Before he responded, she grabbed her door out of his grasp, slammed it shut, and sped off, hoping she’d gotten through to him, but knowing she more than likely hadn’t.
OPENING THE DOOR THAT LED from the garage to the laundry room, the scent of something delicious greeted him. Christmas lights blinked outside. Inside, Kendall had elegant silver and blue decorations.
After Megan sped off, he’d rode around, thinking about her advice, replaying her parting words over and over in his head.
As far as he knew, the girls were getting along. He’d heard of no cat-fighting, so what did Megan mean when she said Kendall had given up on her a long time ago? That wasn’t the case. His wife considered Megan one of her very best friends, and it would devastate her to discover Megan felt differently.
Reaching the foyer, Johnnie found Rory standing in a corner, hidden in the shadows.
“Dad!” Rory screeched, focusing on Johnnie’s face.
Johnnie grinned, and lifted his son into his arms, throwing him up in the air a few times, and enjoying his childish laughter.
“Where’s your mom?” he asked, once he’d put Rory down. “What are you doing down here all alone?”
“Mom is upstairs, and I was waiting for you. Can I go to Aunt Megan and Uncle Christopher’s house tonight? CJ came over with Aunt Roxy and asked if I could come over.”
“I already told you no, young man,” Kendall said coolly, advancing to where they were. “Go upstairs to your room and wait for me there.”
Rory hung his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Uh, son,” Johnnie started, crouching down, “go pack a little bag for your sleepover. I’ll call you when I’m ready to walk you to CJ’s house.”
“Johnnie!” Kendall cried. “Rory, you may not—”
“Go upstairs,” Johnnie interrupted.
Rory smiled at Johnnie and ran so fast by Kendall that her silk robe blew open and revealed her long, pretty legs.
“How dare you! I’m his mother. What I say goes.”
“You think?” Johnnie retorted, heading to the dining room and going straight to the liquor table. He poured himself a whiskey. “I’m his father, so I get to have a say in what goes on in his life, too, Kendall. Tonight, I say he goes to play with CJ.”
Kendall huffed out a breath. “Fine.”
Sipping his drink eased his annoyance. Once he drained his glass and poured himself another one, he went to his seat at the head of the table. Kendall had seated herself to his right, but their big table seemed so empty with no one to fill it. Every seven weeks or so, they hosted the family dinner. However, Kendall rarely used this dining room, even when everyone came over.
So much of their house, their lives, was going to waste.
“Gorgeous, I need you to lighten up on our children. They’re small kids. They’ll have time enough to learn.”
Tears rushed to her eyes and she glanced at him through her lashes. “You don’t understand. You’re just a man,” she cried. “Being a mom is so taxing. You have the easy part. Making the babies. I had to carry them, suffer the heartbreak of two miscarriages, and guide them in the way they should be raised.”
“You make it sound as if I’m not at your side, ready and willing to give you a hand.”
She pursed her mouth. “As long as what I believe or want to do is in line with Christopher, you’re at my side. Otherwise, no. Take my job, for instance. What would you say if I told you I had a case and wanted to represent the defendant?”
Megan’s words about Kendall missing her job pounded through his head. Obviously, she’d seen something in Kendall that he’d missed. “I’d say fuck no. Not because of Christopher, but because of me. You. Us. The last time you practiced law, you almost got yourself fucking killed.”
“I won’t be doing anything dangerous, Johnnie, and I damn sure won’t be interfering in club business.”
“No.”
“Goddamn you,” she screeched. “What do I have to do to get you to agree?”
“Not a fucking thing. Because you’ll never get my agreement.”
Her face reddened, and she narrowed her eyes. “Of course not. Your allegiance is to Christopher,” she spat. “Not me. If it were, you’d fight for my right to practice law.”
Johnnie pounded the table. “Not this shit again. Are we going to go through this every few months? You can’t work as a fucking attorney. Deal with it, Kendall.”
“Fuck you. I can do what the hell I damn well please.”
