you’ve gotten Megan a big gift. Who’s the fucking braggart now?”
Pulling out a wad of cash, Christopher shoved it at the salesman, then walked up to Johnnie and punched him the fuck out. “Those bills for you to stay the fuck around til this motherfucker wake the fuck up. Val, you lead. Mort, Digger, you two on each side of me. Don’t let a motherfucker get close to my girl ride. Let’s fuckin’ roll.”
Ray Charles’ version of The Little Drummer Boy blasted through the overhead speakers the next afternoon. Roxy rested on the sofa, watching her granddaughter and the other kids run and play. Dinner wouldn’t be for another two hours. Instead of helping out, she had to sit on her ass as she continued to recover from her injuries.
She’d called Knox several times while she’d been in the hospital as well as after her release but he never answered. She heard his father was doing well. That was the most anyone would tell her, however.
What was done was done. In seven days, a new year would begin and she’d leave all her old hurts and pain behind. One day, Duke would get sense and re-enter her life. Or not. One day, she’d meet a man to call her own and have a lasting relationship. Or not. She had to get back to that place where she went with the flow.
The new year would be a time for new beginnings.
For the moment, her loneliness felt as if it would swallow her whole. This year’s was different. The past few years, nostalgia would hit her during the holidays but she’d gotten used to being alone. Now, she’d had Knox and…she missed him.
“What are you doing in here all alone?” Johnnie asked, walking in and sitting on the edge of the sofa where she lay. She wouldn’t question his black eye or swollen jaw. He must’ve gotten on Outlaw’s bad side again.
“The only fucking thing I can do, sugar. Sitting my ass down and resting.” She adjusted the blanket to better cover her legs, frowning as Johnnie hung his head. “All right. Let it out. Why the long fucking face?”
“Kendall loves her diamonds.”
“I don’t doubt it. They’re beautiful.”
“All the women are in awe. I heard them giggling amongst themselves that she’s the only one with something so expensive.”
“She is,” Roxy agreed.
Johnnie raised his head and scowled at her. “Yes, well, Christopher hasn’t given Megan her present yet.”
Roxy smiled. The diamond bracelet. She couldn’t wait to see Meggie’s face. Still… “The price of her gift still doesn’t compare to what you spent on your wife,” she said, to make the motherfucker feel better. Even if it was true, gift-giving shouldn’t be a goddamn competition.
“Kendall has to feel valued. Special. Unique. She’ll never feel that way if she has to live in Megan’s shadow, especially now that she doesn’t have her law career.”
“It’s about time you two motherfuckers stop acting like two-year-olds and live your own fucking lives. Who gives a fuck if Outlaw gives Megan jewelry? For that matter, who gives a fuck what you gift Kendall with?”
“That’s the one bright spot in this entire matter. Christopher couldn’t get Megan jewelry. Instead, he spent one hundred thousand fucking dollars on a goddamn Lexus.”
Lord Jesus. The stupid motherfucker didn’t know about the bracelet. He would have a shit fit. She thought of the right words to say. “I’m surprised at you, Johnnie. I expect more from you than your petty jealousy. Kendall is fine. She’ll stay fine, too. But you have to lead by example. If you fly off the handle, she will as well. You want her happy, calm, and accepted by the girls? You stay happy, calm, and genuine with the men, especially Outlaw.”
“Roxanne, you don’t understand. I passed Kendall’s test with Megan at Halloween. She was a little annoyed with me over Thanksgiving, but she gave me accolades for that, too. I promised her I’d give her something Megan wouldn’t get.”
“Last time I checked, a fucking Lexus isn’t goddamn diamonds.”
“I meant in value, Roxanne,” Johnnie snapped.
“Then you needed to bring your ass somewhere and make her something, like I did for the girls. Although all of them got my book with the same recipes, I tailored the photos and advice to them. Kendall’s has grocery lists and advice. To me, my recipe book is priceless because only ten exist. I gave a copy to all six of the girls, my other two daughters, Jordan, and I kept a copy for myself. That’s the master copy with everything from each book. That was a labor of love for me and I hope they take it in the spirit it was given, so…”
Johnnie got to his feet. “Forget it. No one understands my dilemma.”
