Misalliance (Death Dwellers MC #4.5) (17 page)

Chapter 12: For Me

“Quiet, Kendall,” Roxy ordered in no uncertain terms, still stroking her hair. They were on the second floor of Meggie’s house, in a guest room.

Kendall was nearly hysterical, unable to leave as Christo…Outlaw…had ordered. She should’ve taken Roxy’s words to heed. In many respects she had, but, she hadn’t been able to let it go. Not letting it go had almost cost her and her baby’s lives.

And for what? A misunderstanding. She’d heard Meggie’s words, and gone over the edge.
Everything everyone
had ever told her, but most especially Roxy, had gone out the window.

Never again! If she managed to fix this, she’d never assume anything again. She’d never berate or disparage Meggie.

Christo…
Outlaw
…would’ve choked her. He hadn’t even cared that Roxy was there.

“Oh my God,” she sobbed. “What if Johnnie finds out?”

He’d be so angry. True, he’d confront Outlaw, but he’d be furious with her. He was proud of all the strides she’d made. She had
seemingly
made.

Roxy released her and Kendall collapsed into a heap on the bed. She wasn’t sure how many minutes went by before a cool towel pressed to her head and eyes.

“Drink.”

Sitting up and keeping the towel to her head, Kendall grabbed the glass of water Roxy held out to her. She was being so kind to Kendall, but fury hardened her features.

“You’re angry, too?” she hiccupped.

“You fucking right,” she snarled, snatching the glass away from Kendall, mid-drink. Water sloshed all over the nightstand, when she slammed it down, to start pacing. “Before Outlaw put the fucking fear of Jesus in you, I was going to blast your ass. But that motherfucker did that and then some.”

“Have I ruined everything?”

“I don’t fucking know! Suppose Meggie had been in earshot when you yelled that bullshit? You knew exactly what the fuck you were doing. You aren’t fucking stupid.”

“You called me stupid,” she charged defensively.

“Don’t hand me that fucking shit. You know damn well I was making a fucking point. I don’t hang around stupid motherfuckers. Tell me now. You ready to act like you have a fucking brain,
for real?
Or you want to continue down this path to an imminently brutal death?”

“I’m so sorry-”

“If I was you, I’d be about sick of telling motherfuckers how sorry you are. People start to look at you as being sorry.”

Kendall covered her face with her hands.

Roxy continued to pace. “It would’ve been too easy for you to make a fucking about-face from one fucking conversation, huh? Only, it wasn’t one. This bullshit has been going on forever.”

“It’s stopping. I swear! Please, just talk to Outlaw. Don’t let Johnnie find out about what I said and did.” She felt close to hyperventilating. “We’d made peace with what I did in Hawaii.”

“Then why the fuck did you bring it up today?”

“I don’t know!”

“The fuck you don’t. You were hoping Meggie heard.”

“No, I swear…”

“Swear to a motherfucker who believes your bullshit. I’m not one of them, so keep your fucking words to yourself.”

Kendall hiccupped.

“She’s not leaving, Kendall. I don’t know how many motherfuckers have to tell you that. She’s not your mother. Outlaw doesn’t mistreat her. The motherfucker’s so pussy-whipped behind her, I’m fucking surprised he’s not using her tampons. That doesn’t mean he’s not a cold-blooded killer with everybody else. Even my ass knew threatening him wasn’t the way to go. He would’ve fucked both me and you up if I would’ve challenged him.”

“He put me off club grounds,” she whimpered.

“Yes, fuck, I know. This is what you’re going to do. Go back to the room you share with Johnnie and fucking
stay
in it. I’m going to get John Boy here, and talk to him about your baby shower-”

“Meggie really is…was…is…um-”

“I don’t know what the fuck’s going on now, but, yes, she’s been getting shit together for you. Johnnie is supposed to bring you to dinner tomorrow night.”

“We’re going to a music recital tomorrow night.”

“Noooo,” Roxy said slowly. “You’re coming here tomorrow night.”

Kendall swallowed, just then remembering she’d never called Johnnie to discuss Charlotte’s invitation. “He didn’t tell me.”

“I know. Now that motherfucker is what stupid look like. Surprising you the first fucking time didn’t work out too well, and here he agreed to do it again.”

“What should I do? I was looking forward to going off premises with Johnnie, to a type of function I like.”

“Music recitals?”

“Yes. They share my love of opera music.”

Roxy sighed.

“It couldn’t have been a very big party, if Charlotte was coming.”

“Excuse you? Whoever the fuck Charlotte is don’t make or break a fucking party. Meggie invited her, but she told her she had previous plans. I guess now we know what the bitch planned.”

“Johnnie didn’t know what I had planned.”

Roxy sat next to her. “Sugar, what the fuck you do every evening that he’d have to fucking tell you?”

“It’s the principal.”

“No, the principal is you acting like a bourgeois bitch.”

“Boogee? What does that even mean?”

“Fucking stuck up.”

“No, that’s sadity.”

Roxy laughed. “That, too. Same meaning. Different context.”

“Explain-”

“We got more important issues than talking about the differences in bourgeois and sadity. Another time.”

“Okay.”

“Kendall, sweetie,” Roxy began, patting her leg, “take a few deep breaths. The last hour has been quite intense. You’re trying to regain control by finding fault with Johnnie. Once again, the man hasn’t done shit but try to make you happy. Don’t lash out at him, or
us
, because you’re feeling overwhelmed. That’s bad fucking behavior that causes a shit storm.”

Kendall didn’t realize Roxie was carrying a baby monitor until she heard Harley’s scream.

“You okay to get to the clubhouse?” Roxy asked as she headed to the door.

“Yes.” She got to her feet, and followed Roxy out the door. “Should I cancel with Charlotte?”