Not unless they left the club. The thought drummed through his head. Fuck, he’d already tried that. While Kendall was ecstatic, Johnnie had been miserable. “Picture this,” he started in as reasonable tones as possible. “I tell you to fuck what Christopher said. You get an office. Start practicing law. Suddenly, Christopher finds out. Do you think either of us would live to explain why we disobeyed him? You betrayed the fucking club, Kendall. You’re lucky to still have a brain in your head.”
“I never thought I’d see the day that you’d turn into a fucking coward. But that’s exactly what you are. Afraid of that asshole.”
He sidled a glare at her, but decided not to answer, since, deep down, he knew she was right.
“Well, I’m not scared of that motherfucker. He can’t tell me what to do.”
Fuck! Why the hell did she always put him in these situations? “Who the fuck do you want to represent? Tell me, so I can hunt whoever it is down and fuck them up for putting this idea into your head!”
“It’s Randolph,” she said after a moment of hesitation.
Johnnie narrowed his eyes. Randolph…? He didn’t know…an image of that motherfucker from last night popped into his head…NO! She couldn’t.
She wouldn’t.
He glanced at Kendall’s smirk.
Fuck. She did.
“Kendall, no. Fuck no. Absolutely not,” he roared, jumping to his feet, so angry he saw red. “Fuck what Christopher said. I don’t like that little prick. There’s no fucking way you’re representing him.”
Uncertainty entered her eyes and she twisted a ringlet of her red hair, not bothering to stand. “I…you know…I haven’t actually accepted yet. I wanted your permission first.” She sniffled. “Please, oh please. I’m begging you. I’ll suck your cock all night if you say yes.”
He stared at her, judging her honesty. Her big, brown eyes begged and pleaded, calling to him on a deep, primal level. Then, her words penetrated his anger and suspicion. “As much as I’d like to take you up on that offer, I can’t, gorgeous. Randolph is bad news. How’d you meet him anyway?”
“I ran into him as I left that disgusting bathroom last night, then I called him today. He isn’t bad news. I swear! He wants peace between the two clubs. That’s it. Why don’t you meet with him and hear what he has to say?”
“Kendall—” Johnnie rubbed the back of his neck.
“Christopher can’t arbitrarily turn the Imperials down,” she interrupted. “He has to bring the vote to the club. If you met with Randolph and listened to him…”
“I’m ready, Dad!” Rory announced happily, then snapped his mouth shut and backed up when Kendall glowered at him.
Pretending he didn’t see her mean look, Johnnie bent and kissed her. “I won’t be long,” he whispered. “I understand what you’re saying, but I stand by Christopher. He’s my president, my brother, my cousin and my friend.”
“Please?” she begged. “Say yes and you can fuck me in the ass.”
Johnnie’s cock stiffened. It was rare occasions Kendall allowed him that privilege. He almost gave in just to feel the sheer pleasure of that tight hole. But getting in her ass wasn’t worth his life.
“No,” he said again, then backed away from her, and took Rory’s hand, heading out the door.
Hopefully, by the time he returned, Kendall would’ve returned to the woman she’d become over the last, few months.
HUMMING A HAPPY TUNE, KENDALL got two lisdexamfetamines from the bottle in her medicine cabin
et, followed by two tablets of the combination drug amitriptyline and chlordiazepoxide. It had been a long, miserable night for her. Yet, she hid it well, making love to Johnnie with all the tenderness in her.
If only he understood her point-of-view, but he didn’t even make an attempt to do so. Whatever Christopher wanted, Johnnie blindly followed.
She tiptoed back into her bedroom and found her husband still asleep. He was such a beautiful man. His golden hair, all askew, showed the evidence of their passion. Blond stubble lined his cheeks. His bare chest tempted her almost beyond reason. The covers he’d thrown aside revealed his hard cock.
Last night, Kendall had sucked him until her throat hurt. Yet, he hadn’t changed his mind. Ever since she’d been on her medicine, her sex drive had dropped considerably.
Swallowing, she walked over to her husband, leaned over him and placed a gentle peck on his lips. Soon, he’d get up to start his day, while she’d be relegated to be the full-time attorney for a company with only two fucking full-time employees.
She was losing herself in her limited little world.
