Nervous tension surrounded him, and he looked both worried and hopeful. She opened her mouth, but he held up a hand.
“Kendall, my love, I’m responsible for much of the strain going on between the four of us right now, and I apologize for putting you in the position that I did. I hurt you, and you responded the only way you knew how to.” He dug into his pocket and held out her diamond engagement ring, along with a matching platinum band. “There’s nothing and no one more important in this world to me, than you. I’ll love you and cherish you and keep you and honor you for the rest of my life. Marry me, sweetheart. Forgive me.”
Johnnie’s heartfelt speech sent Kendall soaring and tears to her eyes. She’d never thought him capable of such depth of emotion. Each of his words soothed the hurt she’d carried, some self-inflicted, some misconstrued, but all destructive.
This was all she’d ever wanted from him, the unshakeable knowledge that he loved her. That despite anything, and despite everything, she’d have him.
“I’m rather impressed, Mr. Donovan,” Father Wilkins intoned with a smirk. “Who knew you were so poetic?”
Johnnie ignored the priest and kept his focus on her. Too overcome to speak, she held up her hand. Somehow, she managed a weak, “yes. I love you so much, Johnnie.”
Father Wilkins pulled out a book from the inside of his jacket and held it up. “Can we get started?”
“Oh, wait!” Meggie fumbled with her phone. By now, Outlaw had sat her in the chair near the bed.
“What the fuck, baby? Let Wilcunt get on with this shit, so I can get you the fuck home. I gotta get somewhere and—”
Still searching for something on her phone, Meggie’s brows drew together. “Tonight?”
He sighed. “Yeah Megan, Digger,” he said simply.
Meggie froze. A heartbeat passed, then another, while Outlaw and Johnnie exchanged meaningful looks.
“Alone?” Meggie finally asked her despondency hard to miss.
“Yeah.”
“Christopher-” Johnnie began, but Outlaw stared at Johnnie over Meggie’s head.
“I gotta ground him, baby. Ain’t no other choice.”
She swallowed and her nostrils flared, a mask of fear settling on her face. But she nodded. “I know. Just please be careful.”
Forcing a smile, Meggie held up her phone and cleared her throat. “Ready. I’m sorry. This is all I could find,” she said to no one in particular before pressing her screen, and the sound of a saxophone filled the air. “The Wedding Song by Kenny G,” she explained.
Once it played, Father Wilkins began and, a few minutes later, Kendall became Mrs. John Peter Donovan. As they signed the documents, Meggie found one of Kendall’s favorite songs, All of Me by John Legend, capping the perfect ceremony with the perfect verses.
Chapter 14: Bloodbath
Louis “Stretch” King peeped over his shoulder one, last time. Just as he had a moment before, he found the main room in the clubhouse empty.
Standing still and swallowing, Stretch pushed aside his unease over what he risked. Maybe, if he was sober, he’d think through his decision.
Instead, he’d gone to Cash’s house, when he couldn’t contact him once John Boy had left with Kendall, and found Cash in a threesome.
It wouldn’t have been so bad if it had been two girls, but it had been a girl and a guy, both of whom Cash enjoyed with vigor. The scene had crushed Stretch, and he hadn’t understood why Cash had given him a key, a few days ago.
Stretch thought they’d reached an understanding, and Cash would give up all other male lovers except him. Together, they’d choose a woman to bring into their relationship. Not just any woman, either. But one with an open mind, willing to not only share the two of them with each other, but share herself with both of them.
Once Stretch had walked into Cash’s bedroom and saw the sex, Cash had turned towards him and shrugged, then went back to his fucking.
Crushed, Stretch had gotten away as fast as he could, and went to a bar. As he’d departed the bar to head back to the clubhouse, Hanson called.
For weeks, Hanson had been pushing for more, but Cash had Stretch’s focus, his heart. Out of fairness, Stretch had begun to pull away. Tonight, though, he’d caved. Since he’d drank a lot, and since he was closer to the compound than he was to Hanson and since he knew it would be deserted, he’d invited Hanson over.
After all, he didn’t have a house, like the others—like Cash—where he could invite his lovers over.
Fuck, Cash.