“No, sugar. I understand perfectly. You’ve put your foot in your mouth again and promised Kendall she’d be the only one getting a luxury gift. Now, you’re about to go off the deep end because you think she will.”
He drew in a deep breath. “Finally, someone sees it from my vantage point.”
“I just see you being a dumb motherfucker. That does not mean I see your viewpoint.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“There’s no fucking reason for you to be a stupid bastard and tell the child something so ridiculous when you don’t know what any of the guys are buying their wives. You raise the girl’s expectations and when she’s let down, you or her blame Meggie. See my point? Dumb motherfucker move.”
“Forget it, Roxanne,” Johnnie snapped, and stomped away.
Roxy sighed. She could only pray that there wouldn’t be a shooting when Outlaw gave Meggie her bracelet.
Megan was having the Christmas that Christopher wanted her to have. The one she deserved. He was full as fuck from all the good food they’d eaten, but he had to give Megan her presents. He buckled the black belt, then stuffed the two boxes on top of the presents in the overflowing sack he would carry.
“You look ridiculous.” Kendall’s voice rose behind Christopher and he nearly jumped out of the fucking Santa suit. “I should write a poem. Santa Thug.”
He turned to glare at her. “My ass can write one, too. Dead Cunt.”
The diamonds on her necklace and earrings sparkled. Noticing where his gaze rested, she touched her throat and smiled. “Johnnie shows his love for me all the time.”
“What the fuck you want?”
“A thank you and an acknowledgment that I helped out.”
Drawing his brows together wasn’t as effective when he wore fake faking eyebrows and beard. “Come fuckin’ again.”
“You heard me. I gave you the recording I did of Knox. I cracked the case.”
“Not. You cracked your fuckin’ head a long fuckin’ time ago. The case was already solved, Kendall.”
Her lower lip trembled.
“Bitch, you start to fuckin’ cry all the fuck you wanna. I ain’t givin’ a fuck.”
She glowered at him. “You’re such an unfeeling dickhead.”
“What the fuck ever. I’m about sick of your bullshit tears. Sad fuckin’ part is you teachin’ Johnnie how to be a cryin’ bitch.”
“My husband doesn’t cry. He’s more man than you’ll ever be.”
“I ain’t gettin’ into a fuckin’ debate with you.”
“Then you can leave at any time.”
“You in my fuckin’ house. In my fuckin’ bedroom as a matter of fuckin’ fact. If any motherfucker leavin’, that would be you. I know you ain’t gonna walk the fuck out and I ain’t about to touch you and carry you the fuck out, so I’m havin’ patience and listenin’ to what the fuck your crazy ass gotta say. So far, fuck-all but your usual fuckin’ psychoness.”
“Admit that I helped
out,” she said in a shaky voice. “That I’m valuable.”
Fuck, this bitch. Always, al-fuckin-ways, putting him in a fucked up position. She couldn’t see that as long as her man and her children valued her, nothing else mattered. On the other hand, he fucking knew her cunt of a ma had been a cunt to her and started her psychoness, then what motherfucking Spoon hadn’t finished with his sexual assault and imprisonment, her sister’s suicide and Johnnie’s obsession with Megan had.
He knew that. Even understood her. It’s just that he fucking detested her. Yet…fucking yet…she needed him to validate her for some reason. As long as he didn’t acknowledge her, she’d be miserable. In fucking turn, that would make Johnnie a whiny, cry-baby, jealous, two-steps-from-the-grave bitch.
He tipped his head to the ceiling. “Yeah, Kendall, you valuable.” The words were so hard for him to say, it felt as if his tongue swelled up. “We not sure what the fuck we would do with the fuck out you.” He’d dance for fucking joy, but oh well. “You did good with Knox.”
“Really?” she whispered, her eyes watering, and this time with the way her nose and cheeks reddened, he knew they were real. “So we’re friends? I can call you Christopher like Johnnie does?”