Meggie might’ve been fine with pretending she had a full life, but Kendall wasn’t. Furthermore, she bet the little blonde still envied Kendall’s education and work ethic. That was another reason Kendall was so desperate to recharge her career. She couldn’t turn into a Megan Caldwell. Nor could she allow Rory to become a little idiot like CJ.
She sighed.
“Kendall?” Johnnie mumbled, opening his eyes. “What are you doing, gorgeous?”
She preened at his special nickname. He called everyone sweetheart and baby, but gorgeous was reserved for her alone. “Nothing, my love. Going to the kitchen to start coffee.”
He frowned. “You don’t make coffee.”
This morning she would. And the next morning after that. And the next morning after that. As long as it took her to turn Johnnie to her way of thinking.
“I haven’t made coffee for you in a while.” She leaned forward and kissed him again. “You fucked me so good last night, I thought I’d reward you this morning.”
“You’re such an amazing woman, Kendall,” he whispered, caressing her cheek. “I’m so lucky to have you as my wife. I love you with all my heart.”
Guilt pumped through her and the real urge to cry hit her. Why did he have to be so stubborn? “I love you too, Johnnie,” she said faintly.
“Get to the kitchen and get my coffee going, woman,” he teased.
“Your wish is my command, man of my dreams.”
His eyes lit up. “You make me so fucking happy, sweetheart.”
She nodded and brushed his lips with her own. “Come down in fifteen minutes, Mr. Donovan.”
“You got it, Mrs. Donovan,” he responded.
Stealing one final kiss, Kendall sashayed out of the room. Knowing Johnnie watched her, she made the swing of her hips even more dramatic. His attention gave her a heady sense of power. Stopping at the door, she blew him a kiss, then turned and sauntered away.
In the kitchen, she looked at the time. Six thirty-eight. Ella would come down with Matilda and JJ very soon. Queen Megan would send her hapless assistant to bring Rory home from last night’s sleepover. Of course, Bunny had to deliver him, so Queen Megan could sleep longer.
Whatever. That was their household, where Christopher ruled and Meggie simpered.
In Kendall’s household, she intended to reclaim her life.
Digging in her pocket, she came up with the pills she’d gotten from her prescription bottles. She had others to add if these didn’t work. Whatever it took, she meant Johnnie was going to agree that she take Randolph’s case. Christopher was his idol, blah, blah, blah.
She was his wife and the mother of his children. It should’ve been a no-brainer who had his allegiance.
She got her mortar and pestle, dropped the pills in, and ground them to a pulp.
She didn’t want to kill her husband, so she’d start off with a small dose and see how that worked out. Johnnie was a big man, therefore she might need more to control him.
Hadn’t his grandfather used a similar method to control Meggie’s father? If it worked with Big Joe, it would work with Johnnie. True, Big Joe Foy and Logan Donovan weren’t the best examples. Big Joe developed a drug addiction that eventually led to his death.
Well, whatever. She’d make sure Johnnie wouldn’t become strung out. She’d do it for the duration of the case and then stop. She couldn’t have him consent and she stopped administering his, er, agreement potion, and he changed his mind.
Satisfied with her plan, Kendall poured the ground up drugs into a little bag, then turned to the coffee pot. She couldn’t drug her husband if she didn’t have anything to dissolve the medicine in.
Shit, the pills would leave a bitter taste. Wouldn’t they? Or would the coffee alone mask it? She couldn’t take the risk that it would. She’d have to make up a recipe so any taste would be completely hidden or easily explainable.
Johnnie couldn’t find out…unease slipped into her. All her plans usually went so awry. She just needed luck on her side this once. If Johnnie ever found out…no! She wouldn’t even consider that possibility. She’d make sure this stayed her secret.
All Kendall needed was cooperation from him. She needed to feel as if she was first in his life. If he wouldn’t give either to her, she’d take it from him. Her pills calmed her, made life more palatable. She doubted they’d affect Johnnie any differently.
Pushing aside her reservations, she proceeded to set her plan in motion.
SWEAT BEADED HIS BROW AND nausea turned in his stomach. Throughout church, h e’d barely been able to focus on the meeting. Somehow, he’d managed to pick up on the words Imperials, investigation, Knox, and bad blood. Everything else went over his head.
