Her nostrils flared, reddening her nose a little more. “Wh-what?”
“It was Megan.”
“Mr. Gillson said you’d already planned everything,” she chirped through tight lips, raising her chin. “You don’t have to pretend she did this for me to forgive her for insulting me.”
Johnnie turned toward the window. The breeze fluttered Megan’s and Christopher’s jackets. The two of them looked great together and made one another so happy. He might never have the same thing. “I’m not pretending anything, Kendall. I didn’t do this. Megan tries to make things right for everyone. She talked to me and Christopher and suggested we get some of the brothers to stay for Carolyn’s funeral.”
“Of course, if she suggested it, it had to be done.” She sniffed. “You didn’t tell me she’d spoken to you. Where was I?”
“Sweetheart, you have nothing to concern yourself with Megan. She’s my sister-in-law and my president’s wife.”
“Old lady,” Kendall corrected.
Johnnie scowled at her. “Be a fucking fool and call her Christopher’s old lady in front of him. I fucking dare you.”
Kendall’s lips trembled and she pinned him with an accusatory stare. “Will you ever put me first? You can’t even admit when I’m right, preferring to curse and yell at me than to side with me.”
“If you were right, I’d tell you,” Johnnie snapped, then regretted it when she started to cry. But, fuck, this was hard.
He needed a fucking drink and a fuck. Damn it to motherfucking hell. What the fuck should he do now?
Press Kendall for pussy? Jerk the fuck off? What?
Whether he liked it or not, the only real relationship he had to go by was Christopher’s and Megan’s and he felt like a fucking dickwad for it. The history between the three of them and the dynamics of their relationship made it a betrayal to Kendall.
The one thing Christopher did was place Megan ahead of everything and everyone. On the other hand, she knew the importance of the club to him and willingly—the exception being a few days ago—stepped into the background.
Maybe, he’d try to make Kendall feel as if she were the most important thing in the world to him without feeling smothered and obligated. Because, damn it, he did care about her. He’d give his life to protect her, give his arm to put a smile on her lovely face.
He clung to the memories of their first night together. Although he didn’t like to dwell on the fact that half his fucking brothers had seen her naked, she’d come to his bed. Drew him in the moment she’d sat up, heavy-lidded with sleep. He’d wanted her to stay that night, but she’d insisted on leaving because he wouldn’t kiss her.
“I saw you with her at K-P’s funeral.”
What the fuck? “With who?”
Her glare swept her sadness away and his head began to throb. He knew they would argue again.
“Megan,” she snarled. “You left me in that pew to help her mother. The minute Megan walked up you pulled her into your arms.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he managed, dumbfounded. That day had been filled with so many emotions, he barely remembered most of what he’d done. But he remembered that more because of Dinah’s fuckeduppedness than anything else. “I did what the fuck Christopher told me to do.”
“He goes into fits when anyone looks at her. I know he wouldn’t tell you to hug her.”
“I wasn’t fucking hugging her. Christopher refused to let go of Dinah because the woman wanted Megan. He told me where to situate his wife and to keep a grip on Dinah. I held her fucking collar the entire way down that aisle.”
“If you say so.”
The car glided to a stop; they’d reached the cemetery. Kendall sat across from him, a dull glower marring her face. A few moments later, he got out and held his hand out to her, smiling at her as he assisted her out.
Instead of returning his smile, she glanced beyond his shoulder and Johnnie turned. Megan stared in the direction of the tallest spot in the cemetery, the rise of green where her father’s monument stood.
Frowning, Christopher regarded Megan’s profile and the tears sliding down her cheeks. He scratched the side of his head. “We can visit Boss after the ceremony.”
She went still, slowly shaking her head. “No.”
Without another word, she rushed away and Christopher trailed behind her.
“C’mon on, gorgeous. Let’s get you through this ceremony, so you can go back to the club and rest.”
Megan was losing weight. Sitting at the bar with Kendall behind it and Christopher, Megan, Val, Digger and Arrow occupying the seats, Johnnie made the observation. She sat on the stool while Christopher loomed next to her, speaking to her in low tones. Little Man and Dinah were asleep, the two baby monitors on the bar in front of her confirming that.
