Damn it, but this club had a legion of beautiful women on the loose.
“Kendall, I need to talk to you, baby.” Roxy’s long-lashed brown gaze travelled between the two of them. “After I speak to Knox.”
The announcement caught him off-guard. After the way they’d parted, he didn’t think she’d seek him out so soon.
“Okay,” Kendall agreed, flushing. “I’ll wait at the bar for you.”
“I’ll just be a minute.”
The moment Kendall left, Roxy looked at Knox. She regarded him for a minute before she offered him a faint smile and sat without invitation, crossing her legs.
Knox tapped his fingers on the desk then folded his arms. “What may I help you with?”
“You and me got off on the wrong footing,” she said. “I wanted to stop in and correct that.”
He hid a smug grin. “Apology accepted.”
“I didn’t apologize and I don’t intend to. I said we needed to start over.”
He gave a mock wince. “How can I deny such sentimentality,” he said dryly. “Any particular reason why?”
She offered him a sultry smile, her pink tongue darting out to wet her red lips. Her skin looked so soft and her mouth just begged for a kiss. “Pure fucking shallowness. You’re fucking hot.”
At first, he thought he’d misheard, but the challenge in her unflinching regard told him he’d heard right.
Her bluntness lightened the atmosphere and amused him. He laughed. “I was thinking the same about you.”
“So what are we going to do about it?”
Knox hesitated, unsure if he should play her for the easy mark that she was or if he should go easy on her because of all she’d been through. With all the talk of her from Charlotte—who went beyond dislike toward Roxy and hated her—Knox knew that Roxanne had been on the periphery of the club for years, as the mother of one of the member’s daughters. Charlotte believed Roxy was as much a criminal as the men.
“How about dinner tonight?” he said, deciding to use her. He was there to help Uncle Avalon, not protect some broad who lusted after him.
Roxy stood, her smile lighting up her face. “Dinner it is.”
“I’ll meet you here at eight.”
“I’ll be ready.”
He was sure she would be. Anticipation poured from her. She’d tear off his clothes before they made it through his door. Fine with him. Passion was a powerful motivator. If he gave it to her good, she’d be willing to tell him anything he needed to know.
Motherfucking low down fucking bastard.
Storming away from Brooks’ office, where Knox sat so smugly, Roxy felt her pulse pounding. The motherfucker was so impressed with himself, she’d known exactly what she needed to say to trap him in her web.
Under other circumstances, she might’ve agreed that he had a right to be stuck on himself. She hadn’t lied when she’d called him hot. He was. But she’d been around enough to know a player and a damn fool who believed he’d dicknotize a woman. He was fucking with the wrong bitch.
In the bar, Roxy drew in a deep breath to calm her anger so she could deal with Kendall. The girl needed patience and support. Honing in on her red hair at the other end of the bar, Roxy considered how the few brothers that were present ignored her. She sat in a corner, all alone, pretending it didn’t bother her.
Roxy knew it did. She’d once been in her shoes. As K-P’s old lady, she hadn’t been accepted by everyone. K-P did what he could to protect her, but he had club business to tend to. He hadn’t always been able to be around.
Thanks to her less-than-civil reception, Roxy had rejected the few women who had tried to befriend her, not trusting their intentions. Club life, but the Death Dwellers in particular, had been in K-P’s blood. She knew he wouldn’t have been happy if he’d chosen to leave on her behalf.
He’d offered. He’d been a good man like that. However, Roxy couldn’t be that selfish and ask him to leave, even though she couldn’t stay. She couldn’t find a place in the club. She’d despised Logan Donovan. And she hadn’t been secure enough in her own skin.
The same with Kendall. Because she was so insecure, she didn’t have a place there, and she despised Outlaw. For all the wrong reasons. Kendall hated Outlaw because she wanted to sleep with him and knew she didn’t have a chance of that ever happening. Roxy had loathed Logan because he was a dirty, violent, racist, pig motherfucker.
Her skin crawled remembering her encounter with him. As usual, she pushed it to the back of her mind and sailed to Kendall, taking the stool next to her.