Stalking toward the bathroom door with the word Dicks on it, Stretch pushed it open and found Hanson awaiting him, just as he’d instructed.
Stretch smiled at the other man, who was smaller-framed and black haired. Hanson’s light blue eyes held wicked promises and Stretch rubbed his hand along Hanson’s cheek and drew him closer.
“I’m sorry, babe,” he whispered to Hanson between kisses. “I haven’t had much time for you-”
Hanson covered Stretch’s mouth with two fingers. “It’s okay as long as we’re spending time together this evening.”
Always impatient, he freed Stretch’s dick, then slid down his body and dropped to his knees, palming the cockhead. Stretch shivered at Hanson’s touch and he made a silent avowal he’d make up this quick bathroom fuck to him. Stretch would make up the disregard and neglect he’d shown Hanson, too. At the moment, he needed to be with him.
“Look at me.”
Stretch dropped his gaze to Hanson’s, forcing himself to focus as he took Stretch’s cock into his mouth. He gripped Hanson’s hair and groaned at the exquisite feeling of having Hanson’s warm tongue licking him.
“You feel so fucking good,” he whispered.
Hanson wrapped his mouth around his dick and sucked, massaging his balls.
Stretch grunted. “Hanson-”
Without warning, the door flew open. Stretch jerked away and spun around, fumbling to hide his cock and attempting to hide his lover. Passionate anticipation no longer raced his heart. Now, it was fear.
He stared at Cowboy, heard his snarled, “What the fuck?” and stumbled back.
“We don’t want any fucking trouble,” Stretch began. Behind him, Hanson trembled. They had to find a way to get out of there. “We’re going to leave.”
Cowboy studied him, blocking the doorway. “Fucking fag,” he growled, yanking open the door and yelling, “Come and see what the fuck we have here.” He walked closer as two older Dwellers and two younger ones joined him. “You suck Outlaw’s dick, too?”
Within moments, the five men had Stretch and Hanson surrounded. If he pulled his piece, he’d have less of a chance of getting Hanson out alive, then if he faced them off to clear an escape path for him.
As the two younger ones rushed him, Stretched charged forward. In the end they’d kill him, but not without a helluva fucking fight from him.
Johnnie was a father, and a husband. Kendall’s husband and dad to the son she’d delivered, several hours after Father Wilkins pronounced them man and wife.
He never thought he’d experience such contentment, but knowing he’d finally won his girl meant more to him than anything. Once she delivered, they both realized they hadn’t had a chance to choose a name for the baby.
Kendall had burst into tears, exhausted and overwhelmed.
“Don’t worry about it, gorgeous,” he said, kissing her sweaty, flushed cheek. “We’ll figure it out. Rest. For now, Baby Donovan is fine.”
She nodded and shocked him by saying, “Go to Outlaw. I know you’re worried about him.”
He was. Still, he shook his head. “No. I’m staying with you-”
“We’re fine,” she swore. “All you are doing is watching me and the baby sleep.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Go.”
So he’d hurried to change out of his scrubs and called Christopher once he got to the SUV. When he hadn’t answered, he got Megan on the phone.
“He’s not h
ere, Johnnie,” she said quietly, sounding so very sad.
“Do you know where he might be?”
“In Portland.” She’d rattled off the name of a motel. “Are you familiar with it?”
No, he wasn’t, but he refused to tell Megan and have her go into hysterics. Once he said his goodbyes to her, he opened a browser on his phone and punched in the name of the place she’d given him. Not wasting time, he turned the key in the ignition and hurried off.
Halfway to Portland, Johnnie received a text that simply read headed bck 2 clbhse. Breathing a sigh of relief and noticing it was close to one o’clock in the morning, Johnnie decided to go to the clubhouse as well, to discover exactly what had taken place with Digger.
Thirty minutes later, Johnnie pulled through the gates of the compound. As he stopped next to Christopher’s pickup, it surprised him to see his brother striding towards him from the pathway that led to the meat shack.
As much as he knew Digger had it coming to him, Johnnie still felt a moment of grief, followed by swift anger. The motherfucker had betrayed them.
“I need a visit with Herb and Al,” Christopher grumbled over his shoulder.