Though he never got sick, he must be coming down with a cold or the flu. He was so glad when church ended.
The brothers dug into a meal of a green salad, jambalaya and fried fish. Although he missed seeing Megan, he certainly couldn’t complain about Roxy’s delicious food.
Johnnie couldn’t eat much. One taste of everything turned his stomach. Worse, his lack of concentration continued. He hid his illness as best he could, not wanting to worry anyone, especially Kendall. After a bit of shooting the shit with their club brothers, Johnnie, Val, Digger, and Mortician followed Christopher to the conference room.
Accepting the beer Christopher handed to him, Johnnie dropped into a seat, sleepy, nauseated, and dizzy. He held the beer bottle to his head, then decided to take a sip, hoping the alcohol livened him up.
Christopher swigged from his rum, then lit a cigarette and took a few drags, studying Johnnie. “John Boy, you okay?”
Johnnie attempted to make sense of Christopher’s words, trying to focus and remembering to taste his beer. “What did you say?”
“I asked if your fuckin’ ass okay, five fuckin’ minutes ago,” Christopher snapped. “What the fuck wrong with you?”
He dropped his head into his hands. “Kendall wore me the fuck out last night,” he admitted. “She gifted me with the best sex we’ve had in months.” He straightened and gave the guys a silly grin. “She even offered her ass to me.”
“Yo, John Boy, you not the motherfucker who talk about how Kendall fuck you,” Digger reminded him. “That’s Prez MO.” He snickered, then yelped. “What the fuck you hit me for, Mort?”
“Your dumb ass talk too fucking much,” Mortician bit out. He stood from his seat and went to where Johnnie sat, waving his hand in front of Johnnie’s face. “How many fucking fingers I’m holding up?”
Johnnie concentrated on Mort’s hand. “Four…I think.” He chuckled, then yawned.
“Wrong, motherfucker,” Mortician said. “It’s two.”
“What the fuck that bitch did to you?” Christopher demanded.
“Besides be the sweet, wonderful woman I knew she could be? She loved me with her mouth and body, and told me the sweetest things. Then, thi
s morning, she served coffee to me. Get this. She saw it in my face that I didn’t like it and promised she’d use another recipe tomorrow.”
“Recipe?” Christopher, Val, Mort, and Digger chorused.
Christopher emptied his beer bottle, then sat it down. “What fuckin’ recipe? All the fuck she gotta do is use coffee grinds and water.”
“That isn’t true,” Johnnie protested. “Kendall found a special recipe that called for vanilla extract, sugar, milk, molasses, aloe vera juice, and honey.”
“That shit also called for fucking vomit,” Val grumbled.
“You drank that?” Mortician asked in horror.
Johnnie nodded. “If my gorgeous wife went through all that trouble to find a coffee recipe, then you’re goddamn right I drank her creation. It isn’t everyday she brews coffee for me. I wasn’t about to squander this opportunity because she wanted me to taste the Uppercrust Blend. That’s the name of her coffee recipe.”
“Fuck me,” Christopher said with a sigh. “Can that bitch do nothin’ normal?”
“Can you stop calling her a bitch? How’d you like it if I called Megan a bitch? Or a whore? Or a cunt? Any of the things you call my wife. One day, I’m going to get fed up, Christopher Caldwell. Whatever you do to Kendall, I’m going to do to Megan.”
“Lemme suggest this, Johnnie,” Christopher started in a steely voice. “Start diggin’ your fuckin’ graves to-fuckin-day. Then, your ass gonna be prepared for that one day when you lose your fuckin’ mind and I bury each piece of your motherfuckin’ ass in all the holes you dug.”
“Bah!” Johnnie waved Christopher’s words away. “Megan wouldn’t let you kill me,” he chortled. “Know why? Because I got her cunt off, too. A part of her will always love me and will always protect me.”
Christopher roared to his feet, kicking his chair against the wall, and starting around the table toward Johnnie.
Mort rushed to block him, holding his shoulders. “Now, Prez…Prez…give the motherfucker a break. He just floating from Red putting her pussy on him all fucking night. Motherfucker not used to that no more.”
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 428