“How are you feeling, sugar?”
“Fine,” Kendall said quietly, making whirlies on the scarred bar.
“Not so much if you’re listening to Charlotte Redding again about some job.”
Gasping, Kendall froze. “So that’s why Johnnie went to Mortician so early.”
Roxy nodded.
“She’s…she won’t give it a rest,” Kendall admitted, her shoulders slumping. “That’s why I told Johnnie. I thought he’d talk to Brooks so he’d get her to leave me alone.” Her face fell. “I’ve told her, but she keeps it up. My only other option is to not talk to her anymore and I’d miss her. Just like I missed you.”
Kendall’s words were faint, almost as if she were afraid to admit that. Afraid of rejection.
One day, Roxy would explain why she’d needed to be alone as she faced her illness. Today wasn’t the day. She wanted that chapter in her life behind her.
“I missed you, too, sugar,” she said, grabbing Kendall’s hand and squeezing. “But I’m here now. That means I’m not going to let that uppity bitch use you for her amusement. I don’t know her end game. She’s fucking with fire. Your man’s not going to put up with her bullshit too much longer. I’m going to talk to her before he loses all his patience and fucks her up.”
Alarm raced across Kendall’s face and she clapped her hand over Roxy’s mouth.
“Don’t say that out loud,” she whispered.
Roxy shoved Kendall’s hand away. “Ordinarily what you did would get a bitch slapped. I’m giving you a pass this time. Tell me why the fuck I shouldn’t say that?”
“Because Knox is here.”
Roxy went on alert. Not that she’d doubted Outlaw. The man’s mistrust of people gave him an uncanny ability to read motherfuckers. “What’s wrong with Knox?”
“He’s a cop. Or a spy for a rival club. Or something. I think he has a camera hidden in Brooks’ office. I told Brooks it’s in the new clock but he says no.”
“Why there and what made you think that?”
“Knox doesn’t have a desk or anything. It just seems strange he’d bring a clock to the office when Brooks has one on his desk.”
“Unless Brooks is working with Knox, if the man’s doing something he shouldn’t, Brooks wouldn’t risk Outlaw’s wrath. If he doesn’t think a camera is planted, then it isn’t.”
“If you say so,” Kendall mumbled. “This morning, I thought Brooks was in but I found Knox instead, reading through a file. Then, he gave me some bullshit story about getting a budget together. Stretch is the treasurer of the club. For the businesses, Johnnie takes care of the finances.” Kendall gave a bitter laugh. “He knows a lot about everything because he dangled removing Outlaw and Meggie in front of me, like some shiny jewel.”
“I hope you told him to fuck himself.”
“No. I pretended to go along with him. He wouldn’t tell me why he’s doing this. I’m going to find out. I want to show Johnnie and Outlaw that I’m on their side. That I’d never do anything to betray the club.”
Fuck. “Baby, this isn’t the way to do it. Outlaw’s already on to him,” Roxy confided in the same low tones they’d conducted the entire conversation. “He wants me to get close to him.”
“That fucking asshole! He can’t tell you to throw pussy around for his benefit.”
Roxy laughed at Kendall’s outrage. “It’s my pussy, baby, so I think I know how to hold onto it. I
got four kids. I know how to string a motherfucker along to get what I want from him.”
Kendall grinned, some of her sadness deserting her. “Let me help. I can be your partner in crime.”
“Absolutely not.”
“But I’m so bored. There isn’t a lot of paperwork for the home healthcare business and Johnnie doesn’t want me practicing any other type of law. He says it puts ideas into my head and leads to other types of trouble.”
Roxy huffed out an irritated breath. That dumb ass never handled Kendall right. He focused on the wrong bullshit and Kendall took as much as she could before she fell back into her old patterns because her husband didn’t understand her. He loved the fuck out of her. He just didn’t know how to handle her.
“Fuck,” Kendall mumbled. “The baby making factory just walked in.”
Frowning, Roxy looked toward the door and saw Meggie. She sidled a glare at Kendall. “Shut the fuck up, sugar. Don’t start your bullshit.”