A moment of surprise hit him that they weren’t going to the house. As if Christopher read his mind, he said, “Megan in my room inside. She wanted to fuckin’ see me as soon as fuckin’ possible when I got the fuck back.”
That explained it then.
Johnnie fell into step behind him. “You got rid of him already?”
“Yeah, but the fuckin’ him ain’t Digger.”
Once they reached the warmth of the interior, Johnnie asked, “then who?”
“It was-”
A shout from the direction of the bathroom caught their attention. Not hesitating, Christopher pulled his nine and hurried to investigate. Johnnie got his own weapon out.
A scream followed by a gunshot.
Christopher opened the door then halted suddenly. Johnnie stopped, too, and stared, not quite comprehending the scene.
Blood pooled on the floor, spattered the walls, mirrors, counters—every fucking surface. Two men lay on the floor, one beaten so bad Johnnie only recognized him because of his cut. Stretch?
Another man—what was left of him—lay next to Stretch, mutilated beyond recognition.
Why wasn’t Christopher shooting? Cowboy and Bull still looked shocked that Christopher had walked in.
“Walked in and found that dirty motherfucker getting his dick sucked, Outlaw,” Cowboy hollered, already explaining his actions without being asked. “I put one of them abominations out of their fucking misery. I intend to fucking put Stretch out of his-”
Christopher aimed his gun at the other man’s head. “You ain’t doin’ fuck all if I ain’t approvin’.”
“He suck your dick too, Prez?” Cowboy sneered, narrowing his eyes, the bloodlust he’d had at first, returning. “That’s why you protecting him?”
Not hesitating, Christopher fired, the remnants of Cowboy’s head adding to the blood and gore surrounding them. “You was fuckin’ sayin’?” he asked, addressing the other men who hadn’t spoken in the first place.
“We don’t have their kind in our club,” Bull spat, his eyes wild with fury. “Or do we? You let Mortician and Digger in our ranks, so you let anything in our ranks.”
The hatred flowing in Bull made Johnnie grip his gun tighter. Christopher stepped over Stretch, walked up to Bull and nodded. His smile surprised Johnnie. Christopher didn’t agree with Bull, so why—
In a fast motion, Christopher shoved his gun in the man’s mouth and pulled the trigger, before adjusting his hand and firing again.
Dead motherfucker number three made the other two raise their hands.
Christopher signaled to Johnnie. “Cover me,” he ordered.
Cover him? Before any of them processed a decision to shoot, Christopher had a motherfucker spattered. Still, he listened to the orders, blinking when the man pulled out his cigarettes and lit one.
“Christopher?” a soft voice called from the other side of the door.
Gun in one hand, cigarette in the other, he nodded to Johnnie to open the door since he was closer. Hiding the gun behind his back, he cracked open the door. Worry and fear filled Megan’s eyes. “Christopher’s okay, Megan.”
She was standing on tiptoes, attempting to see inside. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, baby. I’m fine. Get back to the room and stay there. I’ll be there soon.”
“O-okay.”
Johnnie made sure she’d disappeared before he closed the door. “She’s gone.”
“Change of fuckin’ plans, Johnnie. We need to see if Stretch still breathin’, but Hanson fuckin’ done for. I’m goin’ wash all this fuckin’ blood off me and get Megan the fuck away from here while the fuckin’ clean-up goin’ on.”
“What about us?” Top asked, lifting a pierced brow. “We’re still alive, so are you letting us go?”
Christopher sucked on his cigarette, not responding.
The door slid open and Arrow stepped in, wearing just a pair of boxers, his eyes widening. When he leaned against the door to hasten its closing, Johnnie guessed Meggie had been on his heels. “What the fuck’s going on in here, Outlaw?”
“Nothin’ no more,” he responded. “What the fuck’s about to go on is clean-up.” He threw his cigarette down and it landed in a pool of blood. Christopher ran his hands through his hair and glared at Top. “I liked you, motherfucker.” He indicated the others. “All of you fuckheads. Pity you motherfuckers had all this fuckin’ hate in your fuckin’ heart.”
“And you don’t have fucking hate?” Top snapped, his eyes blazing.