He hoped Kendall thanked Megan for everything she’d done on Caroline’s behalf. So far, though, nothing.
“Kendall?” Val held up a bottle of beer. He reeked of Mary Jane, his blood shot eyes and dilated pupils cause for concern. “Set me up with a bottle of Stoli.”
She turned and glanced at the alcohol situated within the recessed cabinet below the monitors. Her hips swelled in the jeans she wore, her ass tempting Johnnie to carry her off, caveman-style, to their room.
“Yo’, Kendall babe, motherfucker drank all the Stoli,” Christopher called. “You gotta get some from the storage room.”
“I’ll get it,” Megan offered, popping to her feet and heading behind the bar.
Before she took two steps, Christopher looped his arm around her waist and dragged her back to her seat. “The fuck you will. ‘Til Mort get back, the bar Kendall’s territory. You fuckin’ sit.”
Throwing Christopher a putrid glower, Megan opened her mouth to speak.
“No fuckin’ arguments, Megan.”
“Don’t worry, Outlaw,” Kendall responded. Her smile tentative, she gave Megan an inscrutable look. “She can assist me with this. I need to get you and Johnnie another drink anyway.”
Arrow raised an empty bottle of brandy. “Me and Digger need another one, too. Let Meggie get Val’s Stoli while our girl fix the drinks. Otherwise, Meggie’ll have to do up our drinks. Kendall has this down pat, though.”
“What’s she doing but opening bottles and handing them to you?” Megan retorted, her blue eyes snapping with anger and accusation.
Sighing into the silence, Christopher leaned down and kissed her, then stepped back to allow her room to move. “Get the fuckin’ Stoli before I change my fuckin’ mind, baby.”
“Meggie girl, don’t be like that,” Digger called, flicking ashes from the cigar Arrow handed to him a little while ago.
After arriving from the funeral home and sharing a brief repast that the women had prepared, Johnnie had hustled Kendall to their room so she’d rest.
He didn’t dwell on any type of emotions overlong, but, just from K-P’s funeral, he understood the grief and exhaustion Kendall was feeling. He wanted to give her a chance to regroup.
An hour ago, she’d walked into the main room and joined the rest of them, wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. Her hair in a ponytail revealed the delicate skin on her graceful neck.
“Valentine,” Christopher blared in the wake of Megan’s departure.
“Yo?”
Kendall rested her arms on the bar, breaking into Johnnie’s attention directed to Christopher and Val.
“Is he named after St. Valentine?” she asked, low.
He thumbed her lower lip, leaning forward to nip her earlobe.
“Not here,” she chastised, giggling.
Pink stained her cheeks and Johnnie grinned, caressing her suddenly too-warm skin.
“It’s just us,” he protested, stealing another kiss from her.
Megan glided back into the room, Stoli in one hand and Patron in the other. She smiled and sat one bottle in front of Val before handing the other one to Christopher.
Christopher smirked at them, amusement glinting in his
eyes. “You know I been drinkin’ brews, right, baby?”
Her lashes lowered and she licked her lips. “Just in case you wanted tequila, I thought I’d bring you a bottle.”
Laughing, he shook his head and went to her, pulling her into his arms and cradling her head against his chest. “I’ll fuckin’ take that.”
“Jealous much?” Kendall whispered under her breath.
Instead of responding to the tightness in Kendall’s voice—what the fuck could he say?—Johnnie kissed her again before answering her question about Val. “Valentine is his real road name.”
She drew her brows together, her confusion clear. Irritated that Megan managed to discombobulate Kendall—all of them—he swallowed. Kendall was smiling and calm. She was flirting with him and appeared happy the guys were laughing with her. He wanted to see this Kendall more and resented Megan’s intrusion.
Although Kendall had mixed-up what she’d witnessed at K-P’s funeral, she continually attempted to befriend Megan.
Johnnie didn’t have the fucking patience for the petty bullshit.
Kendall gripped his arm and squeezed his bicep ever so slightly as if she believed he wouldn’t detect her attempt to feel him up. “How’d he get that name?” she asked with innocence, although mischief flitted into her eyes.
Val belched and scratched his neck. Though his wound was healed, it still bothered him. Every time Johnnie saw Val touch his scar, the spot where the bullet entered Johnnie’s chest itched.