“How about this, Kendall? We friends that don’t fuckin’ talk to each other.”
“That’s not real friends.”
Ex-fucking-actly. “Kendall, next year, I’ma learn how to say I can’t stand your fuckin’ ass in French, Spanish, German, and Chinese. Okay? Then, you might finally fuckin’ understand what the fuck I mean. Hear me?”
“You’re such a fucking liar!” she sobbed. “You just told me I was valuable to you and you wouldn’t know what to do without me.”
Jesus, Mary, and all that was Holy. “Kendall,” he gritted. “You is valuable to almost every motherfucker in the club, except me. I ain’t givin’ a fuck if I never see you. That don’t mean I ain’t appreciatin’ what you did for me and Johnnie.”
She sniffled. “I’m going about this all wrong, Christopher. I want to apologize for all the things I’ve done over the years. I want you to forgive me. If I have your forgiveness, then the others won’t ostracize me. I love Johnnie but I won’t be able to stay here if everyone walks over me like I’m nothing. Please? Please, tell them what I did. The girls try to include me but it’s all different. I want to be a part of the family.”
“Kendall, as long as you Johnnie wife, you part of the family. As for no motherfucker talkin’ to you, that’s your fuckin’ fault.”
She bowed her head and Christopher sighed.
“Listen up. You ain’t gotta leave Johnnie. You just gotta do whatcha been doin’. Be-fuckin-havin’. That’s it.”
“I’ve been takin’ my medicines.”
He nodded, then remembered what he needed to do. Bitch might be playing him, but he couldn’t be sure with psycho cunts who belonged in psycho camps. If she left again, Christopher would have to kill Johnnie because he’d be impossible to deal with. Besides, it was Christmas. Megan was happy. His kids were happy. He could see to it that Johnnie wasn’t such a miserable fuck. If that meant appeasing his bitch, then he’d do it. “Keep takin’ the motherfuckers. We all proud of you.”
“You, too?”
Clearing his throat, he nodded.
Her eyes brightened and she gave him a wide smile.
She made her way to him and hugged him. The scratchy fucking white beard absorbed the burn of her kiss to his cheek.
She stepped back. “Thank you. You don’t know what this means to me. Merry Christmas.”
“You, too, Kendall. Now, can you get the fuck outta my face?”
“You still look ridiculous.”
“Don’t give a fuck. Megan wanted this, so this what the fuck she gettin’.”
At that, she swallowed, turned around, and waddled away. Bitch looked like she was carrying quadruplets.
Glad that Kendall was gone, Christopher grabbed his white-haired wig and Santa cap, then went to the bathroom to adjust it.
Ten minutes later, he walked through the crowded house, ringing his bell and yelling, ho, fuckin’ ho, ho. The adults began to snicker while the kids halted in their tracks. Not seeing CJ, Christopher didn’t stop until he reached the family room where he knew his boy would be with Megan.
CJ jumped from his seat and ran to Christopher, his eyes round. “Santa?” he whispered, in awe.
“Yeah, boy. My ass…”
Megan’s expression went from adoration to narrowed eyes. He’d just gotten back in her pussy last night. If he fucked this up, he’d be locked out until next Christmas.
“I’m Santa,” he announced, relieved at her happy approval.
CJ ran and hugged his leg before turning to Megan. “Where ‘Law? Him got to see Santa.”
“Your old man forgot something at the club, lil dude,” Digger said, for once not eating. “He’ll be back soon.”
CJ’s face fell, then he looked up. “MegAnn say you brought me all my presents. Thank you, Santa. You even letting me stay home from school until next year. MegAnn say put that on my list and Santa might hear cuz I been a good boy.”
So that’s how Megan had broken the news about their decision to allow CJ to forego Pre-K.
Christopher kneeled down. “You been a very good boy, CJ.”
His boy gasped. “You do know my name!” He turned to his ma. “MegAnn, Santa know me!”
Megan smiled at their son. “Yeah, potato. I told you.”