“Not the way you fuckin’ thinkin’, assfuck. You fuckin’ loyal to me and the Dwellers, your fuckin’ ass can be polka fuckin’ dot who keep a fuckin’ stable of men, just as fuckin’ long as you don’t touch my shit.” He shrugged. “Bi, gay, or straight, a motherfucker human.”
“You wouldn’t feel that way if he’d tried to suck your dick,” Top pointed out.
“Fuckin’ right. I woulda beat the fuck outta him, but I ain’t singlin’ a motherfucker out. What you fucks did was done outta pure fuckin’ hatred.”
Top shrugged out of his cut then threw it at Outlaw, slapping him in the face.
Johnnie shook his head at the challenge in Top’s smile, awaiting Christopher’s reaction to the blatant disrespect. Arrow was already moving toward Stretch and lifting him into his arms.
“I’m fuckin’ out, Prez,” Top taunted.
“You sure the fuck is.” Christopher fired at point-blank range, dropping the man where he stood before turning and aiming his gun at the last one and taking him out, too. He threw open the door, running right into Meggie and pausing. “C’mon, baby,” he said. “I need to wash all this fuckin’ blood off me, then I fuckin’ promise I’ll tell you what the fuck goin’ on.”
“Stupid motherfuckers,” Arrow snarled. He glanced at Stretch, whose breathing was short and shallow. “Hold on, boy. John Boy-”
“Go,” Johnnie ordered, staring at the bloodbath around him. “I’ll get Cash here.”
Just before Arrow walked out of the bathroom, he said, “Get Roxy here to help, too. Blood don’t bother that bitch, since she’s spilled it a few times herself.”
Although the idea had merit, Johnnie wouldn’t bother the woman, certain she was at the house watching over Harley and Little Man.
Chapter 15: Finally
Two days later
While Johnnie held onto their son, Rory Michael Donovan, he guided Kendall into the clubhouse. Though she’d been thirty-five weeks and three days, he’d gone to NICU for observation. Once it was determined Rory was healthy, he was given the go-ahead to go home upon Kendall’s release.
She’d also decided to bottle feed the baby, so her breasts were painful and swollen. She couldn’t wait to get to the room and apply a cold compress. Once she and Johnnie discussed the pros and cons, and she told him she intended to
return to the law firm, they decided it best to start Rory off on the bottle. That way, she wouldn’t have to go through the weaning process. She’d also read that bottle-fed babies slept better than breast fed ones. But the deciding factor had come because of her decision to take anti-depressants. She didn’t want to affect her baby in even a small way with medication. That coupled with her decision to return to Dr. Yvonne Hughes’ weekly counseling sessions, made her look forward to her future.
Today, snow once again covered the ground. Although the drifts had stopped, it was overcast and freezing cold, so she doubted it would melt anytime soon.
The main room of the clubhouse felt so good, but the people there sent happiness through her.
It warmed her to find Roxy, Bunny, Zoann, Val, Cash, Outlaw, and Meggie, along with all the kids, waiting for her.
Although she wished Bailey and Mort could attend, at least their absence was due to a happy event. Unlike Stretch, who was in ICU, still fighting to survive.
Kendall pushed those sad thoughts aside, determined to focus on everything that had gone right.
Johnnie guided her to a seat at Val’s and Zoann’s table, before heading to the bar, Rory still in one arm. Outlaw, Val, and Cash wasted no time in following him.
“’Law!” Little Man screamed, abandoning Ryan to catch up to his father. Outlaw paused, allowing the child to reach him and lift his arms.
Without hesitation, he picked up his son.
“How you feeling, sugar?” Roxy asked, drawing Kendall’s attention away from Johnnie and the others. She kissed her granddaughter’s forehead and made a face at her, before returning a pacifier to her mouth.
“My breasts hurt,” Kendall complained.
“Try cabbage leaves,” Roxy suggested.
Lifting a brow, Kendall snorted.
“Don’t believe me? Look it up. Continue to suffer. Your damn choice.”
“I’ll look it up,” Kendall muttered. Seeing Zoann’s amusement, Kendall smiled, too. “Sorry, I’m just cranky.”
“You’re a new mom, sugar,” Roxy countered.
“Rory’s beautiful,” Zoann said with sincerity, not bothering to leave the room as she nursed her younger son.
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 224