“How’d who get what name?” Val asked, belching again and pulling out his cigarettes.
“How’d you get your road name?” Distancing herself from the smoke, Kendall folded her arms and rested against the counter situated near the kitchen door and holding one of two landlines on premises. “Valentine is interesting.”
Val puffed his chest out. “I’m such a romantic motherfucker, that’s why.”
“You mean you a mushy, annoyin’ motherfucker over bitches,” Christopher piped in. “Shoulda saved my motherfuckin’ brain and just called you fuckin’ Candy.”
Arrow slammed his hand on the bar. “No, Love Letter would’ve worked better.”
“Motherfucking Rose, too,” Johnnie inserted, guffawing.
“Fuck all you assfucks,” Val growled, red-faced.
“I never knew that’s why you were called Val.” Resting her elbows on the bar, Megan leaned forward, then glanced back at Christopher. “You never told me that.”
“You never fuckin’ asked, baby.”
She leveled a stare at Val. “You never told me, either.”
Val squirmed on his seat, his gaze roaming from Christopher to Johnnie and then between Megan and Kendall. “Meggie, babe…Outlaw fucking right. You never asked.”
A low growl from Christopher’s throat made Val backtrack.
“I-I mean I-I never volunteered it, babe. Didn’t think you’d be interested.”
“I’m always interested in you all.”
“You’re doing just fine, babe,” Arrow assured her, puffing at his cigar smoke. “We know you’re here whenever you need us, so don’t worry about what you don’t know. Too much other shit to concern yourself with.”
Arrow’s answer appeased Kendall and Johnnie wanted to send a few girls to fuck the man’s brains out as thanks.
“What’s going on?”
Fuck. Of all the fucking voices he expected to hear tonight. Sabrina. He’d fucked her a month ago. The next morning, after she’d used her vacuum like mouth on his dick, his grandfather had visited and his world had fallen apart.
She tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, Johnnie.”
Christopher pointed his bottle of tequila in his direction. “You lucky I’m in a good fuckin’ mood.”
Of course, Christopher would recognize why Johnnie had fucked Sabrina. She was young—about twenty-two—blue-eyed and golden haired.
Yes, then, he’d fucked her because of her resemblance to Megan. However, he’d also had her because she was tall with big tits. Like Kendall.
Megan, who was blushing and throwing him the evil eye and groaning. She knew, too.
For the first time in fucking years—if ever—the heat of embarrassment swept into Johnnie’s cheeks.
“Can I have a strawberry wine cooler?” Sabrina asked Kendall and giggled, then pointed to him. “Johnnie’ll pay for it.”
Kendall’s brows snapped together and every stride they’d made tonight in their relationship disintegrated. Bad enough she had to face Megan every day and put up with her bratty bitchiness, but, now, one of the girls he’d fucked had to show up.
“Kendall, that’s Sabrina,” Digger stated, blowing smoke rings from that fucking cigar as if Kendall wasn’t about to get bonkers. “Sabrina, Kendall. Johnnie’s old lady.”
Disappointment drooped Sabrina’s features and her shoulders sagged.
“Hi Sabrina,” Megan called.
Closing his eyes, Johnnie cursed. He didn’t need anything else to ruin the tentative peace with Kendall.
“H-hi.”
“MEGGIE!” Dinah screech’s trumpeted over the monitor in her room.
Sabrina backed away, fear rounding her eyes. Not that Johnnie blamed her. Dinah sounded like a madwoman.
Kendall remained focused on Sabrina, in another skin tight jumpsuit, this one white, the material so thin her nipples and pussy were not only outlined but visible. “How do you know Johnnie?”
“Let’s talk, Sabrina,” Megan ordered, clutching the two monitors in her hand. The more Dinah screeched, the more fatigued she appeared. “I asked you a long time ago to stop coming here. Christopher and I are together. I know Johnnie’s nice enough to purchase your drinks…” She scowled and her voice trailed off. Dinah screamed again. “Come with me, please, so I can explain this to you for the last time.”
Gripping Sabrina’s wrists, Megan tugged her toward the hallway, the whore too stupefied to do anything but go along.