“Hey,” Meggie greeted, walking up to them with a smile on her face.
“Hey, Meggie,” Kendall responded, contrasting her bitter words from a few moments before. “You’re looking well.”
“So are you. I was going shopping for a few baby items and I wanted to know if you’d like to come,” Meggie said.
As much as Roxy wanted Kendall to bond with Meggie, she needed her with her for her visit to Charlotte. Before Roxy had a chance to let Meggie down easy, Kendall spoke.
“No, thank you,” she said coolly. “I’m not interested in baby shopping.”
Meggie nodded. “Did Johnnie ever talk to you about the opening at the Brantley Law Firm? Christopher told him to tell you.”
“You’re a liar. Your husband wouldn’t tell Johnnie anything on my behalf.”
Scowling, Meggie shifted her weight. “Fine. I told him, but Christopher was there.”
Misery pinched Kendall’s face and Roxy knew whatever she said next wouldn’t be nice. She’d let her vent, but, later, she intended to light into Kendall. If she wanted to be alone in the club, that was on her. But the isolation would end up ruining her marriage.
After Meggie put together Kendall’s wedding, Roxy had hoped it was a new leaf for them. For a few days it had been. But, of course, something else happened to set Kendall off again.
“I’ll talk to you later then,” Meggie started, backing away. She paused to hug Roxy. “I need to check a few things in the kitchen before I head out.”
The moment Meggie disappeared through the kitchen doors, Roxy turned to Kendall. “What the fuck is wrong with you? The more Meggie try, the more you push her away.”
“It’s bad enough she has my husband wrapped around her little finger. Now, she’s stealing my son, too. Rory always wants to be at her house. Johnnie told me Rory likes to be there because she’s so nurturing and lets him be himself. He said she’s like a second mother to him.” Her lower lip trembled. “I can’t do anything right as long as he measures everything I do according to her.”
More than just Charlotte needed some sense knocked into her. Roxy couldn’t believe a man so fucking smart could be so fucking stupid. He was damaging Kendall more than anyone. Later, she’d have to think this through and prioritize what she needed to work on first. Certainly, the threat Knox posed was the most important thing. But she also needed to get to New Orleans and check on her momma and her other kids.
“Johnnie didn’t mean that the way it sounded,” she started, focusing on Kendall for now and thinking of a way to put the dumb ass’ words in a good light. “Furthermore, I’m sure Meggie don’t see herself as nothing more than Rory’s aunt. She has enough of her own babies. She doesn’t need yours, too.”
“I guess so,” Kendall mumbled.
“I know so. Besides, the man knows you’re a career-woman and Meggie is the homemaker.”
“I’m a career-woman without a career.”
“Stop feeling sorry for yourself,” Roxy snapped. “Get up off your ass and do something. Just do it right. Don’t go around pushing away a girl who’s always tried to be your friend because you have a dumb ass man who don’t know when to shut the fuck up.”
“Do you think I’m a good mom?”
“You were a damn good momma to Rory at one time, but you veered off the path of what you were supposed to do.”
“That means no.”
“That means you turn yourself the fuck around and do what the fuck you need to do.”
“I don’t know what to do,” she admitted. “I don’t know how to be a mom. I was just trying to guide my son away from this club.”
“His daddy’s a part of the club. You know that man’s going to want his son in it.”
“I want better for Rory.”
Roxy cocked her head to the side. “You want better for Rory or better for yourself? From the way it sounds, I’d say the latter. If you don’t love Johnnie enough and can’t accept him for who and what he is, then you shouldn’t be here.”
“I don’t belong here,” Kendall confessed quietly. “I don’t have a place in this club. Almost everyone ostracizes me. My husband constantly compares me to the girl he once loved. I-I don’t fit in here. Anywhere, really.”
The baby was making Kendall overly emotional, but Roxy had never pulled any punches with her so she wouldn’t start now.
“You got a place here, if you’d accept it. You burned a lot of bridges with your bullshit. Outlaw’s never going to have anything to do with you. He hates you. Most of the brothers aren’t interested in being around you. But the girls always accept you back into the fold. You can’t blame Meggie for what Johnnie says. She doesn’t put words in that man’s mouth. Where’s the Kendall I know? That Kendall is willing to stand up for herself and her marriage.”