“That’s up to you,” Roxy replied without breaking her brisk stride. “You’re not supposed to know about the shower, so it won’t hurt anything.”

Giving herself a good talking to, Kendall hurried towards the gate. Not until a dog began to bark did she realize how silent the day was, with no sign of Bunny, Little Man, or Ryan.

It was strange, but she consoled herself with the knowledge that she’d probably missed them in all the commotion. She kept a steady watch over her shoulder, because of the relentless noise of the Rottweilers. When she reached the gate, she rushed through it, and slammed it shut. The locks clanked into place.

The walk through the wooded pathway to the clubhouse suddenly seemed daunting. Unease slid into her and a cramp hit her belly.

It was only the stress of the day, she decided, and the stupid barking.

She hurried along, the hair rising on her nape. Finally, she reached the clubhouse, surprised to see all the bikes, more than she’d seen in a while. When she opened the door, the noise hit her. A party was the last thing she wanted to be subjected to, even for a moment.

She paused to adjust her vision from the cloudiness outside to the dimness of the room. It came to her that this wasn’t an ordinary party. It was more of an orgy, with the Bobs there. She always knew it was those sluts because they all wore matching keyhole thongs and bras, as well as matching heeled sandals.

As she spotted Trader having his dick sucked, she heard Johnnie’s laughter. Even above the noise, she heard him, and her heart sank. Frantically, she looked around, hoping it was her imagination.

But she heard him again, and knew he was near her. He must’ve been by the pool tables. She was close enough to clearly hear him but just out of view.

Another pain hit her, but she stepped closer.

“Anything else,” a girl cooed.

“No, sweetheart, thanks.”

His amusement cut through Kendall. She blinked.

“You’re leaving?” she asked with a pout. “I turned down leaving with Cash to be with you.”

“And I fucking told you, it won’t happen. Kendall is back, so I’m not touching anyone but
her
.”

“You were just laughing with Gurly,” she complained. “You told me to get you a beer. I thought that meant-”

“It meant I was laughing at one of Gurly’s jokes, Mira,” he snapped. “That’s it. I’m here to talk to Arrow, not to fuck. You all are here for the single brothers. I’m
not
fucking single.”

Silence and then, “I need money.”

“And?”

“Whenever we fucked, you gave me money.”

Nausea twisted in Kendall, and her actions with Outlaw replayed in her head. She didn’t even know Mira, but hearing her so casually discuss sleeping with Johnnie, hurt. She couldn’t imagine how betrayed Meggie would feel if she ever discovered Kendall’s actions.

“I can suck your dick. We don’t have to fuck. There’s a new pair of shoes I want.”

“Talk to Arrow.”

“I already did,” she whined. “He said I’d get tipped tonight, like usual. I still don’t get as much money from them collectively as I do from you.”

“Mira, hey, babe.”

Kendall immediately recognized Gurly’s voice. She was an older woman, who’d been club property for years.

“Arrow!” Gurly yelled.

Kendall shrank back into the shadows, not wanting to be spotted yet. She wanted to process more of the same from herself—jumping to conclusions—and doubting Johnnie’s loyalty to her.

Arrow passed the wooden rails, into the pool table area. She shouldn’t spy, but she needed this. Johnnie could tell her to trust him and she could work through it. Seeing and hearing for herself, however, was irrefutable proof.

“Kendall?”

For the moment she lost herself in her thoughts, Johnnie had stepped from the railed area.

He walked up to her, beer in hand, and kissed her. “Are you okay?”

“Um, yes.”

“Roxy just sent me a text.” He touched his cut where he kept his phone. “She needs to talk to me. You want to walk over there with me?”

He narrowed his eyes. Before she could question him, he was tugging her to their room and turning the overhead light on.

“What the fuck happened to your neck?”

He inspected closer, lifted his fingers and fit them to the marks. She wasn’t watching to know for certain, but his touch pressed right where Christopher’s had.

“Who the fuck…?” Fury dropped into his features and he threaded his fingers through her hair then cradled her face. “What did you do?” he snarled.

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“What the fuck did you do that sent Christopher over the edge, where he fucking
choked
you?”

“Oh my God, Johnnie, I was so scared. He was really going to kill me.”

“What did you do? You told Megan about what happened, didn’t you?”

“No,” she whispered. “I told it to Roxy. I-I overheard a conversation and I…I went over the edge.”

Johnnie’s nostrils flared and he released her. “Right.” Storming around her, he went to his closet. When he reappeared, he was sliding a magazine into his Glock and heading to the door.

“What are you doing?” Kendall screeched.

He rounded on her. “You were fucking out-of-line for whatever you did, but that motherfucker can’t put his hands on you and get away with it.”

Kendall grabbed his cut. “No, Johnnie! No, please. I don’t want you two confronting each other. Please! I wasn’t even going to tell you.”

“Why? Because you know I’ll think it’s the same fucking shit from you.”

“Please,” she cried. “I’ll never say anything to Outlaw or Meggie again that shouldn’t be said. Let it go.” She drew in a deep breath. Earlier, she’d discovered she could trust Johnnie. Now, she’d know how much power she had over him. Her body tense, she blocked his pathway. “Please. Let’s forget this happened.”

“Kendall-”

“For me, Johnnie,” she said quietly. “Let it go for me. I-I’ve watched you since I’ve been back. You’re happy and-”

“I’m happy because you’re back. I’m happy because it seems like we were all…” He rubbed his eyes. “Even Christopher seemed to be accepting you.”

She swallowed. “I know…”

He kicked the desk chair. “Fuck! I can’t believe he put his hands on you.”

“You know how protective he is of Meggie.”

“Do I?” he asked in a cold voice. “Every motherfucker around knows that, which means you know it, too-”