Tipping his bottle back, Christopher shook his head. “Fuckin’ Megan.”
“Yeah, you one lucky motherfucker, bro.” Val downed half the Stoli, looking straight ahead. “Not many chicks would do shit like that when they dealing with dickheads.”
Maybe, Johnnie deserved Val’s shot. Megan didn’t have to do what she did. On the other hand, she owed it to Kendall for her behavior.
“Tell me the fuck about it, Valentine.” Christopher threw him a tight smile. “Let’s go take a walk while Megan get whiny Dinah settled and Sabrina straight.”
Although Kendall hadn’t said whether she’d bought Megan’s story or not, at Christopher’s request, her body tensed. “Take a walk where?”
“On the fuckin’ moon, babe,” Christopher retorted with a snort.
“Shut the fuck up, Christopher,” Johnnie snapped, then turned to Kendall. “Outside.”
“Can I come with you?”
Come with him? “I’ll be right outside, gorgeous. No more of Christopher’s women will show up, asking me to purchase drinks for them.”
Christopher looked as if he’d jump on him and pound Johnnie to death. As he should, too. Later, he’d tell Kendall the truth about Sabrina—if she really believed Megan’s lie. Now, though, he didn’t want any explanations upsetting his shit.
“John Boy, you hangin’ with us a minute or what?”
Johnnie regarded the plea in Kendall’s eyes, her panic. “You’re amongst friends. I’ll have one cigarette.”
“They’ve been smoking all evening around me. You can, too.”
“Yo’, Red, that a lil’ dig?” Digger questioned.
She shook her head. “I’m pregnant. I shouldn’t be around smoke.”
“Then get your fuckin’ ass from behind the motherfuckin’ bar, Kendall,” Christopher snapped. “Megan havin’ my baby, in case you forgot. We try not to fuckin’ smoke too much around her, but we modified the fuck outta our behavior for my girl. Only so fuckin’ much we can give the fuck up or change. If Megan have to accept our smokin’, your fuck
in’ ass do, too.”
Johnnie got to his feet, fed up with how Christopher spoke to Kendall. “Let’s talk, brother.”
“Ain’t a motherfuckin’ thing to talk about, brother. Check your bitch. Ain’t a fuckin’ reason why shit always end up an argument in fuckin’ regards to her. But it do. Every. Motherfuckin’. Time. You wanna pacify her? Fine with my ass. Be one pacifyin’ motherfucker. I don’t give a fuck. But Kendall ain’t fuckin’ comin’ in here and disruptin’ shit.” He glared at Kendall and tears rushed to her eyes. “I’m doin’ what the fuck I can to make havin’ you around this motherfucker easy on my wife. Under-fuckin-stand? But I know Megan, Kendall. The way she fuckin’ actin’? I think you know the fuckin’ reason. I think you pushin’ her buttons some fuckin’ kind of way and makin’ her look like a motherfucker. If that’s the case—“ He transferred his glare to Johnnie. “Rein Kendall the fuck in, John Boy. We can have Team Megan and Team Kendall. I give you fair fuckin’ warnin’, Team Megan gonna fuckin’ win every-fuckin-time.”
He finished just as Sabrina came hurrying out and he beckoned her over.
“Y-yes?”
“Don’t set fuckin’ foot in this motherfucker again. Now, get the fuck outta my face.”
“Jesus, Christopher!” Johnnie exploded, watching as Sabrina stumbled back.
“Club Ass, John Boy,” he said coldly. “What the fuck you expect?”
“I expect to have club pussy left for us single motherfuckers to stick our dicks in,” Digger said with a scowl.
Christopher laughed. “Overdramatic motherfucker.”
“Yeah, dude.” Despite the tension, Johnnie chuckled. “More pussy than you assholes know what the fuck to do with hang around the club.”
“Let’s step the fuck outside.” At the door, Christopher halted and turned back to Johnnie while Val and Digger walked outside. Cool air blasted into the warm room. “You comin’?”
Johnnie wanted to go. The conversation outside, away from Kendall and Megan, with weed and alcohol passed between them, would be just what he needed—club talk, X-rated and uncensored discussions about girls, harassing Christopher about his feelings for Megan.
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 98