“That Kendall is lost in a bottle of medicine. No, bottles of medicine.”
“She needs to adjust and adapt,” Roxy advised. “How about this? While I’m working on Knox for Outlaw, you think about what you want to do. When this is over, if you still want to leave, then I’ll help you get away.”
Kendall gave her a grateful look. “You would?”
“Yeah, sugar. If you have to leave to find your happiness, I’ll stand by you.”
“What about my children? Johnnie would come after me with a vengeance if I took Rory and Matilda.”
“He would,” Roxy agreed. “But they’re your babies. They should be with you.”
Sadness welled deep within Roxy. Kendall seemed to already have her mind made up. The thought of her leaving hurt. She didn’t think Kendall should be out there on her own, away from the people who truly loved her. This time if she left, her husband wouldn’t take her back.
“I love Johnnie,” Kendall whispered, swiping at a tear. “I just miss working and I’m tired of Meggie and me making strides in the right direction, only to have something else happen that destroys that.”
Standing, Roxy hugged Kendall. “Let’s put this on the back burner until we meet with Charlotte. Besides, I got a date to get ready for.” The first one she’d had in years. She hated the spark of excitement she felt. It only made her angrier that Knox thought to make a fucking fool out of her.
“You’re heading out?” Meggie called as she walked by.
“Yeah,” Roxy answered, an idea coming to her. “Can you and Kendall stop by later to help me get ready for my date?”
“What time?” Megan asked as Kendall sucked in a breath.
“About seven.”
“I’ll be there,” Meggie promised. “See you later.”
Once Meggie left, Roxy turned to Kendall, who didn’t look very happy. But, instead of her bitchy digs, Kendall needed to let Meggie know about her latest issue. She needed to see Meggie’s outrage and trust that she wouldn’t tolerate Johnnie’s stupidity.
“Are you ready to head to Charlotte’s?” Roxy asked.
“I guess.”
“It’ll be quick. Then, maybe, together, we can come up with a solution where you don’t have
to leave.” Starting with Kendall facing the roles she’d played in her own misery and ending with a good heart-to-heart with Johnnie. “Chin up, baby. You’re going to win your war yet, even if you lose a few battles.”
Roxy would help her win, too. First, though, she had a bitch to put in her place and a motherfucker to get in line.
Chapter Four
Pushing motherfucking Knox Harrington out of his head for the time being, Christopher walked into the principal’s office at his boy’s school. CJ sat in a corner chair, his nose runny and his eyes red, a sign his son had been crying.
Strike motherfucking one.
The principal was a preppy assfuck around Christopher’s age, who placed himself above Christopher, judging by his once-over.
Strike motherfucking two.
He wasn’t in the fucking mood to deal with another motherfucker after suffering through Knox fucking Harrington’s shenanigans. Christopher was so fucking lucky he hadn’t keeled the fuck over in rage at his inability to act.
The only thing he was sure of, would bet his fucking cock on, was he’d make that motherfucker bleed.
“Mr. Caldwell, I presume,” the principal started, bringing Christopher back to this situation.
“Yeah,” Christopher responded, wishing Megan had come as she usually did. But she had a doctor’s appointment, so when they got the call to get to CJ’s school as soon as possible, she’d sent him. That also meant she had to go see the baby doctor alone, when Christopher went with her as much as possible.
“I’m Dr. Peter Hart,” the man said into the silence, holding out his hand. “The principal of this school.”
Christopher glared at the man’s hand, ignoring it to look at CJ. “Come here, boy.”
“Do not move from that seat, young man,” Dr. Hart said, although CJ ignored him and ran to Christopher, reaching his arms up. “I demand you put him down and return him to the corner to finish out his punishment.”
“You ain’t puttin’ my boy in a fuckin’ corner like he some stupid motherfucker,” Christopher snapped, holding his son tight to him, wondering why CJ was sobbing into his neck. “What the fuck he do any fucking way?”
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 374