“Call ‘Law. Him need to see Santa.”
Christopher looked to Megan for guidance.
“How about I take pictures for you to show Daddy?” she suggested.
“Okay,” he said, his disappointment obvious.
Christopher posed with CJ, then sat patiently as the other kids wanted their photos taken with him. At the end of each photo, he handed a gift to each child. Finally, only the two small boxes remained.
CJ had his nose plastered against the window pane, looking outside, obviously waiting for Law, although there wasn’t much his boy could see with all the decorations in the way.
Christopher would have to leave as Santa, stay away for a few minutes, then pretend he’d just come in from the club. This had taken longer than expected. He’d intended to give Megan her gifts, too, but CJ might guess the truth. Or, worse, beat the fuck out of Santa for getting too close to his ma.
Therefore, Christopher picked up his empty sack. “Merry Christmas!” he yelled, and backed out of the room, aware that the kids watched his every move.
Mortician dragged Digger toward him, paused next to Johnnie and Val, whispering something to them, before heading to Christopher. “That was the shit, Prez,” he whispered. “Hurry up. Make a run for it.”
Mort, smart man that he was, made a wall with the other motherfuckers. Christopher ran toward the kitchen, through the mud room, and out the back door.
Thirty minutes later, he parked the Lexus in front of the house and returned with Megan’s presents in his cut.
“Yo, motherfuckers, what the fuck you been doin’?”
“’Law!” CJ screeched, running to him. “’Law, Santa comed. Him was here. Tell him, Mommie. MegAnn saw. Her got pictures.”
“Yeah, boy?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Lemme see.”
Dutifully, Christopher looked at all the photographs, enjoying his boy’s excitement. Once CJ was done, he went back to Megan, not bothering to play as usual.
“Stay here, potato,” Megan said, getting to her feet and coming to Christopher. She hugged him. “Thank you for the best Christmas ever. I love you so much.”
“I have the best Christmas ever,” Kendall announced, hearing, as everyone else had, Megan’s statement.
“I’m so happy for you,” Megan said. “Johnnie was very thoughtful. Those diamonds are simply beautiful.”
“And expensive,” Kendall added smugly, back to being a bitch. “Johnnie knows my tastes so well. He’s everything I need.”
“If they’re my diamonds and I felt like wearing them to a fuck fest, I’d do it. Or to the store. The doctor. There’s no law saying diamonds are only for certain situations.”
“Whatever,” Johnnie said, annoyed. “Everyone, Kendall and I have a small gift for the ladies to show our appreciation for family.” Grabbing a gift bag from the corner, he went around, handing out little boxes to each of the girls.
“Open them,” Kendall encouraged.
Megan lifted hers out of the box. “It’s a…”
“Keychain,” Kendall said happily.
“Yes,” Johnnie said. “Genuine silver plated with crystal embedded on the ring.”
“Silver plated?” Mort echoed. “That mean the motherfucker not worth as much as the fucking key.”
“It’s the thought that counts, motherfucker,” Johnnie gritted.
“Well, we all know what you think of us,” Zoann snapped back.
“All right,” Roxy started. “Take a deep breath. It’s Christmas. Time for peace. Johnnie and Kendall meant well. Take it in the spirit in which it was given.”
“Roxy’s right,” Christopher agreed, exchanging a glance with the woman and seeing her small nod.
“Why are you smiling, Christopher?” Megan asked suspiciously.
“I can’t smile cuz my ass happy?”
“You not that type of happy motherfucker, Prez,” Mortician told him.
“Maybe, Megan just a suspicious lil motherfucker,” Christopher said, not offended by Mort’s words. The motherfucker got away with saying a lot. “But you right, Mort. I’ma give my girl her last two presents.”
“I gave Zoann all her presents already. I don’t have another one for her. After the way you was San…”
“Val, you open your fuckin’ mouth and I will shoot the fuck outta you,” Christopher snapped as Zoann slapped the back of Val’s head.
“You just had to fucking do this, huh, Christopher?” Johnnie demanded.
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 413